By Craig Marks | June 19, 2015 3:15 PM EDT

Umbrella" songwriter, entrepreneur and R&B singer Terius Nash, aka The-Dream, 37, calls major labels "evil" and carries only cash. The artist expounded to Billboard about race and and the music industry -- and how there are firmly entrenched double standards.

You recently formed a record label, Contra-Paris, through Capitol. Why start a label in this climate?

First off, it’s a 50/50 partnership. I’ve operated as a songwriter and producer, so not everybody has that leverage. Contra-Paris is a response to how things work in the industry today -- the evil in the music business.

What’s the root of that evil?

When the Atlanta Braves were owned by Ted Turner, he was very passionate and did whatever it took to do something good -- and eventually he made money. Labels used to be the same way. Now they’re corporations, and it’s only about their stock. For me, that’s where the evil started.

Plenty of passionate owners have built record labels that ripped off their artists.

That’s because artists are treated like slaves. We have terrible contracts, we have streaming services that pay one-tenth of a cent per play, we have no laws to protect us.

If you were put in charge of the entire music industry, what’s the first thing you would do to level the playing field?

Unionize the artists and songwriters. Give them the power to say, “No, we won’t only take a few cents while you sit back and make all the money [when] we do all the work.”

You previously recorded for, and worked in A&R, at Def Jam. Have you ever felt that your record company has been on your side, fighting for you?

Not one time. The record company has fought for themselves, never for me.

Taylor Swift and Big Machine pulled her music from Spotify. As a label owner and creator, do you support that?

I can support it, but I could never do the same. I’m black.

Meaning what?

It’s a race thing. It’s always going to be a race thing. For one, if I took my records off of Spotify, it would affect the people who listen to my music for free and may not have the means otherwise. Taylor Swift fans probably have the means to go and buy a Taylor Swift record.

What role does race play in how artists get paid today?

If you got a hit and you’re white, there are no limits to what you can do. If you’re black and you have a hit today but can’t do it again tomorrow, then your ass is out of here. When the industry uses you up, that’s it. You’re gone. It’s a constant battle for our culture. We can’t say no to radio, we can’t say no to Spotify, and we can’t have a concert because nobody will come. And the whole time, everybody is taking from our culture to enhance the pop side of things. By the way, the pop side doesn’t mean you have to be white. Bruno Mars is pop. Nobody listens to Bruno Mars like he’s a black artist. Which I’m sure for him, he’s like, “Thank God.” There are urban artists and then there are pop artists, and urban artists get things taken from them. We create the swag, and everybody knows it.

Dr. Luke has been remaking [Rihanna's] “Umbrella” since we made “Umbrella”! I tell him that to his face! He has been making it over and over, and pop radio loves it every time.

What do you make of Tidal?

I think my good friend Jay Z said it best: Apple makes a billion dollars doing something; we have no problem with it. We’ll buy 8,000 iPhones. But if a black man does it, immediately people say, “Wait, hasn’t he already made enough money?”

I noticed you were carrying a Versace fanny pack, and when I asked what was inside, you showed me a wad of $100 bills. What’s the deal with that?

It’s a cultural thing. Whenever I [encounter] a nice suburban family -- black or white, but most of the time white -- they always have the same reaction: “Why you all have all this money on you?” I don’t believe in cards. I believe in cash. I’d carry gold if it wasn’t so heavy.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6605182/the-dream-artists-are-treated-like-slaves-music-business-contra-paris?utm_source=twitter

HAPPYPERSON said:

By Craig Marks | June 19, 2015 3:15 PM EDT

Umbrella" songwriter, entrepreneur and R&B singer Terius Nash, aka The-Dream, 37, calls major labels "evil" and carries only cash. The artist expounded to Billboard about race and and the music industry -- and how there are firmly entrenched double standards.

You recently formed a record label, Contra-Paris, through Capitol. Why start a label in this climate?

First off, it’s a 50/50 partnership. I’ve operated as a songwriter and producer, so not everybody has that leverage. Contra-Paris is a response to how things work in the industry today -- the evil in the music business.

What’s the root of that evil?

When the Atlanta Braves were owned by Ted Turner, he was very passionate and did whatever it took to do something good -- and eventually he made money. Labels used to be the same way. Now they’re corporations, and it’s only about their stock. For me, that’s where the evil started.

