PhlyyGoat Musik World

Are Drugs The New Celebrity Endorsement?

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:14:00 +0000

In a previous post I talked about the negativity in the media and also how they tear these celebrities apart piece by piece. Although, I stand by my opinion I came across some photographic evidence of celebrities endorsing drug use. Now, I feel like celebrities have a certain responsibility to try to be some type of role model to our up and coming generation. Some of these kids look up to you and wants to be like you. So, they feel they should do the things that you do including drug use. There was an article about Soulja Boy posting pictures on Instagram of himself with codeine (syrup) and marijuana. I understand that celebrities are human too but we don’t need to see what they do behind closed doors especially when it involves drugs. Soulja Boy isn’t the only celebrity that does it. Rihanna is always uploading photos like this and this to Instagram as well as showing off marijuana and pics of her smoking it. Honestly, I don’t see the point of even doing that. It’s not cool and it’s giving off the wrong image to our children. I know it’s not a celebrity’s job to raise anyone’s children but their own but they have to know the kind of power they hold and use it for good instead of promoting so much foolishness. They need to let what they do behind closed doors stay behind closed doors. It really bothers me to see that and see how these celebrities really take their status for granted. I guess it’s the world we live in now. I know that there are a plethora of celebrities who uses their celebrity for good but a lot of them with major status glorify the wrong things. There has been too many of our celebrities who have died from drug overdoses. I know no one is perfect but keep what you do that you know is not right out of the eyes of our children. We know kids will listen to what a celebrity says before they listen to their parents so they need to be careful of what they put out into the universe. I’m not trying to sound holier than thou but celebrities as well as people like myself have a responsibility to bring our kids up the right way. This world is falling apart and we must find a way to try and make it better. I only wish I had the power that some of these celebrities have to make a difference in this world. So, they need to realize and understand the responsibility that they have whether they asked for it or not.

Journey To The Finish Line: What It Took To Get Here

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 21:30:00 +0000

I started my journey in the Entertainment Business Masters Program in a class called Media Literacy and Research Methodologies. This was an online class where I learned all about the different components of research and how to write a literature review based upon the various research methods that were learned. I only wished that this class had been on campus because I like to have face-to-face interactions with my professor and classmates. I did not know what to expect and I have to admit I was kind of nervous starting this program. I was 14 hours away from home and I did not know anyone here. That would all change when I moved on to my month two class.

Steve Adkins, my professor, was prepared to teach us all about Executive Leadership. I was happy to start this class because this would become the first time that I would meet not only my classmates but also some friends that I will have for the rest of my life. We studied the 48 Laws of Power in this class and it really opened my eyes to a different way of thinking. My favorite law was: Work on the hearts and minds of others. I want to be able to help people and mold them into the person that they were meant to be. I enjoyed learning about leadership and how to be an effective leader. I also enjoyed learning the different methods of leadership by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., for whom I did a leadership presentation on. I enjoyed this class but was also overwhelmed because I had never been in such a diverse setting. I quickly learned though that this was probably the best group of people that I have ever been in the company of.

The nicest person taught my next class I have met in my entire life and his name was Nicholas “Nick” Carver. He made learning about Project and Team Management so enjoyable and fun. This is where my classmates and I really bonded and got to know each other. Everyday we used to do team building activities and it really brought us together. The activities that my classmates and I came up with were not only hilarious but so much fun. It really set the stage for how we would be together throughout the program. Nick taught us how to do mind-mapping using www.mindmeister.com as a part of our final project for the class. I don’t think I’ve ever had as much fun in a class as I had in this one. I’ll always remember this class because of Nick and the pivotal moment in played in my classmates and I class.

Business Storytelling and Brand Development was how I learned how to brand my company. Branding is everything when it comes to the success of any company. Ken DeGilio taught me how to create my own brand identity. I loved doing the assignments in class like the Personal and Creative Brand Strategy. This is where I really became focused on the type of company I wanted to start. I enjoyed creating the different brand strategies and coming up with creative ideas to make my brand stand out. It was a fun class and a great learning experience.

Kate Hartig taught my favorite class in the whole program, Product and Artist Management. This was my favorite class because I was learning about what I wanted to do with my career from someone who had already done it. I only wished that these two topics were two separate classes. We learned about artist contracts and the terms that come along with that. We learned about products and how to manage them as well. I really enjoyed this class and will keep what I learned from it hopefully for the rest of my life.

I learned so much in my Advanced Entertainment Law class taught by Cassi Willard. I loved listening to her stories that she tied in with all the lessons. This class is where I learned all about the world of copyrights, trademarks, patents, infringement, and so on and so forth. It was a lot of information to take in but it was most definitely important. In the entertainment business it is so easy for a person to get sued over the smallest oversight so it’s best that you know the law and how to protect yourself. The knowledge I gained in this class will stick with me forever while I maneuver my way through this business we like to call entertainment.

Marketing is key when you’re trying to get your business’ name out to the buying public. Now, digital marketing is more important than ever because we live in such a technology savvy world. I learned all of this and so much more in Digital Marketing class. Kristen Lamm definitely knew her stuff and I was always engaged and intrigued by what I was learning in this. I learned all about the seven digital marketing channels and how to get more hits to my blog by using search engine optimization tips. There was so much information in this class that sometimes I felt a little overwhelmed but I definitely learned a lot and will take it with me throughout my career.

