As a corporate owner of music, TV and film copyrights, I believe that I have a unique perspective on how the entertainment industry affects society and our government. In my world and in yours it’s Thanksgiving and the cowards among us are still holding back America from her very achievable financial reform and social greatness. Everyone has to play his or her part to fix the republic whether you are in fear for you life or not.

Our young President is finally showing he has a brain (and balls) by slowly and thoroughly analyzing several of the republic’s options in this theater of war. Hip–hop is against any troop increase. I will not pretend the hip-hop business merchants are pleased with the behavior of the Pentagon for allowing troop level recommendations to be leaked to the public, therefore making that information available to our enemies. We are at war, gentlemen or does the political arena feel that good troop safety (our most important customers) becomes irrelevant. It feels like you are setting up our soldiers for a “turkey shoot.”

I know I have been dithering when it comes to this new report for my beloved hip-hop business community, but here (I took my time) it is and I am extremely focused, as you should be at this time in our history.

Money had called me away from the pen. I took so long because the opportunity to executive produce new premium hip-hop content could not be ignored. I read a new important financial book, It Takes a Pillage by Nomi Prins, completed an EP deal to work with a hungry, financially aggressive new artist named SK (I have not worked with a creative N .Y. artist in 10 years). This young businessman/MC’s EP and DVD is called SK: The Art of the Sale.

I have to thank President Obama for having created an environment for money to be made in hip–hop in months (10 to be exact) even during this deep recession and I am making all I can get my capitalist hands on.

Other environments quickly need to be created for my fellow citizens to become financially successful. The people have great needs, President Obama so do not think I am letting you off the hook because the hip-hop cash is flowing. We hip–hop merchants want more income so we can pay taxes and do our part in the nation’s economic recovery.

So…. let us start this scolding of our reckless fellow countrymen with a quote from great American, Mr. James Baldwin. During this propaganda filled healthcare reform debate and first proper analyst of our military options during two wars that the GOP and non military serving former VP Cheney reject, this quote couldn’t be more relavent.

“It is absolutely clear to the dullest mind that our countrymen are prepared to betray us for safety, the illusion of safety. So that means our fate (which is and always was) is in our hands.”

The Democrats do not have an ideological majority (a majority of the same values & expectations). They have a majority of numbers only and do not care or are afraid to use their political advantage over Republicans for the good of this republic. We are on our own just like the President walking the Great Wall of China.

President Obama, healthcare policy passing a senate vote to debate a bill that will eventually cost $900 Billion, expensive. Killing Iranian Special Forces before nuclear arms development negotiations and before informing the American public of increasing troop strength in Afghanistan is priceless. You now have some respect from hip–hop capitalists and my apology for questioning your manhood last column.

We like how you are using your murder game now. I think you are shaping up into a good president so far. I still have to scold you. I was caught up after cowards threaten your life so openly and when some spoke about the girls, I kind of lost it (You know how hip–hop feels about the protection of the first daughters).

Now let’s get to your scolding, Mr. President. What is with the kid glove treatment of Fox entertainment news? No fines, no revocation of broadcast license for anti-government propaganda at a time of war. Sir, we are at war and you have powers over communications during wartime. Use them. Fuck how the press feels about it.

Hip-hop understands your tactic of letting people speak out in strong dissent hoping they will grow a spine to discipline the traitors, but that has not happened and does not include propaganda from foreign owned media outlets being projected on to the American public during wartime.

I was also rough on my fellow white Americans but they can not be afraid of traitors to the republic when they identify themselves as such with their words and behavior. $12.8 Trillion dollars went to private banks. Credit should not be tight but it is. It is time to set up a United States public owned banking system that will do what the private sector (The Feds) will not. The Fed Reserve gang is not strong enough right now to kill you with the military complex on your side.

Do not think we do not know congress has given away its power to print and regulate our currency to a private bank. Ungrateful behavior from the bankers needs to be checked before they can liquidate this republic without any physical repercussions. That will settle your financial crisis for good. Are you man enough to do what needs to be done as president when the military complex is behind you and will keep you from death?Prove me right.

Mr. Emmanuel………….what the fuck is going on in that chain of command you are included in? Hip-hop is not pleased. Now granted you had the president throw New York hip-hop businessmen a bone with letting us know you back young Andy Como (only because Patterson wanted to tax digital music sales) but General McChrystal’s open mouth during war is not acceptable.

Mr. Emmanuel, the Gen. McChrystal will be demoted do you understand. General McChrystal had command of Special Forces recently. He of all people should know better then in a time of war to go outside the chain of command with information our enemies can use against us.

Troop strength is not to be broadcast in public. So, that means before you punish him (and you will) you must explain to him that he will receive 40k + soldiers and he has a year to kill Osama and show his dead body to the American public. If no Osama, he will be demoted and relieved from all command. Why? We are at war and at this time, we are not in the business of nation building.

McChrystal is a solider trained for nation building missions. That is the nature of Special Forces soldiers. That is what they train and live for. A solider is a tool to be used for the republic so play your position. New tools are to be used at this moment in time.

Let the President know this is a war of technology not boots on the ground. Hip-hop would like you to thank the General for his specialized point of view. Remind him he has other skills that need to be exercised at this point. Hunting and assassination skills of Special Forces training need to be used now. One year Mr. Emmanuel, and give the orders in public.

General McChrystal you are not focused. You are not on a nation-building mission, you are on a find and kill mission. Stop being childish. Special Forces will always be “at the tip of the spear” but do your real fuckin’ job. Not one of my hip–hop associates joined Special Forces units to strengthen Osama’s homeland.

