The Castration of Black Music Executives

Written by: Royal Bayyan

Most folk are aware by now of the usurping of power given to black music “Executives” with its designed systems of hierarchy’ shaves the executive fat once a year and morphs into a collage of dogmatism and deception. A breed of Fierce Executives who ran the black music divisions, now practically extinct, self perpetuated in ignorance and partially by design of the industry gurus. I remember when Barry Gordy was still in charge of Motown, and Gamble and Huff still had Philly International, Dick Griffey was Solar Records, Clarence Avant and Tabu Records, Sylvia Rhone of East/West Records, the Huggins Brothers blew up Hush Productions, Cecil Holmes & Paris Ely were holdn it down at Epic who incidently signed Michael J. which birthed the Thriller of popular black artistic phenomenons. I remember guys like Buzzi Willis, Danny Sims, Stan Price and Varnell Johnson being among the first to accomplish executive honors by the grey boys, the Fiola’s and the “T” Martina’s, The Rifkans and Isgros, which lead to all the hooplah with executives like promotions executives wearing wires and tellin on each other to save they’re own ass’. After careful review it seems like a wide scope of a notorious master plan has come to flourishing. What happened? I mean why are black executives in worst shape today then twenty years ago. And why are youngsters now compelled to tell A& R directors and marketing Reps’ to F—k-off. I could count Independent labels on (2) hands and a foot’ back in the “70s and the 80s”. Statistical hindsight would have us believe that black executives brought us a long way, but in fact we have boasted our way into swallowing the poison pill of house nigga’ syndrome. And now twenty years later almost neander A&R for black music divisions are invisible. Anybody can see the influx of hundreds of independent record companies with uncensored street expressions embodied in product popping up in rural cities across America. Halleluiah, Really though’ how’d’ we get to this state? Fa’ Starters; the questions really are: Did all those smart men and women “Sell Us Out” as a culture? And did they not see the evolving trend of usurping their powers? Well, the answer is profoundly, yes! On both questions! And they did see what was happening. And they did try to warn some of our younger executive heirs. But now it’s clear that while we were announcing to each other the praise of 1st accomplishments and showering our egos to sleep with awards and plaques. Our leverage position in the great scheme of things weakened. I watched woefully as Brother Kedar struggled to infuse life back into Motown after Gerald Busby, Clarence Avant and Andre Harrell failed. Hmm, it makes one wonder dudn’t it. Anyway, there exists a great void of strategic mermering among the few who are left. I hope the next generation of black executives will learn the most valuable lesson. Which is, Stop broadcasting our strategies in the open (at conventions and seminars). It’s OK to meet in secret and have a 5-year plan or 20-year plan to create a platform for intelligent future black executives with morality and ethics. Otherwise we are doomed to have a kablillion Independents in a freefall of confusion and turf wars. We must devise a way to make each accountable for the SHIT slung on the path of those honorable executive sophomores who don’t quite know how to inflate a budget and get kickbacks for signing bullshit. Execute for those who must follow in our footsteps. “Surviving the Industry” provoked a lot of thoughtful discussion. I hope this short history will shine more light on the road to our executive future.... Until next time…

Keep a Positive Thought, for a Positive Thought Can-Not be denied… Raven Entertainment Group / Urban Media Blitz….