Author Topic: Who actually gets dough, though?  (Read 1926 times)

Z the laidback Virus

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Who actually gets dough, though?
« on: May 10, 2017, 07:34:24 AM »
Braggadocio and machismo notwithstanding, I think we can be pretty sure that most westcoast rappers can not really make a living from rapping alone these days. So, let us gossip and guess and try to separate the real from the wannabes.

Let's recognise a few categories:

1. Definitely lives off music past and present. Given their sales, honoraria, royalties, concerts and so on, this is the group that are top-tiers in terms of income from music so not counting other sources. I think Dre, Snoop, E-40 and Too $hort are either clearly or likely there. Cube is presumably very well-off, but perhaps not off music alone.
2. Used to be able to live off music income. This is where we presumably find a considerable number of has-beens who are still active and those who have had a consistent presence but only very shortly or never were in the commercial top-ranks. This is probably where the DJ Quiks, Xzibits, Cypress Hills, Dogg Pounds, Liks and the like hang out.
3. Sizeable music income but not enough to consistantly live off of. People who largely do guest features but whose own sales are either very small or who don't put out actual albums are presumably here. I suspect the vast majority of westcoast rappers are in this category somewhere.
4. Occassional income but hardly if ever able to live off it. Also-rans and minor but long-time presences of the westcoast are probably here as are those who had a short-lived career and have since (all but) vanished. Knoc-turn'al, Short Khop, Lil' 1/2 Dead, Big Hutch...come out to play, please. 
5. Definitely not raking in anything significant. Apart from most up-and-coming nobodies, we should be looking at people who have had very few releases, few features and rarely perform. Who goes here?

Would this be an accurate list? Which other westcoast artists belong in which category? Responses please! 
Z knows about ALL your inner conflicts..
 

MOBNigga06

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2017, 09:17:16 AM »
I don't think you know too much about money, based on how you frame the question.

I'm pretty sure that most rappers can live off their rap income if they live modestly. If you were big in the 90s and had a platinum or gold record back then, and you saved your money (and invested it, ideally), you could be caked up for the rest of your life.

Look at somebody like AMG. Does he have a day job? I doubt it. He probably made a fat grip in the 90s, held onto it, bought a home, and lives off the money that your money can make you (dividends). Money from doing shows and features is nice, but not significant. Still, he doesn't need to go work at McDonalds. Dividends, royalties, and accumulated wealth over say $300,000 is enough to keep a person afloat for decades if they're not foolish. 
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2Relevant

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2017, 11:06:48 AM »
Braggadocio and machismo notwithstanding, I think we can be pretty sure that most westcoast rappers can not really make a living from rapping alone these days. So, let us gossip and guess and try to separate the real from the wannabes.

Let's recognise a few categories:

1. Definitely lives off music past and present. Given their sales, honoraria, royalties, concerts and so on, this is the group that are top-tiers in terms of income from music so not counting other sources. I think Dre, Snoop, E-40 and Too $hort are either clearly or likely there. Cube is presumably very well-off, but perhaps not off music alone.
2. Used to be able to live off music income. This is where we presumably find a considerable number of has-beens who are still active and those who have had a consistent presence but only very shortly or never were in the commercial top-ranks. This is probably where the DJ Quiks, Xzibits, Cypress Hills, Dogg Pounds, Liks and the like hang out.
3. Sizeable music income but not enough to consistantly live off of. People who largely do guest features but whose own sales are either very small or who don't put out actual albums are presumably here. I suspect the vast majority of westcoast rappers are in this category somewhere.
4. Occassional income but hardly if ever able to live off it. Also-rans and minor but long-time presences of the westcoast are probably here as are those who had a short-lived career and have since (all but) vanished. Knoc-turn'al, Short Khop, Lil' 1/2 Dead, Big Hutch...come out to play, please. 
5. Definitely not raking in anything significant. Apart from most up-and-coming nobodies, we should be looking at people who have had very few releases, few features and rarely perform. Who goes here?

Would this be an accurate list? Which other westcoast artists belong in which category? Responses please!

this is pretty simple any artist who is selling a ton of music who isn't stuck in a 360 deal
for example tech n9ne is independent he doesn't sell like a Kendrick or drake or even a top star even tho he should cause he makes dope music going on a very long time but tech n9nes big money always came from touring cause he always sells them out and is on tour probably longer then any other hip hop artist and since he isnt in a 360 deal he keeps most of the money and plus hes smart with it too
 

Sccit

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2017, 05:50:59 PM »
TECH N9NE OFF THE SHOWS, KURUPT OFF THE MOONROCKS, E40 OFF THE HUSTLE, SNOOP OFF THE NAME

OFF TOP

Jay Wallace

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2017, 02:43:32 PM »
2. Used to be able to live off music income. This is where we presumably find a considerable number of has-beens who are still active and those who have had a consistent presence but only very shortly or never were in the commercial top-ranks. This is probably where the DJ Quiks, Xzibits, Cypress Hills, Dogg Pounds, Liks and the like hang out.
 
  I think you are GREATLY underestimating how much anyone of these guys makes and how much catalog music actually can get someone who either produced or wrote the record.  It's not like music income is reserved exclusively to CD sales. 

