Industry rule #4080: Record company people are shady (c) Q-Tip
Things don't always work out as you would hope, and the reasons why usually have little to do with music, and all the more with the people "behind the scenes", as the following example illustrates. Of course, not everyone in the music industry is a shark, but it certainly is my personal experience that the good people are exceptions that prove the rule.
At the end of 2004, I was contacted by a fairly well-known indie hip-hop label's A&R (Artist & Repertoire) director (who shall remain anonymous). The guy was working on a new project with legendary group
The Last Poets, and he wanted to see if I could remix a song called "Dakari" track that also featured
Keith Murray. The remix was intended for a 12" single to promote the album, and would potentially even be included on the album as they were not too thrilled about the beat that was used for the original track. Eager to expand both my range and my resume, I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to reach a new audience, and we came to an agreement that worked for all parties involved. I finished the remix in January of 2005.
To make a long story short, the A&R guy never held up his end of the agreement, and never made good on the agreed compensation, using every excuse known to man before falling off the map and abandoning the entire project. And so the remix never came out. Until today! Big up to The Last Poets (Umar Bin Hassan + Abiodun Oyewole) and Keith Murray.
Enjoy, and thanks for listening,
Nicolay
'DAKARI (NICOLAY REMIX)' [right click and save to download 320 kbps MP3 file]
Vocals by Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun Oyewole and Keith Murray. (Unfortunately, I was never told who the young lady on the hook is) | Remixed by Nicolay, January 2005
