The Beat Down: Music Industry Scams | deep dive$, episode 4

[@CamJames]

y'all didn't ask me to upgrade my mic, but I did it anyway. weather was terrible, next one will be both shorter and brighter. i'm out here producing TV episodes now. love to Z for taking the time to feature in this piece! join the squad to get your name in the credits + bonus content: kzbin.info/door/YUIRADK9CuJU92EAp2CNPAjoin

[@Mahlictsv]

We appreciate the effort brother, keep doing the deep dives. Real people, appreciate long videos with high-quality.

[@Becidgreat]

You have a WAY! Shit. I’m probably going to need to watch this a couple times cuz the info can probably be cross pollinated into other areas of my life - but I keep getting distracted. You just have a way. I pay more attention next time I watch. 👍

[@aprylejohnson2420]

SHORTER?!?!?? Nobody asked for that either! Love your work❤

[@Aardappelz]

Funny you say that cuz I was about to ask you upgrade it

[@Ashlovinglife]

yess the new mic is better😉 lol and great video, again!

[@chriswolgamuth23]

Its crazy to learn that "getting signed" is just a music label approving you for a loan with really bad terms

[@CamJames]

essentially. it gets glorified bc of the cash advance and the relatively poor artists who've never seen that much money immediately spend it on material things

[@BurnTheReciept]

This!!!

[@Armendicus]

New legends to replace the old guard.

[@enumajek1764]

No. If it was just that most people won't sign cos they or their family members can get bank loans with even better terms. It's the music label's marketing machinery attached to the bad contracts that artists need that makes them sign...

[@washthomas]

It’s even worse with the indie labels, where the advances aren’t even enough to live on. So you have to keep a job as well as tour, record, sell merch and records, and run social media. There’s the powerful myth that getting signed is going to lead to better opportunities and fortune, but more often than not, artists only exist on a label so that label can stay in business.

[@Dsmky117]

i'll be corny and post the joker quote: "if you're good at something, never do it for free" and be DAMN sure you don't pay to do it

[@edenschannel101]

Yesss. I've started getting a couple emails from people sending me prices I have to pay to post a piano video promoting them 🤣🤣 1 offered me a piano for free but it's not worth it. Not for free.

[@samuelntim-addae2843]

Nothing corny about the truth

[@CamJames]

the accuracy

[@icoleman007]

... ESPECIALLY relatives who offer nothing and expect you to do it for free, value your time and effort.

[@nelsonbrodhead4976]

I lose money on music, but it's cool, hobbies are not meant to make money, I'm a musician, it's what I would do if people hear it or not.

[@0xggbrnr]

This man came out of nowhere and he’s already raising the bar for everyone on the Internet. If he doesn’t have a million subscribers by the end of next year, the only conclusion to draw is that he’s being targeted in a conspiracy to keep him from climbing. I love to see it. Mark my word.

[@Aardappelz]

"came out of nowhere" is another way to say overnight success, no? All that hard work he put in before this moment still counts

[@CamJames]

I appreciate both of y'all, and i know what people mean when they say "out of nowhere", i don't take it as an insult. hopefully this video made it clear that I've worked for this

[@Aardappelz]

@@0xggbrnr chill, you are misinterpreting my intent.

[@0xggbrnr]

Absolutely. I definitely just wanted to express how dope I think it is to see you come in with such high quality production and info. The grind is evident. I'm not actually sure why that other viewer got at me personally, but they're a sign you already have some Stans out there. Straight from the Eminem video, willing to die for you, taking any small thing that sounds off-key and calling the militia for you. Good sign if you ask me. @@CamJames

[@ChrisA2]

@@CamJames My guy, you are a legend. Can not wait to see you takeover.

[@nbrugman1980]

This man is the next big KZbinr in the anti-scam exposer space. The charisma, integrity of the material, the engaging way its presented, the music, and that opening ("AYE" gets me every time) all make this channel such an excellent experience. Lets make this guy HUGE.

[@ShortCircuit131]

The nonchalant delivery of that 'aye' cracks me up every time. This man has delivery down to an art form.

[@CamJames]

y'all are dope humans. i appreciate the support more than words can explain, and I'm really good with words

[@e66iu]

20 years ago (2004), I was making beats and writing decent music. I also got BARS. By luck, I performed at an open mic and was approached by Lou Pearlman. He said he's signing esoteric hip hop artists to Trans Continental Talent, record deals, lawyers, Managers, the whole shabang-bang-bang. Imagine my let down when, after performing my weirdo noise at some INSANE venues, doing radio interviews in cities i've never been to, grinding from nobody to somebody who's not nobody, meeting people "professionally" that i was a fan of and trying to act cool (i'm not), Lou Pearlmans scam fell apart, the office that i used to go to vanised LITERALLY overnight, i couldn't get in contact with anyone about my music, and no one will admit to ever working for this dude. Now one of the members of N'sync made a documentary about the guy, and they completely skipped all the indie/underground artists that got completely done dirty. Shout out to my 71 fans. Ya'll exist, out there somewhere.

[@CamJames]

wowww. i had no idea he did the same thing to a bunch of smaller acts and indies. damn. that was a great doc but all docs have a specific focus

[@irvingwashingtonable]

I didn't know about this either. I know it's a lot easier to get money for a documentary about 'NSync being screwed rather than a bunch of lower profile artists, but maybe someone on KZbin can take a crack at it someday.