Mike Koch was probably the coolest professor I had throughout this program. He was the professor for Business Plan and Development. This class is where I took everything I learned throughout the program and put together my final business plan. This class prepared me for my final class. Mike made this class entertaining by telling us funny stories and keeping the class interesting. It was a lot of work and research that went into putting my business plan together. I was proud though of the final result. Putting all the pieces together like the operations, financials, and the competition really took a lot of work. This class turned me into a business plan writer.

The first day of my final class was kind of surreal. It came so fast. Final Project: Business Plan was where everything would finally come together. This is the class where I would write my business plan out and also gives my final presentation on my business plan. I would finish doing my financial spreadsheet and when I was finish putting all together I was so proud because I had done it. I had really done it. I was so proud of myself and excited that graduation was upon us. Our professor Bill was the best and gave the most awesome stories and kept us entertained. He also gave the best advice and encouragement for us as we go on and start our careers.

I have so many great memories while I’ve been here at Full Sail. I met some amazing people and had an amazing time. As I get prepared to receive my degree in 5 days I just look back and realize how blessed I really am. I will have a Masters Degree! I remember a time when I thought I wouldn’t even go to college but look at me now. I’ll always remember the great times and the great people I met while on this journey. This is the beginning of a whole new world for me and the best is yet to come!!!

Negativity In The Media

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 02:58:00 +0000

The media is so saturated with hate and negativity. When you turn on the news the first thing you see is a story about a crime being committed. What happened to the uplifting news stories? Are they not good enough to be commentated on? I know that there are so many great things going on in this world but if you watch the news you would not know it. You have to search high and low to seek out some type of positivity in this world. People have enough going on in their own lives that they have to deal with and then there is no real escape or things on TV to uplift, motivate, and inspire us.

I think it should be more for the children that are growing up in this hateful world. Children today need so much more from society than what they are giving. We have to realize that these kids will one day grow up and become the future of this world that we live in. Do we really want to oversaturate with all of this hate and negativity. By no means am I saying that the media and TV are responsible for raising our children but they do have a responsibility to help in the aid of them being raised right. We see all the time on TV how we tear each other down and not enough of us helping to build us up. There are many, many people and organizations that are fighting the good fight but are rarely showcased because they are being overshadowed by the negativity.

When it comes to celebrities the media feels like it has free rein to say whatever they feel like. Celebrities and public figures have feelings just like the people that are not in their position. I know that there are some celebrities who bring it upon themselves by sharing and revealing too much sometimes but they’re just living their lives the best way they know how. Can you imagine the amount of pressure celebrities are under by having every little thing they do being scrutinized? It is a hard job being under a microscope every day of your life. I know some people will not agree with me because they may feel that these celebrities knew what they signed up for. Maybe they didn’t though. Some people get in this business and have no idea how it is. It’s up to them, ultimately, to not let the pressures break them and to keep people around them that are for them. Remember, celebrities are humans too and they bleed and feel just the same as us.

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A Lesson Learned

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 02:45:00 +0000

I talked about two experts in the field of writing business plans, Tim Berry and Ellen Rohr, in a previous blog. I spoke on individual lessons I learned from researching each one. When it came to Mr. Berry he taught me that I constantly have to keep building on my business plan. When the day comes that my business plan is finished then that means that my company is done forever. I learned that I must continue to figure out what works for my business and apply it to my business plan to better my company and benefit everyone involved. I can never stop trying to better my business and incorporate ways to make it even more successful. As I continue researching and coming up with ideas to include in my plan that lesson always stays in my head. It made me realize that I have a lot of work to do and just when I think I am done I realize I have more work to do. I would like to thank Mr. Berry for giving me that insight because once I felt like I was done with my plan that would have been it for me. I would not have thought to continue building upon my business plan.

Ellen Rohr gave me a lesson that not only I can use in business but life as well. She talked about letting go of what you cannot control. That is so true. If something is not working within my business plan and I have no way of making it work then I just have to let it go. I have to come up with another way to make it work or scrap that whole idea altogether and start fresh. If I do not do that then stress and frustration becomes an issue and those feelings are not going to help me become productive and come up with solutions to what is not working. Both of these lessons taught me something but did not necessarily make me change anything about my business plan. These lessons gave me insight as to how to handle writing my business plan and to continue building upon it once I get my business up and running. I thank them for these lessons and will take them with me throughout my lifetime.

Tim Berry & Ellen Rohr: Business Plan Experts

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 21:21:00 +0000

Tim Berry and Ellen Rohr are two of the best when it comes to business plan development. Tim is all about business planning. He is an entrepreneur heading up his own business called Palo Alto Software. He built his company from the ground up with no outside investments. Now, that is a major feat if I have ever seen one. He has written several books and also teaches starting a business and business planning.

Ellen Rohr went from a plumber’s wife to a business builder. She thought she knew all there was to know about running a business because she had received her degree in Business Administration but in all honesty she did not even know how to balance a checkbook. She almost ruined the family business because of it. She bounced back and gathered people around her that could really be beneficial in her learning how to handle a business the right way. She started Bare Bones Biz, a venture capital and consulting company in 1995 and the rest is history.

One of the lessons that stuck out for me from Ellen was “Let Go of What You Can’t Control”. There is no need to get down and out and upset over something that is out of your control. You have to find a way to pick yourself back up, go back to the drawing board and hopefully come out better on the other side. There is absolutely no time to waste if you plan on getting your business off the ground. Keep moving forward is key because there is always somebody everyday that is out there looking to take your idea or has your idea and wants to do it better than you do.

