A@Rs THE BEGINNING OF THE END

JD, personally I feel to be great at anything there has to be some sort of gift, talent, blessing from God to do it. And when you tap into those things with the energy and hunger and drive to get whatever needs to be done to use that gift to its fullest potential, then you become great. ANd apparently alot of A&Rs don’t have that gift or don’t use it to their fullest potential.
Alot of the problem is that people have become lazy, settling for average, that good enough is fine. Excellence has been lost and it is seen everywhere, but especially on our music. And as consumers we are handed anything and have been accepting anything instead of pushing back and saying “stop handing me garbage.” We just take the status quo if you will.
Until people stop settling and buying garbage, we will get garbage. I am excited about Bow Wow’s album, because from the songs I have heard he is offering something different. That’s what I want different, something that makes my ears perk up and say yeah I like that. If this is the A&R’s job to bring to the table for the consumer, they have failed miserably. And those who are in charge, will only feel it when it starts touching the bottom line. When we as the consumers put up numbers for quality, originality, excellence and the other status quo albums fail to chart, only then will they get the message.

Unfortunately to many people are …..lazy and accept anything. It is a visious Cycle.

I do agree that you have to have an eye and a gift to be a true a&r. As the climate sits as it is and labels cut more jobs, I believe it will take independent visionaries who are truly passionate about the music and the possibilities of impacting people to be the next great a&r’s and executives. Somebody who just out of pure passion puts in the time, effort, and even money to help get artists that they believe in in areas and forums to progress and project that talent. That’s what I feel my calling is to this day. My dream job used to be an a&r position and due to my own choices and the way the business has gone that has not occurred so I am having to work in other ways to ensure that my dreams and goals are accomplished therefore developing relationships w/ various entities in the business, especially in my city, cultivating talent that I believe in and working to get it to the next level. The cream always rises to the top and my faith tells me that true art will one day be appreciated either now or later. I’m patient enough to wait for the later and those others that are patient will see the rewards of true talent.

I don’t think A&R’s understand their job. And I think are scared to do it. I had the same understanding that A&R’s go find artist and develop them. They aren’t managers or producers or ceo’s. Some can do many jobs. I think a manager should moreso “babysit”. A&R’s jobs shouldn’t be about supervising an artist’s career , but taking part in develoment. The lack of artist development out now is proof that A&R’s are failing. Look at what you’re doing with Dondria for example. You saw her youtube and began to work with her music and image wise. You take around the biz. And this week she’ll be opening at Bow Wow’s release show. To me she IS being developed. It’s what’s going to seperate her from the Tearria Marie’s they throw at us with no originality or spark. I’m happy Dondria isn’t being rushed. You don’t want her to be Monica or Aaliyah or someone you want to introduce Dondria. That’s what it’s about to me , a proper introduction. That’s why Bow Wow will have 7 albums. He’s not the only cute rapper, his fans aren’t just teens, he has a demographic he applies to and artists don’t understand their demographic. Soulja Boy should’ve had a nick show or a spot on Disney but he rushed past that and now he doesn’t sale. Record Labels have to know what A&R’s they can work with them that will work.

I also think that the reason people are failing at being A&R’s is being 1 they dont understand the full position, and because they really dont want the position, they just use it to put themselves in a better position. Like Myself, my dream is to become the top A&R in the country, so my passion for the position for excess the rest and it will show in my work and products.

Aye JD you are right on it big homie. From the outside looking in at todays music biz, it appears that the A&R position is question. All that u stated is exact. Better yet you didn’t mention the shift in technological advances. MySpace is the A&R of today hands down. That machine has greatly helped labels discover new hot talent versus the human condition of A&Rs beating their feet on the ground and “finding” talent and nurturing that talent. Welcome to the digital age bruh! The A&R of yesterday is obsolete. Just as you stated, label owners will be forced to play that role. On the artist side, Myspace as benefited their growth and development (views and listens). If your hot the number will prove it, I not then keep working on it till u get it. I hope this adds to what u have posted in regards to the state & fate of the A&R of today! Good shit mayne!

I like Bow Weezys singles too I was alittle impressed with him carrying video in front oof a bus that’s what’s up.

Ii like love songs and I love vocals and beauty is a pluss

Entertainers just aren’t stars anymore.

