I was on Datpiff earlier on and I was looking at B.O.B's tape tracklist and it got me thnking...
Do artists pay other artists and producers for work on their tapes? Does it work the exact same way it would on an album? How do they recover money spent on producing the tape like studio time, cover art especially artists that have 10+ features etc?
thanks
Do artists pay other artists and producers for work on their tapes?
Some artists pay while others don't, the real answer to this question depends on the relationships between collaborators.
Does it work the exact same way it would on an album?
Yea, my answer pretty much stays the same.
How do they recover money spent on producing the tape like studio time, cover art especially artists that have 10+ features etc?
Obviously the mixtape would have to be sold or licensed for the an amount of money above the expenses a particular mixtape production generates.
For the majority of mixtape work the answer is NO especially if you're a newbie (limited official album and single discography) and your not under an established production or management arm. You have to hope the record takes off which in that case the label machine comes in and you get your traditional front end/back end situation. If not it goes on your resume and you have to maximize your promotions/branding off of it to your advantage
For some of the bigger producer names some do get paid straight up while others do bartering (ex- no charge for the beat in exchange for you dropping 16 on my new artists track I'm trying to push)
For the majority of mixtape work the answer is NO especially if you're a newbie (limited official album and single discography) and your not under an established production or management arm.
Newbies don't make money because they don't ask for it in a way that works or gets results. They feel like they're not entitled to the same rights or money as someone who's been at it longer. Just cause someones been at it longer doesn't make their work is more or less valuable than newns, that's a typical newn mistake imo. Result determine how much me can ask for and what we get. Newbies can ask whatever price they feel their work is worth; if others feel the same, they'll get the asking price.
You have to hope the record takes off which in that case the label machine comes in and you get your traditional front end/back end situation.
I believe you have to make things happen, hoping is for people that don't know what to do. Faith is for people that take action, as faith requires action to be what it is. Hope is for waiters...
The label machine comes in when it best benefits them to do so, its your job to know how you benefit them and how much that's worth. As for management, they work for us; not the other way around. Manage until management can brings more to manage.
Too many artists and producers look for record deals
first, likely because the price tag associated with making real business moves scares them into disbelief or lack of action. Labels like knowing that you can hold up to your end of the bargain while carrying your own weight in gold or platnium records. The only way to do that is to get to business DIY style and make your own moves. Work with whomever you can, whenever you can make money from businesses that make money off of you. Release everything you complete rather you think its perfect or not, people like hearing and being a part of a bands progression including production and artistry. Put in the work and find ways to see results from your work.
and as for the recovery of production costs just to be clear, all tapes on there are free so...? unless you mean something like what Lecrae did, he gave it for free & had a version without dj drops that he sold?