They Tried To Warn Us About The Music Industry

Added: 2026-05-30

[00:00:03]Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the channel again. Appreciate all the love and support with you guys coming over. Uh we are back on the Truth is channel. Now, look, this video right here, cuz I, you know, I reacted to some videos from the J Diggs channel, and this video had uh Michael Jackson, Prince, and Drake in his thumbnail, and the title says, "They tried to warn us about the music industry."

[00:00:37]I'm very curious to see what he's going to have to say about Drake because, you know, a lot of stuff I know about, yeah, uh, uh, Michael Jackson with Sony.

[00:00:49]And look, there's a lot of artists out there who don't own the rights to their music. They have no control. They sign deals that they can't get out of. And my whole thing is like stuff that goes on behind the scenes. I think it's a lot we will never know. But there's a lot of artists that it I mean it is what it is.

[00:01:10]We may love their music, but at the same time there's some very very shady stuff that is happening behind the scenes. Uh you hate to to to think about it cuz it's, you know, the people who you grew up listening to, but hey, we ain't gonna waste no more time.

[00:01:31]already liked, already hyped, and the original video will be in the description for you guys to check out more and even subscribe. Let's jump right into it.

[00:01:42]On July 6, 2002, Michael Jackson led a protest at the New York City headquarters of Sony Records. Standing in front of their building, he called them phonies and frauds while holding a banner that reads Sony Kills Music.

[00:01:56]Michael's reasoning for turning on his label was complex. He believed he was the target of a highly orchestrated plan to destroy his career and it all revolved around the ATV catalog. This catalog held the rights to some of the most lucrative songs in music history and Sony wanted it badly. They offered him massive payouts, but Michael refused to sell. After Michael's Invincible album failed to meet commercial expectations, he became convinced Sony had intentionally sabotaged the release.

[00:02:25]But why would a label sabotage the success of an artist they profit from?

[00:02:29]According to Michael, the strategy was to force the album to flop and bankrupt him. They wanted him to lose the millions he invested in the project so he would be forced to return to the label for funding. With his leverage gone, he would have no choice but to surrender the catalog to bring in some money. Michael never publicly repaired his relationship with Sony and kept the ATV catalog up until his death. But Sony won this battle in the end. A few years after his passing, Michael's estate sold the ATV catalog directly back to the company to make.

[00:03:01]>> And there you have it. And there you have it.

[00:03:06]You know, they say they make more money off of you when you die. Think about Michael Jackson's aura and his influence.

[00:03:15]You know, >> things even worse, the estate then proceeded to sell half of Michael's entire music catalog as well. This was something Michael explicitly refused to do while he was alive. Michael dedicated the last few years of his life to fighting the machine. He felt that labels like Sony used contracts to trap artists and exploit them forever. We are seeing the exact result of that with this brand new biopic. Even after Michael is gone, the label is still using his likeness to generate hundreds of millions. Sony acquired his music rights in 2024 and exactly two years later, a biopic hit theaters that rewrites the Michael Jackson story for a new generation. The film functions as a massive rebrand marketing strategy designed to boost the value of their newly purchased asset. Notice how Michael has been dead for almost 20 years. But a major studio only funded a positive biopic after the label acquired his rights. This corporatization of his legacy is exactly what Michael was fighting the industry over. He warned us that they were trying to exploit him. He refused to be just another asset to a massive corporation. Michael was showing us the industry's true nature. He exposed how the corporate executives view artists purely as products to be sold and consumed. You either let them use you until you have nothing left to give or you face the consequences when they pull their support. This is the >> So, think about this. If you're an actor, cuz my whole thing is this, like I'll be saying a lot of shady stuff be going on behind the scenes. If you're an actor and you was a huge fan of Michael Jackson, you may have even met him multiple multiple times and you know about the shadiness that be going on behind the scenes. Do you like want to get yourself involved in a documentary or a movie about him knowing it might paint him in a certain light or just whatever the case may be? Wouldn't you be like, "No, I'm good. I don't I don't want to even audition for this or nothing like that." You know, that's what I be thinking. You know, if they did him dirty and whoever is behind the scenes producing, you know what I mean?

[00:05:27]I'm just saying like I don't know if Sony produce it. I don't know. I'm just saying I would be hands off.

[00:05:34]>> Foundation the industry was built on and we are watching it unfold again today.