A star is a rare jewel. Brought to the forefront not just anybody (american idol)

Find us a star who’s humble yet strong beautiful and gifted and you might set the standard up again

Damn JD, u killin me! My DREAM is to be an A&R. But I do see what you’re saying. I think too what you have is a lot of people that aren’t really “musically inclined” in these positions. They’ve never taken any music classes, never played an instrument and don’t truly understand what “good” music is. I hope the A&R position doesn’t die, but If so I’ll find other ways to make my mark in the Industry!

I’m sure a lot of people have been wondering (or I have) , what’s “Global 14″…

It comes down to either you got it or you don’t. Not everyone has the god given talent to pick stars.

I believe it is a gift… Not everyone in the world can do it… I don’t think it is something that can be taught or learned… I think JD is making a change by just putting these types of taughts in peoples minds… I really think JD is trying to spark everyone attention and focus more on what music is and what it all about…

I believe the A&R has to have the qualities you listed, along with the proper backing by the label. Time must be given for the A&R person to look for talent. Talent can be found all over the world. I believe that there is presure for the A&R person to produce talent like they have an assembly line. I, as a consumer, am turned off when there are only one or two great songs on a cd. I don’t have the patience to purchase the sophomore cd, because handlers are saying that it’s better than the first.

You can Learn to be a good A&R the key word is GOOD, but I think to be a great A&R you have to that it, most of these A&R’S
these days are just being given jobs cause their mans’ is somebody! That is totally bullshit, most of these niggaz don’t know jack shit about music! Most of these niggaz are just fuckn’ YES men! You was dead on when you said niggaz need to get a TYRONE! A nigga who is going to give you his honest opinion on the subject @ hand! The state of music right now is horrible especially in R&B. You have certain artist putting out as I say, ” A DRY FUCK ALBUM”! Back in the day you use to have an album
that went from dinner to a lil foreplay then to the bedroom, now you meet the muthafucka and head straight to the room! That’s not HOT. That is not what R&B is all about! But it all comes back to the A&R, they are all following each other around, who is going to be the person to change it, NO CHANCE TAKERS! Niaggaz are scared! Man I really cannot think of anybody that has put out more hot albums than urself and that is still a major figure in the game!

wat up jd! i think that your statement about a&r not doing their jobs is rite. I think that it takes A special ear in talent to discover new talent specifically a person who could potentially b a “STAR”. There are a lot of talented people n the world but a “Star” is something that CAN NOT be easliy created. True stars take time n molding. Jus like back in Motown days they put there artist through boot camp taking those individuals talents n molding/prefecting them so that when the hit the massess they will be able to suceed. It seems 2 me that A&R are lacking creativiity. Instead of trying to find the nxt Michael Jackson,Usher, Janet, Britney they need to focus on finding artist that they created a new lane with.. . AS u said JD we need people to take more chances. I also think that A&R lack the “Passion” but I also do not think it is just A&R it is the Music Bizness as a whole. Stop putting out products only 2 recvd temporay gain but not long term success.

I think the whole industry need to be restructed. And 2 answer ur question. I think that u have been sucessful as a producer n finding new talent n bringing them 2 the fore front. Personally i think u r n a category all by ur self. I hate to compare people becuz everybody brings somethin diff 2 the table. But as far as the A&R part u are the ONLY producer that I can recall to be so involved in ur artist from there songs, to the clothes. videos, to promotions etc.

I totally agree JD. I did a video blog about this subject about a month ago on facebook ask B.Cox to show you if you haven’t seen it already. Guys like L.A., Jimmy Iovine, Kevin Liles and Andre’ Harrell were in place in my beginnings. Then You, Diddy, Dallas and Dr Dre were next and you guys did just as well but the ball was dropped when it came for the next generation behind you cause most of this class of A&R’s ARE NOT MUSIC MEN OR WOMEN. They don’t produce, they never were in a group, wrote a song or know where middle C is on the Piano so their ears are in effect DEAF. This new generation Put’s the budget in their pocket (Shady!) and picks up Billboard and looks at the top 10 and places every new artist with whoever is there. WRONG. Chemistry is a forgotten art. Like the Chemistry that You and Usher have. Or Quincy and Michael, Brandy and Rodney, Timbaland, Missy and Aaliyah, Dr. Dre and Snoop so on and so on… That’s where the game needs to go back to. RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB and not all this chart watchin. Check my Video blogs out on facebook if you have time. We need new stars in the game. I’m on the job. It’s comin from my end I promise.