[@JuriAmari]

@@irvingwashingtonable smaller acts are definitely KZbin territory. It’s not surprising to me that he’d target smaller acts. It’s a lot easier to get away with and that’s upsetting.

[@averyeml]

If all streams were treated equal, lofi hip hop creators would be billionaires based purely off the backs of teachers playing music in their classrooms 😂

[@CamJames]

i'd love to see it lol

[@trentberry1019]

Bro, I grew up in the music industry. My father started the biggest black music store in the northwestern United States. From 1986 until 2008 that store was a major player in the industry as in the late 80’s & 90’s the labels were trying to build a bigger, stronger black music market in the northwest. We were billboard & sounds a reporters, we participated in payola before anybody knew what it was. Universal was big one for us & I can tell you stories for hours of their business practices. Put it this way, we in the retail industry knew about R.Kelley & Aaliyah’s marriage like 3 months before the public. My father was at the Jack Rapper conference in Miami when Ice Cube & Luke’s crew got into it (ya know, the scene from Straight Outta Compton) & I can say that you’re not wrong about anything you’ve said here & I thank you for this video. It sounds like the game hasn’t changed. Only difference is there doesn’t seem to be as many drug front record labels as there were back then. Trust me, I can tell you the breakdown on No Limit & how they made all that money they did back in the days because I had a front row seat to the shit. I feel like I’m applauding a lot here. I’m gonna go sit my old ass & let you do your thing for a while. But this one is actually telling the tale of my life from child to adult.

[@biguattipoptropica]

Adding stories like these to the comments gives the viewers better ideas where to research further, who to ask, and how much of the information the public has to take at face value. Seriously, thank you. You’ve added a lot of information for me.

[@trentberry1019]

@@biguattipoptropica aww shuck, y’all are welcome. The game is a trip though ain’t it? Like I said it’s a few of us historians who were there & can shed light on a lot. Like billboards stuff, you wouldn’t believe the shit they did. Long story short never trust the billboard charts, they’re all rigged.

[@RosaX305]

Omg can I interview you for a music and news site? I would love to delve deeper into your story. It sounds amazing !

[@trentberry1019]

@@RosaX305 yeah man, but set aside some time because family owned that store for 30 plus years. So I got a lot to say on the subject.

[@trentberry1019]

Forgive me, but I’m new to this, how do we figure out how get in contact with each other?

[@QueMusiQ]

The scam is why I as an entertainer chose to go to law school INSTEAD of chasing my dream. I figured at the very least? I would not have to engage an entertainment attorney as often and more than make up the cost of tuition and time. At most? I’d make a good living and be able to fund my drive to create. I’m now an employment attorney who used to be a cast member on soul train , an alum of the famous Groundlings School, and a (former?) recording artist. The only thing is, I got my own home studio in a house I own. Some emcees I know that “made it” have nothing of the sort. But when they need me to put my legal eyes on a contract, I got them. Why? You create danger, you get an attorney provided at no charge. You create ART, you get robbed. I figure helping out the homies when they do something beautiful is a better use of my edumacation. 🤷🏽‍♂️ It’s BlackSoultan.

[@dudemankewl6291]

This guy is so easy to watch and listen to. Like, no filler in his videos, stays on point. I can't do that without a script.

[@CamJames]

i absolutely have a script, don't be so hard on yourself. I improvise sometimes but the key is to write a script that feels conversational

[@mangoenjoyer256]

One reason KZbin is so great is because of how feasible it is to do independently. There are some issues here and there with having nearly everything be done by bots instead of people, but it beats having tons of corporate middle men and rigged systems

[@CamJames]

thank you for the support! you're absolutely right, i have no complaints about KZbin unlike some other creators, it's a gift in my eyes

[@apollo105]

I mean if we're being honest it really isn't😂. Most if not all of these social media platforms only care about engagement and alot of people on the platform can't keep up with the demands and lose followers. Most popular youtubers have moved to streaming or just do mind numbing bs on here. There are a multitude of black channels like this that are well made and offer alot of insight but they don't get pushed at all

[@elell7971]

​@@apollo105drop some channel recs 😭

[@gheefreak]

1) I have absolutely no difficulty believing you have significant stage presence. 2) your perspective is so fascinating to me. You're genuinely turning into one of my favorite creators. I've been telling my friends about you.

[@CamJames]

you're one of my favorite commenters, but don't tell anybody else that.

[@kamilareeder1493]

This is also very common in dance and modelling. Like I think wage theft is the most common, being denied food and breaks. But these "agency scams" and performance "showcase" scams are rampant ✋💀🙅‍♀️

[@CamJames]

you know, i never thought about the parallels in those arts. I'm sure the scams are crazy in that world too

[@kamilareeder1493]

​​@@CamJamesi got some stories ✋💀☝️😪 I think also, theres a hierarchy in performing arts and dance is at the bottom. Often the more prestigious/glamorous the job I snag, the worst I will treated 🥺😪🙃 Ha once I did a fashion show and they sold "backstage passes" basically a bunch of C list celebs/rappers paid to handout in the dressing room WHILE we were getting changed. So youre getting fitted and trying on swimwear while these strange dudes wander around drinking and taking pictures. Thats where the shenanigans start lol. Thats nothing now, but was a shock to me at the time Dancers/models see more money and bookings because we are background characters mostly, The scam is usually to do with how they treat you once you sign the contract. 💀✋

