THE LABEL CRAZE
Top Ghanaian rapper,D-Black real name Desmond Blackmore was recently asked by Ghana's music and entertainment blog,Graphic Showbiz if his lack of proper managerial skills was responsible for the departure of 6 artistes within months from his Black Muzik Avenue record label and he said "No,every artiste comes with his manager.I just provide the financing".
Most artistes want to start a label after a couple of hits but owning and managing one entails a lot more than the average artiste on this side of the divide thinks.It takes more than just 'financing' an artiste and giving them a platform.So far,even where artistes are paid accordingly,the most common problem they have had is promotion.Either they aren't availed enough funds for it or it isn't properly done by the label.If D-black hands over to his artistes whatever they request for promotion and in the end,they squander it and come back for more,he will stop being wasteful and the artiste will feel enough isn't being done.
Managing a label is a full time job and no label should operate if it won't handle the promotion of its artistes itself.Nothing stops the artistes from doing the little they can on their own but basically it is the responsibility of he who has sunk money into an artiste's career and who hopes to reap from it to push him.
Quite commendably however,some big artistes have stayed conscious of the fact that their personal careers will take up most of their time and resources and have graciously resorted to 'helper-helpee' arrangements rather than signing young artistes and wasting away their fruitful years with shabby arrangements.Associating with these artistes alone thrusts them into the spotlight.They call in favours from a lot of friends to get them collaborations,magnanimously shoot a few videos and hook them up with the right promoters for shows.That is better.
THE OLADIPS/REMINISCE SITUATION
Oladips shocked the music world when he dropped a single titled 'Maybe' where he narrates his sad ordeal at his old label,Reminisce's Les Roses Rouges.Going by what the artiste himself said,if anyone refers to a signed contract as a helper-helpee arrangement then "the contract is a f**king trap and a fraud".Its important to get a grasp of the Oladips/Reminisce relationship.
We were first introduced to Oladips when he won D'banj's King Don Come rap competition and Reminisce signed him on afterwards.Alaga had a couple of endorsements then notably one with Samsung and was doing well on the music scene.Oladips would get something decent to pocket and perhaps a good car.
More importantly,the exposure that would come with being with Alaga; who himself is an indigenous rapper would be too much of a lure to resist.He gradually earned himself a reputation as a great artiste over time who despite scoring a major hit 2 years later in 'Lalakukulala',had impressed very much on virtually every song he made or featured on.Though it is advisable to hear both sides before reaching a conclusion,2 things tilt the balance in his favour-First,Reminisce hasn't had him drop an album and Secondly,Alaga isn't quite in the same position he was when he signed Oladips and may have difficulty fulfiling some of his obligations.Sojay; who had earned quite a reputation for himself on eLdee's Trybe records as one of the finest voices in the country was on LRR and left after some singles.The only artiste to have ever dropped an album on Reminisce's label is Reminisce.
Even when he appeared in a good position financially,he found it difficult handling his career along with others on the label.One thing a lot of artistes that have rushed into starting labels need to learn from the Oladips/Reminisce situation is when to let an artiste go.An artiste searching for a break through will swallow anything you say and sign whatever you present to him.And when after a while you renege on certain aspects of the agreement,he is willing to still stick around in search of his lucky break but when that artiste has grown to the stature Oladips has,you either fulfil your contractual obligations to the letter or have a serious problem to contend with.Leaving the label alone is news for the blogs and ultimately bad publicity.With a song like 'Lalakukulala',if Oladips hasn't or isn't making money for LRR then the problem lies with the label who perhaps aren't marketing him right.Besides,a contract is a contract.An artiste has to be paid his dues whether or not they make any money which is why the unready label boss/flagship artiste is better off with a helper-helpee arrangement.The signed artiste usually bemoans a proper lack of promotion by his label but when he is being told he is being done a 'favour' whenever a 'dollar' is spent,that is a major problem.
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