Kevin Liles on Def Jam, 360 Deals, Trey Songz and Mentoring Young America

[DanteCarter]

There's no such thing as getting f*cked. It's simply a case of what you negotiate and what you bring to the table. If you are already struggling and broke but expect a label to give you a huge advance thinking it'll make you rich, you're greatly mistaken. Each label gives industry standard contracts unless you negotiate otherwise and make yourself a PRIORITY. That only comes if you already have backing and a fan-base which labels will view you as less of a RISK.

[DanteCarter]

First of all, to all of the artists who don't understand business. If you come to the table with nothing to offer and without some kind of fan-base these major labels and even independent labels have a right to YOUR records and publishing as collateral should their investment in YOU fail! It's like a bank that loans you money for a mortgage. If you default on your payments, YOUR HOME is collateral to pay back what is owed to them. So if you bring nothing to the table what do you think happens?

[mrsuccessfulent]

well you need to listen to this artist Mizta Greene. check him out he make good music.

[Chanilau]

I don't get it , I put in the time, I did the work, I made the t shirts and cd's. put my music on itune's promoted myself I wrote the music and made the beats suffered insomnia...missed my brothers birthday came home late for christmas slept on couches became a starving artist....God let me make it through it by his grace and after I start making money and attaining fame you hold your hands out?????REALLY???....it's 2011 almost 2012...face the fact that you guys are obsolete!!!...sincerely me^^

[MasterAllah1115]

My personal viewz on this clip w/Kevin Liles is simply this...Why on earth would i want to SHARE anything w/a major record company period.1st of all itz bad enough that the artist literally has no rights over his/her music i.e.Publishing,Creativity,Prod­uction,Release of material ect.ect.so why would i choose to be involved w/a major where theres lil' to no control over my own project.Furthermore i don't care how good you are as a artist,if you're signed to a major be prepared to get FUCKED!!!

[Mystikal22693]

fuck a 360 deal record companies are bad enough now they taking a a piece of a lot of your CAKE?! might as well go independent

[Mystikal22693]

is this guy russel simmon's twin?

[UndergroundRaww]

Labels are losing their grip so they have to try and have some form of control.

[HROSS22]

this dude look like he is sickly!

[cloverfield00]

All i know this is the man that gave me a business card,it said DEF SOUL he told me he was the manager of DRU HiLL,he was with SISQO AND NOKIO,SISQO got mad cuz this man KEVIN LILES gave me his business card,Therefore SISQO THE DRAGON kicked something on the floor& stumped like a spoiled child and he made a mean face like the "CHUCKY DOLL" NOKIO kept quiet and just smiled at me from the corner,KEVIN LILES smiled at me showed all his white teeth& told me to call him,I never called this man.

[yarchism]

Reality is...a major label is not neccesarry..someone like whiz khalifa was better off staying independent and investing in several managers and great booking agents...the music industry is different indie is the way to go...tour your ass off and own your own shit like Tyler the Creator..im not an OFWGKTA dick rider either he's just a good example

[Ubigvend]

@yarchism here is the reality of it all if Def Jam offered the people who made these comments a recording deal 99.9 percent of them would take it

[2enchant]

Killuminati

[ddgman12]

you must not know what your talking about because he is one of the best in the business...

[PdubzCrew]

WOW this guy looks exactly like Russel Simmons aka owner of Def Jam

[paul734]

@PdubzCrew He didn't before he lost mad weight.lol

[cloverfield00]

@PdubzCrew someone said they related,an industry source.

[sprinter84]

I wouldnt trust this guy for a second... He'd make a great used car salesman

[FirstClassMC]

I DEFF AGREE WITH HIM WHEN HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE 360 DEALS

[dame2809]

Jews are very smart people. They think long term. Now ask yourself. Who you think thought of slavery.--- The Jews. Don't you think 360 is a form of slavery. They own you. A pimp never wants his "bitch" to ever leave.... and these dumb negros are going to fall for it because they will sell their soul for fame and gucci.

[xskullsnapzx]

@dame2809 No these dumb negro's are going for it because they are unenlightened. I studied music business in school and very few artist white or black actually know the intricacies of the music business. The music business as they knew it is dead this 360 bullshit is their pathetic attempt to hold on to the past. Any dim wit with half a brain knows record labels are worthless. I haven't bought a CD in a decade lol i'm pretty sure the vast majority of my friends and their friends haven't either.