I believe it’s sad for the music biz. The artist that are being put out now aren’t making any changes in music anymore to me. We have too many ppl remaking the same few years of songs on all their CDs. It kind doesn’t help alot of listeners arent ready for change. You know everyone want to sell drug andxpimp bitches like they grandfather. So a&r’s now daysxmight have trouble with new artist. Either they repeats or they not good for change. I guess nobody listen to the message of Obama tell for change. Maybe I need a job as a A&R cuz I can kill some of these bs artist. Or make them focus on the real.

in a nut shell…i sed this on my twitter page…the music business is doomed if it carries on like this…this new artists need to go on some sort of musical boot camp…

as for the A&R pple now…looks like they are clueless…it used to be about originality…ZHANE, KRISS KROSS, TONY TONI TONE(WHICHEVER ORDER), SWV, KEITH SWEAT…i could go on and on…now..if it looks like wat is on tv…fine…they r not chance takers but followers of mainstream bullshit that is killing the music industry…all these label bosses need to get off their asses- go in da street n look at these acts…ther r so many original, genuine artists out there who love wat they do n these old fools put their egos, greed and eventual jealousy towards others who bring the real deal to the table.

BASICALLY…EVERYONE NEEDS TO WAKE THE FUCK UP! STOP BEING SOMEONE ELSE N JUST DO YOU…THE PROBLEM IS BEING A COPYCAT! STOP IMMITATING AND DO YOU…IF U CANT GET OUT N MAKE WAY FOR THOSE WHO CAN.

I don’t think it can fully be blamed on A&R’s. At the end of the day it’s the CEO’s that are the people saying find me the next (fill in the blank). If all they are put to task to do is mold somebody into a newer version of an older artist, then there is not much developement in that………..It doesn’t take much effort or time to get an artist to mimick another but with a twist.
At some point in time it became too easy to follow a certain formula that worked instead of trying to get artists to be ORIGINAL. The sad thing is that, the younger generation that controls the demographic that record companies try to reach don’t understand their music history enough to know that for the most part they are gettin recycled shit. You take artists like Ne-Yo (& I take nothing away from his talent, he does his thing!) and all I see is a NEW MILLENIUM MICHAEL. I understand that Mike’s a major influence for him but where were the people to tell him “It’s cool to a certain extent but at some point u gotta be U, not Michael part II”. Because it sells, people at his label let him continue to do it.
I want some originals back in music, but if Record label CEO’s, etc… ain’t gonna pay for it then A&R’s ain’t gonna try and then the artists damn sure ain’t gonna try either.

I dont think you are wrong for not signing Ludacris. If i remember correctly, Diddy passed on Luda as well, and I look as Diddy as your equal in this industry. Luda is a GREAT rapper, but at the time when he came out he was sooo different that people prolly didnt know what to do with him. Kinda like Jay-Z’s situation earlier on. Point blank, it wasnt meant to be. Honestly, I wanted to be an A&R before I read your last blog. If there is a possibility of that job being eliminated I might just stick to radio and rapping.lol. I think to be an A&R you must have a GREAT EAR and be a risk taker. Real rocogize real, just like game can peep game. An A&R should know what to do with a great artist when they hear em and help em get to the next level.
PHX

You can not learn to be a great A&R. It is a talent and that’s why music sucks because we don’t have gifted A&R execs anymore. It’s all about how much money they can get PERIOD. Which is why you have a lot of shitty ass artist out. The music industry is crooked. Now don’t get my wrong it always has been a little crooked but at least back in the day the music came before the money. People worried about the music first and as a result of GREAT music being made GREAT MONEY was made. Now the industry has forgotten the music and is all about the MONEY. I personally don’t think a lot of these execs want icons and legends, they just want a return and fast. Which is why artist today can be here today gone tomorrow and the artist that are still around (beyonce, britney) doesn’t mean that they are really talented it just means their background team knows how to make shit look like gravy and keep them relevant. That’s why Beyonce won’t disapear, it’s not because she’s a hard worker if she leaves the game her ass would be forgotten too, she knows she’s not that hot to leave the game for a couple of years and come back. her career would be over.