[@CamJames]

I'd love to get more info on this world, where can i get in touch? Actually hit me in the email in my bio so i don't miss it, there's a lot of comments here

[@kamilareeder1493]

@@CamJames gotcha, yeah its abuse time of year. But im honestly dying to talk about it. Especially with lizzo's dancers suing 👀🤷‍♂️☝️ people don't beleive them, but I do. Their pain is my pain too. I currently work as a sponsored athlete for a dance team but im in a Harriet Tubman slave contract 🤷‍♂️😭💀🙃

[@alexanderbaker5228]

I'm an old head now at 40, but all this stuff caused my disenchantment with the idea of popular music or performing for a living exclusively. There's a living in lessons, production work, and the business side of things, but not for the art. It's so gross. SO gross. Really, session musicians and backing bands are the only performers who are getting an honest living out of it, and there aren't many of them.

[@alexanderbaker5228]

And yeah, NEVER PAY TO PLAY. ALWAYS collect from the venue! Talk about venues that have problems paying their artists!!!

[@kamilareeder1493]

Dance is the same im afraid. The more decorated I become and the better the job, the worse the pay and the more binding the NDA and behavior agreements. Teaching, choreography, and artistic directing a school is the way to go once you get a little stage time under your belt. 😮

[@kamilareeder1493]

I think, the best thing is to focus on achieving representation as an artist to get the good castings and really get working

[@heatherangel9700]

I'm in Los Angeles and pay to play is the standard here for aspiring musicians unfortunately. Basically how it works for a lot of clubs is that the acts pay to perform and then have to try and get reimbursed by selling their own tickets. There are tons of hole in the wall bars and clubs that make a large percentage of their income that way. As long as folks are desperate enough to pay to get their music heard, there will be folks willing to take advantage of that desperation. I used to think "Well, at least now the internet is allowing artists to self publish their work and get it out that way," but of course that just led to a whole new crop of scams (not to mention theft). Thanks for putting this out here, and for all you do to try and protect vulnerable people from losing money.

[@CamJames]

thank you for the support and i can absolutely relate to that desperation to be heard. every major city tries their best to milk us dry and it sucks

[@missawhirlwhy]

The cool thing about content like this is that it's very clear that all the topics aren't just ones you think will get clicks but ones you actually are invested in and care about, and that shows in the quality of these videos. Keep it up man loving the deep dive$ series

[@CamJames]

you get it. following trends is a losing strategy. thank you!

[@wa2k360]

As someone who rapped from 13-21, and then started making electronic music from 17-24 (my current age), this video hits and should be showed to ANY Aspiring artist. I was kind of wondering why I had never seen anything like this before. The promoters forcing you to sell an absurd number of tickets, getting scammed for features, soundcloud promos, playlisting, etc etc the list goes on. It's crazy how many people try to leech off aspiring artists.

[@CamJames]

it's a whole industry. everybody wants to use us constantly. glad this had value to you

[@gusenglish838]

Been on KZbin about 12 years and barely comment, but at this stage with the amount of low effort tiktoky style slop KZbin wants to throw at us, you're a welcome change. Interesting pieces that matter. Keep it up 👍👍

[@CamJames]

this is what my goal was 🎯

[@cobrabosse]

YOOOO, that Katt Williams sound bite had me weeeak 🤣🤣. Content is too good!

[@MsMizz1]

I saw this comment way before and still it caught me off guard- got str8 to kakkling 🤣🤣🤣

[@BrianZisook]

Great breakdown, Cam. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the piece. 🙏🏽

[@CamJames]

thanks again for the assistance!

[@andrewpagan]

THIS MAN CANNOT BE STOPPED. Excited to listen to this.

[@intercede007]

How in the hell don't you have a million subs already. This is top notch work. The Payday Loan scam video was awesome, I didn't expect a followup so soon.

[@Adwalkerhelps]

I’m excited to be here

[@CamJames]

thank you for that man. I'm trying to follow up every couple weeks, i think you might have missed episode three lol

[@Runey16]

I got halfway through the video, paused, paid full price for some independent artists' albums, and then came back. Thanks for this great video!!

[@CamJames]

hell yeah, that's what we wanna see!

[@bucanonhaley]

Blood sweat and tears are paying off. Good content with great execution. Post the link to become a channel member in the video descriptions. That may seem like a corny way of support. I can’t see where to become a channel member even though on bigger channels I watch it’s easy to find. God bless

[@CamJames]

I usually do, erased it on this one accidentally. Good call out and i appreciate the support!

[@mbuvito]

The fact that talent is the least important aspect to the business side of the music industry is very telling. But power to all the creatives out there grinding daily for their art! “The revolution will not be televised.” Another great vid Cam 🙏🏾

[@CamJames]

thank you mi amigo, gotta keep pushing 🤝🏾

[@mercurius_5962]

25:52 "I don't even think I had the best song in that particular contest, but nobody outperforms me." Found my new mantra today -- nobody outperforms me! Editing, writing, delivery, everything continues to be top notch

[@CamJames]

yo thank you for the consistently dope feedback!

