Hate him or Love him, Jermaine Dupri has never been shy about speaking his mind… We recently sat down with JD “The Boss” to discuss the State Of The Music Business. This interview will be broken up into a 5 part series that will air over this week. Today is Part 2 of 5 – Money Fucked Up The Game. Tune in tomorrow when JD discusses The State Of The Music Industry
Money Fucked Up The Game
Bonus: Johnta Update
[...] JERMAINE DUPRI interview says money f-cked up the game – salutes themostaccess [...]
She Bad! – Kristin Sharrell
Kristin Sharrell is taking the modeling world by storm,...
She Bad! Nia Riley
I met this beauty last year and I have been following...
She Bad! – Lisa Raye
Anybody who KNOWS me, knows that LISA RAYE is my epitome...
The Most Access With DJ Infamous: Episode 6 – Teairra Mari
DJ Infamous sits down with the Beautiful Teairra Mari...
The Most Access With DJ Infamous: Episode 5 – Ludacris
DJ Infamous takes us to the Velvet Room In Atlanta...
The Most Access With DJ Infamous: Episode 4 – Laws
DJ Infamous kicks it at Headquarter Studios in Atlanta...
It’s easy for JD to talk he’s sitting pretty with all of Xscape and Kriss Kross and Bow WOow’s publishing. He paid attention to the money too.
Shut up! Hypocrite!
JD
I think that the focus on money is fucking up the game but you are part of that problem. You and Jay-Z put that shit out there with Money Ain’t A Thang. Then Diddy shiney suit ass came next, Cash Money Bling Bling. People saw that and began to visulize themselves on Mtv cribs. Fast forward, Everybody got money on they’re minds on money because they see how the big dogs living.
But when it was all about music we did have real music!
JD YALL EXECS IS THE PEOPLE GIVING OUT THE MONEY SO UR APART OF FUCKING IT UP BROTHER…I THINK YALL SHOULD GIVE NEW ARTIST A MONTHLY ALLOWANCE UNTIL THEY ALBUM COME OUT BCUZ YALL WANT THEM TO DO EVERYTHING ON THEY OWN BUT NOT GIVING UP MONEY OR STUDIO TIME 2 GET SHIT GOIN 4 THEMSELVES…U SAID YOULL GET ON A SONG IF U LIKE THE BEAT RIGHT? BUT I BET U WONT GIVE A BEAT OR STUDIO TIME JUST CUZ U LIKE THE ARTIST…THIS Y WE NOT HEARING FROM UR BENCH CUZ THEY PROBABLY BROKE AND U NOT TRYNA HEAR FROM THEM CUZ IT AINT ABOUT MONEY SO JD UR APART OF FUCKIN IT UP IF U THINK ABOUT IT
U MAKING ME MAD JD CUZ EVERYTHING U SAID I CAN POINT 2 UR ROSTER CUZ THEM YOUNG NIGGAS DONT TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE THESE RAP NIGGAS TALKING BOUT BUT U NOT FUCKING WIT THEM …IS THAT Y?
JUST GO HEAD AND GET JOHNTAY AND DONDRIA OUT CUZ THATS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT MAN…….
JD,
I swear the first time I heard the expression “Bling, Bling” was on ‘Money ain’t a Thang” Why is that generally credited as a Cash Money expression?
Anyway, money did fuck up the game but people were always seeing money, it just wasn’t always the artists. The music biz is just that, a business. If an artist is putting out a product people like then people will support. Also, the economy is fucked up, for some people money that used to be spent on leasure is now spent on gas and food, the rate of inflation is rediculous. When I was younger, I used to buy cd’s all the time, now I’m much more selective. If a rapper puts out a whole quality product, I’m copping. If not, I’m not wasting my money. I work too hard to support wack shit.
As far as producers overcharging for tracks, Scott Storch comes to mind as does Dr. Dre. Dre isn’t hurting for money, now Storch on the otherhand…I’m thinking about the Trackmasters as well, them niggas disappeared for awhile. We’ll see if they can make a real comeback. Can’t overcharge for tracks particularly when most artists aren’t putting up the #’s that were happening 5-10 years ago.