A lesson that resonated with me from Tim Berry was the fact that if your business plan is finished that means that your company is finished as well. Your business plan should be constantly changing and evolving to keep up with the current trends so it won’t get lost with all the new technology and the new ways of handling business. If that happens then you might as well hang up your CEO hat and find another career. This was a very smart lesson to learn from Tim and it can actually go a very long way if you take heed to the lesson!

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Beyoncè Lip-Syncs & The World Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:22:00 +0000

The name Beyoncè has been wagging on everyone’s lips for the past week because she allegedly lip-synced the National Anthem during this year’s Presidential Inauguration. Now, I was not going to discuss this because of the simple fact that I thought it was ridiculous for the media and everyone to be going crazy over this claim. Since everyone else has an opinion about it then why not let mine be heard? My stance on this is: who cares? Whether or not she sang live should not even matter because it was her voice that millions of people heard on display that day. She sounded beautiful and looked amazing! Get over it! She is Beyoncè! She can basically do whatever she wants. It was claimed that Beyoncè lip-synced the performance because she did not have a chance to rehearse with the band! If that is the case then I do not blame her. I would rather her get up there and lip-sync to a beautiful pre-recording than sing live and risk the chance of messing the performance up. It was also said that the weather conditions really were not suited for a singer to really sing live! I don’t know how true that was since I’m not a voice doctor or professional but the point still remains: WHO CARES????? You can watch Beyoncè performing the National Anthem at the Presidential Inauguration and decide for yourself did she really lip-sync or do you really care if she did or not? Beyoncè nor her team have spoken out about the allegations but she did post an image to Instagram with her wearing a sweatshirt with the phrase, “Can I Live?” written on the front of it! Take that haters! Ha! I, for one, enjoyed it lip-synced or not. In other funny news about Beyoncè someone’s YouTube channel under the name BadLipReading have made an hilarious video of what they claim Beyoncè actually sang at the Inauguration ceremony! Hilarity ensues after you click HERE!!!!

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HUMAN LIKE YOU & I

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 02:10:00 +0000

So, celebrities have it bad when it comes to the media because everything that they do is magnified times 1000! They are always in the public eye and the average Joe could do the same thing and no one would really care. It really bothers me that people go crazy over the things that celebrities do like they are not human just like the rest of us. The most recent thing to hit the news that just made me roll my eyes were pics of Justin Bieber with a blunt in his hand! People went absolutely bonkers over this photo! Seriously, who cares about him smoking! I understand that smoking is not really legal in all states yet but cry me a river, Justin Bieber smokes weed! Now, I’m going to go jump off a cliff because my life isn’t worth living anymore! Yeah right! Let this young man live his life! He is definitely not the first or last person in the world to smoke! Now, let’s move on to some older news but recent as well. So, Rihanna decided to let Chris Brown back into her life (like he ever left). We all remember that fateful night when he beat her to smithereens but seriously that was 4 years ago and if she can move on from it then the world needs to as well. It’s her life and she can do what she wants with it. It may not be the smart thing to do according to some people but it’s not up to the public to play judge and jury! That privilege belongs to a higher power. Celebrities get it bad and I can only imagine how strong you have to be in order to not let the media and the public break you. Let’s face it, the public and the media can be very cruel and can make or break a celebrity. But celebrities are not holier than thou they are human just like non-celebrities and should be cut some slack. After all, it’s not up to celebrities to raise our younger generation even though a lot of them look up to these celebrities like Bieber and Rihanna. I do feel as though that they should be more careful with some of the things they do, but at the end of the day they should be living for themselves and not the media or the public.

Stop & Listen!

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:32:00 +0000

In the entertainment industry protecting your business and everything within your business is key. It is definitely not all glitz and glamour. There are so many liabilities that come along with any business but within the entertainment industry everything that you create, intellectual property to be more specific, has to be protected. It all depends on what type of intellectual property you are trying to protect in order to know the right steps to take to protect it. Intellectual property includes symbols, images, inventions, and many others. So, with the help of several podcasts I will discuss the liabilities that you and I may encounter within our business.

The first podcast I reviewed, Registering Trademarks & Copyrights with U.S. Customs, discussed registering your trademarks and copyright with the U.S. Customs. This podcast really opened my eyes to something that I hadn’t been exposed to before. I thought once you registered a trademark and/or a copyright it was protected from any kind of infringement. Counterfeiting takes over $200 billion dollars from businesses I guess the saying is true that you learn something new everyday! I learned that after registering your trademark with the USPTO you must record your marks with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This provides you with the right to sue people on the black market selling your registered works. It also allows right holders to electronically file an Intellectual Property Rights recordation application. I never thought about the black market sellers who might infringe upon works that have been registered with the USPTO and now I know how to protect them if ever that problem arises.

The second podcast , Copyright Infringement and Damages, basically reiterated what I already learned in my Advanced Entertainment Law class. This podcast discussed rights of copyright owners, copyright infringement, and remedies for infringement. Copyright owners have the right to reproduce, distribute, adapt, etc. their copyrighted work. This is also important because it gives the copyright owners the right to sue someone for infringing on their work. Now copyright infringement is taking someone else’s work and using it as if you hold the copyright to it. That is illegal and if caught, you will be sued for it. You will be liable for any damages, both compensatory and statutory. You will also have to pay attorney fees and costs. Copyright infringement is serious business and if you’re found guilty you will pay! It’s just not worth it. Be original!