Alot of people have lost their true vission…Its a gift but at the same time gifts can get cloudy like everything else if you don’t exercise them… The vision people are seeing now is MONEY…When you strip away everything an artist is today all you are gonna see on the floor is what was paid for to look authentic…Its all cookie cutter stuff these days…No innovators…Take the vocoder…Why did EVERBODY and their mother have to do it…Labels go any way the wind blows, They do not want to be the air…People are satisfied with being a thermometer and not a thermostat…I wish someone would give me and A&R position and let me do the things that they are really supposed to do…Before I even knew what an A&R did I knew I had it in me to do it…Just like an artist, without the proper care and nuturing we get dull and gullible so we settle for quick money instead of waiting for hard work to pay off…This microwave age SUCKS…The Labels are so thirsty that they sacrifice quality and newness for trying to make what the next man did better…From a listeners point of view its sad becasue we can only listen to what they put out…We are inundated with the garbage that we actually begin to tolerate it….and it is so catchy and were so used to the same old two step we fall right back into their trap…*tangent ended* lol

First of all I believe the music industry is all about who you know instead of what you know…there are a lot of friends or buddies looking out for each other which can sometimes cause a HUGE problem…people are biased they like everything that the artist put’s out because it’s their boy or homegirl and so it’s not real or genuine … Nothing against men but it’s also a very male driven industry and I belive we need more woman to balance out some of the TESTOSTERONE & EGO’S….I think MONEY has caused a lot of the issues because labels seem to just want a hit & the one-hit wonders are here today and forgotten tomorrow….a truly successful A&R should be able to find a DIAMOND in a sea of CZ’s!!!

I read sometime in the beginning of February that LA Reid hired 7 new A&R’s and all were men. Talk about a lack of perspective (intensely rolling eyes) and may I add there is rarely any Black A&R’s in the Pop/Rock

Now you ask can someone learn to be an A&R – No. I believe in order to be an A&R one must be an open-minded individual with a good ear for music. That’s the problem! This is why the music industry is not how it once was! A&R’s are manufacturing these generic “artists” to appeal to the public. As I said above there is a lack of perspective if there’s only men A&R’s! There’s a lack of perceptive if there’s only Caucasian A&R’s in Pop/Rock. There’s a lack of perceptive.

There should be ethnic diversity and gender diversity. Music is a universal language and in order to have MUSIC we must have people of different cultures, races and religions join to do such. Also A&R executives tend to sign new artists that fit into recent trends and who resemble acts that are currently successful. What about breaking the mold? Whatever happened to that? Music is art afterall…

Interesting. One thing that happened was jodeci became successful at a time when the male quartets that were poppin was boyz to men and color me badd. There were others like UNV, 2 the extreme, etc. Yet, jodeci became the exception. Trendsetters if u will. And we can never blame a trendsetter. We frown at the followers. And to add insult, the industry doesn’t make a move until sumpn new surfaces. So no A&R takes chances becuz they are always on pins n needles wit there jobs. So they only sign what works. So as soon as jodeci popped off…..they went and found their version of that.

By the way!!! Hey Ocean Crew!!! Especially B. Cox.. What’s up with my date? Ck out my pics ChocolateTiger28/myspace let me know if you like what you see. I’m not thick. 😉 het het, get my drift. lol

Don’t ya love when people try to act like their soo smart but they just wrote a whole bunch of shit down
That you already said wowzer geewilly ha Anywho

JD bring us some more talent and tell Ray-Ray I said sanng with his sexy self umm

Look at Usher He’s a star if you don’t have the qualities he does sit down your short term short money