I agree w Alicia Allout. Not to mention those who were in positions of power literally SOLD our stake in Hip Hop. I could care less how much $ jay or jd got, bc to me it’s blood $. NY mc’s didn’t raise new rappers and didn’t stand up for hip hop bc they wanted $. So JD’s one of themain problems, next to Jay-Z. True talk.
The music industry was losing so much money they thought they could throw some petty change at minorities and they’d jump at the chance. Guess what…they did. Now every brother down south’s looking for a one-hit wonder to pimp. Disgraceful. I know the drill, JD aint pulling the woolover my eyes. He hasnt made a dope beat in a while also.
Bling Bling was first heard on Money Ain’t A Thang but then Cash Money put it out there even more.
this is true ppl got in love with the money instead of the love of the music
ppl treat music like a hustle and the music will treat u like a hustle but if u love the music will love u back
Some people had some very thought provoking opinions… I’ll quote a few -
Dallas Bueller says: “The only people who give a fuck about the music “industry” is the motherfuckers in it. Money has always been what that whole game is about. What really fucked up the industry is them not embracing internet technology initially. While they were busy trying to bring down Napster, they should have been coming up with ways to take advantage of the new distribution method.
Dayne says: “If artists weren’t getting fucked outta contracts they wouldn’t have to worry about money. JD full of shit as usual. I haven’t watched the interview so I don’t know if he’s referring to the quality of music or the reasons why it ain’t selling.”
Gemma says: “What fucked up the game is no more buying albums off the strength of a single. And No more impulsive buys now we can download the whole album before release and make a decision on if we’re willing to spend money on it or not. The power is back in the hands of the consumer.”
Voodoo says: “well if hadn’t he been making shit talking about making money and how much money he got then maybe that wouldn’t be the case. fuck JD on this one”
Dale Mabry says: “Aint you mister “Jigga I dont like it if it dont gleam clean?” And aint you the nigga that jacked Treach for the Kris Kross sound? Jacked Snoop for Da Brat’s sound? AND hit him up for Lil Bow Wow? Nigga you one of hip-hop’s most INFAMOUS biters. AND moneyholics. The nerve.”
Interesting…
I MEAN I FEEL JD ON THAT MONEY SHIT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT NIGGA RICH ASS FUCK SO HE PROLLY DONT CARE BOUT MONEY LIKE HE USE 2. BUT THAT NIGGA CRAZY ASS FUCK IF HE WANT ME 2 BELEIVE THAT HE NEVER PAID ATTENTION 2 HIS PAYCHECKS. IF THATS THE CASE WORK 4 FREE AT DEF JAM.
wow…..let the seriousness and lurkers resume today!!!!!!
I agree, the industry is so focussed on money that we aren’t hearing quality music anymore. We have a shit load of ring tone rappers and nothing timeless. Where are all the “Real” singers at. Are you really going to listen to the garbage playing on the radio now in 10-years?
I havent seen the video. But I will say this, I bought JD’s wack ass fucking album based on “Money aint a Thang” Impulsive buy… spent my fucking hair braiding dough on that… I think and the song was crack. It came on my LaunchCAST on Friday and I got excited. Why? Because it made me say… when I older… I’ma by fly JUST LIKE THAT!
Y’all are on here acting like they invited money, cars, clothes and hoes! That shit was ALWAYS there. It’s just looking back… shit aint that exciting. You see the big ass rope chains that are now nothing to a platinum one and think BLAH. But nigga DIED over them chains in the 90s. That was being young fly and flashy then. Niggas was getting car jacked for Audis and not Lambos. So stop being mad at the niggas with money because you’re fucking broke and they infulenced the market. This is the FLASHY shit of our time…and every generation had theirs!!!