At this point they want to relieve the country of this collective pain and kill Osama. Use the energy and focus of our soldiers under your command. Inspire our solders. I am not an advisor to the President but as a former reserve airborne soldier I would have recommended he demote you on Air Force One. Fuck a photo op. It is not that your advice is not needed or appreciated but you are reckless and do not think outside the box or about the future of American warfare. You are very short sighted and let worldwide enemy intelligence agencies know your thoughts on this theater of operation. If you find and kill Osama in a year we will recommend you get to nation build. You whining bitch, where is the pride in your green beret?

Our enemies need to know U.S. Special Forces will and can find them and kill them no matter where they are on the earth period. Demonstrate the ability to carry out this dimension of the mission you have been training for. General, you disappoint us greatly and make me fear for my army buddies under your command. You are trying to be a hero. Shut the fuck up and show me results. Failure is not an option. I know the commander of the Ranger Battalion will be glad to replace you keeping whatever request of information for the President’s ears so it will be a tactical advantage for his decisions and, with the head of Osama on display for the American people, take the pride & prestige of the Special Forces with it. Do we understand each other solider?

Hillary, Madame Secretary you are the next president, stay focused and act like it. You are getting way too comfortable. Hip-hop does not like the possibility you would sit down and have coffee with an ignorant quitter. Any sitting governor that would leave their elected post to “reload” (“reload” what?) before their term ends in wartime so they can profit from the fear and cowardice of some of our white American citizenry is a traitor to the country.

You will use your time continuing with your outstanding service to President Obama visiting foreign heads of state preparing them for your presidency in 2016. Privately let foreign leaders know you will, can and will kill anyone of them that do not support the U.S. in our time of trouble. We will not be in debt in 2016.

President Obama, do not worry; remember hip-hop only likes you because you can make us money. We liked Bush Jr. too until he started losing money for hip-hop copyright owners in China and Africa. Stay focused Madame Secretary.

Former Gov. Huckabee, we thought Republicans only idolized past movie stars like Ronald Reagan .We did not know they have downgraded to TV stars like you. Hip–hop disagrees with your comments and your thirst for propaganda against our Vice President. When you say the VP is not “well read” and then you misstate or gloss over the facts about a theater of war option during your overt early run for the presidency it offends hip-hop greatly. Learn to shut up at times when you are on air. Sending messages that you are now a TV star to the rest of the country and as long as you have a show on Fox you can lie to the public during war time and continue to support our countries enemies is not okay. Keep you mouth shut and focus on playing in your TV band. America has enough traitors with their selfish ambitions to deal with.

The elections have taken place in New York City, Mike Bloomberg is mayor and in Charlotte, North Carolina, Anthony Foxx is the new mayor (I will talk to Mr. Foxx to get his agenda soon). Voters in both cities will get what they deserve in 2010.

In New York homeless individuals under Giuliani (who cannot identify criminal members and or sympathizers in his own administrations)was approximately 3,000. Homeless individuals under Bloomberg are approximately 33,000. I am sure some of my fellow New Yorkers will need spare change very soon.

Eric Holder you want to help black Americans, set up non profit jails in each black community where the profit stays in the town its local schools will focus on getting the offender to pay his or her debt to American society t quickly then be reintroduced to their local community with debt to society paid in full for their peers to see: non-profit security companies to patrol school grounds and parks, creating areas of safety. When black adults decide to take charge of their community’s crime will be back in the hands of professional criminals not their children. I can explain to black Americans as I explain to hip-hop merchants, you are on your own and must respond to your own needs, period.

No one in America is going to help you fix your own community. Not all black American adults have the courage to make an investment in their own communities. I am not making excuses for their cowardness Mr. Holder, but they are scared. Can you blame them for being sophisticated bitches when it comes to safety and security? I suggest on a national level young black American youth feel unsafe. Not on a street, city, state or even self-protection level, but on a citizenship level. (I do not include hip-hop business youth of any race because we know they kill each other only over monetary gain and an unrealistic need for unearned personal respect even when failing to make a business profit in a ultra cutthroat business environment.) .65% of all black American males will not complete high school. New York and Chicago educate 10% of all the U.S. black males. Young black Americans today are afraid of you and your unwillingness to fully embrace your American citizenship. The youth feel so unsafe they want to get attention. The youth kill, shoot, rob, rape, assault the elderly, anything to physically manifest and project the humiliation, hopelessness and deep fear they feel can be perpetuated by the majority of this society on their families, friends and community at will.

Do you think the children do not see there is no road map or agenda for their communities set by the adults in the community? Do you think they see the power of the police being misused over their community’s nation wide and the black adults just do nothing but protest and pray? They see other adults in other communities protect their children and property with there own resources. I think they are tired of your cowardly need to beg for help on things the community will obviously have to do on its own.

If you do not handle your adult business the young people will not respect you. Why should they when you do not respect yourself on a national level? No wonder President Obama takes the black American vote for granted and knows he does not have do anything for the black community except for what our First Lady requests. Even the homosexuals have requested something from this administration and protested when what they wanted did not politically get to them fast enough.

Black adults need a national agenda and a backbone. It upsets hip-hop to see scared black adults trying to give bad advice to scared black children. What part of “you have to rescue yourselves” don’t you understand? As our beloved hip- hop professor West says, “How many children do they have to take for you to get indigent.” One hundred sold judges to private prisons in P.A. One thousand low level drug arrest that keep them from college forever. Are 100,000 black children enough? With 45 million black Americans in the United States what is the hold up?