[@caml1720]

i would've needed a sales pitch to watch a professionally made episode of TV on this topic, but i skipped 30 minutes of the 6ers game to watch your work. i hope you're seeing the kind of growth you need to keep this going, cuz this is primo stuff and i want more

[@CamJames]

wow. just wow. didn't think i had that kind of importance for anybody. thank you and I'm glad it was worthwhile.

[@sheed64]

You got a good style and vibe bro. Go ahead and get ya bag and don't be shy about it. Just keep it rooted once you hit 500k or 1 million subs, and don't screw anybody over.

[@CamJames]

it's a promise.

[@icoleman007]

ngl i was gonna warn my sis of all the pitfalls I came across during my starving artist chase in my 20s but you perfectly summed it up 👏

[@CamJames]

that's the goal 👨🏾‍🍳

[@TRAVXIZ614]

Dude I'm really glad to find your channel. Also, as a 43 year old that still makes music but never broke through, I'm honestly not one bit salty that I never got on. The more I learn about the industry the more I'm happy that I never got signed or fell for any tricks.

[@CamJames]

you and me both. very glad i didn't breakthrough, bc it's happening now in my preferred way. everything happens for a reason

[@pochewilson]

I’ve been making beats since I was 12. Was a dj for a while and definitely ran into scams trying to reach the level I thought I was ready for. I’m 27 now. Still making beats. But producing with my roommate, friends, and fiancé. (All soon to be bodies of work after 5 years in the making).And anyone who’d wanna give it shot. I always told everyone that we’ll work hard and we’ll make it someday. But we’re all really scared and constantly feel like we’re in limbo in deciding to dedicate our time and effort to being successful in music. We always knew what we wanted but have run into so many shady things, that we just don’t know what direction to go anymore. But this video definitely shedded some light and opened up my mind to a new way. All of this was relatable and incredibly digestible. Thank you for being the 🔌 and mentioning audiomack and how it’s programs work. You’re what the community needs.

[@CamJames]

super dope that i can be a resource to other creatives, that was the ultimate goal. i believe in y'all and hope the info makes that path more clear

[@LBfrom1900]

I got off work, and your pops was just leaving. He came up to me and showed me your channel ! The video is very informative, glad pops was putting me on.

[@CamJames]

lmao my dad has introduced so many people to my work, it's the coolest thing that he supports me. thank you for letting me know fam

[@ampersignia]

Learned a lot here about how things have changed. Thank you. I experienced this pay to play over 10 yrs ago with a metal band my bf was in back in NY. These tiny venues seemed reluctant to have this genre playing and would only let you play if you sold 20 tickets or something ($250 or so) which is basically the band paying for their own ticket, their significant others, and their family members, and their best friend who is there for support. There were almost no actual fans/enthusiasts aside from other bands. This was soooo common.

[@CamJames]

performing for other artists is very common. that's how badly ppl want to make it.

[@SherrellWrites]

I ran into this model in Atlanta for R&B and Hip Hop. It's such a scam.

[@lunasdadskates]

Your delivery is on point and how you present yourself is top notch kid. Hope your channel does well and the episodes keep goin. And you funny as hell bro.

[@CamJames]

thank you for this feedback! incredible to hear frfr

[@atldude12345]

This video should be played for every college student that’s in music production. Great content man.

[@CamJames]

thank you fam!

[@MidTierVillain]

New subscriber, man, you don’t know how refreshing it is to find channels that are of this quality.. you’re an amazing content creator, I have sat back watching your videos all night, just letting them play from your channel- I haven’t skipped one yet, that speaks volumes due to me usually seeing through these YT personalities- or seeing a certain consistency that I hate seeing, which turns me off to their content. You’re one of the few I have seen that is beyond phenomenal, and only gets better each upload. I will become a bigger supporter soon. I love being part of a channel that I know will be huge one day.. just to say, “I was a subscriber at such n such sub count”. lol 😂 Great job, man! Excellence!

[@CamJames]

man. this is really dope to read. thank you for taking the time to watch the work, i appreciate the feedback and look forward to seeing you in the next one! 👨🏾‍🍳

[@DodgaOfficial]

I think the most common scam in music is the local pay to play scam. You either pay like 500 bucks or sell 50 tickets to be an opener for some out of their prime artist, the openers basically pay the headliners fee, and nobody wants to see the openers

[@CamJames]

yep. it's the biggest scam there is because it's foolproof. someone's gonna pay, only question is if it's you or not.

[@ColinWBeatty]

I only play music for myself, but this kind of predatory crap happens to a lot of creative industries. Im in the early days of getting a book published and man do i need to be on high alert about this stuff. The number of people wanting to charge me just for a chance that somebody might read my work is staggering. Regardless, fantastic work as usual Cam!

[@CamJames]

they see us as a payday, that's it.

[@shea8830]

damn man you're churning out, you must got your whole workflow / content pipeline already established

[@nicolebelcher6769]

I'm an indie author, and the parallels can not be exaggerated, like its the same problems across all forms of art. I'm spamming my friends and family with my work, paying for the cheapest version of social media ads, on the off chance one more person will read my book. There are hoards of fake awards you can pay for, fake reviews, bot systems etc. Trad publishing isn't even doing the marketing for debut authors anymore, you've got to do social media work in the hope you'll go viral (and I am so bad at marketing). The people who succeed aren't good writers, they're people with connections and/or capital. I originally didn't consider trad publishing at all, because they aren't pulling their weight at all. But the point about getting picked up long enough to get an advance and some following, makes me want to reconsider. I'm not going to get a million dollars, but getting your books in barnes and noble is basically only possible if you trad publish. Unfortunately, there's no novelist equivalent of playing a gig at your local dive bar.

