The RIAA

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

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!