No calvary is coming. Or are we just waiting for our fellow Americans that happen to be white to help when they have expressed through governmental law, mass media, established unlawful social norms and through out this countries history they will not collectively? Black Americans have no business being scared or puzzled at this time. Black Americans have to stop being collective cowards and take their place at home in the United States, protecting and advancing their own peaceful citizen agenda for greatness.

With no national agenda that includes local adjustments, no nationally broadcast news or business radio/TV stations, no 24 hour national hip-hop station, no national guidelines for all law enforcement to follow this behavior makes blacks to become intellectual beggars for idea space and presentation in the United Sates society. Black Americans, grow the FUCK UP. Stop making just visits to overwhelmed communities. Some older black Americans unjustly complain about President Obama but have not presented to him any demands (again, even the homosexuals have policy demands) and then pressure his administrations to respond to black American needs.

Jay –Z, you have gone out of your way to enable Mr. Segal, so hip–hop does expect you to call his bluff. Live Nation should offer Mr. Segal a small no advance distribution/tour deal for his new product so he can prove himself as a boss to the hip-hop community (a street reputation can not make mortgage payments or long range business decisions). He has to market and sell his own project and stop blaming others for his refusal to make the transition to a corporate boss. (Note: 50 Cent can see Beanie Segal’s internal conflict that is why he just didn’t do a deal. Why would 50 Cent not enable an easy 500,000 in sure sales? ) If the new project fails he can only blame himself for not learning enough from Damon Dash. Investing $3 million with Will Smith into Bill T. Jones musical is a good look for Broadway but hip- hop is not totally impressed. You two gentlemen can do better. That’s right I say you two can do better.

You two want to show the way, invest $3 million in the creation of twenty-five direct to DVD/Cable TV/Online (Netflix, iTunes, etc.) movies and soundtracks in a three year period. Hire every able body hip-hop worker in New York City and Philadelphia willing to put in hard work for the creation of these independent TV movies /DVDs/CDs for small modest pay and get back end money from completed sales and exhibition fees. Limit that to 1000 temporary employees, artist producers, directors, sales, media buyers and business support people (young black and Jewish accountants, lawyers and financial advisors right out of school).

The biggest hip–hop job stimulus package to ever exist, helping ourselves and positioning hip-hop goods and services to dominate the world entertainment marketplace. The few can take the many to the next level of sales and necessary hip-hop interdependence. Call Ice Cube, Dre, Snoop, Diddy, Kanye West, Common, Outkast and 50 Cent they can help (that is $8 Million more for a second hip-hop stimulus package) perhaps President Obama may match your funds. I, Ike Jackson of course would administer the government’s funds.

50 Cent, congrats on winning that law suit for up to $4 million in damages against Taco Bell. I like the respect you breed for all present & future hip-hop brand & copyright owners. What I want to bring up most 50 is the $5.50 sale of your new CD/DVD at J&R Music World in NYC to counter the digital leak of your new album I paid full price for. Okay, $9.99 at Best Buy. Good job but don’t think you can’t be scolded, keep that Billion Dollar Focus. As for the rest of hip-hop we do not need to know why after 8 years of an unnecessary expensive war and criminal pillage of the countries treasury by the republican GOP’s business associates.

Pay attention to any American citizen that has an expectation for Obama to fix all the countries problems of the last (60) years (including disruptions of settled law matters like abortion) in 10 months you need to know them. That mentality is dangerous. It says to us, the person speaking, from such ignorance lives in great fear of being a responsible person. A responsible person would not have such a profound misunderstanding of the financial situation the countries in and would not have done all this posturing (tea parties, protest, TV/radio show host faking leadership) and displayed so called patriotism 2 or 3 years late when the killers in charge of the robbery of the treasury are gone. Stay vigilant; there is big money to be made.

The economy has two more rough patches as the last financial criminals leave the marketplace. Only invest in companies that love to service you and you have a family/business need for their products. All DJs across the USA need to start breaking 2 new artist and record companies weekly to maintain growth and support our own billion-dollar marketplace.

All new hip-hop companies need to advertise for the next 2 years with online, TV and radio ads featuring your favorite DJ while the prices are low. Get to work and support your favorite radio, magazine or TV/cable Station while other businesses defund their support for hip-hop media outlets. If the hip-hop stations across the country do not act right you could always use your collective ad money as a discipline tool. No new unproven hip-hop music and artist exposed to our customers in 2010, no money. Hip–hop is the newest American tool of capitalism, so please use it carefully.

Until next time, this is Ike Jackson and you have just been scolded.

September still in New York 2009 , Ike Scolds Jay-Z ,Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, President Obama , Rep. Lynn Jenkins , The missing Great white hope of the republican party ,The cowardly silent white American majority ,KRS 1 and the rest of Hip-Hop.

As a corporate owner of music and media copyrights, I believe that I have a unique perspective on how the entertainment industry affects society and our government. The man who gave me my first opportunity in the commercial Radio business, Nate Quick (KRNB Program Director) has passed. He was a man who understood music. Nate established urban radio markets wherever he laid his head. He had an extremely profitable vision for southern radio programming. Nate would help anyone, even Ike Jackson (a Northerner who when in his employ he disciplined correctly with frequency) if they truly worked hard to expose good music to the public with integrity, professionalism and discipline. He will be missed by many in hip-hop. To hear his successful protégé' "No Limit Larry” (Morning Show Host on WPEG in Charlotte NC) came to his bedside before he passed to pay respects and show genuine concern let’s me know that Integrity, good character and compassion exist in our hip hop business world and I know the late great Nate Quick put his southern urban radio vision in caring capable hands. We are still at war (8) years and counting fortunately a 487k selling (#1) Jay-Z album dropped on September (11) and he had a benefit concert all should have attended or watched on Fuse TV. The Chef’s "Purple Tape" #2 sold 68k. Ghostface's Album drops soon.50 Cent spent time with the financial media. Snoop still helping companies with no correct accolades. The great white hope of the Republican Party cannot be found and more artists in hip hop are talking unintelligently about what the purpose of money in Hip hop culture means. lastly The president is sending "off the record" messages to hip hop with audio leaked with him stating Kanye West a jackass but no messages to the congressmen that disrespected in front of world leaders. Folks let's talk seriously.

