-Written by Karev of Heritage Hip-Hop
It has been reported that Pusha T of The Clipse had to pay a 7 figure pay out to get out of his contract with Def Jam Recordings which is a music label under the Universal Music Group brand aka UMG. This started from the label not wanting Kendrick Lamar on a song The Clipse had prepared for their new album to be released under the Def Jam music label. Pusha T and his rhyme partner and Brother No Malice took a stand against UMG/Def Jam and would not take Kendrick Lamar off the song or drop the song from the album and now we enter into a new era of Hip-Hop where labels can try to dictate who can be on an album and what can or can not be said due to their “influence”.
This could lead to horrible, and negative ramifications in the music culture and this is all tied to Drake it seems and the lawsuit he has against UMG for their support of Kendrick Lamar and the “Not Like Us” song. Drake losing a Rap battle to Kendrick Lamar and then using legal actions to sue UMG has changed how artists’ song lyrics can now be used in legal matters for defamation of character and challenge the core of battle rap culture. With The Clipse not taking the “threat” of a dead project and stalled career we have seen potentially a new era begin in Hip-Hop where the artist can say FUCK the label and use the independent route to find success.
With leaving Def Jam, a formerly highly regarded Hip-Hop label in the culture, and signing with Roc Nation for distribution- and having the ability to do an independent release- gives The Clipse the ability to make a great amount of money from this project. Drake, UMG, and Kendrick Lamar are the names that will make this album move with a younger crowd. Also coupled with The Clipse star power as a group, No Malice’s spiritual journey being documented, and Pusha T’s run with G.O.O.D. Music this album can be the beginning of a power shift for known artists to make money and noise in the culture again.
New artists may not be able to do this, without having a name in the culture but for the known artists like Method Man, Redman, Xzibit etc. the labels may not be able to hold artists and their career at ransom anymore. With having the ability to use their names and credibility to create a buzz and niche out their fan base, we may see the greats return and not have the label telling them when to release, what to release and now who is able to be on their projects in the future.
Salute to The Clipse for not allowing the industry to fail them and destroy their work. Hip-Hop was always counterculture and anti culture. With Hip-Hop becoming THE CULTURE, in the world of entertainment, it is good to see the core of the culture of being rebellious and showing the world your power still exists.
Are you looking forward to The Clipse’s new album and music? With this new victory being won by them I look forward to supporting them and showing the industry Hip-Hop is not to be controlled. It is to be valued and able to grow representing God’s people. God’s people is his Heritage, and his Heritage is Hip-Hop.
