Kaycee Ichie Oguejiofor has another concise message for Nigerian artistes.
Yes, I understand the reason you do music and stuff is to make bread and take care of your family, or in most cases ‘pop bottles’! But the financial freedom you seek will not come from the stipend or the percentage the label will give you, especially when you are signed to someone who is signed to another person.
I have seen artistes who kill themselves arguing over percentages and duration, most times cars, houses and even upkeep that they forget vital points like who owns the masters when the deal is off, publishing and other pensionable points. Look at it this way, a job seeker who goes to negotiate his salary and fails to ask about severance pay, pensions and all.
The most important person in your team, besides your manager, is your lawyer. No matter how little or irrelevant the piece of paper is, always get someone who is knowledgeable to peruse and advice accordingly.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of, if you do not know; after all, the great Michael Jackson was educated over dinner by Paul McCartney of The Beatles. Your record deal is a form of partnership, so it is always what you have to offer vs what they have to offer.
I have artiste friends who negotiated duration and percentage in the short run; they had fun, but after their contracts expired, it was like hustling from the start again.
Like I always say, there is more to the business of music than making music and rocking groupies.
