Lyor Cohen on The Breakfast Club: Talks Migos Issues with 300 Ent, Kanye West + more!

[bordeaux]

the first culture was waaay better ill give him that.

 

[Tupac in a Business Suit]

Dope video. I respect he BC for giving Lyor a platform to express two things.

1- at the center of it all, its just business. If you decide to sleep on the business aspect of your talents, regardless of industry, people will do their best to exploit you for their profit. You must be about your business. Artists get caught up in the image and talent and forget that the business part is what truly makes you successful to the masses, not just your talent.

2 - protect your culture at all costs so when your culture becomes mainstream, you not only dictate the culture but you evolve alongside the culture helping to shape it. Rap music did the opposite which is why early adopters fought so hard against commercialization because once it becomes that, its no longer in your control. The businesses are. What we have witnesses is the business dictating the culture and by default, the globalization of commercial consumerism of the culture via the internet.

What I predict now based off his comments in the interview is that in five years, rap will no longer be the music of America’s inner city’s. It’s global presence combined with the pressure from executives to “ get the eyeballs or pockets” of every consumer means that something we created is once again removed from our ability to properly capitalize and control the industry. Acts will solely be focused on the antics to gain the attention of the masses. A lack of interest will be placed on African American rap because of what it has evolved into, a silo of drugs, sex and violence, limiting itself to the culture attracted to that.

What I found interested was the description used to exploit the Pinoys and Africans who cannot afford subscriptions but want to entertain themselves. Paying with their eyeballs? Before, if you heard an act that got your attention, you listened to the radio for free or downloaded their music for free. That part confused me where I struggled to correlate how YouTube and streaming music providers are doing anything different than traditional radio and television in years past?

 

[rapbeats]

This doesn't make sense, cause then anyone can say "Hey it's not might fault it was the people that came before me". Like we shouldn't shyt on white supremacists cause they didn't invent. it.

There are dirty and clean people in indie, major, imprint, publishing or just about any business from legal to illegal.

you're missing the point. the point was simple. of course black execs were doing people dirty people being other black artists and any artist they could get over on. why? because this is how the entire business is ran. the few black execs that got to be execs were mostly taught by white execs how to do business in the music business. most people dont have the toughness to change an entire industry on their own. so they would have to become super rich and have a plan to change things up once they reached that super rich point. Other than that, they will play along the way they were taught. So even if they treat their artists slightly better. in their minds the way they were taught. the only way they can make money is to cheat their artists even if its a little cheat.

 

[rapbeats]

Dope video. I respect he BC for giving Lyor a platform to express two things.

1- at the center of it all, its just business. If you decide to sleep on the business aspect of your talents, regardless of industry, people will do their best to exploit you for their profit. You must be about your business. Artists get caught up in the image and talent and forget that the business part is what truly makes you successful to the masses, not just your talent.

2 - protect your culture at all costs so when your culture becomes mainstream, you not only dictate the culture but you evolve alongside the culture helping to shape it. Rap music did the opposite which is why early adopters fought so hard against commercialization because once it becomes that, its no longer in your control. The businesses are. What we have witnesses is the business dictating the culture and by default, the globalization of commercial consumerism of the culture via the internet.

What I predict now based off his comments in the interview is that in five years, rap will no longer be the music of America’s inner city’s. It’s global presence combined with the pressure from executives to “ get the eyeballs or pockets” of every consumer means that something we created is once again removed from our ability to properly capitalize and control the industry. Acts will solely be focused on the antics to gain the attention of the masses. A lack of interest will be placed on African American rap because of what it has evolved into, a silo of drugs, sex and violence, limiting itself to the culture attracted to that.

What I found interested was the description used to exploit the Pinoys and Africans who cannot afford subscriptions but want to entertain themselves. Paying with their eyeballs? Before, if you heard an act that got your attention, you listened to the radio for free or downloaded their music for free. That part confused me where I struggled to correlate how YouTube and streaming music providers are doing anything different than traditional radio and television in years past?

good summary. that last paragraph. there is no such things as for free. everything is paid for by someone.

there's no difference between youtube and the radio. You either pay for a subscription service (XM radio/Satellite radio...remember) or you pay with your eyeballs aka Ads(Regular old school radio/TV with commercial breaks and Ad drops every so many minutes.)

What he said about the 2nd part of paying by way of Ad revenue is not set in stone just yet because if you advertise to broke people you wont get a major return on your investment since they wont have the funds to by a ton of stuff from you. It's a waste of time at the moment to advertise for a lexus in a tough part of the Philippines. They can't afford that right now. which is what he said about those companies need to get involved with those places to get people jobs/well paying jobs so they can in turn afford to by their stuff. once that happens then the Ad revenue goes up because now they know they have a built in base that will actually buy what they see or hear in Ad's.

