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Paying Dues Vs Fate

El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts
edited March 2006 in Strut Central
I heard my man (in his 30's) talking about how he's paid dues for years, but he still hasn't gotten on as a producer. And dude in Dem Franchize Boyz had a machine for 2 weeks before he was signed by Universal, then JD.Do YOU really think you've paid your dues? What is paying dues?Even if you have, does paying dues entitle you to getting on? Is it the person that pays the most dues that deserves to be signed next? Or the person with the most talent? Or the person with the most luck? Does paying dues count for anything?
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  Comments

  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    The person who can sell the most records. Nothing else matters to industry.
  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,632 Posts
    Has more to do with talent, who you know and how you sell yourself. "Paying your dues" falls under "how you sell yourself" as far as I'm concerned.
  • El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts
    The person who can sell the most records. Nothing else matters to industry.

    I don't know, there's still a place in the industry for Dilated Peoples, and people like that. And there's plenty of indie labels that deal with Real music, and care less about sales..
  • BigSpliffBigSpliff 3,266 Posts
    Does paying dues count for anything?

    Spiritual enrichment.
  • El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts
    Does paying dues count for anything?

    Spiritual enrichment.

    OK, so "paying dues" is only something that bitter people talk about b/c they suck and can't get on..? I could see that
  • Jonny_PaycheckJonny_Paycheck 17,825 Posts
    The person who can sell the most records. Nothing else matters to industry.

    I don't know, there's still a place in the industry for Dilated Peoples, and people like that. And there's plenty of indie labels that deal with Real music, and care less about sales..

    I disagree with this statement.
  • El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts
    But how many of YOU think you've paid your dues? How many of you think you deserve to get on?
  • badder_than_evilbadder_than_evil 951 Posts

    'paid ya dues? let me see a receipt for that?'
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    But how many of YOU think you've paid your dues? How many of you think you deserve to get on?

  • JustAliceJustAlice 1,308 Posts
    Most Artists no matter what their medium, go thier entire lives without recognition.

    I would say paying dues might have some equaity in what you earn in the long run...but I would change

    Paying Dues VS. Fate to Paying Dues VS. Luck

    I think its only as hard as you make it...and you can achieve anything you want to achieve as long as your willing to do EVERYTHING it takes to get to where ever it is you want to go. To hell with everyone else and thier expectations of what they think you should amount to or how many dues you have or havent paid.
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    And dude in Dem Franchize Boyz had a machine for 2 weeks before he was signed by Universal, then JD.

    I can't tell if you're joking or not, but this isn't true

    Matter of fact, these dudes had a whole lot of people bumping their CDRs before they got signed

    Just because you've stuck around making music and attempting to break into the industry for years doesn't mean you ever will, either
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    i think paying dues is for people who want to and/or expect to get somewhere with what they are doing...not everyone does it with a goal beyond having a good time, learning, etc.

    paying dues and fate, putting in work and luck...however you want to put it - i don't think they are mutually exclusive
  • pj4533pj4533 481 Posts
    Fate?

  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    But how many of YOU think you've paid your dues? How many of you think you deserve to get on?


    Where is this going?

    This is 2006. Is paying dues still relevant?

    Grind > Paying dues
  • MjukisMjukis 1,675 Posts
    Luck is everything, or so they say in Match point. If you have a lot of experience, you might know how to make a hit record - JD certainly does. If you don't want to make hit records, you shouldn't expect a bigtime record deal.
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    What the fuck are you talking about?
  • El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts


    This is 2006. Is paying dues still relevant?

    Grind > Paying dues

    I agree with that. I brought this up here b/c usually "real" heads think paying dues is a prerequisite to getting on.

    But yeah I agree, grind and luck are much more important
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    please define:

    1) paying

    2) dues


    also I was wondering what "old headz" are--mainly to determine if I am one.
  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    More important: do newbies need to pay dues on SS?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    To hell with everyone else and thier expectations of what they think you should amount to or how many dues you have or havent paid.

    yuh-huh. co-signature.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    I brought this up here b/c usually "real" heads think paying dues is a prerequisite to getting on.