President Obama fantastic speech but not a demonstration of leadership to this full weak congress but , again( Note:Winston Churchill said it pays to repeat yourself) Hip Hop is not willing to forgo threats on your life and disrespect to the office of the Presidency of the United States with out a physical response (or a gavel Speaker.) to these traitors or forgo Billion dollar profits in the world marketplace to accommodate any fellow citizens privileged concerns .Section (370) of the House Rules Manual says: Members are not permitted to call the President a "liar" in the chamber. I do not care (respectfully of course) if you continue to accept their ingenuous apologies Mr. President but hip hop is not your (or the worlds) scape goat to show anger or your humiliation on the world stage. To make Hip Hop participants feel better follow the rules and have the leader of the House of Representatives discipline with censure not a resolution .This former army officer has disgraced everyone who ever has worn the uniform including myself. Loudly and disrespectfully attributing behavior signed into law by republican actor Ronald Reagan is stupid, ignorant and intellectually lazy (you republican nigger's are getting out of hand).The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act in 1986 (42U.S.C&1395dd, EMTALA) is the law of the land. Hip Hop does not like this comfortable political atmosphere for propagandists. Paper cuts are small but they cut & still draw blood. Stop letting political traitors to our country off the hook.We are at war. Are you telling us at the highest levels of government we do not have to follow this countries traditions and house rules. Fine. You see what behavior you inspire. Next year when you address children with your expectations of education(as did the outstanding former president Bush Sr.) and entertainment award conduct ,they will not respect you because they can see when it comes down to it Health care or not you do not respect yourself enough to discipline dangerous people to this republic. Do not bite the hand that feeds you. All is waiting for hip hop to turn its collective back on you. We won't even though you have to us , you disappoint us. Your behavior is becoming typical of weak black adults in higher positions of power .We have money to make it is to late to be scared. That is all .Go back to running the country for these lazy, ungrateful, disrespectful cowardly traitors just keep us out of your mouth and be tough with the real Jackass's.Your only going to be here for (7) more years fall back. We do not tolerate disrespectful behavior in our business arena’s like you do and do not want our respected domestic or international white constituents to think there are no life changing repercussions for any disruptive behavior they may cause in our collective pursuit of the Billions of taxable dollars in hip hop commerce .You are not getting good counsel Mr. President. You should have called Jay Z then spoke to Mr. West and keep it Quiet.

Kanye West, you were wrong but not about Mrs B.Carter .Stop trying to save those who don't want to be saved. President Obama Knew the gravity of his oppositions disrespect. The racists have mobilized and identified themselves because of what you have done. Hip Hop needed to know who these fellow Americans are so we can punish them economically an remove them from our business environments. The president does not want your help at this time. I know it's hard to hold back .We know through your truly entertaining political "artwork” of the past this improved show you had constructed at the last minute for hip hop participants to watch and learn from at the VMA's was incredible to see and for that truthful comment about Mrs.B Carter to do what it did in the press is beyond words .Thank you .Great self(country) reflecting political entertainment. The final entertainment frontier .Even Taylor knew it was political (Smart girl) that is why she said she did not want to start anything. That is what you do .Make political statements. Look at all the people that had a comment and vile indignation for an interrupted world broadcast award speech but did not want to censure or rebuke these disrespectful congressmen for a world broadcast of disrespect to the President of the United States addressing a joint session of congress. Donald Trump didn't say a word about good old Joe Wilson.The topic was you and Serena Williams in all US press because They could not bring themselves to deal with the truth of what they have become to the world. Intellectual laughing stocks. Please understand and believe if your mother was alive she would laugh at your political tactics and give you a hug not a lecture. Tell you she loved you very much and that you just went about exposing things to the masses the wrong way. Of course make you say sorry to Taylor for your political antics .Your subsequent remorseful behavior is exactly what she would have expected. Your Mom would also say let some people fight their own battles and kiss you on your head. Go Mr.West and morn this great woman. Look what a wonderful caring artist she created. Someone trying to explain to the world how our "New and (pure) Untainted President Obama felt when he was just up there for the first time .Damn such artistry for the nation to see .Hip hop owes another mother a thank you.Tell her hip hop said thank you when you talk to her.

The CIA finally is doing their job. Director Leon Panetta is getting it right .Leave the CIA alone to do there job. No one cared when the former (republican) vice president's assistant outed one of our CIA assets. You think it is easy and cheap to train a CIA agent. Shut the fuck up. They do not need to interrogate those who they capture, let the FBI do it. The CIA needs to be in the field disrupting other governments. Netanyahu, I know you have to save face with your people but keep it quiet. No more press. By being short with your discipline, vision and respect for our countries policies you are biting the ($13) Billion hands that feeds you. Hip hop does not like your behavior .Change it, the world gets lonely and dangerous when you are alone. To Iran (Who still has not opened its markets to Hip Hop entertainment products), Russia, Pakistan, North Korea, Japan and China we can fix and defend ourselves at the same time stay in your lane, our president and CIA will find their swagger by 2010.

