ARTIST EMPOWERMENT COALITION ("AEC") STRIKES A CHORD FOR ARTISTS' RIGHTS IN NY LEGISLATURE

(Oct. 31, 2002) New York, NY - Recording artists have joined forces with New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assemblyman Roger Green, the Artist Empowerment Coalition ("AEC") and prominent entertainment attorney L. Londell McMillan (Prince, Ja Rule) to unveil a proposed legislation that would limit the length of recording contracts in New York State. The proposed law, known as the "Artistic Freedom Act," would provide recording artists with an "escape hatch" from the long-term contracts that unfairly bind them to entities that dominate the entertainment industry.

More specifically, the Artistic Freedom Act will give artists the right to terminate their recording contracts at the end of three years for unrepresented artists and seven years for artists represented by qualified counsel - a limited kind of "free agency," like that enjoyed by motion picture actors and professional athletes.

The introduction of the Artistic Freedom Act to legislature yesterday is an inspiring follow-up to the AEC-sponsored "Artist Power" concert held Monday night at the Beacon Theater in New York City. The historic concert featured a wonderful, musically diverse number of performances by the legendary Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, DMX, Faith Evans, Scarface, Montell Jordan, Hezekiah Walker, Naughty By Nature, Public Enemy, Doug E. Fresh and Najee, among others.

Why is such a law necessary in New York State?

First, a significant number of recording artists (and a very large segment of the U.S. recording industry) are based in New York; and New York law by their own "standard" terms, governs a majority of U.S. recording contracts.

Second, under the "standard" industry contract, artists are typically obligated to deliver up to seven (7) albums - an obligation which can take 15-20 years or more to satisfy. At the same time as they seek to bind artists to long-term contracts, the record companies have also relied on their "standard" contracts to avoid any concrete obligation to release, market or promote the artists or their recordings; and to hide behind arcane and antiquated accounting provisions to play a shell game with artists' money.

Under the sponsorship of the AEC, and with the guidance of McMillan, the artists have defined their agenda to reform a myriad of these unfair practices in the recording industry. By enlisting Silver, Green, AFTRA and other community groups in New York State to sponsor the Artistic Freedom Act, the AEC has taken an important step to put its unique stamp on the burgeoning artists' rights movement. The AEC has also attracted support from the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) as well as the NAACP, and has reached out to join forces on certain issues with the California-based Recording Artists Coalition (RAC), among others.

"Locking aspiring artists into exclusive contracts that can last for decades creates a situation where these individuals or groups are exploited and taken advantage of for their entire music-making careers," said Assembly Speaker Silver. "These contracts are not only inherently unfair, they also curb artistic expression."

"In too many instances, artists have been creatively and financially abused due to contracts of unfair and long-term servitude. It is time for a business model in the music industry that places a fiduciary duty on record labels as well as reasonable limits to long-term recording contracts," said AEC General Counsel, L. Londell McMillan.

The AEC is a not-for-profit coalition which was formed (i) to provide a supportive environment in which the gift and creation of music, art and culture can flourish, and help to make the world a better place and (ii) to promote changes and reform in the relationships between artists and the companies that exploit, market and distribute their creative work. The AEC is an advocate for the arts, organizing common efforts to increase awareness and funding by involving industry, community, educational and cultural institutions and policymakers in the quest for an improved entertainment model and creative offering.

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source:

Carleen Donovan / Jim Mannino KSA Publicity / 212-582-5400 / 212-582-5400 CarleenD@KSAPublicity.com / JimM@KSAPublicity.com


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE AEC, PLEASE CONTACT:

Tracey Walker / Artist Empowerment Coalition (AEC) / 202-517-9168 (office) / info@artistempowermentcoalition.org


or visit the AEC website at www.artistempowerment.com