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The Business of Hip Hop: Brand Masters Bring in the Cash

Ashley Vance
Posted by Ashley Vance on Jul 6

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But things weren’t always that way. Before the Mid-1990s, Hip-Hop was a genre primarily concerned with producing authentic entertainment. Now, despite originating from different backgrounds, corporate partnerships have become intertwined with the hip-hop industry. These days it’s all about being marketable, and if you can make it with the big brands, you can make it anywhere.  

Fans don’t care about the money, though. Amongst a slew of other controversies, rappers often have their credibility questioned due to high-profile deals with corporate brands. “Sell out" is a popular term among many who disagree with the precedent. Whether or not the term is fitting of the situation is still up in the air. While some people encourage artists to make the most of their platforms, others view exploring unfamiliar opportunities as selling out. 

Take Dr. Dre’s 2009 Dr. Pepper Ad for example:

 

If you’ve followed the legend’s story (or if you’ve seen Straight Out of Compton), you know that Dre is a perfectionist when it comes to his studio work and refuses to release anything before he’s good and ready.

After holding the highly anticipated album”Detox” hostage from his fans, Dr. Dre shocked the world and appeared in a Dr. Pepper commercial where he debuted a new track at the end of the ad slot. The controversy of the ad peaked instantly, and fans worldwide were convinced that Dre agreed to the deal just for the money.

Another highly-debated, controversial corporate partnership is that of Mary J. Blige’s Burger King Commercial.

 

Though she isn’t a rapper, she’s widely known as the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, which is why it was shocking for her fans to discover that she was now singing about whoppers and crispy chicken as opposed to her normal tales of struggle and despair.  The outrage was so strong that the ad was immediately yanked from the Burger King YouTube channel, but that didn’t stop the fallout. Sure, she got a huge check to do it-- but was it worth losing fans?

Ultimately, the music industry as a whole has changed by putting the power in the hands of big brand names and advertisers as opposed to fans who are no longer paying for music. So, can you really blame artists for following the money?

While some take the “sell-out” route, others look at the situation from a business mindset. Being marketable in hip-hop is a good thing! Not to mention that at the end of the day, corporate brands have to find a way to connect with their desired audience. Is there an unwritten law that says they can’t go-through hip-hop? After all, hip-hop is a very niche market, making it the perfect medium to appeal to minority audiences.

Ashley Vance

Written by Ashley Vance

Vance is A3C's Editor-in-Chief. Working as an Atlanta-based content guru, she dedicates her free time to helping artists build lasting brands.

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