Plenty of passionate owners have built record labels that ripped off their artists.

That’s because artists are treated like slaves. We have terrible contracts, we have streaming services that pay one-tenth of a cent per play, we have no laws to protect us.

If you were put in charge of the entire music industry, what’s the first thing you would do to level the playing field?

Unionize the artists and songwriters. Give them the power to say, “No, we won’t only take a few cents while you sit back and make all the money [when] we do all the work.”

You previously recorded for, and worked in A&R, at Def Jam. Have you ever felt that your record company has been on your side, fighting for you?

Not one time. The record company has fought for themselves, never for me.

Taylor Swift and Big Machine pulled her music from Spotify. As a label owner and creator, do you support that?

I can support it, but I could never do the same. I’m black.

Meaning what?

It’s a race thing. It’s always going to be a race thing. For one, if I took my records off of Spotify, it would affect the people who listen to my music for free and may not have the means otherwise. Taylor Swift fans probably have the means to go and buy a Taylor Swift record.

What role does race play in how artists get paid today?

If you got a hit and you’re white, there are no limits to what you can do. If you’re black and you have a hit today but can’t do it again tomorrow, then your ass is out of here. When the industry uses you up, that’s it. You’re gone. It’s a constant battle for our culture. We can’t say no to radio, we can’t say no to Spotify, and we can’t have a concert because nobody will come. And the whole time, everybody is taking from our culture to enhance the pop side of things. By the way, the pop side doesn’t mean you have to be white. Bruno Mars is pop. Nobody listens to Bruno Mars like he’s a black artist. Which I’m sure for him, he’s like, “Thank God.” There are urban artists and then there are pop artists, and urban artists get things taken from them. We create the swag, and everybody knows it.

Dr. Luke has been remaking [Rihanna's] “Umbrella” since we made “Umbrella”! I tell him that to his face! He has been making it over and over, and pop radio loves it every time.

What do you make of Tidal?

I think my good friend Jay Z said it best: Apple makes a billion dollars doing something; we have no problem with it. We’ll buy 8,000 iPhones. But if a black man does it, immediately people say, “Wait, hasn’t he already made enough money?”

I noticed you were carrying a Versace fanny pack, and when I asked what was inside, you showed me a wad of $100 bills. What’s the deal with that?

It’s a cultural thing. Whenever I [encounter] a nice suburban family -- black or white, but most of the time white -- they always have the same reaction: “Why you all have all this money on you?” I don’t believe in cards. I believe in cash. I’d carry gold if it wasn’t so heavy.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6605182/the-dream-artists-are-treated-like-slaves-music-business-contra-paris?utm_source=twitter

Stop referring to things in racial terms! I'm white and I buy The Dream. Now what are you gonna do?

Every thing he said is pathetic and the sad thing is he believes it.

I think his music sux, too.

[Edited 6/21/15 16:05pm]

Well I think he made interesting points about the race in the music industry. Just because it may make some people uncomfortable (as talks about race ALWAYS does) doesn't mean it's not true. We could all stop talking about race today but it won't change the fact that racism exists in every industry. This country was built on it after all. Are we going to pretend it no longer has an effect?

That last line though. He's asking to be robbed huh?

He makes some valid points,but artists don't have to sign with a major company to release music.Nobody forces them to sign any contract.They have other options.

He's rollin' in dough thanks to royalties, because he hasn't been relevant since 2007.

Identity said:

He's rollin' in dough thanks to royalties, because he hasn't been relevant since 2007.

THIS

SoulAlive said:

He makes some valid points,but artists don't have to sign with a major company to release music.Nobody forces them to sign any contract.They have other options.

and THIS

These producers, record executives and artists start bad mouthing the labels when their money is not rolling in like it use too. If they really cared about artists rights they wouldn't sign with these major labels.

The music industry has changed and will never go back to the old model, unfortunately for new artists trying to make it.

mjscarousal said:

Identity said:

He's rollin' in dough thanks to royalties, because he hasn't been relevant since 2007.

THIS

SoulAlive said:

He makes some valid points,but artists don't have to sign with a major company to release music.Nobody forces them to sign any contract.They have other options.

and THIS

These producers, record executives and artists start bad mouthing the labels when their money is not rolling in like it use too. If they really cared about artists rights they wouldn't sign with these major labels.