Omgeeee, finally somebody says something I’ve been saying for a while. Thank u JD!! Although I’m only 25 I grew up on a lot of GREAT music my parents were 10 years apart so there was an age gap between them, my father adored Sade, Earth Wind & Fire, Anita Baker & etc & my mother loved New edition, Keith Sweat, Mary j Blige etc. I remember my daddy making me learn the words to Sly & the Family Stone bcuz I was 5 & loved LL Cool J’s around the way girl(I just knew he was singing to me) . The problem I see is everybody is out just to make a sorry ass buck. There are no real A&R’s ( artist & repetroire, sic, for those who don’t even know what it means) bcuz nobody seems concerned with actually taking the TIME to build a career, to understand & see a vision & build on it! All the classic artist & albums we know were not created over night! & as far as I’m concerned there is no classic shit being created because everyone is so in a rush for one, perfection takes time, maybe not as much as dre takes but it does take time. Whatever u do u gotta perfect ur craft. If exects would stop signing these damn watered down artists & artists took the time to create some separtion between themselves & the crap that’s already playing on the sorry ass radio, then some of us would actually enjoy listening to the radio again ( cali radio is trash). I miss the 90’s, I was in middle school, there was only 3 female r&b artists out, Brandy, Monica, & the great Aaliyah. None of them sounded, looked, or acted the same, but omg *light bulb moment. They all gave us classic material!!! Ahhh falling asleep to Brandy-by Brandy….can’t even tell u the last album I bought before Love Vs Money….people need to just really do their homework & learn what goes into success overall not just a #1 song……can I get a r&b album somebody plzzzz…this girl is dying for something to make love to her husband to!!!!!

i fully agree with the whole idea of cutting out the A&R and just letting bosses like j.d have their ear on the ground and decide as to which artist has not only full potential but also the power of longivity, you can have potential but it means nothing if you cannot stay in the game for the long run, i mean look at artist like bow wow, most child star’s like him by the time they hit their twenties they have long been forgotten. FACT IS PEOPLE IN THIS INDUSTRY HAVE BECOME EXTREMELY LAZY AND WE AS THE CONSUMERS FEED ONTO THIS LAZINESS BY BUYING THEIR RECORDS AND THEN YOU WONDER WHY SOME OF US WOULD RATHER DOWNLOAD SHIT THEN REACH OUT OF OUR POCKETS AND BUY IT. IT HAS EVEN COME TO A POINT WHERE ME AND MY OLDER BROTHER DON’T EVEN BUY NOWER DAYS MUSIC LIKE RNB AND HIPHOP, NOWER DAYS WE JUST COLLECT THAT REAL MUSIC THAT USE TO PLAY BACK IN THE DAY, AND GUESS WAT? WE BUY IT WHEREAS NOWERDAYS MUSIC WE JUST DOWNLOAD FROM THE INTERNET UNLESS IT IS REALLY REALLY GOOD, BUT WHAT ARE THE CHANCES?

I think that the were being flooded with fads! Everything is about whats popn right now and not about a long musical career. Fast Money! Thats how I see it.

Looking Thru Gypzy Eyez!

I was walking to class at Morehouse and I just happen to look on the ground and saw an envite to the Queen Pen album release party. I picked it up and called the number on the flyer and found out it was real. I went to the party and JD, Teddy Riley, Kriss Kross like the whole Atlanta industry was their. I went up to Kriss Kross and told them I had some beats that I was trying to get on, they directed me to Eddie Weathers, the A&R at So So Def. I called Eddie and he had me send in a demo. They were working on the So So Def Bass Album at the time. At this time Lil John was also the A&R (funny thing about this is that I met Lil John because his brother, Will, was in my same class at Morehouse so John would be on Campus all the time) Anyway, I was in class and the number to So So Def came in my pager, it was Eddie telling me he wanted a song I made (She gots the whole world) to be on the album and would send me the artist. He sent me 2 white boys Shannon and Andy (Andy yall know as Bubba Sparxxx, go to itunes to hear it bubba sparxxx doing booty shake LOL) without going on and on with this story this is an example of a good A&R, a person that is executing a plan by pulling the proper people together to make success.

I thought about JD’s question who CURRENTLY has put out more artist and I must say I really couldn’t think of too many. It has really been like JD, Dr. Dre and Puff that have brought the most new artist out to the public. (Master P put out THE MOST artist but we are talking about BIG artist) So I give JD credit for that, but I guess my problem is how to classify JD. As a producer hands down one of the best. I have never said nothing different. JD’s track record is what it is. But let’s look at JD as the head of So So Def Records.