 

[rapbeats]

He seems like a refined suspected white supremacist. He's been around black people for 37 years so he knows cracking jokes and employing occasional "yo yo yo" blaccent makes most of us put our guards down. But like most refined SWS, true colors eventually show. He got visibly tense and avoided eye contact when questioned about contradictions (ie he says he scolds rappers about drug habits most likely to clear guilt before offering them one-sided deals, straw man responses and playing dumb to question about culture vultures, etc).

i'm not defending the dude. just stating the facts as they are.

There is no contradiction to saying "its business, and I'm in the business of signing talented people. I'm not going to throw a talented person in the bushes because he or she has a bad habit or bad habits. I will let them know how i feel about their habit(s) because eventually they will hit a wall or worse. He's basically saying I'm not going to shun you for your negative side because I'm in the business of signing your positive side. If he did that, he would have never signed a lot of artists he did. and non of us would ever have known they existed because if every label did the same, they would not have ever come out. lastly, lets use DMX as an example. Do you think DMX would've been better off without a rap deal and without being in movies? I say, hell no. that black man that had a horrible upbringing. would either be dead or in jail at this very moment and would have never touched that kind of money or seen what he has seen, nor would he have had the ability to help his family/friends/people he may not even know he helped along the way. People that are in the struggle that dont have DMX talent need to see X up their on stage doing his thing. It keeps them going. It makes them realize there is a chance, no matter how slight that chance may be. but a chance for them to get their act together and maybe have a better life. These people are basically walking Sermons. Sometimes the ability to express their talents is what they need to hook up with the right people that can help them change things up. sometimes not. and remember if you dont want Cohen to sign dmx cause of his issues. then you dont want the local Walmart to hire him either for the very same reason. and if thats the case, you're more or less saying the DMX's of the world have to be homeless because they wont be able to pay rent if you wont let them rap, or work in their current state of mind and bad habits.

as for him being a culture vulture. he answered it. He's been around for 30+ years. at what point can a person just be a part of the culture when they are in it that deep from the early parts for that long? again, not defending this dude. and he could and possibly is a culture vulture.

 

[lib123]

i'm not defending the dude. just stating the facts as they are.

There is no contradiction to saying "its business, and I'm in the business of signing talented people. I'm not going to throw a talented person in the bushes because he or she has a bad habit or bad habits. I will let them know how i feel about their habit(s) because eventually they will hit a wall or worse. He's basically saying I'm not going to shun you for your negative side because I'm in the business of signing your positive side. If he did that, he would have never signed a lot of artists he did. and non of us would ever have known they existed because if every label did the same, they would not have ever come out. lastly, lets use DMX as an example. Do you think DMX would've been better off without a rap deal and without being in movies? I say, hell no. that black man that had a horrible upbringing. would either be dead or in jail at this very moment and would have never touched that kind of money or seen what he has seen, nor would he have had the ability to help his family/friends/people he may not even know he helped along the way. People that are in the struggle that dont have DMX talent need to see X up their on stage doing his thing. It keeps them going. It makes them realize there is a chance, no matter how slight that chance may be. but a chance for them to get their act together and maybe have a better life. These people are basically walking Sermons. Sometimes the ability to express their talents is what they need to hook up with the right people that can help them change things up. sometimes not. and remember if you dont want Cohen to sign dmx cause of his issues. then you dont want the local Walmart to hire him either for the very same reason. and if thats the case, you're more or less saying the DMX's of the world have to be homeless because they wont be able to pay rent if you wont let them rap, or work in their current state of mind and bad habits.

as for him being a culture vulture. he answered it. He's been around for 30+ years. at what point can a person just be a part of the culture when they are in it that deep from the early parts for that long? again, not defending this dude. and he could and possibly is a culture vulture.

There's a contradiction in saying drugs abhor you but then putting someone with habit in enviornment where they'll probably get worse. WTF is that? "Drugs are bad, it's liquid poison, but here's a contract and money and I know you'll probably get worse." If he really cared, he would try to get artists (that he's made millions off of) help. And since he didn't say he did, I assume he didn't. Staged authenticity.

As for DMX, just because someone gives you an opportunity doesn't mean they have your best interests at heart. It's easier to control and exploit someone on drugs cause by definitions they're probably not in their right mind.

 

[Amor fati]

Ehh fukk him.

 

[rapbeats]

There's a contradiction in saying drugs abhor you but then putting someone with habit in enviornment where they'll probably get worse. WTF is that? "Drugs are bad, it's liquid poison, but here's a contract and money and I know you'll probably get worse." If he really cared, he would try to get artists (that he's made millions off of) help. And since he didn't say he did, I assume he didn't. Staged authenticity.

As for DMX, just because someone gives you an opportunity doesn't mean they have your best interests at heart. It's easier to control and exploit someone on drugs cause by definitions they're probably not in their right mind.

