Immitter - Internet Music Transmitter

New Eminem Lawsuit Could Set a Precedent F.B.T. Productions, the production label that helped launch Eminem’s career, recently sued Universal Music Group… Now THAT’s some good readin’! “Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business.”  Required reading for all aspiring musicians… 3 reasons why the “music ain’t as good as it used to be” rant doesn’t work quick run down… Copyright office offers online copyright $35 US copyright protection… Political music no longer popular in the US We don’t threaten in the US anymore as much as we used to.  I guess we’re all content…

Artistic freedom is the extent of freedom of an artist to produce art to his/her own insight. (source)

$35.00 US Copyright protection HERE.  You no longer have to send that CD to yourself in the mail for a cheap way to copyright your media.

How many times have I talked about making money off what you love?  And how many times have you heard the phrase starving artist?  I strongly believe those two words don’t belong together.  And, apparently, so does Jeffrey Brabec & Todd Brabec, the authors of “Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business.”  Required reading for all aspiring musicians.  And, yes, there will be a test. 

F.B.T. Productions, the production label that helped launch Eminem’s career, recently sued Universal Music Group in order to get a bigger chunk of the royalties paid out for digital downloads and purchases of Eminem’s work; and in a surprising twist, they actually won.  So, this could change things a little.  Up until recently, producers and artists were awarded a rather small percentage of the money generated from online purchases.  Some within the industry believe this ruling could create a precedent going forward that will force record labels to carefully dictate the wording in contracts with artists and producers.  Others believe it’s an isolated incident with no bearing on the future.  I believe it’s a victory for slaves, er, recording artists everywhere.

Refusal or failure to conform to accepted standards, conventions, rules, or laws. source

Who says you need a deal to make money?  Independent artist LeCrae is number 3 on the iTunes downloads list.  Success!!

Steve Jobs is at it again!! Apparently he sees Spotify, the free-ish music streaming website, as a threat.  Spotify is highly popular in Europe.  There’s no reason to believe they wouldn’t be here in the States.  And that’s exactly what has Mr. Jobs up in arms.  He’s flexing his muscles by lobbying to various labels stating he highly doubts Spotify’s business model is profitable.  But, if that’s the case, why is he currently working on his own music streaming service?  Gotta love lip service.

A new law proposal called The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) was introduced last week This law will allow the government, under the command of the media companies, to censor the internet as they see fit…. Guerrilla Marketing That Protects Itself. I guess sometimes you have to protect your street teams’ efforts… Beat boxing X Scat = Indian Taal Indian singer Sheila Chandra performing taal… Attention artists: need some help booking gigs?? Here’s a nice list of websites to help you find venues for your musical endeavors. Indie word of the week: Underground Music The style of underground music ranges from the 1960s psychedelic music of the US hippie counterculture, to the DIY anti-corporatism… The RIAA continues to print money: Another multi thousand dollar lawsuit. a 22 year old college senior has been ordered to pay over $27,000 for illegal file sharing… Photoshop Gone Wild. Ridiculous Album Covers…

Here’s a pretty straight forward email from Nas addressed to the top of the top of the top of Def Jam management, LA Reid, Steve Bartels, Steve Gawley, Michael Seltzer, Joseph Borrino and Chris Hicks.  Nowadays labels only impede artists creativity and vision, it’s only the record label slaves that get love <3.

From: Nas

To: LA Reid, Steve Bartels, Steve Gawley, Michael Seltzer, Joseph Borrino, Chris HicksSubject: PUT MY SHIT OUT!

Peace to all,

With all do respect to you all, Nas is NOBODY’s slave. This is not the 1800′s, respect me and I will respect you.

I won’t even tap dance around in an email, I will get right into it. People connect to the Artist @ the end of the day, they don’t connect with the executives. Honestly, nobody even cares what label puts out a great record, they care about who recorded it. Yet time and time again its the executives who always stand in the way of a creative artist’s dream and aspirations. You don’t help draw the truth from my deepest and most inner soul, you don’t even do a great job @ selling it. The #1 problem with DEF JAM is pretty simple and obvious, the executives think they are the stars. You aren’t…. not even close. As a matter of fact, you wish you were, but it didn’t work out so you took a desk job. To the consumer, I COME FIRST. Stop trying to deprive them! I have a fan base that dies for my music and a RAP label that doesn’t understand RAP. Pretty fucked up situation

This isn’t the 90′s though. Beefing with record labels is so 15 years ago. @ this point I just need you all to be very clear where I stand and how I feel about “my label.” I could go on twitter or hot 97 tomorrow and get 100,000 protesters @ your building but I choose to walk my own path my own way because since day one I have been my own man. I did business with Tommy Mottola and Donnie Einer, two of the most psycho dudes this business ever created. I worked well with them for one major reason……. they believed in me. The didn’t give a fuck about what any radio station or magazine said….those dudes had me.

Lost Tapes is a movement and a very important set up piece for my career as it stands. I started this over 5 years ago @ Columbia and nobody knew what it was or what it did but the label put it out as an LP and the fans went crazy for it and I single handlely built a new brand of rap albums. It’s smart and after 5 years it’s still a head of the game. This feels great and you not feeling what I’m feeling is disturbing. Don’t get in the way of my creativity. We are aligned with the stars here, this is a movement. There is a thing called KARMA that comes to haunt you when you tamper with the aligning stars. WE ARE GIVING THE PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT. Stop throwing dog shit on a MAGICAL moment.

You don’t get another Nas recording that doesn’t count against my deal….PERIOD! Keep your bullshit $200,000.00 fund. Open the REAL budget. This is a New York pioneers ALBUM, there ain’t many of us. I am ready to drop in the 4th quarter. You don’t even have shit coming out! Stop being your own worst enemy. Let’s get money!

-N.Jones

In recent years, the term DIY has taken on a broader meaning that covers a wide range of skill sets. DIY is associated with the international alternative rock, punk rock, and indie rock music scenes; indymedia networks, pirate radio stations, and the zine community. In this context, DIY is related to the Arts and Crafts movement, in that it offers an alternative to modern consumer culture’s emphasis on relying on others to satisfy needs.   source

President Obama has increased the maximum amount of micro loans for small businesses from $35,000 to $50,000.  This is huge news for entrepreneurial musicians who wish to treat their craft as a business.  Since the deck is stacked against them, it’s important that independent artists take advantage of every loophole and resource available.  This is just more ammunition to keep fighting the good fight.

When does indie become mainstream? You feel like you stumbled upon something that so few know about. But then more and more and more people discover that something, that it suddenly loses its luster… Universal Music Group Exploiting Bob Marley? Bob Marley’s widow and nine children just took a defeating blow in court, losing a multi-million dollar lawsuit… We might as well admit, there is no reason to waste a day not doing what we dream of.