Dead Prez Dropped by Columbia

June 03, 2003

Dead Prez Dropped by Columbia

In a solid new interview on allhiphop.com, Dead Prez reveal that they've been kicked to the curb by Columbia Records, who will not be releasing their completed sophomore album:

dead prez: Plantation Life
Fans have anxiously awaited an album release from internationally acclaimed rap duo, dead prez, for several, painful months. While it has already garnered stellar reviews sources at Columbia Records have revealed (off the record) that dead prez was no longer on its payroll. The group was allegedly dropped according to unofficial reports as a result of what was deemed �as poor projection of sales.�

The politically charged group's debut Let's Get Free, moved approximately 300,000 copies in the United States. Execs were apparently concerned about the upcoming project, despite already being completed.

In an interview prior to the disappointing, but not surprising news, M-1 likens industry life to plantation life and explains why they "stic" with it.

AllHipHop.com: when you and stic first started looking for a deal who did you reach out to and what was your experience?

M-1: We had a few friends that gave us some names and numbers because in the beginning we didn't know all the names and titles of those people at the labels. Then we started calling people and going up in the offices like you need to see us. We approached Russell a few times up in the elevator and his words to us were. ' Y'all need to stop cursing so much.' Cause he knew�he knew we was cursing at the government. He could get with DMX but he couldn't get with us cause he knew our intentions were different. We tried to get with this lady at Columbia but at the time she took a little too long so we went to Steve Rifkin's office at Loud Records. They had a good rep in the streets.

AllHipHop: What was your experience with Loud?

M-1: We were on Loud for 6 years. Four of those years were spent without releasing our first album, Let's Get Free even though it was ready to go. We saw Big Pun come, we saw Wu-Tang come with albums, we saw a lot happen while we was just sittin. Then, Loud started going through a lot of changes with its distributors we were caught in the middle. Every time they switched distributors, our release date was pushed back. Because once the distribution changed, the partners changed and the company began a new relationship in dealing with the money exchange. Those distributors were the beneficiaries who bankrolled what would happen to Loud Records, the backers. How the checks got cut, new deadlines were set, everything would change each time. That's why it took four years until we finally saw Sony.

AllHipHop: What happened when Loud finally folded?

M-1: Once Loud became unable to keep up with Sony's high standard to put out the kind of records that it sells for the 40 million dollar per year entity that it is. I mean you really have to do a lot of platinum to keep up with that and Loud Records was not a powerhouse platinum label like a Def Jam. For the most part their artists had a cult following but they needed that attention paid but they wanted Mariah Careys. Eventually, that worked to the detriment of Loud because eventually their departments became swallowed up as they couldn't produce. Loud itself fell into Sony companies, dissolved it and sold it to different parts. That's how we ended up on Columbia.

AllHipHop: Was that your choice? Did you have any say so?

M-1: Oh hell no. Hell no. I would have been free. We tried to run from the plantation. We saw the plantation was burning down we was trying to escape in the middle of the night. Ol' dude was standing in the corner and snatched us up when we were trying to sneak into the woods and took us to the next plantation.

AllHipHop: same shit different day, huh?

M-1: That's my total analogy. For anybody that can't understand that I don't know how to get it through any clearer than that. We were sold like slaves in the middle of the night...

Posted by jsmooth995 at June 3, 2003 08:10 PM

Comments

wow. i guess that means an internet release is coming soon...damn now i wanna hear the album sooo bad

Posted by: Damali at June 3, 2003 08:53 PM

terrible. absolutely terrible.

