Do You Need A Manager?

D.I.Y. generation. You make the beats, you do your own videos, you write the lyrics and you release the
music yourself. Being able to do this is powerful, it’s entrepreneurial and it’s important. By learning these
tasks in the road to becoming the artist you want to be, you realise what you’re good at. You also learn
what areas in this process you’re not so good at. Maybe it’s recording yourself, or designing the graphics,
or getting the collabs you want or getting your music on the website or app you want.
Sometimes you get lucky, you might have a connection with someone who works at your favorite website,
it might be that you had a motorbike accident and the nurse that fixed you up happened to know
so-and-so’s manager and hooked you up, or maybe YOUR track just happened to be playing in the
background of Kylie Jenner’s snapchat and all of a sudden everyone’s asking about it to find out it’s you…
pretty lucky, right?

Chances are this won’t happen – but – with the right know-how this can happen. I get artists that ask for
guidance and help in managing them, I’ve worked ten years in this game from management to working at
labels, club nights and now running the TXL UK series. You get artists out there that say they don’t have
management; “Fuck managers, i don’t need no PR person or manager or agent” Heard that before? Sure.
Usually they’re in a position where perhaps the national lottery is funding them, or you’ve never heard of
them and you probably won’t either.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso

If you wanna do this without a manager, do it. Understand that you will become the businessman or woman that will outgrow yourself as the artist. As an artist, your role is to pretty much be in the studio full time, play gigs and do press work when necessary – or if you really wanna stand out – don’t do PR – let the music speak for itself (That’s another topic i’ll be posting about). If you decide that you really want a manager, ask yourself if you really need one. Can you carry on doing this all yourself or do you wanna give up 10, 15 or 20% to someone who’ll be doing something you can be doing. I’ve met managers whose only job is doing the social media for their client, they act like this because it makes them seem busy, but if you’re client’s music was good enough, working on their social media wouldn’t matter…

If a manager decides to approach you – make sure they’re not your number 1 fan. This is a hard obstacle
to get over but the last thing you want is another yes man in your circle that doesn’t tell you when you’re
fucking up. A good day-to-day manager can be your best mate, someone that carries your bags out of JD
or escorts you around the club, but your business manager should be out getting you the deals, making
your money work for you – not in the studio advising you on your cadences. Deep down, you’re a
business and you want to make money, but when it comes to the art – that’s entirely down to you. You’re
the artist – there are no rules in what you can and can’t do.

“The three most important things a manager does; One is get the money. Two is always remember to get
the money. Three is never forget to always remember to get the money.” Shep Gordon

Jack @hiphoptxluk

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