Now @ TMA… I do agree with some of the posts. Number 1. the indutry is TOO TANGIBLE! THAT’s what fucked it up. I’ve been going to instores since I was… what? 4?! My moms was down for the movement. Celebrities used to seem untouchable.. it was a lifestlye you wanted in with sooo bad. NOW?! As a grown as lady… bagging a celebrity is easy like elementary math. You can spend their money and live just like them. Word to the Black Hollywood that is ATLANTA. Shit… I talk good shit… I can get on just like Trina did— talking slick on a record (and thats her quote). Piss me off… I’ll spit a hot 16 for your ass too. Thats the damn problem… including blogs and inside scoops and all that.. the shit is too tanglible… and then it’s not what it seems. JD, Diddy, Jay-Z… they aren’t making kinds into millionaries anymore. Us consumers can see a newly signed rapper on some cocky shit in the club and say “Nigga I probably have more money than you do.”
Knowing that people are going bankrupt fucked up the industry. People wouldnt be pissed off at the diddy’s if people weren’t in situations like The Game was… shit getting repoed left and right and he’s blinging on TV. The issue is… people know it’s bullshit!
Also… I AGREE 3000% with the NapSter qoute. When the case was going on… I was sitting at home thinking why didn’t my computer geeky ass think of something like that. Plus… it’s too scrutinized. People in the industry are tooworried about their cut and don’t look forward. Look at DJ Drama and Cannon? No one SMASHED the market like they did. And what happened?!?! Pissed people off.
I went to a panel with this chick… from a label… shes from ATL… forget her name. Akon’s lawyer… who is a beast and a chick. And dorma Davis was there… watching the label VP and Akon’s lawyer get INTO ITTTTTTT on the panel… and they were really complaining about Drama. Like are you serious… if it wasn’t for some of thier CDs 1/s these rappers wouldnt be as relevant. Namingly Lil Wayne. But everyone wants their cut. Thats where money gets in the way. Referencing back to the death of a DJ… what better way to be an unsigned artist who KNOWS he’s hot… than to jump on th Cannon track and murder it!?!?!?
IDK… whatever… my reply was long enough… Im out.
Ew typos… I type to fast.
*think and thought Money aint a thang was hot.
*kids into millionares. is the only ones i care to correct.
Genocide says: “Money did fuck hip hop up! JD may be a hypocrite but that doesn’t mean he lying!
Before Cash Money niggas weren’t talking bout money and material things the way they are now. After Cash Money it seemed liked EVERY nigga had to brag about how much money, cars and rims they had. EVERY record you put on today ALL a nigga talking bout is flossing his money and occasionally bitches. Cash Money Records made it mandatory for a nigga to be a baller.
Also, back in the day niggas weren’t getting deals like they are getting today. A Tribe Called Quest, Outkast, and other niggas from back then were broke as fuck, but were the hottest niggas in the game. Today you have wack ass niggas flossing mad diamonds and driving Bentlys off ONE FUCKING SINGLE and swear they Jay-Z”
Otis Supreme asks: “uhhhh JD? my fellow BGOLers have made some very very valid points. do u have a retort?”
Wasnt Eric B and Rakim song called Paid in Full…….come on now, money has always been apart of the game, only difference now is that is the only goal. Nobody is trying to make classics no more, nobody is trying to say anything that aint already been said. Nobody is being creative anymore, everyone want to be BIG, Pac, Jay, and even JD. Nobody wants to be J Dilla, nobody wants to be Public Enemy, noboby wants to be MC LYTE nobody wants to be KRS-One. Everybody want to flash and own a Benz. And JD you one of the ones who help perpetuate this mindset. The Streets need to take Hip Hop back out of the hands of these coporate parasites. The Bronx needs to take Hip Hop back to where it all started from.
I’LL START BY SAYIN I TOLD YALL NIGGAS DONT LIKE ME OR WHAT I DO LOL!!!!!!!