    I think you meant to say "real hip hop" heads, because they generally don't know shit about shit.

    "real heads" actually "know the deal" and wouldn't subscribe to such a simple minded understanding.
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    i would say that neither paying dues, or Fate have anythign to do with TALENT

    plenty of fools work the grind, pay those dudes and continue to SUCK mightily

    plenty of peeps also get lucky and make a zillion dollas.. look at Will.I.ASS (though it would be arguable that this cat actually worked the grind, paid dues, got lucky and stil lsucks)

    the moral of the stroy is if you wait around for a lightning strike and to get discovered, put on then 9 times out of ten you are gonna strike out. .whether you are talented, deserving, suck mightily
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts

    Grind > Paying dues

    Exactly.
  • El_MezcalitoEl_Mezcalito 312 Posts
    Wow, I'm surprised so many strutters think paying dues doesn't mean shit. I mean I don't necessarily take sides, I'm trying to have a discussion..

    but what if your 18 year old cousin got a deal after trying for 3 weeks. Wouldn't you be pissed? After working for years, and some dude gets on without really trying? Are none of you trying to get into the business?

    None of you seem to think you have paid your dues ...
  • bull_oxbull_ox 5,056 Posts
    The type of instant success you're talking about really can't be achieved through hard work

    That has to do with having your finger on the pulse, and you're probably won't if you're putting so much work into 'paying dues'
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    Wow, I'm surprised so many strutters think paying dues doesn't mean shit. I mean I don't necessarily take sides, I'm trying to have a discussion..

    but what if your 18 year old cousin got a deal after trying for 3 weeks. Wouldn't you be pissed? After working for years, and some dude gets on without really trying? Are none of you trying to get into the business?

    None of you seem to think you have paid your dues ...

    I'm bringing it back...































    please...




















    stop.
  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    Well, if my 18 year old cousin got on I'd be happy for him and hope that he could include me in what he's doing. I'd tell him to let me co-poroduce a few tracks so I could collect some points. I personally would love to get paid for doing something music related, but I've given up on that as my focus for making money. I'm 25 so I'm at that point where I'm realizing I DON'T want to be 38 and broke, complaining that this music shit never took off. I'd rather persue an actual career and start investing money. That's how all the grown ups seem to do it. If something happens with the music between now and then, so be it. I needed to take my perspective on my music down a notch and not be so critical so that I can have fun doing it again. If I can't even enjoy making music without getting paid, I definitely don't want to do it for a living. That's where I'm at. I think the idea of paying dues is a little outdated in terms of the hip hop beat maker. A beat is a beat. The people who are "putting people on" don't know the difference between a beat made by a 25 year vet and a beat made by an 18 year old neophyte. They just know what it sounds like and whether or not that sound will catch on and make a hit. Period.
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,903 Posts
    I might put paying dues in thinking towards say...

    Meeting 2 DJ's for the first time. DJ #1 has been playing out for 5+ years might get a bit more respect from me, then say to DJ #2 who's be playing out for 6 months and shows up with the whole ipod DJ set up. Not saying 2 sucks..

    But seriously... Ask this dude.. He knows all the answers to life!




    "When some wild 8 foot tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head against a bar room wall and looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if you've paid your dues, well you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye and you remember what old Jack Burton always does at a time like that. Have you paid your dues Jack? Yes sir, The check is in the mail"[/b]
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    this is where talent comes into play..

    its a fact of life that some peeps are better than others.

    i've been playign guitar for 18 years and i will bet MONEY that there are tonnes of 18 year olds who are better guitarists than i am

    have they been on the grind paid dues? no probably not.. but it doesnt preclude the fac that soem peeps are just BETTER at some things.

    dues paying has nothing to do with talent.
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