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If there’s one person that you can go to to get vital information on the music business, it has to be Wendy Day. For those of you are unfamiliar, Wendy has negotiated some of the best deals in hip hop.

She has played a part in Eminem’s deal at Aftermath/Interscope, Master P’s No Limit deal with Priority Records, UGK’s renegotiation with Jive Records, and Ruff Ryder’s renegotiation with Interscope. She negotiated the incredible joint venture deal for Twista with Atlantic Records in 1996, which both The Source and Rap Pages magazines called “the best deal in the history of Black music,” until she topped her own record with the now famous $30 million dollar deal for Cash Money Records with Universal.

The bulk of artists in rap music are coming through her offices, and record labels seek out her opinion on trends, styles, and regions of talent explosion. It is difficult to find an artist today, either established or up and coming, who hasn’t been touched by this woman. In the February 2000 Source Magazine, and again in January 2001, she was honored by being inducted into “The Power 30,” an annual ranking of the most influential people in urban music.

SOURCE: WendyDay.com

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Wendy and she’s been a huge help with the launch of ExclusivePublic.com. She’s one person who can make some sense out of this crazy world we call the music industry. The information that she’s provided is absolutely vital to artists, and can basically be the blueprint to leading a successful career in music. Check out what she had to say below.

Q. How has the music industry changed over the last 20 years? Where do you see it heading in the next 10 years?

WENDY: The music industry has changed completely.  Two major factors have caused change:

 1. The Internet  – The Internet reduced the price of recording, reduced the price of getting the music to the fans, and made it easier for artists to directly reach fans. It made it easier to find affordable tracks to rhyme over, and spread the music internationally.  Additionally, we no longer need middlemen like record labels to market and promote or to tell us what’s best. We can learn how to work ourselves by studying how-to info online, hiring the same folks the labels hire, and reaching fans directly through social media and on the streets and in clubs.

 2. Artists’ Motivations Changed – In the first three decades of rap, artists chose to rap because they were passionate about it and they had talent, or a skill, for rapping.  Today, many artists come into the industry because they see the money a rapper can earn once he or she achieves superstar status.  Also, today’s generation puts a lot of value on fame.  Everyone seems to want to be famous, star in a reality show, or be in the spotlight somewhere, somehow.  That center stage is no longer achieved through having a talent or through building a skill, but instead through marketing and promotions.  There are plenty of people achieving fame for being famous (Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose spring to mind).  This mindset goes into artists wanting to be famous and rich, and rap seems to be the lane they’ve chosen to achieve these goals.  Rap is no longer an earned profession based on skill or talent, it seems he/she who stands out the most amongst fans gets the most attention.  So pink hair, sex tapes, male rappers in skirts, shocking statements, and famous co-signs have replaced hard work, paying dues, and pure talent.

Q. Based on that answer, what should a new artist’s main focus be now, compared to what it would have been 10 years ago?

WENDY: No artist today can succeed without building a buzz in his or her regional area.  It’s important to build your fan base whether your goal is to get signed to a record label or to stay independent and make money yourself with your own music.  How will you stand out?

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