Quik alone is going to be making some extremely good money, just off skill set, but let's save that for a moment.  Let's talk about established catalog.  Maybe Quik only has a gold album or two in terms of solo CD's and maybe a hit single here and there.  He's also produced on Black Album, Chingy's debut, Tony Toni Tone, and numerous others.  Every time those albums get bought, physical, digital, or whatever, he's making money off that.  Every time those songs get played on the radio, he gets a check, and trust me, they get played a lot in the West Coast region alone.  Every time, a video shows up on MTV Classic or one of those Comcast music channels, they get paid.  They show up in a movie that gets played on HBO all the time?  Paycheck.  Instrumental gets played during some MTV clip show?  Paycheck.  Rapper decides to borrow his lyrics or sample the beat?  Paycheck.  Now, all these paychecks are money he'd make simply off catalog music being in rotation.  If he slept all day and never left the house, he'd still be making that money.  There are thousands of radio stations across the world that play hip-hop music.  Menace II Society and Head of State get a lot of play on cable.  Xzibit, Cypress Hill, Kurupt, they all have music that gets similar play. 

Now, you break into their current musical ventures.  Quik is not just an artist.  He can produce, mix, engineer.  Those are skills that can command high dollar on the daily.  He's working with the Dr. Dre's, Snoop's, Ice Cube's, Game's, and everybody else.  Even if he were to break from that, if he were to on a lazy day, record one verse and make one beat, what do you think he could sell that for on the market to an artist?  That would be some money.  That's not even touching touring.  Trust me.  If these guys are good at managing money, they are all eating very well.
 

Portugoal

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Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2017, 11:08:16 PM »
If an artist is somewhat well known he can already ask for several K for just a simple verse. Imagine the numbers if they actually had a hit once.
 

2Relevant

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2017, 06:24:50 AM »
2. Used to be able to live off music income. This is where we presumably find a considerable number of has-beens who are still active and those who have had a consistent presence but only very shortly or never were in the commercial top-ranks. This is probably where the DJ Quiks, Xzibits, Cypress Hills, Dogg Pounds, Liks and the like hang out.
 
  I think you are GREATLY underestimating how much anyone of these guys makes and how much catalog music actually can get someone who either produced or wrote the record.  It's not like music income is reserved exclusively to CD sales. 

Quik alone is going to be making some extremely good money, just off skill set, but let's save that for a moment.  Let's talk about established catalog.  Maybe Quik only has a gold album or two in terms of solo CD's and maybe a hit single here and there.  He's also produced on Black Album, Chingy's debut, Tony Toni Tone, and numerous others.  Every time those albums get bought, physical, digital, or whatever, he's making money off that.  Every time those songs get played on the radio, he gets a check, and trust me, they get played a lot in the West Coast region alone.  Every time, a video shows up on MTV Classic or one of those Comcast music channels, they get paid.  They show up in a movie that gets played on HBO all the time?  Paycheck.  Instrumental gets played during some MTV clip show?  Paycheck.  Rapper decides to borrow his lyrics or sample the beat?  Paycheck.  Now, all these paychecks are money he'd make simply off catalog music being in rotation.  If he slept all day and never left the house, he'd still be making that money.  There are thousands of radio stations across the world that play hip-hop music.  Menace II Society and Head of State get a lot of play on cable.  Xzibit, Cypress Hill, Kurupt, they all have music that gets similar play. 

Now, you break into their current musical ventures.  Quik is not just an artist.  He can produce, mix, engineer.  Those are skills that can command high dollar on the daily.  He's working with the Dr. Dre's, Snoop's, Ice Cube's, Game's, and everybody else.  Even if he were to break from that, if he were to on a lazy day, record one verse and make one beat, what do you think he could sell that for on the market to an artist?  That would be some money.  That's not even touching touring.  Trust me.  If these guys are good at managing money, they are all eating very well.

even tho you are right you took this in another direction but yeah producers and ghostwriters make good money
 

2Relevant

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2017, 06:28:05 AM »
If an artist is somewhat well known he can already ask for several K for just a simple verse. Imagine the numbers if they actually had a hit once.

i think kdot only had like 10 or 12 guest verses on other people projects last year you know he made good money prob alot more money if e wasn't signed to aftermath which btw he never needed i think he will stay on aftermath/top dowg for loyalty
 

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #8 on: May 14, 2017, 07:36:12 AM »
40 Water is without a doubt one of the smartest rappers when it comes to turning 15 cents into a dollar as he was investing in property, land and other ventures way back in the early 90s and thats before the vodka, beer, wine and all the other things he does on the side. 40 gets it in and unlike the rest who rely on royalties and whatnot he creates independent income streams to stay fed.

There was a feature on him in a financial magazine back in the early 00s when he'd dipped from rap for a bit and they were astounded at his journey and how much he'd made as he was living next door to NBA stars at the time when rappers were going broke quicker than they were getting on as he has a very astute eye for the market.
 

Okka

Re: Who actually gets dough, though?
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2017, 08:13:55 AM »
Cypress Hill? They sold like 20 million records. I think they're making more money than you think.