The third podcast, Trademarks and Domain Names, gave insight into how to protect your trademarked domain name and remedies to handle someone infringing on your domain name. It discusses what you need in order to trademark your domain name. Your domain name has to serve as more than just your address. Now, if you suspect someone is/has infringed on your domain name you can refer to the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP). This policy contains three elements they look at to see if your domain name is being infringed upon. One, the domain name has to be identical to your trademark, two, the person who registered the domain name isn’t utilizing it, and three, the domain name has to be used in bad faith. The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) also provides remedies. It may take longer with the ACPA as opposed to the UDRP but the benefits from going the ACPA will definitely be worth it!

Proceed With Caution....

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:16:00 +0000

When deciding to become a part of this ever-changing entertainment industry, be prepared to wear your boxing gloves daily. You will have to fight everyday to make it in this industry. Around every corner, if you are not extremely careful, someone is going to want to sue you for something. Some things more obvious than others but now it has become increasingly hard to decide what is safe and what is not. I read an article discussing trademark “wars” and it was a very interesting read. It discussed the fact that more and more companies are trying to trademark everything under the sun. First it was Christian Louboutin trademarking their red soles so no other shoe company can have red-soled shoes. It is kind of understandable why companies are trying to trademark everything they can because there is a lot of revenue from licensing trademarks and it is all about earning money and staying relevant at the end of the day. Celebrities are trademarking their children’s names to catchphrases. That is why you have to stay on top of these things because you do not want to create or use something that has already been trademarked by someone else. Always do your research! That way you can stay out of the courts and continue to handle your business. As I was reading this other article about artists sampling other artist’s music and not giving them the proper credit, I thought to myself that people really go out of their way to try and receive a payday! The reason I say that is because TufAmerica, a record label, sued the Beastie Boys for sampling their artist’s music, and not give them the proper credit. The thing is that TufAmerica admitted that the casual observer would not notice it, so I say then why even go ahead with the lawsuit if the sample is not even recognizable by basically anyone. Madonna went through the same thing with her song, “Vogue.” I understand people want to be compensated and recognized for their hard work but if no one can even notice that your work was being sampled besides the accuser then what is the point? So, in a world where social media reigns supreme companies have social media policies in their employee handbooks to give employees a guideline to what they can or cannot do regarding the company on social media sites. So, in a new article posted on The Hollywood Reporter, Dish Network has been ordered by the National Labor Relations Board to make revisions to their social media policy. In the current policy Dish employees are not allowed to commentate on the company while at work or in their free time. They felt it was a little overboard. I totally agree! Companies today really try to take away employees free will to do what they want to do. It is like employees are living for the company and not themselves. I would understand if the statements that are made by employees about their respective companies were false, but if they are true then why try and stop them from venting or expressing how they truly feel. If it is not interfering in the employees doing their job then it should not be a problem. That’s my opinion and I am sticking to it. Point. Blank. Period.

Dawn Richard Soars With "Armor On"

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 06:21:00 +0000

Dawn Richard exploded onto the scene in 2004 when P. Diddy returned with the third season of Making The Band. Diddy was looking to form a girl group and Dawn made the cut. The group was formed and named Danity Kane. A native of New Orleans, Lousiana, Dawn had the undeniable talent and charisma of a star. But after just two albums, successful ones I might add, the group disbanded. Some members blamed her for the breakup because after they were disbanded she was the only group member to continue a working relationship with Diddy. Diddy even recruited Dawn to join a group that he was putting together called Dirty Money. That group consisted of Diddy, Dawn, and another female artist by name of Kaleena. The group released a pretty successful album and toured the world! But after the tour this group also disbanded. So, Dawn was not ready to give up. She asked to be released from her contract so she could start work on her solo career independently. This is when her true artistry and star power started to emerge. She was without a record label and was doing her music on her own terms and was being quite successful at it. She released an EP entitled Armor On earlier this year and it shot straight to number one on the Itunes R&B chart in just three hours. That’s a great feat to achieve and just goes to show when you stick to your guns and stay true to who you are you can achieve the unimaginable. With the success of Armor On Dawn has became kind of in demand and she went on a small tour of the U.S. and performed at small venues. The tour was successful and afterwards she went hard to work on her debut album, Goldenheart, as a solo artist. Still with no label backing Dawn was determined to get her music out there and was planning to release Goldenheart on October 16, 2012. The album was pushed back however and for a great reason. Dawn was able to secure a major distribution deal with Altavoz Distribution. That is a huge deal for an independent artist. Dawn will be able to have her music available to the buying public both physically and digitally while retaining most of the profit. Since she received this deal, Goldenheart, was pushed back to January 15, 2013 so they could package the album correctly for the physical release. I’m so looking forward to Dawn's Goldenheart album because Dawn brings something fresh and new to the R&B scene and she stands out among the familiar!

photo credit: necolebitchie.com

Rihanna Remains "Unapologetic"