[@CamJames]

thank you for this insight into the parallel world of authors. i recognize the same struggle i endured. as for the equivalent of playing a gig...create it. you referenced going viral on social media; but i can guarantee that the first person to solve making it fun to listen to a book in public while tipsy will be set for life.

[@CamJames]

might sound far-fetched but i don't think it is. i'm making a lot of 18-35 year olds sit through lectures about finance with these videos, and they contain my music too. there's always another way

[@kamilareeder1493]

Professional dancer here. Same deal 😮

[@Shaqp]

Videos like this are so important. I’ve been producing since I was 14 so I’ve run into plenty of these scams. Most recently I had Dave East dm attempting to have me pay him to rap over my beats for “exposure”. I was so disappointed cuz I really rock with him as an artist.

[@CamJames]

yeah the thing is, that (probably) wasn't even him. he could've approved it though, which is just as bad.

[@ghostmedic171TV]

You gotta tell diddy no 😂 Was interested in this one just with all the work you put in as an artist but what I took from this, in a lot of ways, there are more ways now than there ever have been to get put on And more ways than ever to get preyed upon/twisted up in litigation. And as is the case with a LOT of platforms - we need to keep elevating the ones that balances business with FAIR and legitimate opportunity/compensation

[@CamJames]

thank you for the support and you're right, there's a lot of ways to breakthrough now but just as many (if not more) to get used. gotta be aware and careful

[@billycake5830]

None of your videos have pertained to me personally but I have learned a lot thru them and really enjoy your editing style and ability to breakdown the topics that interest you. Keep it up!

[@CamJames]

that's the real test, if i can hold people's attention who can't directly relate. thanks for the feedback

[@Sways_Studio]

Spent the whole day binging your content, real inspiring and interesting. Thank you!

[@CamJames]

amazing. thank you for watching 🫡

[@bullydungeon9631]

"but nobody out performs me" fuck yeah dude

[@QueMusiQ]

16:41 I tried to do this. Already a lawyer, already had two unreleased albums in the bag, and one of these exact same shady labels was willing to put my 💩 out with a 35k advance to “make the album”. That’s nothing, sure, but with the connects I had? Producers, promoters in LA, a studio? We talking 2004 pre iTunes too? The “label” was willing to press and distribute my hard copy CD’s in an era where that was still the pinnacle? I was gonna get free distro and $35k to get the second album mixed and mastered professionally, so when this fly-by-night “label” inevitably skipped on the one album I DO give them, I got the wherewithal and 35k to now be able to gig more and demand more per gig with the second indie “debut” album. The first album I was “scammed out of” would’ve become an asterisk on a wiki bio somewhere in the future. I’m sitting on a JD, connects from the streets to the suites, lyrics - you don’t have to be a signed A lister to be successful and comfortable financially in this game. You can flip 35k in 2004 into consistent revenue per annum if you knew what you were doing. My law school thesis was about the best path going forward for music distro and business, essentially laying out what became iTunes but three years prior. They almost f’d around and made me happy. But no. The lady who “discovered” me at Debbie Allen Studios wasn’t too bright and negotiated away the advance in exchange for a - get this - American Idol style reality show on PAX that was to double as music videos. I had LAWYER money, no debt, and connected to an art/media collective in LA’s indie scene. A video was what? 5k tops if you were FANCY? This is back when you’d get 2 vids per album. 35k and a law degree focused on music law would’ve made me my into an indie label by my self! Tf would I have needed their record label for? I knew it wouldn’t have lasted. Just give me the “advance”. Cross collateralize me, sure. All-in points? Ga-head. I had Soleternity and a catalog from the homie from HS with Grammys and a diamond album they ain’t need to know about. And the lady who “discovered” me, I’d have made her some serious change off the deal, even if she was for dolo and not doing it for me. I know which enemies to keep close in the game. But it doesn’t work if she TOO is out here falling for dumb 💩. “YOU supposed to be scamming ME, which is fine since I knew how to flip it awready! Then you prove useful as a hustler for ME once we bake this into our own BREAD!” She out here negotiating. “PAX, bih??!?” Again, I wasn’t tryna be no Kanye. Could’ve been paid and successful without ever being famous. There’s a whole tier of artists who never get signed, never chart, but could clear high five into six figures for DECADES. Big rap money lasts you less than the options on your contract. You got 1.5-3 years on average. How long Aceyalone stayed at a viable level? Blu? The Coup? The career is in indie, not pop. No one lasts. Look at the charts from 5-10 years ago. Most of those guys are bar tenders and waiters today if they’re still alive. The aim is to go big, then get dropped, then go indie. Most of the game just stays indie. Still a cash business today for them. Their Spotify isn’t ever gonna compete, so their bandcamp sales and iTunes sales hold em. Hipster cassettes. Vinyl collectibles. Then? It’s the tours. That’s the most of their revenue. 🤷🏽‍♂️ And they don’t ever start with some free 35 thousand dollars. THIS b🤬ch said “PAX”. 🤦🏽‍♂️ I’m a contract lawyer from a high ranked school in the entertainment capital. Prince’s lawyer was my boy since freshman year and law school. The 35k was no scam. That part was real, so that was the only part I NEEDED to be real. Lie to me on every other page. Didn’t care. PAX. Yall may not be old enough to remember that, but imagine PBS but shiny.