[00:05:38]Fast forward to 2026 and we are witnessing a very similar battle. This time it involves the top selling hip-hop artists in the world dealing with his label Universal Music Group. Back in 2024, Drake entered a massive feud that almost destroyed his career. The Kendrick versus Drake moment left the majority of hip-hop fans siding with Kendrick. Drake became the laughingtock of the internet as Not Like Us was adopted as the anthem of the year. While the public consensus was that Kendrick won, Drake had a completely different explanation for the loss. Just like Michael Jackson, Drake believed he was at the center of an industry conspiracy.

[00:06:15]He began to suspect the record labels, the streaming platforms, and Kendrick Lamar were actively colluding to take his crown. In 2025, Drake filed a massive lawsuit against UMG, accusing his own record label of rigging the battle to ensure Kendrick would win. His falling claimed UMG manipulated the narrative behind the scenes by paying for bots, making secret deals with streaming platforms, and hiring influencers to artificially inflate Not Like Us. Drake believed they did this because his record contract was coming to an end. since contract renegotiations were getting ready to start. His logic was that the label used Kendrick to destroy his reputation and reduce his star power. If he just lost a massive beef and his fans are turning on him, his brand is obviously worth less at the negotiation table. The record label denied the allegations and the courts initially dismissed the case, but Drake refused to give up. He recently filed an appeal, continuing his fight against the industry and calling them out in his latest music. He even used Michael Jackson's battle with his label as the central visual for his brand new album Iceman. The album cover features Drake wearing the actual Michael Jackson crystal glove. This is a direct nod to Michael's problems with Sony at the height of his career. Throughout the album, Drake >> So is he saying Drake better watch his back?

[00:07:36]Cuz you know, you know the controversy and how everybody feel about Michael Jackson's death. Just saying.

[00:07:45]shots at his record labels demanding to be free and calling them out for exploiting his catalog. There is one specific scene in his Make Them Know music video that is directly aimed at UMG. Drake is shown walking into a streaming farm inside a hidden warehouse. He then walks out with a gasoline tank in his hand, pours it all over the phones, and proceeds to set them on fire. He did all of this while wearing the Michael Jackson glove. This was a direct reference to one of the central claims in his lawsuit. Drake claimed that UMG allegedly paid for bots to artificially inflate Kendrick Lamar's single Not Like Us. There's even a moment where Drake shows a single cover for Not Like Us, which featured a satellite photo of his own home. This entire sequence was meant to depict them as Michael Jackson, just like Michael protesting his own label.

[00:08:33]>> How many of y'all caught that? I I don't really listen to Drake like that. I have not heard his album. This my first time seeing it that video or whatever. But how many of y'all caught that what he was doing?

[00:08:50]Yeah, he might want to watch his back.

[00:08:53]Drake is showing he is willing to burn down everything to get the justice he feels he deserves. The ongoing theory right now is that Drake outsmarted UMG by surprise dropping three albums in one night. It is believed he met his contract obligations early and is now positioning himself to become fully independent. But if you saw my previous video on the Drake album, you already know something is off with this entire roll out. I mentioned how Drake was aiming bars at his label on the album, but the album was put out by his label.

[00:09:23]It seemed like a massive contradiction, but if you want to know more about what I found there, watch this video right after this one. Drake is explicitly alluding to this man versus the machine angle by utilizing the Michael Jackson glove. He is sending a message that just like Michael, he is willing to take them all on. Angie Stone did the exact same thing during the last months of her life. In December 2024, Angie Stone posted a video online making several serious allegations against Universal Music Group. According to Stone, she discovered her record label had been withholding her royalties for years. She accused them of owing her millions in unpaid earnings and actively sabotaging the release of her latest single. She ended her video by telling UMG she was coming after her money and would not stop until she got it.

[00:10:11]>> I soon found out that one of the biggest companies that I was with, Universal Music.

[00:10:17]It's the second part of the ugly truth.

[00:10:20]We begin to research things uh to check on my royalties and my statements and things that uh of that nature only to find out a lot, excuse me, a lot of my publishing, a lot of my royalties, my mechanicals, they >> have all pretty much been stolen.

[00:10:39]They've taken pretty much everything.

[00:10:41]They've stolen I won't say stolen, but they have taken all the monies that were due to me.

[00:10:46]>> They have basically absorbed in that company. who only knew how much money they have taken from me, how much they have stolen from me. Money that I'm supposed to be I should have been able to retire 20 years ago with the money I've made supposedly.

[00:10:58]>> So, I'm just here to let you know one way or the other. Universal Music, you're going to have to give up my coins.