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 04:53:00 +0000

Rihanna has become a force to be reckoned with since her debut onto the music scene in 2005. Since then she has become a global superstar! She has platinum albums, sold out tours, countless endorsements, and a major social presence. With over sixty-two million fans on Facebook, over twenty-six million followers on Twitter, and Billboard's #1 top 40 pop song artist since 1992! She has all that and one still wonders how has she never achieved a number one album in her career? It is baffling to say the least! She has all these “fans” and her loyal fanbase that she calls the “Navy” but not enough of them go out to buy her album to secure her a number one album. So I wonder if they are more intrigued by Rihanna, the person, than Rihanna, the artist? Something that baffles me even more is that she is set to release her seventh studio album in seven years, Unapologetic, on November 19, 2012; the deluxe set of the album is selling at an astounding retail price of $250. The deluxe set will feature things like a collectible vinyl record of remixes of her song “Diamonds” the first single off of the new album, a flash drive, and a handwritten book of lyrics and whatnot! I have no idea what her team was thinking when they came up with this! If she is not able to sell albums that are priced at $10, what makes them think someone is going to shell out a whole 250 bucks for a “deluxe” set? They really dropped the ball on this one and I hope they have not mass-produced this “deluxe” set because I really feel they will lose a lot of money if they do. I wonder what the distribution strategy for this will be like because I just do not see many people, if any, purchasing this “deluxe” set. I guess all will be revealed in the coming weeks and we will see if she scores her first number one album with Unapologetic! I know I will getting my copy because whether you like the girl or not there is no denying that she puts out good music and that’s what I’m here for!

photo credit: mtv.com

666: Liabilities

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 03:05:00 +0000

Starting a business in the entertainment industry sounds like it would be a lot of fun. If there is a passion for it then eventually it will be fun and you will get to do what you love everyday. First though you have to really do your homework and find out what goes along with starting a business. It is grueling work and you definitely have to figure out the liability issues that come along with your business. That is exactly what I am going to talk about! I will discuss, with the review of several podcasts, liability issues in entertainment-based businesses. The first podcast I listened to was about copyright infringement. Copyright infringement is the violation of rights secured by a copyright. In this podcast the hosts talked about different cases dealing with copyright infringement. It focused on Republican presidential candidates unauthorized uses of copy written musical works in their campaign. This is a liability that would be associated with my business! I want to start an artist management company and I might have an artist whose musical works are infringed upon and will have to take the necessary steps to get that taken care of. In the case of the Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich who was sued by Rude Music, Inc. for the use of the song, “Eye of the Tiger” during his campaign trail. Rude Music wanted the court to award actual and statutory damages. This podcast really solidified what I had already learned about copyright infringement in my current Advanced Entertainment Law class! Shout-out to Cassi!!! Whoop! Whoop!

The second podcast I listened to dealt with trademark infringement. This podcast really outlined what trademark infringement is and how to deal with it. Trademark infringement is when somebody else is using a protected trademark without permission. Protected trademarks includes, but not limited to, names, logos, and slogans. The most typical form of trademark infringement, according to the podcast, is likelihood of confusion. When defining that it means the comparison of two trademarks that may be confusing to the public and figuring out which one was trademarked first. The other form of trademark infringement is dilution. Dilution is when someone infringes upon a famous trademark without the proper consent. Since my business WILL be a famous one (see what I did there J) then if I ever had to deal with trademark infringement it would fall under dilution. This podcast gave great ways to handle trademark infringement which most of it I learned in class.

The last and final podcast I listened to discussed artist contracts. Now, this is a heavy subject and a lot goes into any business contract. As a manager I want to get the best deal for my potential client and myself. The speaker Daniel Friedman also talked what he called an upstream provision in a recording agreement. What this entails is that independent labels that are subsidiaries of major labels can have their artist be pulled from their label to the major label per a predetermined agreement. That was something that I had never heard of before and just goes to show you that you really have to be on top of everything! You cannot let anything slip through the cracks. With that type of agreement you have to make sure that you have some type of liability clause set in to cover your artist. I could go on and on about the subject of liabilities but I think I will end it here! I hope that you who are reading this learned something or at least enjoyed reading it!

WHAT!?!? I'M BEING SUED!?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:09:00 +0000

So, as well all know getting into the entertainment business leaves you open to many liabilities. You have such liabilities as breach of contract, copyright infringement, not having a written contract in place and so on. I want to get in the business of music artist management and decided to look up liabilities associated with the business. In recent months, rapper/singer Drake found his current management team being sued by his former manager, James “Jas” Prince for unpaid royalties. Jas has been credited with discovering Drake. Situations like these happen more often than not. Someone discovers someone else and becomes responsible for the deal that will ultimately catapult him or her into superstardom. The problem with that is the person who does the discovering doesn’t have the necessary documentation to prove that they are entitled to compensation for their actions. That’s why you cannot just trust someone’s word you have to get everything in writing so when problems like that arise it can be taken care of accordingly.

Another situation that arose around November of 2011 was Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and other members of the band had a lawsuit filed against them by Halford’s longtime manager, John Baxter. Baxter is alleging fraud, breach of contract and intentional interference with contractual relations. He was asking for around $50 million in damages. Baxter has been Halford’s manager since 1982. That’s almost three decades and one has to wonder what happened that made them get to this point. Maybe it had something to do with Baxter being fired in August of 2011. It would be sad for Baxter to sue his friend because of bitterness because obviously he enjoyed the benefits of being Halford’s manager otherwise he wouldn’t have stayed on as his manager for almost 30 years. Baxter is suing for failure to pay commissions, salary, and expenses dating all the way back to 1992. Now it seems a little strange that he waited until being fired that he would sue for compensation from 20 years ago. I’m not saying he’s falsifying information but it just doesn’t add up to me.

