Hi folks. I just saw this on the web and wanted to share it with you. Most
of us already know this, but of course there are a few that still have
those blinders on.
=93WE NEED MORE INTEGRITY IN OUR ART=94 L. Londell McMillan on what must
change in the recording industry.
*Remember the nineties when it seemed that Prince had straight
flipped? Remember he said he wanted to be called 'The Artist' formerly
Known As Prince and he appeared on a televised awards show with =93Slave=94
written on his face? Did you know that New York entertainment lawyer, L.
Londell McMillan, was the one who, in 1995, got Prince out of the
oppressive recording contract that had the artist so bugged?
McMillan has done similar work for other artists. He negotiated The
Lox out of their contract with Bad Boy. He got Ja Rule out of a former
contract so that the rapper could sign with Def Jam. He helped Russell
Simmons when Polygram threatened to take his company. McMillan currently
represents Faith Evans who is rumored to =93want out=94 of her Bad Boy deal=
=2E
McMillan has done impressive negotiating on behalf of recording
artists and his client list is top shelf. His clients include Stevie
Wonder, DMX, Chaka Khan, D=92Angelo, the Estate of Sammy Davis, Jr. and the
Estate of Notorious B.I.G.
However, McMillan=92s latest efforts are more activist oriented. He
is general counsel for Artists Empowerment Coalition, an organization to
empower recording artists through partnerships with groups like the NAACP.
Why is this successful entertainment lawyer now involved in a
socio-economic movement?
=93People are rebelling against how they feel their music is being
controlled, particularly urban music,=94 McMillan says. =93We need to
reinvest in the creativity of the music.=94
And, says McMillan, with music distribution moving towards the
Internet, now is the perfect time to demand more equitable relationships
between artists and the industry.
=93Now is the appropriate time to have a meaningful change in the
quality of music as well as the quality of business,=94 he says.
It=92s easy to understand what=92s wrong on the business side.
According to McMillan, the standard industry contract binds an artist to a
label for 6 to 7 albums which translates into anywhere from 14 to 25
years.
=93That=92s a form of long term servitude,=94 McMillan says.
In addition, many recording artists don=92t have a pension or health
care benefits and they don=92t own the master recordings to their songs.
But what is the lawyer talking about when he says we need a change
in the quality of music?
=93When you look at how black music is run today, you would think tha=
t
its almost all hip-hop or hip-hop/R&B. But when you look at other
cultures=92 music and how they=92re-promoted, it=92s promoted in a substant=
ially
different manner.=94
=09=93We want to increase the diversity and broaden the scope [of urban
music],=94 he says. He mentioned how the music he heard as a child was mor=
e
varied.
Speaking of diversity, the AEC will showcase the range of black
music at a concert next Monday, October 28. Performers include gospel
artist Hezekiah Walker, rappers DMX and Scarface, Stevie Wonder, Faith
Evans and others. The concert will be co- hosted by Free of =93106 & Park=
=94
and rap legend Doug E. Fresh.
Although McMillan wants to change current industry practices, he=92s
not posing as an outsider. He=92s fighting from the inside and as an inside=
r
he has some of the same interests as the record labels. For example,
McMillan may be against downloading music. He says the AEC will =93work wit=
h
the record industry to address issues of piracy,=94 and, according to
Internet reports, McMillan=92s law firm is responsible for those threatenin=
g
=93cease and desist=94 letters that were mailed to people who downloaded
Prince=92s music from the web.
But remember he is not a consumer advocate but an artist=92s advocate=
=2E
McMillan believes that if artists are respected by the labels that their
product will be better and the consumers will benefit in the end.
=93We see this as encouraging a sick business that=92s in need of ...=
a
healthy system to incite creativity,=94 he says. =93We need more integrity =
in
our art.=94
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Kevin Amos