I talked to Kandi one time from Xscape and she said it was hard to be successful as an artist with the producer trying to shine so much. Now personally, I like JD as an artist as well as a producer but the point is, if I am an artist it is going to be harder for me to recognize and find talent. Everybody in Atlanta tries to get on with SO SO DEF first before they do anything else. I use to stay at 2 Short’s studio when it was in the West End, that’s where LIL John recorded “Who U Wit” and I just never could understand why dude had to do the whole independent label thing when he already had a relationship with JD. Dude is still fighting TVT to get his money!!

So as a producer/songwriter…JD…..score 10….

As an artist….JD…score 8…That song you and snoop did with Premier on 1472..is a classic on the low

As an A&R…..4…Atlanta is the center of black music, you should have a lot more people under you. Def Jam and every other label should be on your nut sack…. Polow Da Don had to work for Timberland AND get Jimmy Ivines Nephew for a manager to get on just come right back to Atlanta.

As a CEO of So So Def Records….4…not enough artist signed and currently making music…

If you look at yourself as only a producer/songwriter and not an A&R/CEO then I am wrong and will admit it. But that is a message that you need to get out. Why do you think you get so many demos, people look at YOU as the A&R for SO SO DEF!!

I was talking to DJ Jelly yesterday… Dude is a smart as hell and said one of the biggest problems today is that the songs now are BIGGER then the ARTIST!!! WOWWW something to think about!! We get to know the songs but never get to KNOW the artist.. How do we correct this?

JD what is your role?

SPOCK

I agree with you 100% Jermaine. The A&R ( the person who finds, takes a chance, has a vision, knows the key sounds ect…) i believe as well that he no longer exists!! when was this position get created anyways… As far as I know if we take as an example MOTOWN. Berry Gordy was very involved in finding the artists and developing the artists. ( Dianna Ross, Smokey Robinson, The jacksons, Marvin Gaye ( not sure) Rick James ect…He was also their boss in terms of who is the one who pays them and makes the decision. Berry Gordy was a true visionary. Now in this day while there has been some great artists who have made an influence in today’s pop culture the question is who were they found by?
Puffy worked as an A&R discovered Jodeci, Biggie, Mary etcc… Jermaine you played a role as well in finding Xscape, Da Brat, Bow wow ect… Now we have the wave of Artists themselves acting as A&R such examples would be Eminem and 50 cents. Ludacris and Chingy or wtvr his name was ( sorry i am not bing into rap and such) Kanye and John legend, (but he’s been out for a while) Estelle. Maybe they just use their stardom to push for other artists. This eliminates the middle man who was ( is) the A&R.

I think what the music industry needs is a new movement. Clearly the consumer is in control in any industry at this point. We are tired of being sold garbage. Companies have to pay attention to what the consumers needs and wants are. It is the same in Music. We are tired of the clonning of artists. Clonning of sounds and music. The packaged bubble gum, manufactured, recycled artist. The music industry is in a recession. The product cycle theory applies to this as well. Now the question is who will be the next Clive Davis, Berry Gordy ectt who will take a chance ( which will put his own money into question) who is willing to invest their money into that. That is where the true visionary is born. THose who take a chance. I mean if you are sitting on millions and you have a vision but you’re not taking the chance to gamble to put forth what you have what’s the point?

The biggest problem is, A&Rs, DJs, etc. tell R&B artists that in order to get a street buzz, they MUST have a song bangin’ in the clubs, and in order to get a R&B record played in Atlanta, it has to be a “party” record (it MUST have a hip hop feel to it). Trust me, I have a record label, Reign Check Ent. and we hear this ALL the time. The R&B group signed to my label is Next2U, the group has CLASSIC R&B records like “Lover’s Lane” but the DJs will only spin Next2U’s hip hop songs like “The Baddest” or “Dip It Low”—–if you listen to Next2U’s music, you’ll hear what I am talking about (myspace.com/reigncheckent) It seems as if R&B artists are in a losing battle!!!!

yo was hood JD this K-R im from jerz but im livin in GA and i got some hot songz and i want you to listen to them when ever you got time 2 and hit me up on my e-mail but on some real shit im 19 teen and music is my life for real and i love this shit my nigga

LOL i hate A&R’s… Those people dont understand what the people like!! For example Usher’s Album… it flopped so hard, but they did some great songs (RADAR, GET USE 2 HER,…) and they arent on the tape?! HAHA fuckin bunch of nobodys.. i can beat every A&R in the game! they cant stop leaks, they cant took great songs for the tapes (cuz they are out of concept?!). I told jay stevenson bout the usher situation and he agreed… i hope u guys learnd and im rdy to hear ushers greatest album, ever.
bye the way.. fuck off dre N vidal (they got their hits in the past). watch out for darkchild, maddscientist, saint nick, rob knox, sean garrett, james fauntleroy, Oak & the surf club (hitboy, chase N cashe)… they are the future!! – keep it on fya – oceans5 or nuthin!