[@chrisnelson6663]

Damn. Loving everything you’re putting out and your music is dope. I’m seeing a common thread in your deep dives and would love to see your take on “grind” and “hustle” culture in general. It shows up in all the stuff you’re talking about and always targets any of us who don’t come from privilege.

[@CamJames]

gonna put this in my next deep cut$ episode

[@chrisnelson6663]

@@CamJames 🙏🙏

[@Aqwafresh4855]

I am a metalhead and while I don't know much about metal labels, I do know that metal promotion is pretty old school still. Because of that and the fact it's a niche genre, there is not much room for these inumerable local scams that put bands on playlists no one sees. One of the cool things about metal promotion from the consumer perspective at least is the existence of promotion youtube channels like New Wave of Old School Thrash Metal and Black Metal Promotion. These channels post albums of small-time, lesser known bands from around the world. Every once in a while one band gains traction like BlackBraid. I don't know if there are hip-hop aggregate channels like this, but it sounds like something the scene needs: fan-driven curation.

[@salvadormuro7346]

Hi fellow metal head. Thanks for putting those channels on my radar. I like checking out slam world wide for the same reason. I don’t love slam but it’s great listening to smaller bands that do indeed have some talent. Cheers mate 🤘🏽

[@VuNguyen-fv5jl]

This some quality content bro. I’m only a consumer of music, but this was fascinating to hear

[@brailleeulogy120]

As one of the two country fans in your audience. I appreciate your recognition of me. While I could care less about rap, I am happy to be remembered as a music genre.

[@CamJames]

equal opportunity deep dive$ 🤠

[@aerophoenix1]

Yo… you have actually fire content. I don’t typically sub, but man you are underrated as hell. Keep up the good work, I can easily see you hitting multimillion subs.

[@CamJames]

thank you, i appreciate the vote of confidence 🥂

[@WolfoftheDM]

Keeping me sane at work bro

[@CamJames]

glad to help 🫡

[@Letstalkmedia2025]

I didn't know you made music fam I just went to your whole KZbin thing and I see where 5 months ago when you said I'm a KZbinr now things exploded for you I'm a musician as well it's not that I don't think we're not good of course we have talent I just think that I'm calling at times a different things I'm working with that idea now but I appreciate your videos a lot thank you fam God bless you man!

[@CamJames]

yessir, sometimes you gotta pivot. thanks for supporting, best wishes!

[@waheeb_m]

Music industry is a filthy business

[@tiffanyeyoung1800]

The entertainment industry is filthy period

[@bigleakinfocus]

Content is on point. Let's get this dude to 1 mil asap

[@bigleakinfocus]

"Been here since 30k" lls

[@CamJames]

i appreciate you!

[@everett8165]

30 minute high quality videos now??? YT better run you 100k subs ASAP

[@CamJames]

lol it's killing me 😂

[@jberczi6]

This guy's videos are very high quality

[@CamJames]

'preciate you boss

[@disispeter]

For some reason, it’s one thing to be great at deep dives, and another for just standing in random locations Appreciate ya channel and hear to see you grow

[@skidogleb]

I like how you start by saying you used to be an amateur musician and then wait a bit to talk about how you actually have had success in the industry. At first I almost thought you had totally given up music to try this KZbin stuff. No path to success except your own! Love the video like usual.

[@CamJames]

no path except your own, absolutely. thank you for being here ☀️

[@Jordan-n1m1u]

When you have that delusional friend that thinks their talented... they always acting like a poser... stopping the party and forcing people to listen to their bad singing/music. 😂 Then you get people like me who are talented but have no self esteem because we were abused our entire lives... and fear looking like the person i spoke about above.

[@CamJames]

sorry to hear it. i hope you've found some help to work through the abuse and make it out the other side. that's a heavy burden to carry.

[@Jordan-n1m1u]

@@CamJames I plan to. Its not stage fright cause ive performed live before. Its deeper then that. As a man. Opening up emotionally and connecting to the music (in front of a crowd) is hard when your stuck in "fight or flight" and feel like your under attack. I have trouble controling my emotions. A lot of the songs i sing (and my own) can easily choke me up. If i do manage to end up "in the zone" I feel amazing... but the relief and happiness i feel can also choke me up. Believe it or not. Im a base baritone with 5 octaves and can also do a proper whistle voice like mariah. Its not that im afraid to cry on stage. It's... I can tell when a singer is detached from the music... it just sounds blah. I need to be confident and on point. Because "blah" just dont cut it these days.

[@CamJames]

makes a lot of sense. that connection to a performance is crucial and discerning fans can tell the difference

[@dkproducer]

industry rule 4080

[@GeorgeHolden]

came from waveform, amazing channel excited to binge everything

[@CamJames]

thanks for coming over!

[@IFechiMusic]

I never share Spotify links, every artist is doing it on facebook music group. They all are lost,, and when they share their links , Spotify play another song before yours .. they are evil bro.. i focus on Amazon. Now i got a following.

