At the height of their popularity, TLC sold millions of records for Arista, but you couldn’t tell by their bank accounts. In "Uncensored," T-Boz reflects on the day they stormed the label's offices, tore all TLC memorabilia off the walls and demanded that executives give them what was theirs.
The entertainment industry has a long history of shady practices that disproportionately exploit Black artists. For generations, the industry has swindled Black artists through unethical contracts, no-royalties clauses, and straight-up theft of intellectual and creative proprietary rights.
Bessie Smith isn't called the Empress of Blues for nothing. She sold millions of records in the 1920s for Columbia, but was paid only $200 per recording and received no royalties. Was that just the way it was? Nope. Some white artists received higher upfront percentages and royalties, so they were paid for their work for the rest of their lives.
Our built-on-slavery society is inherently anti-Black. Across industries, there are historical and present-day examples that reveal exploitative practices designed to harm Black people. Yes, most things are racist, but let's look deeper. What does this mean for us?
We must ask questions, understand the fine print, and know our worth. And a liberated Black future requires our commitment to building and supporting for-us-by-us institutions, initiatives, and infrastructure. We deserve the whole pie, not just a slice.