@bels…It’s not just the equipment, its the lack of the label to even want to groom artist. I graduated from Morehouse with a degree in Accounting, I also have 2 MBA’s one in Accounting and one in Marketing, the point is is that I know business and how businesses work. So let me break it down for all the musicians on here that don’t know how it works.

Companies are owned by share holders. Every fiscal period (half a year, per quarter, etc etc) the CEO’s of the record label have to send in their forecast for the up and coming year. In other words they have to project what sales they expect. This is how the labels set up their budgets. (This is how they know how much money to spend on employees, artist, promotions..etc etc)

HERE IS THE PROBLEM!!! When the CEO’s make the forecast they look at HISTORICAL DATA!! In other words past record sales. What that means is that the record company is going to look at certain songs and styles and if they have worked in the past they will try to duplicate that success. (OK we had a white male rapper that sold good, so lets get another one) (Ok that dance record sold a million ring tones so lets get another dance record) Yall get the point.. So in this process NEW, DIFFERENT Music is going to be ignored because it doesn’t have the track record of success EVEN if it is more creative. What now all the records sound the same!!!

Another reason why labels don’t want to groom artist is because as the artist gets more successful they get cocky as hell. Who is getting album deal these days, all the contracts are single deals. Many times these deals will not even let the artist make money. You should see the Contract that Dallas Austin gave me at Rowdy Records for Crank That Roadrunner. So the artist are only making money from shows and THEN they get hit was a 360 contract so they don’t even get all the show money!!!

So lets talk about some solutions instead of just the problems.. Take the damn music back!! Everything in America is for sale. As soon as you get a hit record the majors are coming for you. On one side you need to get with them because they control the radio, Tv, etc, but once you get you fan base, you can leave and do your own thing.. And start making different music. REAL MUSIC!! PERFECT EXAMPLE PRINCE!!!.. Dude’s 3 CD album is coming out in Target on Sunday. I am going to support him because I understand what he is doing..

That is why I go hard on this web site. I want to always be honest. If a song is Wack I am going to tell JD, if its hot I am going to tell him that too. Dude is like 5’2 with a heart of a 6’4 nigga, but being real is the best way to show respect!! SPOCK!!

im starting to think that is the reason why music is going down in this shit now.. Nobody wants to be creative and make music that is gong leave a statement! its not just about ring tones and getting million with success and time that will all come. A& R jobs are to develop a artist have plan and set goal on what is going to be accomplish with that artist. Jobs get eliminate in the industry everyday because people don’t listen to music anymore they go based off what is marketable and profitable! not what is a going to hit hard months & years from now!! smfh Greed play major roles in this and CEO and EXEC will never do the dirty work of a A&R because most of them feel that they are to good to get into that part of the creative process! from my understanding there use to be a lot going into making a artist successful, no one take the time to put that together anymore because exec are suppose able to ‘BUSY” and mainly don’t give a fu*k, the check clearing is all that matters! take music where it was and get the GENRE that were created for a reason!!! stop bullshit thinking this industry will survive on greed!! IT WONT HAPPEN.Everyone wants to point fingers instead of doing there part of saving a industry to where everyone made money and did it because the love the art not the weak ass check!!!SH*T IS WEAK AND MOST OF THESE EGO HAVING A** NI**AS ARE THE REASON WHY ITS NOT GOING ANYWHERE..I AGREE WITH SPOCK