Now, it’s sad when parties fight over an artist’s estate after they pass away. That is the case with Michael Jackson and his estate and Jackson’s former manager. As usual they are fighting over money. If they had fought this hard for Michael when he was alive maybe they would have had the chance to save his life. The lawsuit was filed in February of 2012. Michael has been gone from this Earth for 3 years and his team is still fighting over his money. I can’t fathom the stress and turmoil that it is putting on his family, who are dealing with their own drama, which is whole other story entirely. I just hope they get it together so Michael can rest in peace and his family can have some peace.

Product Stars

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 04:44:00 +0000

It is synonymous nowadays to see every celebrity imaginable endorsing either someone else’s product or a product of their own. I mean, who can blame them with the current state of the music industry selling albums just isn’t enough anymore. You have celebrities endorsing everything from water to nail polish to shoes. It’s a great way for celebrities to expand not only their brand but also their revenue. Celebrities are paid big bucks to endorse a company’s product. Nicki Minaj signed a seven-figure deal to become the face of a new Pepsi beverage called “Pop”. You can read more about that here and also watch the commercial via YouTube. You have to wear many hats within the industry today because just being an artist who just makes music just isn’t the trend anymore. It takes so much more to sustain credibility in this industry. Take for instance, Alicia Keys, she is coming out with a new album in November and she has inked a deal with Reebok. She designed several different pairs of shoes for them and starred in a commercial featuring her saying the lyrics to her new song, Girl On Fire. Peep the commercial here! That was a very strategic move by her and her team to get people interested in her upcoming project. When you turn on the television you see so many celebrities endorsing so many different products. There is serious money to be made in doing so. The companies that these celebrities endorse are so smart and really handles their product management well because they know with big time names attached to their brand people are going to buy it. It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved. Even if the product doesn’t do so well the celebrity still gets paid unless otherwise stated in their contract. Look at Jennifer Hudson; you can’t turn on the television without seeing one of her Weight Watchers commercials. I know you’re probably as sick of seeing them as I am but the girl is getting serious bread from that and Weight Watchers must be contributing from it very well because Jennifer stays on our TV screens. You can’t be mad at a sister for getting her money and looking good while doing it. Although, I believe she has undergone other procedures to get rid of the weight but that’s just between you and I. On the same note though, endorsements are a way for celebrities to make major money and the key is to strike while you’re hot. These three women I mentioned are making themselves into brands and diving into opportunities outside of music. But to be fair if it wasn’t for them being the huge music stars that they are the doors for endorsements to open probably never would have happened. So, to aspiring artists out there who want to become music superstars think outside the music and come up with a plan to turn yourself into a brand! It’s the best way to sustain longevity in this business!

Management Overhaul?

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 02:35:00 +0000

My all time favorite artist is Fantasia. I would love to get the opportunity to manage her. Even though I may not know much about managing an artist right now I feel that her team isn’t on their job when it comes to her career. I have followed her career since she was a contestant on American Idol and I feel that she should be more of a household name than she is right now; and for her talent, not for her mistakes. For instance, if I were her manager I would start with an image overhaul. I mean, Fantasia is a superstar and she should start looking like one. I don’t know whether or not she has a stylist but if she does he or she needs to be fired. Also, the music that she puts out is not up to par as to what I know she is capable of. It’s not bad music, but it’s not great either. It’s not current enough. With her voice, she is able to take on any genre of music. I know she is a soul singer, but there’s definitely a way to bring her sound up to date without compromising the integrity of the music. I just want to take her to the next level and I’m going to learn as much as I can about managing an artist and this business so I can one day make this dream a reality. So, another artist that I want to speak on is Brandy. I absolutely love Brandy. Her voice is incomparable and she never disappoints when she puts out new music. I must say though that her team has kind of dropped the ball with her new project. It has been four years since the release of her last album and she has a new project that should be dropping in stores on October 16. The reason I say, “should be” is because the album has been pushed back twice already. That’s the first mistake. The second mistake was to drop the first single in May and then wait three whole months to drop the visual for it. I mean the fans are really rooting for her to come hard this go round since her last album didn’t do so well. Also, she dropped a second single one week after the visual for the first single premiered. Her team should have dropped the second single and on that same day released it to Itunes and radio with the visual for it not too far behind. That would have been a smart move. I mean her team needs to constantly keep her name out there so that people don’t forget that she has an album coming out. She has done zero TV performances. I mean, what’s up with that? I hope that her team gets it together because she can’t afford to lose this time around and all of her fans, including myself, are rooting for her to win! Follow my girls on twitter Fantasia and Brandy!

Negotiation Tactics

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:05:00 +0000

Scott Landstrom, Negotiation Skills For Job Seekers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUkCKqPXuiM

This podcast identifies what to do when negotiating for a job. This type of negotiation involves a bilateral exchange. During this time you differentiate yourself from other candidates and go after the right opportunities. It also talks about how you should position yourself in a way that if you do get the opportunity you want it comes at the highest value to you. You should not pretend to know more than you do and make sure that you do your homework about the company. You have to convince yourself that you are the best person for the job and find a way to challenge the interviewer by asking the right questions. You should stay away from emotional outbursts and personal attacks and stick with factual data. You should never lead with neediness. Need is the enemy. It makes the interviewer lose respect for you and the price of compensation goes down when you show need. Lastly, you should be vague about compensation if possible. You do not want to cheat yourself when it comes to salary.

