Wendy DayCEO/Coach, PowerPlays Coaching, LLC · Helping rappers make money with their music. Building millionaires in the urban music industry since 1992.

Be careful what you ask for...

7 Nov 2024 · 1 min

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In this reflective monologue, the speaker critiques the modern music label system, acknowledging that while labels can provide benefits, they often hinder artists by creating misunderstandings, misattributing success, and fostering dependency. The speaker argues that greater awareness of label failures would empower artists to avoid over‑crediting labels for their achievements. An anecdote about a Black motivational speaker—possibly named Lisa—illustrates a parallel lesson: the speaker’s admonition, “don’t make me extraordinary,” warns against using others as excuses for personal shortcomings. Overall, the excerpt emphasizes critical awareness of industry structures and personal accountability.

Chapters

Yes, a label can help with certain things. Yes, label can be great. But a label now— not be great, right? Like, that's in multiple ways, right? Label today is not a label back then. And more importantly, um, I think if artists were more aware of all the failures, or how much labels can mess things up, or how little understanding, right, um, labels have then I think they wouldn't just contribute, attribute all successes to other artists to having those type of systems and things going on. Because it really— I remember, I can't remember her name, it might have been Lisa, it was like a Black lady, and she had— she was like a motivational speaker. But I remember she said something, and I loved how she said it, because she said, don't make me extraordinary, right, um, just to really become an excuse for why you can't do it, right?