I hope cats out there know Jay was incorrect when he said numbers don't lie, because numbers can be manipulated to lie to you, by and for those same men and women.
Take for example, Soulja Boy's new project sold 13K the 1st week. Well Soulja's never had strong opening numbers for complete projects, but he can sell SINGLES, this is proven fact. Soulja basically is doing his own production, the majority of cameo appearances are actually his buddies, his web site provides him any viral campaign that's needed, so how much money do you think the label is spending? His digital single sales are worth more than his physical album CD sales, so that 13K means nothing. I bet they didn't even press up more than fifty thousand units for distribution.
Nicki Minaj could not have had those opening week numbers. After the 'Massive Attack' debacle, they (Universal) basically went to their heavy hitters (will.i.am, Eminem, Kanye & Puff) for assistance, packaged her album around one of the biggest shopping days of the year, imposed a strong media blitz, discounted the album at retailers to create a larger demand, and voila, she's smelling RIAA certification by the end of the year, thus making her look like a winner.
Ghostface Killah will release 'Apollo Kids' on the 21st of December, and his 1st week numbers may be what the company wants to use as justification that they wish to severe ties. Although considering it will be the "last" week of holiday shopping, it is also the week people start traveling for their holiday vacations.
Manipulating the numbers is a long time label tactic to build and destroy careers. Last year they had Rihanna's album selling for a dollar during the Black Friday weekend. Think of Jay's string of #1 albums. I haven't forgotten about the label buy backs that are used for promo either, whereas Soulja realistically could have only sold 6K. Kanye (who also benefited from the same Minaj formula) went from 400K plus the 1st week to barely over 100K the second week, but the psychological point of this is he is already gold certified, thus a winner. Ross was building his career off of those opening week numbers lies until this year. 50 Cent will always have his career intertwined with numbers.
Men lie, women lie, numbers can lie to you. Even your eyes can fool you. Trust your ears.
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3 comments:
WORD!
and thats the truth, all of it. it used to be a time when the RIAA certs were based off of what they SHIPPED, not what was ACTUALLY sold. the thinkin was to sell the fact that other people were buyin in, and therefore you should too. it works more than u think.
i dont doubt that in Minaj's case, Baby shipped that amount, and probably actually bought some so that they would b legitimate to the system. in the meantime, he'll keep her lookin good n all that, but no dough... what she's gonna have to recoup is gonna b HEAVY. specially with her havin to pay Baby AND Wayne (she's signed to Young Money/Cash Money). now heres another place where numbers lie; cause the numbers will show that she sold a million. but in a few years when her payments cycles run out (roayalties, tours, etc, and the cycles of her payouts increase), people will wonder how she can possibly be broke.
people will also look at independent cats and the numbers lie to them. they'll say they aint makin no money, selln only 3, 400 thousand. but if they get $5 a record, compared to the roughly $1 labels pay artist (of which they have to pay everything back out of), they actually make more than ur favorite mainstream mothafucka.
speakn of which, they also do it with the earnings reports. these reports are more often than not in GROSS receipts. what they take home after payouts is considerably less.
like there is a larger percentage of black people on welfare. but there are FAR more white people actually on it.
48% of black women have herpes. i smashed a good 40% of that number. i have no bumps. i am, according to the numbers, a lucky mothafucka. tell that to my smashed up Dodge Magnum.
well, i guess that took a turn there. however, the number can always tell a different story.
good job!
so agree with all of that im loving this blog
good look Styles! come thru more often!
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