Dare to Ask: Negotiating When It Matters - Texas Enterprise Speaker Series,, UT Austin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgeiGpdVVBw

Emily Amanatullah’s speaks about the role of gender and how it plays in the negotiation process, specifically distributive negotiations. She suggests that women are less competitive and negotiate monetarily worse solutions than men do. This happens because of social biases. However, if a woman is negotiation on behalf of someone else, the results tend to differ. Women tend to feel more at ease negotiating for someone else. They also feel more comfortable because they don’t have that fear of backlash they normally would receive if they were negotiation for themselves.

Podcast: Negotiation Tactics & Strategies Everyone Can Use

http://elkayadvisors.com/2010/04/podcast-negotiation-tactics/

This podcast gave very useful tips on negotiation strategies and tactics. For instance, before entering a negotiation know exactly what you want, what the other party wants, what will occur if by chance you cannot get the outcome you seek and what to do if that happens. You should gather all the background information you can about the other party. That way you may be able to find out what you can get that the other party desperately needs or wants. You have to develop a plan of action and a way to execute that plan. By all means, do not put your emotions on display and never position yourself wrong. You should never appear desperate or needy. Pay close attention to detail and be aware of body language and mannerisms, yours as well as the other party’s. Do not stray from the topic at hand. Keep the other party engaged. If at all possible try to get the other party to negotiate against themselves, that way all possible solutions work in your favor.

Brandy - Two Eleven

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:09:00 +0000

Words cannot describe how excited I am for Brandy's new album Two Eleven due out on August 28. You can check out her latest single from the album Put It Down ft. Chris Brown here which is a certified banger! The accompanying visual has been shot for the song and it should be premiering soon. The album title is a representation of her birthdate and the day that her idol and very dear friend Whitney Houston died. It has been 4 long years since she has released an album and the wait is almost over. The album will feature production credits from Rico Love, Bangladesh, Danja, Jim Jonsin, Timbaland, and Noah "40" Shebib, and songwriting credits from Chris Brown, Frank Ocean, Sean Garret, and Drake. I am a huge fan of Brandy and feel that she has not reached the level of success that she is destined to have. Granted, she has been very successful throughout her career I just feel that she has so much more to give to this world beyond just GREAT music! If her past albums are any indication of what is to come from Two Eleven then I must say we are about to be knocked off our feet by Ms. Norwood! My favorite album of hers is Never Say Never! Brandy sung her heart and soul out on that album and it is still in heavy rotation to this day along with Full Moon and Human! Speaking of Human, that album was Brandy's most underrated album to date! Her Human album was flawless from beginning to end and my favorite performances from her comes from that album era. You can check them out here and here and be as wowed as I was! Also check out my girl doing her thing at this year's BET Awards where she performed during the tribute to Whitney Houston! She killed it and I was so proud of her for showing up and showing out! I know it was hard for her but she did Whitney very proud! I am so ready to be wowed during this new era! Brandy always delivers! She hasn't let me down yet! Don't forget to purchase your copy of Two Eleven when it hits shelves and online retailers on August 28! I can't wait to get mine!

Note: The above picture is not the actual album artwork for Two Eleven; it's fanmade but gorgeous nonetheless!

Frank Ocean Is Happy

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 02:05:00 +0000

So recording artist and songwriter Frank Ocean revealed on July 4, 2012 that he was gay through a beautifully written letter that he posted on his Tumblr page. I posted my very first blog entry on Frank Ocean and marveled about how great of an artist he is, which you can check out here! Me, personally I do not care who he wants to love because I am here for the music and the music only! But what a way to celebrate Independence Day by declaring his own independence! Now with him revealing that, one has to wonder how this will affect his fanbase and his music sales. His debut album, Channel Orange, will be released on July 17, 2012. Homosexuality is slowly becoming more of a norm in society but he is in one of the most homophobic music industry communities, which is the hip-hop community. I guess in the coming weeks we will see if his coming out will affect his record sales. This is huge! I mean he is like the first person ever in the hip-hop community to openly admit to being homosexual! Some may consider that to be career suicide; but I see it as being a career birth! I guess that’s the optimistic person that I am but I honestly believe that! The support from some of his industry peers has been awesome but will they really look past his sexual preference and see his talent instead. The picture that I used for this post was uploaded by Beyonce on her Tumblr page to show her support for the singer. I applaud him for opening that door for people like us. He really just started a movement. Yes, there are openly gay men in the industry but not the hip-hop industry…until now! I applaud him for having the courage to bare his soul like that in such a judgmental society. This is great for people in the gay community who didn’t have the courage to stand up and be who they are. He just gave all of those people hope! Thank you Frank Ocean! You’re kind of like a hero man!

