YOU CAN SAY NO TO A LOT OF THINGS

An online radio station recently asked to feature my Goodnight, Metal Friend show. Exciting!

But first, they only wanted to communicate via Facebook or Instagram messenger. Eh.

Second, there was some wild online calendar set up that I’d have to monitor on my own, and submit my mix accordingly, without much guidance.

Third, the show would have to be exclusive to them for a bit, which I get, but I already send the mix to my email list first. To my fans.

I passed.

I’m not really into this for the logistics, more spreadsheets, and Instagram DMs.

With our creative projects, what we don’t do is just as important as what we do.

I saw this bit from Subtle Maneuvers newsletter by Mason Currey, about an interview he heard with rapper Talib Kweli. Black Star put their album out on Luminary, and you had to pay a monthly fee to hear it.

I want to go back to how you’re releasing the album and the statement that you’re making with it, but it’s also a risk putting your music behind a paywall like that.

It’s a risk for who?

I mean, maybe that’s the wrong question. But putting it behind a paywall means…

That means the artists get paid. If you are truly a fan of Black Star, then you will respect the fact that what made sense for us, business-wise, was for us to put it on Luminary and get paid regardless of what happens in the music business. If you bought the Black Star album in the last 20 years, you paid Universal Records, which is one of the biggest companies on Earth. You know who you did not pay? You did not pay Black Star, because we didn’t see any of that money. You know, people come and say, “Hey, what about what I want? I want the vinyl. I want it on Spotify. I want…” What you want does not matter. Know what I’m sayin’? What Black Star wants matters.

Remember – it’s your artistic journey.

If you don’t wanna make a TikTok account, don’t do it.

If you don’t wanna release music on cassette, don’t.

Don’t want to set up features via DMs? Don’t.

Am I throwing away an opportunity? No. Because my goals are my own, and your goals are yours.

Go do what you want.