I STARTED PART 2 OF THIS INTERVIEW OFF BY SAYIN WHEN NIGGAS STARTED MAKEN MONEY IN THIS BUISNESS WE (KEY WORD THAT I SEE YALL ARE NOT PAYIN ATTENTION 2 ) WE FUCKED IT UP
AND SINCE I HAVE LEARNED FROM MY MISTAKES I CAN SPEAK ON IT THAS ALL THIS IS FOR YALL TO KNOW MY FEELINGS NOT TO HAVE DEBATE SO TO THE PERSON DALE MABREY THANK U FOR THINKIN I STOLE ALL MY SHIT LOL!!!!
TO THE NIGGA ART THAT WROTE A BOOK ON HERE YESTERDAY IT WAS SO LONG I LOST SITE OF WHAT YOU WAS EVEN TALKIN ABOUT LOL !!!!!!BUT I THANK YOU FOR COMIN HERE
AND LAST BOURBON IF YOU GONNA CALL ME A HYPOCRITE HAVE YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT FIRST I WROTE EVERY SONG ON XSCAPE, KRISKROSS,AND BOWWOW ALBUMS SO THATS MY PUBLISHING HOMIE !!!!!!!!
HOLLA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um rollin right now, I told ya’ll see what not paying attention to the facts can cause lol. you can’y blame a brotha for spittin the truth. I feel u J.D.
Shaz
DEAD!!! Oh shit.
All I can do is laugh and SMH… at the past paragraph in JD’s response. Check please?
I feel you. A few years ago it seemed as though CD’s became formatted. You had to have the girl song, club song, street song, introspective song, throw in a couple interludes and some filler and there you have it. the formula for a triangle on billboard. Sad man…when it should be nigga just make good music.
Artists shouldn’t have to worry about soundscans, bds spins and all that. leave that to the record company. Just for a second that this climate was present back in say ‘93, ‘94 when Snoop, Dre, Biggie, Wu, Nas all these cats was dropping and killing it. If the only music that could come out had to follow suit then we wouldn’t have been able to get the roots, tribe or better yet the fugees. Could you imagine not having the score or mis-education of lauryn hill.
Not saying that they couldn’t have gotten deals but the companies wouldnt have put as much faith in putting out good music vs. cd’s that didn’t fit the format.
There has to been a happy medium somewhere….Not everywhere will take the chances on the Anthony Hamilton’s (still pissed its been almost 3 years since his last joint), Trina Broussard’s, hell even Alicia Keys compared to what else was out there when she was with SOSO Def.
HE DAMN SURE SAID WE……HAHAHA WE TURNED JD INTO PAC…..CHILL OUT PLAYA WE STILL ON YA SIDE HAHAHA
Cashen Saphe says: “Curtis Jackson needs to put this interview on repeat”
lol
Question where is all you people at when it time to comment of Mariah. I swear I haven’t seen this many people before. I should start a team Mariah group!
Home. Watched. Agree— with both. But I remember when the money got in the way. YOu’d get someone on a track… and then said person wouldn’t be in the video… or when the song went to radio… someone else was on it. Labels wasn’t clearing shit… and as a fan you’d think, “Damn but aint so-in-so and so-in-so friends?”
Anyway… I dont see what bling bling and all that really really had to do with this vid. I think people went off on a tangent. I thought this vid was going to be something else.
Lastly… yeah… I want a Johnta album… the Stans on TMA made me do some homework… and I like his music now.
Ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This what I’m talking about. Niggas talking real ass shit… I was talking to Mr.Collipark the other day and he was talking about how niggas are more focus on getting money to go to the damn mall now… When was the last time you got excited about sombody’s album? Shit, why do everybody got be thrownin money up or poppin bottles in their video’s? Don’t get me wrong I love money! I hustle my ass off to get my own better than the rest but there is no creativity focus in this shit. When you went to a naughty by nature concert, every nigga in that motherfucker was jumpin if treach was jumping! You don’t see that type of love for the music anymore. It’s just a get over to some. I’m only a 25 year old female from Chicago who was spoon fed that real Hip Hop shit when I was growing up. And Man do I miss it.
Allout, that’s what’s up, when the young are fed at an early age it preserves the game ya dig? so when the young bucks get of age they can pass it on as well.