[@CamJames]

whatever it takes, that's a great point about sharing the links smh. Spotify's free version is the worst

[@nexus_87-t5c]

Hey man, just wanted to say I am not an aspiring musician, a Spotify subscriber nor do I even listen to music all that much. That said, I still watched this entire video. I'm loving your deep dives. Keep up the good work!

[@CamJames]

great to hear!

[@MIKEY777_]

Man your presentation style is so refreshing

[@CamJames]

i appreciate that! trying to keep y'all locked in lol

[@Smaestr]

Yet another amazing, informative video; keep it up and keep exposing the ugly underbelly :) As a music fan (nerd), this was SUPER interesting and really important to hear; a lot of people consider streaming to be "the end of the record label" and all the baggage that comes with that, but in reality its just a different scam

[@CamJames]

thanks for watching and for the dope feedback as per usual, the pursuit continues

[@Largecow_Moobeast]

Listening to this, I gained a new found appreciation for my boring steady 9-5 job. These contracts and industry are exhausting just to listen to.

[@CamJames]

exactly, it's not for the faint-hearted

[@gios4ma]

Brian is real af. Gave me a lot of looks and free game.

[@CamJames]

convo was super dope, there's so much i couldn't include

[@ShaudaySmith]

Your Lottery video popped up in my feed. I love longer form video essays and deep dives. Love your easy, conversational delivery. Editing is great and you have some real hilarious side comments, hot takes and thoughtful research. Subscribed! looking forward to binging your channel. Thanks for the great information! And it is wild to see the same scams hitting every facet of creatives. truly mind blowing.

[@CamJames]

thank you, I'm really happy you discovered me. Art has an incredible power to bring ppl together. the feedback is beautiful 🖤

[@THEIDLESHOW]

“The vulnerability that is dream fulfillment” wow! 🤯 Facts 💯 another great video. Thank you. Unfortunately, it’s not just rappers, it can happen to dancers, writers, actors, basically any artistic endeavor. Gotta be extremely vigilant out there.

[@CamJames]

agreed, I've spoken to a dancer already that went through similar struggles and still is going through it

[@truestdude]

I've heard a lot of different things about the music industry over the past few years & how ppl struggle 2 get their music out 2 the masses. But this was 1 of the best breakdowns I've seen thus far. Gr8 ish bro. Keep it up

[@CamJames]

preciate you, will do!

[@KMO325]

I thought you were going the save the music episode for late series, but I’m glad you pulled back the curtain on this. Also, I am amazed that you did an episode on scams in the music industry and not mention TLC-the posterchilds of getting scammed by the industry.

[@CamJames]

yeah my goal was to expose some lesser-known victims. I'm actually a huge TLC fan

[@RuslanKD]

Great breakdown. Especially on the deal side. The internet has brought some balance to this in terms of artist that can hack short form vertical video. But it’s more competitive than ever. There’s also more indie artist making a living than ever before.

[@CamJames]

i'd agree that there's more making a living than ever before, it's just that the amount of scams (and their effectiveness) has risen at a matching pace, if not faster

[@malkavcandy]

i'm in a different area of the arts(illustration) and we've had similar discussions in my sphere; letting new artists know how they industry works, how to freelance, how to avoid being exploited etc. it's really interesting getting some insight into what it's like for musical artists, you did a great job breaking everything down. always wonderful to see artists looking out for each other, great work!🖤

[@CamJames]

thank you for the insight, I've been hearing the same thing across multiple industries unfortunately

[@pmcdade300]

I'm not in the music business but this is some great info! Thanks man for getting it out there!

[@CamJames]

of course!

[@__Ry4n__]

Really good stuff Cam! I've always known about the predatory record deal stuff but didn't know anything about all of em "Playlist placement scams" but now I know why sometimes really out of place music makes it onto random Playlist I'd be listening to

[@CamJames]

thank you, and yep...that would be why

[@BryanKeithPhoto]

I can say firsthand that streams from all streaming platforms don't pay much. My catalog of songs, most of which I own 50% of is just shy of 50 million streams and the money just ain't what it should be. You went to GT with my brother B-Reed and he put me on to your music a long time ago. Keep pushing and congrats on your success.

[@CamJames]

aye thank you for coming through, B Reed is the homie. and yeah the money is really disproportionate across the board tbh, it's sad

[@JulieAndersonvideos]

Love the subtle nod to the gambling episode and when you said you were hoping for the flashing images to land on a certain image and then it did. 👏🎉

[@CamJames]

glad you caught it, most probably just thought it was Mario Kart lol

[@DonaldTurner]

great video, thank you Cam

[@CamJames]

my pleasure!

[@roguestowl2280]

I’m an indie musician and I got a message the other day from someone offering to interview me. He only told me it would be $200 after I said “sure, why not.” 🙄 No, I didn’t do it.

[@CamJames]

slimy af. no ethics whatsoever

[@undeniablerealities]

thank you SO f'n much for saying "dont perform with a backing track" I went to an afroman show a couple weeks back and ALL of the 20 some rapper/performers were using backing track. one schmuck had the audacity to pretend to play saxophone on stage

[@CamJames]

the art of the live performance has really suffered, especially at rap shows

[@beaupridemore9775]

Also side note…notice how the last two was signed to Puff.