Thank you former first lady Mrs. Bush for speaking out against the traitors when it comes to the children. You inspire Hip Hop . It is obvious the medical providers some educators and business men of the medical profession have decided to make money by death. They want most Americans sick, uninsured, uneducated, in debt, living shorter more unhealthy lives. Hip -Hop has watched the so called religious right and republicans treasonous behavior go from odd to pathetic from pathetic to alarming from alarming to life- threatening from life -threatening to cowardly.China,Russia and middle east enemies present the real danger to Americans. Where is the "great white hope”? Hip Hop is certainly looking for him. Rep. Jenkins of Kansas where is he or her? Congresswomen are you telling me you cannot find any one amongst your confusion creating irresponsible criminal banking and morally corrupted Insurance political colleges. Is there no patriot among you that wants to do things for the people of this country? Health care is now part of homeland security. Did you forget your political party lead us into an (8) year war. How are we to raise healthy future volunteer soldiers. The rest of you cowards looking for "TGWH" aren't playing your part. If you are a Conservative your great grandfather would be ashamed that you could find no one moral and smart enough to run this country at the gravest time in its economic existence. Only person you could find was this half black lawyer dude that dusts off his shoulders and is helping all Americans vulnerable to mass corruption spread across the republic! The cowardly silent white majority (even in the chambers of congress and booing doesn't count) is experiencing white on white crime & intimidation. I should but don’t expect them to help or speak about the disrespect to the office of the president.No condemnations of any of these pastors, priest, clergy who threaten our president's life on the TV or the Radio waves. You lone wolves in a loose pack cannot have his life so you can appear to create the will for the majority of Americans to do the proper thing as a nation. End this rhetoric and behavior now you will not and can not win.This path will lead to your own death and Hip hop is highly motivated to defend this countries true character .This is our home .Get control of your beloved traitors before they sell you off in financial slavery to the Chinese & Arabs and get you and themselves hurt by American patriots.As a decedent of former physical & financial slaves in this country Hip Hop cannot go backward into any form of bondage .You are too scared to help yourselves and this may be where we have to part ways.Hip -hop participants are (60 %) ex military, we are waiting for you to renege on your citizenry duties and not defend this country against all enemies foreign and domestic .Here we all are thinking we would be facing legitimately angered patriotic white fellow Americans that would not participate in white on white financial & illegal narcotics crime to the point it destroys the security and stability of the country or would they ? If you do you may have to find another place to live if you want to live.Focus yourselves and act like dignified American citizens .

Jay-Z I do not have much to say you make us all in hip hop proud ,we like you and Ms. Keys professional non reaction to "cute" Lil Momma, so "cute" and an inspiration to young business female hip hop participants, well two things. 1)Give Damon Dash Props when ever you can for the rest of the year . The kind business respect will elevate your deals even more .Even if you do not want too. Hip Hop is aware that today his business tactics would destroy "Big Money" delicate business dealings but that is your Job/role (even with meetings to repeat yourself) not his job/role.Dame Dash does not have the complete skill set you have but you stand on his shoulders. Business Brutes were needed at the time of your business accenting & development into who you are now. You can not deny the gratification and mental security of knowing you have the option and know how to bully for effective business payment collection and not have to use it.Perhaps a position that supported his limited business skills should have been created(presiding over indie regional operations facilitates infrequent corporate contact) by you so when you encountered another limited brilliant business mind you did not have to take away sound financial collection options for the corporation you head . 2) As a loyal day one customer I have $110.00 for the (10) CD's ,$120.00 for The( model filled Complete Rocawear line years)DVD/CD-Box set and $100.00 for the (10)online Albums . Do not play. Be serious in your business life when you talk to consumers like me. Create and sell those Albums.That is History and $100 million in taxable profit. That feat can only be overtaken by another emcee in the digital future. I and many others use your musical product to get through the day and my lady likes to listen to you talk shit.The (10) albums should be recorded and released over (10) months in one year.2011 .That should get me and others over the (2) year or more recession. If you do not know how to do it so each album goes #1 and Platinum call me.I will help you .I left my Brutus ways in 1995 .

KRS stop telling people raw rap music cannot be made if you are rich.Shut the fuck up (sorry first Lady) with that Ignorant false racist assessment of our hip hop environment(Note KRS:I open my column for your unedited response).You sound like the KKK .We see you in the government conspiracy movies and you must learn that Hip Hop since 1986 has been dominated by middle class Young Blacks like myself who in turn monetized their young life's creative works and practices to create lucrative adult business opportunity's for themselves and others interested in sustaining the commercial economic expansion of Hip-Hop culture and domination of all possible product sales categories and world music folk lore .What poor people could afford 1200's and speaker systems in 1986?none.What poor people manufactured Hip Hop records in 1986?What poor people paid for studio time?brought Apex 2' inch tape at $250.00 a pop? The answer is none. In 1987 Rakim & Eric B got a million dollar publishing deal .They made Classics's.What the fuck were you focused on at that time?I know,Guns and Shooting people .How do I know? I was your customer at (16 & 17) years old till I spent more money with Eric B.I bought your first album twice with the money from my after school(Cardinal Hayes High School) job from the Music Factory on 42ND Street. I could Identify with your first album cover and music produced by Ced Gee of "Ultramagnetic" .Late at night, riding the (#2) train home to 233rd street in the Bronx I was Inspired by the weapons you displayed to carry more weapons(9MM) or was It the new crack heads?.I forget but I do remember after your man got shot You started talking about "broke people shit " on your records .In the late 90's your inability to inspire and do good business deals with your music production brand BDP lost me as a customer. You made a record with Diddy( bye the way Diddy fuck mase,didn't he fuck up enough bad boy record money and business relationships?) about money and a record with two dudes I do not remember about smoking weed.I brought those 12' inch records and nothing else since .I met you personally at (16) years old in Rock Candy Records offices when they offered my young rap crew a contract we did not sign because my lawyer MR. Krasilovsky said to decline the offer . The second time I met you was while I was Recording at Power Play studio's working ,producing a $2500.00 Sleeping Bag Records project commissioned by (one of my mentors) Will Socolov with Doc ( music engineer for Rakim & Eric B) and you gave me a autograph on an invitational pass to your first jive release party I have till this day .I know you love hip -hop and have earned our respect as an emcee but you have not earned our respect as a businessmen and family man . That additional respect that is a big part of being an emcee today weather you like it or not is delivering your own music worldwide commercially and collecting what is due to you with very little problems .You and Buckshot don't talk? He is not poor . You were homeless when you started and had help from a Middle class hip hop pioneer social worker Scott la Rock and later The Honorable always employed DJ Red Alert not another homeless poor person.You were always an artist with bad deals that kept you from putting out premium musical products.You traded in Ms. Melody when she put "Hit" record money in your pocket(Love's gonna get you) for a younger woman who did not emcee. You have only recently understood how to keep money to feed your family as an independent . Be very ,very quiet .