The RIAA

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 19:22:00 +0000

The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The association is also responsible for certifying Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond sales awards. Its members consist of record labels and distributors as explained here. Since I want to start up my own artist management/music production company, the RIAA will play a major part as it has the 4 major music labels, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group, as members of its association. I ultimately will want my artists to be signed to one of those labels or a subsidiary of one of those labels. Although it is kind of disheartening that there is only 4 major labels that controls the music industry, I still want to pursue my dream. I know that I will have to come up with something new and fresh to compete with what is already out there. Listening to the radio today, I know that the kind of artists I would like to manage is not anything like what you hear on the radio. I want to break away from the repetitive sound of today’s music and put a spin on the music that I love, which is R&B/Soul! The RIAA will also keep me up-to-date on the economic status of the music industry and also the threats to the industry. I can access charts as to the genre of music that sells the most from year to year and also the demographics that are relevant to staying relevant in this industry. It also helps in regulating the piracy threat that has plagued the industry for many years now and how piracy is the major staple that has caused the major decline in the music industry over the years. So, with me trying to break into this industry I have to take in all of that and come up with a way to not let that factor affect my business in every way that I can! I am up for the challenge because music is my first love and passion and I will do what it takes to make this work and with the RIAA providing much needed information at my disposable I know I can do this!

Embracing Me

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Thandie Newton gave a riveting speech (here) on self and how it gets in the way of the essence of our being. She talked about how she felt she was a nobody being born to a white father and a black mother in the 70s and dealing with the abuse that came from that. She spoke on how she felt so free when she became a dancer and an actor because she was no longer her self but something else entirely that she breathed life into. She spoke about her bulimia and having to see a therapist because she was confused and she felt that her self was not any good. I can totally relate to that feeling of not belonging and being an anomaly because I’m gay-a social outcast! While growing up I endured so much verbal and sometimes physical abuse because of who I was. My getaway was through music. I used music as a way to transfer all of my emotional expression to it. I am a singer so I sang my pain and frustration away. I let it all out through my voice. Eventually I had to learn that I was so much more than what people labeled me as. I knew I had a lot to offer the world and I was not going to let anyone put out the light that is inside me. My essence means more than my self. I love my self but it gets in the way sometimes of what I know I can accomplish through the essence of me. I just wish that we could get rid of the boxes that society places upon us and just be ourselves. It does not matter what race we are, what religion we believe in, or status; we are all one! If we could get in touch with the oneness that Thandie spoke upon. Where we become one with each other and ourselves and get rid of that heavy burden of self. Let’s live up to the essence of who we are!

Why Hello World, It's Misha B!

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:26:00 +0000

Misha B! Where do I start with this amazing singer, rapper, and lyricist? She helms from Manchester, England but the world will soon come to know just who Misha B really is! She received her start on the 8^th season of the UK’s The X Factor season 8 where she ended in 4^th place. I did not watch the show but I was cruising YouTube one day and came across her performance of “Rolling In The Deep” (here) on the show and was absolutely blown away! The performance was dope! The arrangement of the song and her styling were flawless! I wanted desperately to know who was this girl with these crazy skills!? She sings, raps, has great stage presence, and not to mention her eccentric wardrobe choices! I was so intrigued by this girl that I watched every video I could find on her and was amazed at this young lady’s talent! I mean at only 20 years old I see a major career happening for her if she has the right people backing her. I was like where has she been hiding? She has had many comparisons to Missy Elliot and is working with the hip-hop legend on her debut album. That’s major right there because Missy brings that heat! Misha B just recently dropped a mixtape entitled “Why Hello World” and it is just a teaser of what is to come from her! I am so excited to see what she comes with next because it has been a long time since a singing/rapping female has graced the industry and actually does it oh so well! There is no word yet on if she has been signed yet but I’m sure she has already and it just has not been revealed yet! After being eliminated she went on SBTV and dropped a hot 64 (here) and absolutely killed it! This girl will be talked about in many, many years to come you just mark my words! I know talent when I see it and Misha B has tons of it! Follow Misha B on Twitter @IamMishaB!

Artist To Keep Your Eye On: FRANK OCEAN

noreply@blogger.com (Montrell) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 02:42:00 +0000

Frank Ocean is best known for his hit song “Novacane” (here) than being one part of the group OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All). He is a singer-songwriter who has written songs for Beyonce, Brandy, Justin Bieber, and John Legend. He released his amazing first mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra on February 8, 2011. The mixtape really showed the type of artist that Frank Ocean is. He did not hold back at all lyrically or musically. The mixtape seemed effortless and flowed very well. This is definitely like timeless music to me. I can see myself still playing this mixtape in the years to come. Standout tracks include “Swim Good”, “Novacane”, “We All Try”, and “Nature Feels”. He has been giving the Hollywood stamp of approval by the likes of Jay-Z and Kanye West. He worked on Jay-Z and Kanye’s joint album “Watch The Throne” and contributed vocals to the songs “No Church in the Wild” and “Made in America”. He also has been backed by rock band Coldplay, who he will be opening up for on the leg of their European tour later this year. He is signed to Def Jam Recordings with his debut album set to drop later this year. When I first heard “Novacane” on the radio, it was just so refreshing to hear. It was different, engaging, and lyrically genius. I mean in this day and age you do not have many male singers out and on mainstream radio that sings and writes like Frank Ocean does. I would love to sit in on a creative session with him doing what he does best: writing and singing. That would be freaking awesome. Frank initially wrote a song for Roc Nation artist Bridget Kelly titled “Thinkin Bout You”. Frank’s version of the song leaked and people fell in love with it. So he decided to keep the song for himself, re-mastered it, and intended to be included on his upcoming, as yet untitled debut studio album. Check the video out here! It's pretty weird and dope! Frank Ocean is definitely one to keep your eye on. I feel like he has major things in store this year and I am ready and excited to follow his journey through his music. Follow Frank on twitter @frank_ocean and like his fan page on facebook www.facebook.com/thefrankocean!