Shaz
Yo JD,
I concur with you on the money screwing the game up.. I talked to the Kats that I produce with and I’m like man Pharell, Timbo and them dudes are charging way too much for a track man.. But most think it’s legit! I see it as 1. my mom is ol’skool if she goes to a store and a purse she likes and it’s a brand name she’ going to a thrift store and buy the same purse for cheaper. lol. My point is you gotta stay affordable for consistent business. That my plan at least. 2. Like you said people are trying to make Dollars instead of music. Don’t get my wrong I plan to see paper as well. But i also plan to share music, real music.. Arrangements, melodies, progressions. Not an 8 bar loop that i can get away with cause my name is INTERNATIONAL….
J, i think kats have a love/hate relationship with you. how can a dude hate sombody that brings to the radio raw true talent. On the radio we hear alot of booshy! i won’t name names but if it wasn’t for auto-tune some of the artist would still be back up dancers. And I’m not referring to Tpain, i dig dude. Anyways hit me JD Im bringin da 80s back -h
Stop writing a book to this nigga when u respond! I agree to the question in the first video.
LMAO…yo JD…ppl be coming @ u crazy b…Yeah money definitely fucked the game up…especially on the execs side…these execs be giving song deals to producers and songwriters that they silently manage…I wanna ask them like r u in it for the money or creating classics…what I hate about the game now is the politics like song deals that ppl have @ all different labels which has all these albums sounding the same…every R&B album has either Polow, Jazze, Stargate/Ne-Yo, B. Cox, and Tricky and Dream,…what happened to the days when 1 producer did most of the album which was usually the DJ..like Eric B and Rakim…Gangstarr..You with Kris Kross/Bow Wow…etc….now with these song deals all over the place, such and such has to be on this person’s album b/c song deals are pending…shit is just wack…like I fucks with the Usher album…but it ain’t that special cuz if u check Chris Brown’s Exclusive album it’s the same producers (B. Cox, Polow, Dre and Vidal, Stargate, Tricky and Dream, LOS, Will.i.am)……and Usher is supposed to be the King of R&B…that’s y a Justin Timberlake wins biggger cuz Timbaland/Danja does the whole joint…and also how does an artists grow if in his first video he’s in a Bentley wit diamonds on his neck looking like he made it all ready ….when his next album comes out wuts he gonna be in if he did that his first album….there’s no growth…it’s about the quick dollar…execs are scared to take risks…they rather have a whole album with all star producers so they can safety belt their jobs…rather than finding the best sound for that particular artist..that’s y I know Dondria is gonna win big cuz u doing the whole joint…and it’s not gonna sound like a Rihanna, Mariah, Mary or Beyonce record…she’s gonna have her own sound and niggas gonna be like yo that sounds like a Dondria record and that’s when some1 is officially branded…Alicia Keys outsold all of the R&B chics b/c she’s not caught up in that chasing different producers game..it’s her and Crucial Keys…so yeah MONEY IS TRULY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL…IT FUCKS UP A LOT OF THINGS…BUT I’D RATHER BE “FUCKED UP WITH IT” THAN “WITHOUT IT FUCKED UP”
-1
I most definitely think that money has fucked up the game in many aspects for the industry, but it’s a love/hate thing as well. It’s easy to say that if people worry about the music more then the money will come if you already got it, but so many people are trying to come up from out the hood and they are using music as that outlet to do so. I respect what you are saying though that if you love the music enough that you’re gonna get money and also how you like to produce and be featured on a track before money is discussed. I could tell that by your multiple production credits currently compared to other big-name producers that you are hearing less and less on an album due to what they’re charging for a track without you even mentioning that, so big ups to you for that. Keep doing ya thing and I’d appreciate it if you shot me an e-mail in your spare time if you have some more advise on making it in the music industry.
@mlewjr, esq. now this is one esq to another and I won’t get into anything else except Trina Broussard v. Alicia Keys? Now I’m going to have to go ahead and ask you not to clown like that again. I know all about Trina and the entire “project” but you know there’s no comparision to what’s in front of you! A mess.