Ghost face Killa New album due soon but when are we going to get a father and son double album so your son can ease into the market place properly .Ghostface everyone knows your my favorite artist and I am buying "Cuban Linx 2 because you co signed on that (#1) in sales on I-Tunes album by the Chef Raekwon (Congrats )but ........ your son is ready so is my wallet . The young customers need to hear him . Get it done this 2010 please. I need more recordings & Movies from your team while the market is responding well to your hard work and premium products. 50 Cent, CNBC and the Today Show for just (11) minutes good start. (60), (30) minutes is what I want to see from now on or a hip hop financial special with you commenting on the hip hop marketplace.The Book is on it's way to the best seller list like it should be good work.Snoop Dogg ,I am getting tired of scolding you . This position at Priority Records .Where is the mass press for this forward thinking business situation? Rebuilding Priority and leading them digitally into financial stability during a recession. Snoop .Come on your work is not easy as you make it look with the market place in such disarray. More press ,CNBC something more .Don't you think what you have done to save the (E) channel quietly is enough. The kids need to see you more on big financial news outlets.Let's not have to have me do this next deal you do OK. For the rest of hip hop the growth in E- Commerce and Advertising is getting bigger and bigger .We must expand our reach the radio market to include new age group targets .(30) years of age to (50) covers it and separates things from the teenagers and Young adults. Adult contemporary Hip Hop or Adult syndicated rap radio shows are needed as well those are new radio jobs to be created.We must soon have adult rap sales charts in billboard magazine to identify the sales growth of this market.We may soon also need (24) hour Rap only Music Stations countrywide to focus on the specific needs of our customers.You all must get the attention of your customers now and hold on to it for the next (7) years. Hip Hop can have profitable sales growth if we continue put out premium products (including live shows)for our core customers.Hip Hop is the newest American tool of Capitalism,so please use it carefully and quietly.Until next time, this is Ike Jackson and you've just been scolded.

 

BRM: For those who aren’t familiar with your background, explain who you are.

M. William Krasilovsky: I’m Bill Krasilovsky and I’ve been in the music business since 1953. Before 1953 I went up to Alaska to be a pioneer. I was working as an assistant to the federal judge of Alaska. The judge asked me when I applied for the job, “Why are you coming from Brooklyn all the way up here to take a job with me?” and I said “I want to be a pioneer and this is the last frontier.” Well three years after having won some plaudits in Alaska I got a job with a civil liberties law firm in New York. Arthur Garfield Hays was the head of the legal part of the American Civil Liberties Union and I found pioneering opportunities in the music business.

What made you write this book, The Music of Business?

I find it to be very much like the blueprint for today’s actual music business. If you turn around in my office, you’ll see a picture of Fats Waller. This civil liberties law firm gave me the assignment of straightening out the rights of the son of Fats Waller, who had been taken advantage of by music publishers. One of the worst examples was a person who gave $500 to this great jazz pianist for his rights in “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” a song which achieved worldwide success and is worth so much money that when I overturned the giveaway of the $500 deal, I was able to recommend that my friend - the son of Fats Waller - write a will, because he became very successful owning rights to his father’s catalog. The money was pouring in fast and furiously and he had a heart attack - because of the excitement when a Tony award winning show was given for the show Aint Misbehavin’ - and every week they were paying 4% of the box office for the rights to use the song from Fats Waller. That’s fun and games. That’s better than mentoring a 16-year-old.

I know you don’t agree with sampling. How much of your job now is dealing with copyright laws and sampling?

Well there are many lawyers out there looking for the opportunity to pay their school loans and sampling has been a wonderful happy hunting ground for lawyers. I looked up just the other day a song called “Yay Boy” from Africa, and I made $39,000 in legal fees that was honestly earned because I was able to go after a sample which could have been a lot cheaper if they had knocked on our doors saying, “We like the song ‘Yay Boy.’ We’d like to have permission to do it. Will you please tell me if $10,000 will be enough?” But if I got $39,000, obviously my client must have gotten well above $150,000.

Now that’s the happy hunting grounds for lawyers. Now, I don’t think that creative people should be stupid, and they shouldn’t just jump in saying, “Maybe they won’t catch me.” I don’t think they should necessarily have a lawyer by their side in the studio, although many people prefer it if they are executive producers. I’m not vain enough to say that everyone has to ask my permission before they make a mistake.... I’m also honest enough to say I’m old fashioned. I’m 82 years old; I like the songs of Porgy and Bess. I like the songs of Ain’t Misbehavin’. I like the songs that Quentin Marsalis uses in jazz. I am very happy to represent the widows and children of the great standard songs.