[tinkodemayo99]

He made Milli Vanilli rich by selling "girl you know its true" to them.

[GFABTHEKING]

can you chk out my videos

[MrTime2smash]

I think Jazzy From Jazzy Management is one of the best in this Music Game I think Keven and Jazz could Change the Game Keven please get at my big bro @Jazzymgt that's his twitter he's cool people!!

[davisboi11]

he full of shit! go independent yall! it works better in the long run

[kusempinthu]

Great Asian women for you ***lushfmlk.info***

[BESTMCBREATHING]

This man is the devil

[StaceySmth00]

Independence is healthy and needed for human growth!! Under your premise Mr. Liles you owe Def Jam some of that book money and some of that Trey Songz mgmt money because under your premise Def Jam made you and believed in you. Brand or not Individuals are human being we are not like MICROSOFT.  Our parents invest is us then allow us to grow as individuals. 360 is just greed in disguise

[JAEQOO]

What's the fucking point! If a "Indie" was to break get a #1 hit that's stays on the charts for a whole quarter with a steady decline on the charts you can make $950,000 after taxes easy! You could take half of that go on tour! Charge $50,000 per show! Then sell your right to distribute to the highest bidder! Records aren't selling! Who the fuck wants to sign with a label or "Manager"!? Artist make more money off radio and touring!

[Broyale26]

@JAEQOO

But this only realistically applies to individual artists. I was in a band for 7 years and toured, and let me tell you, its nearly impossible to remain independent when there are 4 or 5 other people to split with. Not to mention the terribly high costs of equipment (guitars, amps, drums and cymbals) and maintenance (guitar strings, neck resets, cables, amp tubes and calibrations, sticks, cymbal and head tuning/replacement). And that is not factoring in union dues and travel expenses.

[Broyale26]

@JAEQOO

With all that expense as a working band, you are practically in a position of needing a label, even if its a small independent one, to help offset some of those costs. We were signed to a Sub Pop records in 1991 for 2 years before breaking up. Ultimately, the independent route truly works for the single artists who does not play instruments and therefore does not need alot of expenses to create their art. Sorry if i'm not to clear, i'm about to doze off.

[xskullsnapzx]

@Broyale26 It works for any type of music! The key is making radio! Once you have a number one hit on radio ideally with a steady climb and a steady decline. The money you get from BMI, ASCAP, or SESAC should be more than enough to fund your tours. If you guys made $900,000 from radio after taxes paid out $50,000 to each artist and invested everything else ($700,000 ) in to touring. Start out with small local tours and then move up to state to state make each show pay for the next shows expenses

[xskullsnapzx]

@xskullsnapzx Your not going to spend that total $700,000 on touring expenses. I say about $10,000 show to show and by the time you start touring hard your already making that money back. Ideally an artist will charge about $70,000 to $100,000 per show depending on how large the venue is. That's $53-80,000 profit after road expenses and taxes. 50 states 100 venues will leave with $5.3 to 8,000,000 to divide 5 ways because you have to reinvest in your brand. It can be done.

[Smackthegreat]

@xskullsnapzx that's what you say. EVERY artist is different. all artists have different deals. 700,000 doesn't sound like enough.

10000 sounds like duck food.

[xskullsnapzx]

@Smackthegreat I studied music business in school so let me outline it for you. Hotel expense $50,000. Personal Allowance $50,000. Airlines $50,000. = $150,000 = 50 states . $550,000 left over! Now $150,000 just covered the whole tour 3 times over. So explain your position? I assume your touring with a 60 piece orchestra? If $700,000 isn't enough for a indie band.

[Smackthegreat]

I would have to PM you for my thoughts on that and I will.

[WellDamn24]

I don't like him. He's a sellout. I saw him on Oprah years ago and KL was an ignant actin' mf. Totally unprofessional and incapable of owning his part in building the ghettoism, violent message that got pimped through the music he produced.

[shonuffLA]

managed holisiticly ie you get my show money and publishing on top of the advance that i got to pay back and oh we recording at your studios that you billing me for so you just paying yourself lmao . . . ill stay independent sell 30k a year + mercahndise you keep the fame ill take the money

[Revolutionary36]

@shonuffLA , Independence is the only way to go for good artists who dont want to change. I agree wit you 100%

[JAEQOO]

@shonuffLA Dude I posted that same comment! HELL YEAH! They just don't realize that their time is over we are now in the age of the independent musician! You know they are dying to get their greedy hands on our performance royalties!