Episode 3
How the digital revolution has inspired black artists to go it alone and bypass the major record labels entirely - but at what cost?
A look at the rise of artists who, in more recent years, own their own rights and decide for themselves what to do with them.
Building huge management teams, and moving into merchandising and entrepreneurship, artists like Ice-T, Jay-Z, Drake and Stormzy realised the power of their global brands and became richer than their predecessors had ever imagined. But not all independent artists had it so good, and with the rise of the streaming services, many found they could have massive hits and yet receive just a fraction of the income their songs were generating.
Whilst they feel progress is going in the right direction, many black artists feel the battle is not yet won.
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Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Narrator | Zawe Ashton |
| Director | Alison Duke |
| Editor | Alex Pascall |
| Series Producer | Guy Evans |
| Executive Producer | Greg Sanderson |
| Executive Producer | Julie Bristow |
| Executive Producer | Sabrina Elba |
| Executive Producer | Idris Elba |
| Production Company | Zinc Television London |
Exclusive Interviews: Artists and Industry Experts Discuss the Music Industry
Watch more on streaming, 360-record deals, and reparations with The Open University.
