Kanye West positively trying to change music industry
Kanye West has recently become an influential part of the changes made regarding label rights for musicians. As someone who has been in the music industry for many years, he’s had first hand experience with the way labels manipulate artists’ rights.
West describes the music industry as a “broken system that needs to be fixed” while advocating to “Free All Artists.”
“The desired effect will only be achieved when every artist owns their masters. I’m Team “Free Artists,” He states in an interview with Billboard Magazine. “I’m committed to doing whatever is necessary so artists own their own copyrights. The response is awesome because everyone knows this is a broken system that needs to be fixed.”
In an ongoing lawsuit with Universal Music Group, he has actively spoken out on Twitter about the demand to get his master recordings back from Universal Music Group. He’s been signed to their label since 2004 and sued them last year in hopes of getting out of his contract.
In previous years, musicians such as Alicia Keys have taken the initiative to separate from record labels in order to gain more success with their music. She left Columbia Records in 1998 in pursuit of her own ventures, which Kanye West greatly admires.
His wife Kim Kardashian has previously supported West’s decision due to seeing the way the music industry has taken a toll on the way he is able to continue to create music.
What are your thoughts on the Kanye West vs. record labels debacle?