There’s a distinctiveness and uniqueness that occurs when a superstar talent finishes his career with the same team that he started with. In sports, it’s rare to see a player of a superstar caliber play for the same team his entire career (ignore Kobe Bryant). This rarity is no different in music. It’s rare to see a musician stick with the same record label or management team for an entire career. People change, the industry changes, and artists are continuously trying to progress. Although it’s difficult to sustain longevity, there are those that do it and most experience their fair share of changes along the way.
One surprising, almost shocking change, announced last week, was that phenom Mac Miller was leaving independent Rostrum Records, the label that helped foster and explode his career. Up until Macklemore, Mac Miller was an anamoly. Mac Miller’s “Blue Slide Park” became the first independent album to top the Billboard charts and he brought new meaning to the word “independent”. He accomplished what was considered the impossible without the help of a major. Along with Wiz Khalifa, both artists carried Rostrum Records to a level of dominance and power never before seen by an independent label.
His independence was one of the intriguing aspects of Mac Miller. He found a way to break through without major label help. Under the guidance of Benjy Grinberg and Arthur Pitt (Rostrum Records), Mac Miller became a hip-hop sensation, landing on Forbes lists and making history. Despite his success though, Mac Miller and Rostrum Records both announced recently they are parting ways on good terms. The departure raises eyebrows about what the next move is for both of them, but before addressing that, how does Mac’s move impact indie labels?
Does Mac Miller leaving prove that you can only go so far with an indie? Another indie artist that built his own buzz was Kid Ink who than signed to RCA Records. Ink now has a massive single in “Show Me” and his debut album “My Own Lane” just topped the rap charts. The impact this will have can only really be determined once Mac makes his decision. If he decides to sign to a major label, does that insinuate that he wasn’t getting the right resources at Rostrum? That there was only so much they could do? Despite his success touring and building up a fan base, one aspect Mac Miller has yet to dominate is radio. Could that be the next level he’s trying to achieve with a major and their connections?
If Mac Miller decides to stay independent and maybe even form his label, that could ultimately strengthen the independent movement. He doesn’t need a label to build his fan base, he’s already done that with almost 5 million Facebook fans and 4.3 million Twitter followers. Maybe he can pull off a radio deal similar to Macklemore where he maintains his independence but advances to the next level. Either way, it’s to assess it’s impact on indies, it’s just intriguing at the moment.
So what should Mac do? Should he sign with a major and try to take the next step and conquer radio while taking his career further? Or should he work to remain his independence and creativity and sign to another indie label or start his own? Macklemore took Mac Miller’s blueprint one step further – you can have major label success on your own, especially if you have singles that favor radio play. Maybe that’s all Mac Miller needs to get to the next stage. Singles that, while staying true to himself, will catapult him to the next level and send him across the airwaves.
Now what happens to Rostrum Records? They’re still under incredible management and have the experience and knowledge to break another star artist. In addition, lets not forget they still have Wiz Khalifa in addition to Vali, Boaz, and Leon Thomas.
Whatever Mac Miller’s decision is, it won’t affect just him. His decisions and success affect the entire independent music scene. He’s already made history with Rostrum Records and his next step could either continue his strong independent run or add more power to the majors.
Written by: Mike Epstein (@michaelaepstein)
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