Of course you can go independent but then your music won't be played on major radio stations. If you write commercial music for commercial artists like The Dream does, that is a tough position.

The Dream was straight-up Tripping in that interview...LOL...The first sentence out of his Mouth let the Interviewer know it was gonna be ROUGH...Is Bruno Mars suppose to be Black? I thought he was something else...

At least the guy brings up the union aspect. Artists, because they usually start at such an early age and are convinced that they're going to make a lot of money in the coming years, do not have a clue about such issues. They hardly ever see themselves as workers in the industry and basically think they're going to be "the boss" once they make it.

I don't think he provided any new insight on the industry. We already knew all of what he said.

He sounds sorta like he needs to go to school to learn a trade or somethin'... not too bright. "The-Dream" was lucky to score a few moderate hits when the mainstream music industry still had almost an entire leg. Thank the stars, start a savings account, and get a real job bruv. Notice how it says "songwriter" and "producer", he knows he is no musician. He is a product and a shoddy one at that.

TheGoldStandard said:

Notice how it says "songwriter" and "producer"

No, I think that's because those are the roles people expect to be paid in, even in the schemey side of the industry, and he's talking about (not) being paid.

Cinny possibly but in both cases the terms are semantics, they have both become PC styled entitled positions based on the merit of the alleged activities. This is not Carole King or Huff & Gamble. In my outsiders lens with the historical context of the current, somewhat charred remains of the music industry he is a "well connected" dude that took a few hours of midi nonsense, saved a file, got some T&A to sing it, and got paid a ridiculous sum for it. Or wrote a few week rhymes (see Umbrella) for some other T&A. There are thousands, if not millions of "The-Dream"'s in the has-been pile. Boo hoo boo boo.

What’s the root of that evil?

When the Atlanta Braves were owned by Ted Turner, he was very passionate and did whatever it took to do something good -- and eventually he made money. Labels used to be the same way. Now they’re corporations, and it’s only about their stock. For me, that’s where the evil started.

Plenty of passionate owners have built record labels that ripped off their artists.

That’s because artists are treated like slaves. We have terrible contracts, we have streaming services that pay one-tenth of a cent per play, we have no laws to protect us.

If you were put in charge of the entire music industry, what’s the first thing you would do to level the playing field?

Unionize the artists and songwriters. Give them the power to say, “No, we won’t only take a few cents while you sit back and make all the money [when] we do all the work.”

He is bang on about the owners thing. Berry Gordy was notoriously shitty when it came to royalties and what not, but he did indeed have passion.

.

Unfortunately he was also a "bottom line" man who answered to the allmighty stock market and there lies the problem with pretty much all major businesses since the 1950's and thats that its all how well is your stock doing and short term profits blah blah blah.

.

Better off sticking with independants who only answer to themselves. Sure, they need to make money, but they will listen and care more about long tern growth then some business grad geek from Apple. Where to find them and still get radio play? Who knows?

.

Even in the 60's-late 80' (when all the music label majors got sold off to the conglomerates), the business model was shitty, but you did feel the Herb Alberts and Berry Gordy's and Clive Davis' and Mo Ostin etc... did care more. But Iam going off tangent now LOL......

[Edited 6/23/15 0:09am]

Although he makes some valid points,I feel that,in 2015,if artists truly believe that the record companies are evil and treat their artists like "slaves",then why sign a deal in the first place?

Record and release your music independently and the problem is solved.You might not reach a huge audience or sell a ton of records,but you gotta be willing to sacrifice a little.You can't have it both ways.

Basically what I'm saying is: why complain? You have other options.The choice is yours.

TheGoldStandard said:

Cinny possibly but in both cases the terms are semantics, they have both become PC styled entitled positions based on the merit of the alleged activities. This is not Carole King or Huff & Gamble. In my outsiders lens with the historical context of the current, somewhat charred remains of the music industry he is a "well connected" dude that took a few hours of midi nonsense, saved a file, got some T&A to sing it, and got paid a ridiculous sum for it. Or wrote a few week rhymes (see Umbrella) for some other T&A. There are thousands, if not millions of "The-Dream"'s in the has-been pile. Boo hoo boo boo.

I know what you mean now.

Yes..."Bad Blood" is nice, but it is a lot like "Umbrella"..