Emerging talent, Young Montana? has released news that looks to spell the end of his time with Alpha Pup Records.
Posting some words via tumblr, the artist speaks about his ‘disillusionment‘ with his experiences in dealing with the music industry over the past 2 years. The statement comes following his now removed comments regarding a payment dispute with Label Boss, Daddy Kev. The issue has now sparked a row, with DJ Nobody (Elvin Estela) showing his opinion by posting up emails showing the royalty payments he has received from Alpha Pup during the last 18 months.
Nobody’s open and frank assertion clearly highlights his regard for the way Daddy Kev runs his house, saying that the L.A. chief ’do(es) things straight up’. Something that the L.A. producer claims is a rarity in 15 years of dealing with record labels.
Why then would a young artist with the backing of a label like Alpha Pup feel the need to bring the issue up so publicly? As you can see though, others with less a rooted role in the label also claim to have gone unpaid in the past.
Is there still the case of small artists being pushed aside by the bigger names, even on indie labels, and can artists now look more towards forming even smaller groups and running their careers by themselves without the support of a Label at all?
The question of DIY isn’t new, but if situations like this are a common occurrence, then the idea of keeping the business of your art all to yourself might begin to change the term ‘independent’ again.
Young Montana? has since removed his 2011 album Limerence from Bandcamp. Reviewed here June, 2011 on PItchfork.