@ Marie, don’t you see grown folks are having a coversation and here you come with your foolishness! Please go somewhere with yourself child, noone is interested in what you have to say!
Trust me Jus, I wasn’t comparing Trina and Alicia. I was just mention three artists who were allowed to make music that were true representations of themselves not cater to a specific format just for the dollar signs. Some work (Anthony and mos def Alicia) and some don’t (Trina)
YEAH I KINDA AGREE BUT HE ALSO PUT OUT THOSE SAME IMAGES ON VIDEOS HIMSELF. MONEY IS MESSING THE GAME UP TO SOME DUDES FORGOT THE STRUGGLE AND WON’T WORK WITH CERTAIN ARTIST UNLESS THEY GET BIG SALES AND POINTS. BUT I STILL GOT LOVE FOR HIP HOP I SAW IT DEVELOP IT WILL EVENTUALLY GO BACK TO NORM. EVERYTHING DOES, YOU SEE NIGGAS CAN’T MAKE THEY CAR NOTES CAUSE THEY AIN’T KEEPING IT 100
I agree wit JD. Money should be the reason people are motivated to do music, it should be the love for the art form. The fact that JD got bread doesnt mean he is driven by the money, its just a testiment to the payoff of loving what you do and not always looking for the most obvious benefit!
~KT aka Mr. All I Do Is Rap
I agree wit JD. Money SHOULDN’T be the reason people are motivated to do music, it should be the love for the art form. The fact that JD got bread doesnt mean he is driven by the money, its just a testiment to the payoff of loving what you do and not always looking for the most obvious benefit!
~KT aka Mr. All I Do Is Rap
@ alicia all out
while you were talking to collipark you shuld have asked him why he entertains garbage music.. aka soluja boy… dnt get me wrong his cd is fun.. straight cmedy but its not real music… same with that vic guy.. get silly my ass.
Thanks Jermaine. You never said any realer shit. I couldn’t agree with you more!!
I finally watched teh vid. I appreciate JD’s ownership of seeing dollar signs & how it effected the game. But I think ppl started focusing on the money when labels weren’t giving artists their just dues. We’ve heard countless stories of artists getting played out of their doe, royalties, ect (Salt-n- Pepa, TLC, Death Row artists , ect). SO from that niggas was like “not me.” Thats where alot of this dolla focused shit stims.
Bean… I like “Get Silly” for some silly shit. Its really just the production. You know what though… honestly… lil kids LOVE soulja boy… and for that reason… I cannot hate on him. I mean… these 8 year olds need sOMETHING to listen to and play at recess. I dont have the album… so im hoping thats the demo that he was aiming for 8-13.
JD IF RECORD LABELS WEREN’T OUT TO FUCK THE ARTIST IN SHADY CONTRACTS, THEY THE ARTIST WOULDN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY.
The money made it too expensive to take chances. Production cost are too high. Marketing cost are too high. It’s not like in the past when a person could make a cheap video and get it played on MTV/BET 7-10 times a day because they are showing less and less videos. When people talk about the Gold Age of Hip Hop form 86-93, I don’t think people know how cheap those record was made for back then. If they sold 100,000 copies they probably made money off the records. You can take a lot of chances if you can be profitable after selling 100,000 copies.
Now a you got to go goal for the label to even break even. If I remember correctly people use to buy whole CD in the 90’s because singles was like $3.00. So if an artist had like 2 or 3 good songs. It would be cheaper to just buy the album. Ringtones are the same thing today but all the next gen cell phones will kill the ringtone thing.
I think internet if fucking up the music business more because it’s starting to turn music into a service instead of a product you go out an buy. I mean I can pay 15 bucks a month and get access to every song now when I want and take it with me legally. That’s the end of RECORD business to me.
JD I think you would be better off trying to investing in the R & B and Hip Hop version of a video game like Rock Band. If you want to play a video game. You got to go buy the disc.