The Game’s Rigged: How the Music Biz Plays Artists

The Game’s Rigged: How the Music Biz Plays Artists, Especially American Freedmen
© Ogbonna Paul Hagins for Philly Word Magazine

The music industry isn’t what it’s cracked up to be—it’s a game where the rules are stacked against the artists. For most, especially independent artists and American Freedmen, the distribution deal they sign often leaves them with little more than a raw deal. Distributors, labels, and streaming platforms take their cut, sometimes as high as 50%, while the artist is left struggling for what’s fair. These companies run the game, and they know most artists don’t have the knowledge or resources to understand what they’re getting into.

For American Freedmen artists, this problem is even more pronounced. A lot of us don’t fully understand our rights, how to structure deals that protect us, or how to ensure we get paid for the culture we create. Without that knowledge, it’s easy to sign away music rights and future earnings without even knowing it.

The system is designed to exploit, leaving artists locked into long contracts with little room for growth or independence. The real winners? The distributors and labels who profit off our talent, while we fight just to get what’s owed. It’s time for artists to wake up, learn the game, and start taking control of their own hustle.

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