So let me ask you again. do you think DMX would've been a crackhead on the streets of NY? or do you think he's a bigger junky doing coke in a flat in NY? I say X was going to be X regardless. The crap life he came from. He was going to get hooked on drugs regardless. The difference is, he would've been hooked on drugs and robbing people at the same time cause he had to eat if it wasnt for his musical talents and movie talents. There is nothing about X that tells me he would've been better off working at Walmart. But for some people you could be correct. some people come in virgins and end up turnt'd out. that aint X. most of these 90's dudes came in off the streets. they were already turnt. So whatever happens form this point is about being broke and turnt or rich and turnt. lol. i know its a cold thing to say but its true.

 

[OJ Simpsom]

White privileged culture vulture at it's finest.You can't make this shyt up.

 

[lib123]

So let me ask you again. do you think DMX would've been a crackhead on the streets of NY? or do you think he's a bigger junky doing coke in a flat in NY? I say X was going to be X regardless. The crap life he came from. He was going to get hooked on drugs regardless. The difference is, he would've been hooked on drugs and robbing people at the same time cause he had to eat if it wasnt for his musical talents and movie talents. There is nothing about X that tells me he would've been better off working at Walmart. But for some people you could be correct. some people come in virgins and end up turnt'd out. that aint X. most of these 90's dudes came in off the streets. they were already turnt. So whatever happens form this point is about being broke and turnt or rich and turnt. lol. i know its a cold thing to say but its true.

So Mr. White Man should be able to exploit DMX because he potentially saved his life? And by most accounts DMX's habit got worse after he made it big. I think biggest difference is I'm focusing on Lyor's macro overall impact and your looking at it from micro level.

 

[SleezyBigSlim]

Was gonna comment on some shyt, then i read the youtube comments and i was like

What they say fam?

 

[SleezyBigSlim]

I never thought about it before but could his position with Youtube be the reason why Jay
suddenly started to add his music to Youtube again?

Jay is his bytch and he made Jay rich. When u play the game they want and let them use you they will make you selfishly rich. U just can't do shyt to help your people or your"re no longer rich. Don't expect Jay, Diddy or any of these black industry dudes to do shyt bit say "go vote" foh

 

[TexJones]

So Mr. White Man should be able to exploit DMX because he potentially saved his life? And by most accounts DMX's habit got worse after he made it big. I think biggest difference is I'm focusing on Lyor's macro overall impact and your looking at it from micro level.

im lookin at this back and forth and I see both sides, leaning more towards you though.

At the end of the day we dont know how DMX wouldve turned out had he not gotten into the music business. Should he be denied of any humanity because of his drug habits? I say no.

Fact is this. People in similar positions as Lyor look at people like X, and exploit them. Its what pimps do, and what abusers do in relationships. They see a vice that keeps them hooked, and theyre gonna enable the shyt out of them because it keeps them hooked and the lyor's reap the benefits, as well as remaining in control. Once the well dries up, "oh well sad story hope so-and-so gets well soon" and get another whore (in the most respectful sense of the word), and the cycle continues.

 

[Homer Simpson]

the usual suspects in here to defend their father's OG

 

[Piff Perkins]

Dope video. I respect he BC for giving Lyor a platform to express two things.

1- at the center of it all, its just business. If you decide to sleep on the business aspect of your talents, regardless of industry, people will do their best to exploit you for their profit. You must be about your business. Artists get caught up in the image and talent and forget that the business part is what truly makes you successful to the masses, not just your talent.

2 - protect your culture at all costs so when your culture becomes mainstream, you not only dictate the culture but you evolve alongside the culture helping to shape it. Rap music did the opposite which is why early adopters fought so hard against commercialization because once it becomes that, its no longer in your control. The businesses are. What we have witnesses is the business dictating the culture and by default, the globalization of commercial consumerism of the culture via the internet.

What I predict now based off his comments in the interview is that in five years, rap will no longer be the music of America’s inner city’s. It’s global presence combined with the pressure from executives to “ get the eyeballs or pockets” of every consumer means that something we created is once again removed from our ability to properly capitalize and control the industry. Acts will solely be focused on the antics to gain the attention of the masses. A lack of interest will be placed on African American rap because of what it has evolved into, a silo of drugs, sex and violence, limiting itself to the culture attracted to that.

What I found interested was the description used to exploit the Pinoys and Africans who cannot afford subscriptions but want to entertain themselves. Paying with their eyeballs? Before, if you heard an act that got your attention, you listened to the radio for free or downloaded their music for free. That part confused me where I struggled to correlate how YouTube and streaming music providers are doing anything different than traditional radio and television in years past?

Streaming video ads are cheaper and more effective than radio ad buys.

I don't think the global appeal of hip hop will diminish inner city black shyt. Look at grime in the UK. Yea there are a lot of white grime artists but overall that shyt is black and inner city shyt. Look at France's rap scene. The inner city is always going to be the lifeblood of culture in hip hop. Or at least until black people create a new music genre and move on from rap.

People get so bent out of shape over Post's success but brehs...can anyone name a single trend or movement that a white rapper has created since the Beastie Boys? Style? Fashion? The answer is no. Until that changes, I see no reason to be concerned about rap being dominated by white rappers. Last time I checked Drake, Kendrick, and Cole are still bigger than everyone.