[00:11:05]>> Unfortunately, she was never able to resolve those issues. Just months after posting that video, she tragically passed away in a horrific car accident.

[00:11:14]While traveling home from a performance, her sprinter van was struck by a semi-truck and she was the only passenger in the vehicle who did not survive. Sadly, Angie's story ended before she could see her battle through.

[00:11:26]But unlike Angie Stone, Prince won his war against >> So with the whole Angie Stone thing, like whatever happened, did the guy go to jail? Like what the hell happened?

[00:11:38]That was one of the fishiest things, man. And every time it seems like someone speaks out about the label or goes against the grind uh grind it uh the grain and have some type of rebuttal.

[00:11:55]This happens like I'm just saying that's why I said Drake.

[00:12:02]Hey industry before his passing back in 1993. Prince realized exactly what kind of trap he was in with Warner. He was putting out hit after hit, but the label owned the master recordings to all of his music. They controlled when he could release albums, how much he could put out, and ultimately they owned his voice. Prince saw the machine for what it really was, and he decided to rebel in the most public way possible. Since Wner owned the trademark to the name Prince, he realized the only way to take back his power was to kill the brand they controlled. He did this by changing his name entirely to an unpronouncable symbol. He literally forced the label and the media to refer to him as the artist formerly known as Prince. And this is when he took things to a whole new level. During his performances and public appearances, he started writing the word slave directly on his cheek. He made sure the whole world knew how he felt. He famously told reporters that if an artist does not own their masters, the master owns the artist. Fact, >> Prince was exposing the dark side of these massive record deals. He was showing us that no matter how famous you get, if the label owns your catalog, you're basically just a slave to a corporation. He went to war with the executives. He started rushing out albums just to fulfill his contractual obligations so he can break free and go independent. His strategy actually worked. He got out of his deal, paved the way for independent artists, and years later in 2014, he finally struck an agreement to get ownership of his classic master recordings back. Prince warned us on how the industry turns artist into slave, and he showed everyone exactly how to beat them at their own game. It's the same thing Frank Ocean did during his battle with the label. Frank Ocean pulled off what is widely considered the greatest heist in music history. Back in 2016, he too felt like a slave to the industry. He discovered he was trapped in a terrible deal with Def Jam Records. They owned all his rights and were taking the majority of his profits. He realized the only way out was to outsmart the executives at their own game. He discovered that he owed the labels just one more project to fulfill his contract. But he knew if he gave them his best work, they would reap all the financial rewards. So this is when Frank devised a brilliant plan. He used his own money to buy himself out of obligations and then released a visual album called Endless exclusively on Apple Music. The video was basically just 45 minutes of him building a staircase in a warehouse. Def Jam accepted the project and considered his record contract legally fulfilled. He was finally a free agent. Then exactly 24 hours later, he independently dropped his real album, Blonde. By releasing Blonde on his own independent label, he secured 100% of his master recordings and pocketed $20 million. Frank Ocean used the label's own legal loopholes against them to secure his freedom. He embarrassed the executive so badly that Universal Music Group immediately changed their company policies and banned their artists from doing exclusive streaming releases ever again.

[00:15:04]He showed the world that you can actually beat the machine if you can outsmart them at their own game. But some would say his career was never the same again. So, did he really win? I'll let you decide. Unfortunately, TLC's >> And you see, you see what I mean? He said some would say his career was never the same. Like I said, I think people can survive and live a really good life working independently. When you sign that that your your name on that dotted line and those labels get you, they control you and you become lost. You don't even have your own identity anymore. You doing everything that they want you to do. So, it's either it's either you live a comfortable life or you're this person who isn't even recognizable anymore to yourself. Uh, and you have this luxury lavish lifestyle around people who are soulless.

[00:16:05]That's pretty much it.

[00:16:07]fight had a much different outcome. In the late 90s, TLC was the biggest girl group in the entire world. Their album Crazy Sexy Cool sold over 10 million copies and generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Leface Records. While they were the biggest stars in the world and appeared to be living the dream life behind closed doors, the group was completely broke. The executives were getting rich, but the members of TLC were forced to file for bankruptcy. During a famous television interview, Left Eye decided to pull back the curtains on the entire industry. She literally broke down the exact techniques the labels used to trap artists in permanent debt. She explained to fans how an artist can generate $100 million in revenue, but walk away with absolutely nothing.

[00:16:52]>> All right, this is how a group can sell 10 million records and be broke. And everyone, get ready to do your math.