[@CamJames]

not a coincidence

[@jpandlexiwilliams1838]

Big bro!!! Best vid to date, I can tell you re getting more and more comfortable in the niche of KZbin and I love it for you. I have never been so entertained and yet educated in a topic before. Also, as one of the two country music listeners that watched your video, I take much offense to that comment.

[@CamJames]

love you bro, thank you for always being here and for the support

[@CamJames]

and of course you're a country music fan lol

[@jaywilliams6779]

Son, I'm proud to see you utilizing your amazing intellect to help others. Keep sharing your research and knowledge so others can avoid the landmines set by cruel/evil people to trip them up. Love you ...Dad

[@CamJames]

thanks Dad! i appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment

[@RonnieM90]

There is a funny story I read about Michael Jackson. In 1983, Paul McCartney gave financial advice to Michael Jackson to invest in music publishing. In ‘85 Jackson later purchased the publishing rights to the Beatles’ catalog for $47 million, outbidding McCartney for his own band’s music. Micheal sold it to Sony, and McCartney sued Sony and now owns every piece of Beatles music.

[@CamJames]

I wonder if those rights were purchased as a bigger package or bought outright. These deals are complicated

[@ThrashinHD]

Damn, this is your year. Congratulations 🍾 🥳

[@CamJames]

thank you 🥂

[@ant2687]

Line by line breakdown of the absolute scametry on display in the Instagram post...much respect. I would have just left as "it's obviously a scam!"

[@superman60201]

I'm not a part of the community you're speaking to here, but I appreciate your style and presentation. You kept me listening and I learned something.

[@CamJames]

I appreciate that!

[@thecl0setarchive]

!! 🚨 New follower alert 🚨 !!obsessed with your editing style like 😮😮 so good and the way you tie everything into your series like I’ve been trying to figure out what’s your goal with your series I’m like ohh American imperialism and the way everything in America is running buisness like money hungry people who will hurt anyone by any means politically, socially, financially, emotionally etc. this is literally so so dope. An amazing series going to rewatch it!!! Wanted to add you have inspired me on the way I need to do my videos in the future 🎉. Thank you!!!!

[@CamJames]

I love the enthusiasm, you seem like a very dope person. you're very welcome, thank you for being interested in my work at all 🫶🏾

[@EXbobomb]

That bit in the ending where you intercut your dialogue with Brian's was so cool. Your direction is really slick, if you're not already making movies you should give it a shot.

[@CamJames]

thank you for the compliment! no time for movies since I'm making these, but I'd love to help produce someday. I've done a short film and several music videos in the past

[@Takyomi]

As someone that's watched family trying to get into selling their music, their art, their jokes, I love em to death but I am absolutely terrified for em. Good luck to all of you out there.

[@Madvizion]

I hit the line button as soon as possible because I already know this video is going to be fire

[@kenswireart88]

We really don't like music like that. They sold us music as a quick path to fame through celebs and media now you got millions and millions of artists on Spotify. Wow.

[@CamJames]

music is not a viable career for most artists anymore due to the devaluing of music

[@nuggyfresh6430]

hey man I really like your videos! Can I just say, you offer a 4K option, which is great, but for whatever reason your feed often doesn't LOOK 4K. I don't know if it's the quality of the camera, or the lighting, but these videos would probably blow up more if the footage looked better, because you are a good looking guy and people subconsciously trust a better looking video and would be more prone to share it around. Your audio quality is good. Maybe you should look into getting some basic lighting going or something, it's not very expensive and would give your video the final polish for sure.

[@CamJames]

there's a very simple reason for it, it's all lighting. I'm on it!

[@beatbuildersstudio]

I like the lower quality look. He's tells great stories and explains things well in an entertaining way.

[@CamJames]

very interesting perspective

[@nuggyfresh6430]

@@beatbuildersstudio He definitely does do a great job! I'm in marketing so I am always looking at the structure- there is inherent trust and value in a polished product. His product is very polished, the lighting is just, well, not there :)

[@CamJames]

@@nuggyfresh6430lol yeah i literally didn't use it up to this point and this video could've used more. My workflow is improving and next one will be dialed in.

[@lucasnunes2453]

Shout out to the portuguese subtitles. Imma share this with everyone I know. Respect brother keep doing your thing

[@CamJames]

thank you fam! i appreciate that

[@pay_attn]

Another great video, proud of you champ 🏆

[@OscenVT]

Banger video after banger video! My father was actually a musician that played for some pretty big names so a music industry deep dive$ is especially cool to me!

[@CamJames]

super dope, glad i could strike a nerve here fam

[@grinchoi1]

I’m rooting for you bro. I saw you on JT’s channel and was impressed with how well you articulated your points. Your vids are great. Keep going.

[@CamJames]

thank you bro, it's appreciated 🫡

[@zwicker5585]

Cant wait to watch this. I been in this game for a minute and been trying to warn other musicians of scams in the industry. So many people want to believe they can spend money and make it. And basically every way you can spend money has been created to scam you

[@CamJames]

bingo. every channel exists to feed off you and leave you exactly where you are. looking forward to your thoughts fam

[@rixiache]

F.D. Signifier brought me here. Great video, Cam!

[@CamJames]

welcome, thanks for watching!

[@QuirkyTJones]

And what’s sad is there are some really talented and dope artists out here in the world… and you will never get to hear them

[@CamJames]

exactly