What other legendary artists have you helped?

I did a job for ‘My Funny Valentine’ for the estate of Lorenz Hart that takes in a million dollars a year. That’s awfully nice. It all goes to a favorite charity of this early deaf individual, Lorenz Hart. Now, today’s hip-hop generation, I think, are full of opportunists almost taking as bad advantage as Fats Waller was suffered when he died at the age of 41, having given away all his copyrights. Fortunately we have statutes that protect against improvidence and that’s what I specialize in.

That’s what I write about in my book - how to protect against improvidence, that means a lousy deal, how to unwind a lousy deal. In England I discovered you can unwind a lousy deal. Any deal that was made before 1956 can be unwound 20 years after the death of the composer. My god, the widow will be starving like 25 years after her husband died but nevertheless the statute in England was very concerned they said wait 25 years and then we’ll give you your copyrights back. We arranged under my guidance over $750,000 to be spent going up to the House Of Laws in England fighting the entire music industry of England and we got 40,000 songs back against improvidence. In America, we do it under the Law of Termination and again, I love having that in my book where I can educate people like you of how to get rid of a lousy deal.

How do you feel about people being subjected to a 25 % overall compulsory sample fee?

See, I know that you are educated. You know that there is a 9.1% license called a statutory rate for mechanical licenses and you’re trying to tell me that if Congress, in its wisdom, said that anybody can make a song into a record and say, “Screw you, I don’t want to have to beg anymore. I'm gonna give you 9.1% take it or leave it,” that’s the statutory thought about mechanical licensing, and what you’re suggesting is “Hey, lets go one step further, lets protect hip-hop,” and say everybody can say “I wanna take your ‘My Funny Valentine’ or your ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’’ and I want to sample it and I’ll give you 25% and I get as much as 50%. So thank you very much”…get outta here.

But for a way of commerce? I’m looking at it from the mechanics of hip-hop work. To produce a lot of records, the actual basis of hip-hop is sales.

Now listen to me on this. There was this song called “Pretty Woman” and it’s a song that was featured in a movie that launched the career of lots of important actors and actresses. And in “Pretty Woman” they say, “Tell me about the glories and wonders of the lovely hair and complexion of a pretty woman.” I was called in for “Ugly Woman” - that was a parody, making fun of the country folks who were wanting the pleasures of beholding a pretty woman. That was 2 Live Crew. Now that’s ancient history in your world, but 2 Live Crew were [popular] in the days of yesterday. The United States Supreme Court accepted my affidavit and the expert I brought in saying this is justified. You don’t have to pay one penny to make a parody, which is free speech. However, what you people wanna do is get on the back of a successful song and sneak it in there as the underlying theme song or the key part and say, “Hey, I’ll give you 25 cents on the dollar, aren’t you happy?” The answer is no, I’m not happy. You’re taking my child and adopting it for a weekend. Thanks a lot. Get outta here.

If I make a rap record or my brother makes a rap record, after that record hits the air commercially not only does the original record play, which I don’t get a part of that copyright, any remixes play on other stations, the artists themselves are actually allowed to restart their career. I feel there is an indirect price that would help both parties… because you have the digital age and because the inventory usage is much higher than a regular record. So they may consume 100 records a month in purchasing versus buying maybe one or two records in a month, which would be an old business model.

Now, you’re allowed to insult, if you’re gonna turn “Pretty Woman” into “Ugly Woman With You Hairy Legs.” That’s what they did for 2 Live Crew. That’s free and clear. You’re allowed a 100% to make fun of or to criticize or to write a music report in which you quote portions of what you’re criticizing…that’s 100% free. You’re saying to me, “It’s all money. Why doesn’t everyone get in the marketplace and peddle your soul into the rap audience because you’re discriminating against us young folks for not letting us have “As Time Goes By”? Now “As Time Goes By” is the trademark for Warner Brothers pictures and I’ve arranged for my clients to get paid every time that song is used and also to get paid when it’s not used - that’s the deal. If you want to make this into your trademark you have to give us a $50,000 year penalty if you don’t use it. I’m saying don’t adopt my children. I’ve got four of them. I like them very much.

Now, about mixtapes, at all radio stations, the promotional departments and actual music directors - not the programmers - turn a blind eye to mixtapes. Don’t you think the radio stations are required to at least pay something to help?

What you’re saying in your generosity is touching a sore wound of the music and radio industries. Radio and television contribute 8 billion dollars a year to ASCAP, BMI and CSAC for the right to have access, without kissing ass, to each of the owners of the songs. But they don’t pay one penny to the record companies for all of the Frank Sinatra or Ludacris records that are being played. They pay only the publishers and songwriters. It’s a sore wound, so congress has said, “Oh yeah, we have to do something about that.” So within the last few years they said, “Oh boy, we’re gonna do it. We’re gonna give money for digital broadcasting.” That’s when radio and television will pay artists and record companies, but artists and record companies are left high and dry on the billion-dollar payoff to ASCAP, BMI and CSAC. So what your saying is something where you could spend the rest of your life lobbying in Washington but so far it’s nickels and dimes going in for digital radio. How much digital radio have you seen so far that’s serious? It’s small time. And it might be growing but they’re saying we can’t book the establishment but we can insist that new media of digital has to perform a fair and honest shake. They pay ASCAP, they pay BMI, and they pay CSAC for publishers and writers. Always remember, the music industry consists of a sound -which is the master recording- and a song, which is the songwriter’s contribution. Arrangers don’t get paid.