[00:16:58]When we first started out, we were kind of cocky. Okay, there are 100 points on the album. TLC had seven. Every point is equal to 8 cents. All right. Seven times eight 56 cents. But as time went on, we learned a lot. That means every time an album gets sold, TLC gets 56. So 10 million records, $5.6 million. Seems like a lot of money. Well, it's not a lot of money. When the record company has spent $3 million to record your album and in the record business, we pay all cost back to the record company. We pay recording cost, video cost. My biggest video on the channel breaks down exactly how record deals actually work.

[00:17:33]If you haven't seen that video, watch it after this one. It explains everything.

[00:17:37]Left eye exposed the financial trap that these massive record deals really are.

[00:17:41]She made sure the fans knew the truth about the executives making the rules and proved that massive fame rarely guarantees wealth.

[00:17:49]>> You said your career is not exactly what you would have wanted it to be, but this proves it. What's not on?

[00:17:55]>> Step on up.

[00:17:56]>> I'll tell it. We're not gonna sugarcoat anything anymore. We've been quiet long enough.

[00:18:02]>> Can I get a amen?

[00:18:03]>> Amen.

[00:18:04]>> All right.

[00:18:05]>> All right.

[00:18:06]>> Well, I'll put it to you this way. We are the biggest selling female group ever.

[00:18:13]>> Um, 10 million albums worldwide. We have worked very hard.

[00:18:18]>> We have been in this business for five years.

[00:18:20]>> Five years.

[00:18:21]>> And we are broke as broke can be. And we're not like trying to be a sad story.

[00:18:28]If that was the case, we would have been on everybody's talk show talking about how broke we are. We haven't done that.

[00:18:32]I know it's hard to believe because we've sold so many albums, but it is possible. That's the deal here. So, and we're not happy at all. But for real, tonight, this is all we wanted. We wanted to win a Grammy, at least one, and we won two. And that proves that we are the jam.

[00:18:48]>> When you look at all these artists together, a very clear pattern emerges.

[00:18:52]Michael Jackson Drake >> sitting there holding two Grammys in your hand and being broke is wild.

[00:18:58]They're showing you like look we are winning Grammys. There's no way we should be broke but they are. It's a dirty game man. Dirty.

[00:19:08]>> Prince and all the others were victims of the same system. They all reached the absolute pinnacle of success and they all realized the exact same thing. The executives use complex contracts to secure ownership of an artist's voice.

[00:19:22]If an artist stays quiet and plays the game, the machine will keep them famous.

[00:19:27]But the moment they demand ownership of their own creations, the machine turns on them. These artists all try to tell us what the industry really was. They risk their careers and their reputations to show the side of the entertainment business they hide from you. The system relies on the public staying distracted by the music. So, we never look at the paperwork. This is why so many people look at signing record deals as selling out. The moment you sign that deal, the label practically owns you. I just covered the movie American Satan because it shows us exactly what this deal for fame actually looks like. In that movie, a band makes the ultimate deal for fame and success. While they gain the world, they quickly realize there was something dark hidden in the fine print. So, if you want to see what fame actually costs, watch this video right now. I want to thank you all for watching and I'll see you.

[00:20:16]>> So, I reacted to that video where he's talking about the American Satan and I seen some comments saying like, "No, this is a show called Paradise." I had to look it up. So, that was a movie, The American Satan, but also it had a spin-off called Paradise. And I think Truth Is may have used some clips from both. And I think that's where the confusion came in. But uh yeah, man.

[00:20:46]Uh, Left Eye from TLC dead. Prince dead.

[00:20:53]Michael Jackson dead. Angie Stone dead.

[00:20:59]They're saying Frank Ocean music isn't or his career isn't in the trajectory that it was.

[00:21:08]Drake might have to watch his back.

[00:21:11]Like, I don't know what more evidence people need to see. But if you're approaching someone who's talented and broke and you say, "Yo, we going to start off with $100,000 money that they never thought they would see in their lifetime."

[00:21:30]Most people are probably going to say yes. It's sad, but true. Most people are probably going to say yes.

[00:21:38]and not even look at what the contract says. They just see that 100,000, they sign it, and boom, it's over with.

[00:21:48]It's over. We're talking about some artists that are considered some of the greatest artists of all time.

[00:21:57]Gone.

[00:22:01]Appreciate you guys coming over and watching. Please like, share, comment, and subscribe. Peace out.