This perspective feels misleadingly rosy. Stoute’s platform, financed by Silicon Valley's elite (Alphabet, Apple, and Andreessen Horowitz) pledges artist empowerment but fundamentally contradicts itself through its backers' history of exploiting creative content and monopolizing markets. UnitedMasters substitutes traditional label oppression with a digital makeover – a model that doesn't free artists but ensnares them in a new web of reliance on UnitedMasters for essential distribution, analytics, and marketing services. The distributor's emphasis on branding partnerships commodifies African music and its rich traditions as a vehicle for corporate interests, betraying Afrobeats’ revolutionary potential. Ultimately, UnitedMasters’ incentives are still aligned with the exploitative dynamics of the corporate music industry. "My Play For Afrobeats and Africa"? He's not even hiding it.
I’m now hearing about Mohbad. That’s such sad news about his death. And even sadder about his family not owning the rights to his music (if I understand what Stoute has said).
This perspective feels misleadingly rosy. Stoute’s platform, financed by Silicon Valley's elite (Alphabet, Apple, and Andreessen Horowitz) pledges artist empowerment but fundamentally contradicts itself through its backers' history of exploiting creative content and monopolizing markets. UnitedMasters substitutes traditional label oppression with a digital makeover – a model that doesn't free artists but ensnares them in a new web of reliance on UnitedMasters for essential distribution, analytics, and marketing services. The distributor's emphasis on branding partnerships commodifies African music and its rich traditions as a vehicle for corporate interests, betraying Afrobeats’ revolutionary potential. Ultimately, UnitedMasters’ incentives are still aligned with the exploitative dynamics of the corporate music industry. "My Play For Afrobeats and Africa"? He's not even hiding it.
I’m now hearing about Mohbad. That’s such sad news about his death. And even sadder about his family not owning the rights to his music (if I understand what Stoute has said).