If the RIAA and everybody knows mixtapes are an open wound, what you’re doing is encouraging copyright infringement instead of perhaps licensing it and saying “Okay, if you’re going to do a mixtape and DJ, then you can pay a certain rate and put it on the mixtape and maybe it goes through the actual government for watermarking.”

I’ll tell you, if I were hired at a couple hundred dollars an hour to consult with you I’d say, “My God, you seem to be right.” The movie industry has billions and billions of dollars and they are completely taming the music industry to allow cue sheets. Every time a movie is made they have a cue sheet for 23 seconds of “As Time Goes By” and 1 minute 4 seconds for “Ain’t She Sweet” and they go down the entire list so that that list is official. Now why can’t the mixtape people stop their jive-assing and write down or get a secretary to write down what they’ve mixed? And then they can inform them at BMI and CSAC what share of the broadcast billion dollars should go to the publishers and writers that are encompassed within the mixtape. Then, if it’s going to be a mixtape that’s on the digital then maybe they can tell SoundExchange, which is the equivalent of ASCAP and BMI, CSAC, for the artist and get a cue sheet. That’s my answer. Prepare a cue sheet. Do the homework. I don’t want to do it for you.

But shouldn’t the industry then create a mixtape cue sheet and make it available?

There’s a philosophic issue going on right now as to whether CDs should be outlawed more or less - not outlawed as much as law - but should be forgotten about as we go into the digital single song business. So that the costumer can pick the singles song and not have to buy ten more songs in order to listen to all the songs. That’s a major issue in today’s music business. Whether we should police singles as sort of ransom, trying to get people to buy the total album with all the money. And you’re saying the mixtape is supreme albumizing of the music industry because they have 20 mixed masters and 20 mixed songs and you just get a cue sheet? Do the job. Then you have to kiss ass and get permission.

But kids don’t get permission because they’re breaking records. That’s why I said they need a license, like a blanket fee that you can charge and make a place where you can actually print the cue sheets out and say, “Okay, here’s my cue sheet, these are the songs I’ve had to press on it. I’m giving you a copy of it, here’s my $150 that will go towards this copyright stuff for blanks in my community.”

Once again you’re saying that you think that the statutory rate should be carried over into the mixtape world. It’s the same thing you talked about recently on sampling. Please don’t take my children. Irving Berlin was one of the world’s greatest songwriters and he wouldn’t allow people to take his songs for compilations that would make a combined song with other people’s songs, which was like an early version of what sampling is. A mixtape is now the same thing. So again, don’t adopt my children without my permission.

How do you feel about hip-hop having additional tax benefits or tax breaks because there are so many unemployed young black men. Like, what they do for the music industry, what about something in the hip-hop community to help unemployed black men?

I have a young nephew who left the United States to become a citizen of Holland. He told me that he is very fortunate because in Europe they have something better than our National Endowment of the Arts. We have a nationally funded National Endowment of the Arts, which pays money to American jazz musicians, for example, to help support culture. In Europe, he got $100,000 for exploring and suggesting how they could have better video production for international cooperation of culture. In the United States, it used to be a happy hunting ground for young people to look for a grant on a National Endowment of the Arts. I call your attention to the fact that the conservative Republican majority in congress has severely cut back the budgets for the endowment of the arts. I’m 100% in favor of what you’re saying. Let’s have a cultural tax so that we can enhance more opportunities. I will say both ASCAP and BMI and CSAC do help young black jazz artists and I think maybe hip-hop has an element maybe similar to jazz.

Wouldn’t it make sense to put a tax on the actual carriers online? I would tax Verizon and all the telephone carriers an estimate of what we would lose. If you manufacture CDs, the people who manufacture this stuff, there will be a tax placed on the CD so even if the CD is out there, no matter who made it, there’s a tax on it. Wouldn’t it make sense to collect it from the actual distribution lines?

What you’re saying is an excellent idea and it’s already in the law. Blank tapes, blank CDs, pay a tax. Now, what you’re saying is, “Who the hell is getting it?” I think that money is probably put through SoundExchange. I’d have to explore it. Maybe I could find it in The Music of Business - in the 400 pages of my book, I think I do cover the tax.

I understand the blank tapes but for digital recordings, it doesn’t exist. When I put my copies online, the telephone companies become complicit in the crime. They should just add a fee, because they’re gonna pass it on to the costumer anyways. So add in $3 or $4 in tax to whatever the telephone user would bring in yearly.

I notice that you came to my office with an Apple computer. I have one too and I’m very interested, being an old man, in observing new technology. I pop in a CD that I get and my computer identifies not only who wrote the song but also the artwork. So we live in an age of computer technology where all of this can fed into a data bank and what your saying probably is, “Who’s gonna do the feeding, but lets get the money.” Let’s have that tax that you’re talking about and properly allocate it. You might have an excellent suggestion and I think maybe a little more investigation might show that it’s already available if we get people who are smart enough to use the technology of computers to split up the money. I know I was once an arbitrator for BMI and somebody said, “My songs get played in country fairs and in stadiums, and I don’t get my share,” and BMI said it would cost them $2 to count every song that was played at every country fair and that they couldn’t afford to pay that cost. Therefore, they take the country fair money and put it into the radio group saying that’s a fair way to allocate. And the poor jerk who was appearing in that particular matter was not being played on the radio he was just being played at country fairs and he didn’t get anything. Well, ASCAP has something where when you have a plea of poverty because of situations like that they do have an allocation of something like 2% of the right of money that’s available for special awards for - not needy - but deserving, special exceptions.