Whats up JD…check out the song on http://www.youtube.com/studnga25…..we‘re a female rap group openly gay….we’re all studs so you know we get it in wit da ladies too…LOL…But check us out please….FIRST STUDS OF SO SO DEF…WHATS UP…YALL KNOW WHAT DIS IZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you are right in a sense because no one is looking for real artist anymore that includes a&r’s and the bosses they are just looking for someone to make quick money and to me that’s wrong. JD check out these two artist I know and its not because I know them personally I really believe they are talented so if you do can you hit me back i am on youtube its bubbanotfit and the artist page’s are http://www.myspace.com/daprinceofrnbstreet and http://www.myspace.com/snakethegreat229 and yes they are right here in GA. Tifton,GA to be exact

JD i feel that your right about everything you have stated and that you have found a lot of artist and you know how to represent them in every way,shape, or form. But my question to you is why dont a lot of record labels hire more interns. I feel that as an intern we all have a lot to learn from people that have been in the industry for a long time, but we also can give labels positive feedback as to what kids are really feeling or what they want to hear more of. I’m not saying that you all may not know how to find talent or anything like that, i just feel labels should give more people chances to help and and give their input in the music industry because you never know if that next intern will be that next producer, A&R, singer, rapper, or CEO that might help to get things back on the right track within the music industry.

I used to want to be an A&R…

But I mean… IDK… I kinda agree. Look at the damn game. Jay-Z is still fucking making albums for crying out loud. But I guess if LL can he can too… IDK…I dont have an opinion on this one. I know the state of the game is so fucked up… its a wonder A LOT of people are still getting money in it.

And as for you JD…. u do have an ear for talent… no one can deny that… but the world is waiting for u to step shit up a couple notches too… from a label stand point… not just production. ::Shrugs:: Im just saying….

Well I write this kind of songs jd is talking about that is missing and I still can’t find an A&R or record label that wants to use my lyrics I wrote a song that is for Usher and I posted in on a comment for jd still nothing happen and I left an A&R at so so def a message and still nothing happen cause I know I got the lyrics that the world wants to hear.

@bels.. I hear you bro…Accountants do make good musicians. Musicians are suppose to be good at math!! I agree with you about the music

@ spock…i’m a LADY! not a bro’. 🙂 lol

The bottom line is niggas need 2 stop following trends and make history. I’m so sick of these fucking lazy ass , bullshit ass, hatin ass A&R’s . The game got fucked up when a&r’s started to pop bottles in the club and thought they was the fucking star i.e. Sickamore. These niggas wanna fuck with the bitches and act important instead of being that humble dude thats always on the hunt. These niggas don’t know what a hit record is anymore . Niggas is guessing. J.D. Why do niggas like you got 2 fucking argue with labels about records that end up being hits anyway?
How many times we have heard those stories about the record that was a smash and almost didn’t see the light of day? The reason why that record don’t sound like radio cause the record got its own swagger! Period.
Right now 2day its prolly some fucking kid that lives in Butte Montana whom spend his days shoveling shit , feeding chickens and herding cattle . After this kids day is done he in the corner of his barn making some shit that will fuck the whole game up and make niggas get back on their toes!! unfortunately he may never be found or given a chance cause niggas ain’t flying 2 Montana, they comfortable with signing niggas from somebody they know or somebody else said they hot!!!!! A&r’s suck. Jd. Niggas like you, timbaland, polow, b. cox, swizz , chad& pharrell need 2 be a&r’s not some nigga that just want 2 feel important. Niggas need 2 catch them pink slips early.

I feel what your saying bc in a sense its true. But the problem now days is the way people accept new artist. That makes an a&r’s job hard bc your looking for something that is not going to please your listeners at that point in time so they recruit whats hot. Myself, im graduating with a Business Admin/marketing degree, and i just so happen to love music so thats exaclty what i wanna do for a living. I’m well aware that the job of the a&r is to search and sign profitable,yet talented artist, deal with managers,lawyers, producers, and not just a&r the project. But with how the industry is today, if they aint danicing around half naked like some of the male r&b artist, but can actually sing…i mean sing, this generation of listeners is less likely to listen to them. The same is true for the female artists to a certain extent. You have people like Beyonce, who is well established, so no matter what she does…she’s good. But u have your true singers that have been in the game as long as if not longer, like Tamia for example, who is a very talented singer, who won’t be accepted as much as a Ciara, who with all do respect is not a vocally gifted as she. Hopefully the job of the a&r is not eliminated bc it would be a shame. The label heads definately aint gonna find talent…they’ll be looking for cash cows. Then the industry will be really fucked up.

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