Posted by: pexdiggy at June 4, 2003 08:51 AM

It figures. If we don't realize by now that these entities profit from sex and violence, and never want the seed of knowledge to be planted, then we're the fools. In the 21st century, Hip Hop can never be commanded from the ground up. Control has to come from the boardroom. You see, as long as the powers that be keep bankrolling bad product we know is bad they win, financially that is. There is something we can do. Own masters. Channel distribution. Purchase products that WE deem to be good. Put your TiVo on what matters to YOU, not what's marketed to you 'cause they're tracking it. I want to see real Hip Hop succeed, but I know it never will if we don't support it. Countless heads give a damn about dead prez, but never bought the album, yet 50 went multiplatinum (and so did previous releases). No disrespect to 50 (I mark to Kim's Magic Stick-sue me!), but this unbalance has to end. Support the web release of dp'z new joint when they clear waivers...then GO TO THE FUCKIN SHOWS, MAN!!! See these cats live. You'll remember that night. If you got loot to cop Tims and throwbacks...then save some dubs for the cd and the show. You might meet a refined brother/sister you can rebuild Kemet with. I did.

Posted by: Blackfist at June 4, 2003 01:34 PM

Corporations just care about making money. If more people bought Dead Prez albums Columbia would be promoting more of the politically themed albums rather than the sex and violence which surrounds the hip-hop culture.

Posted by: Cal ULmann at June 7, 2003 12:32 PM

Does that make sense for Columbia? I mean, dissapointing sales projections or no, doesn't it make more economic sense for them to release the completed album and THEN drop dead preze when it doesn't sell well? Would they actually lose money on the printing and distributing of it?

Posted by: Big Nate Dizzle at June 10, 2003 11:06 PM

making a little money is not enough. major labels are after the jackpot. one 50 Cent is worth a hundred Dead Prezes.

Posted by: Eric at June 11, 2003 04:23 PM

haha, sony is the same label that DROPPED 50 cent in 2000!

Posted by: becca at June 12, 2003 12:39 AM

But still, the record is already completed, they spent all the money to make it. Would they actually lose money releasing it? They wouldn't even have to do a marketing blitz, just release the damn thing. This has always puzzled me, it seems like a cutting off your nose to spite your face type move on the record company's part.

Posted by: Big Nate Dizzle at June 12, 2003 04:20 PM

HELLO MR SIMMONS, MASTER P, THE ROC AND EVERY OTHER PERSON WHO'S MAKING REAL MONEY IN THE INDUSTRY. THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. A TIME TO SEPERATE THE "REAL" FROM THE FRAUDS. DEAD PREZ SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO SHOP A PROJECT AROUND. ALL YOU BLING BLINGERS SHOULD COME TOGETHER NOT FOR CHARITY BUT TO MAKE SURE WE RECEIVE THE MESSAGE.

DO I SOUND CRAZY OR REVOLUTIONARY!!!!!!!

Posted by: Jorge at June 16, 2003 09:38 PM

dead prez, sees the light beyond the trees homies... feel me why would someone go thru all this talent, time, preperation to release some bullishhhh. dem brovas dont make music dey make sence, i repeat they make sence of our lives...
i'm crushed, i dare the other mans to sit here and attempt to guess how many albulms will sell. yo the truth always sells, the bitches are the ones whom loose out. scared to show the world they are affiliated with the truth but if slim was speaking the same vice-versa about the same treatment of his people would he be big. hell yeah! and thats the truth. AIR DEAD PREZ, play that shit NOW!!! because later is too late... feel me. NaRcIsO mOnK Raleigh(con-city)NC
like a revolution its university (u n i verse the city. FOR LIFE....................monkism

Posted by: NaRcIsO mOnK at June 18, 2003 02:32 PM

damn, get over it already... if you got so much love for dead prez... buy their new indie album or just send them a donation and stop whining. ya'll act like record labels should give a fuck. what's next??... are you gonna get mad at burger king cuz their burgers aren't healthy?? whatever... dead prez will be fine. they will continue to make dope music and all you gotta do is stay connected to the underground scene.

fuck major labels!!

Posted by: Eric at June 18, 2003 05:34 PM

FREE THE MESSAGE!!!

Everyone's comments are totally on par.The dead prez message needs to get out there.Look, personally, I think there's a lot of crap rap that's charting and making madd moollagee.I mean the beats are hot, but the message and content sux.I mean come on some deliveries are lacklustre, makes u wonder what the hype is all about (i.e. 50 Cent).I got the first dp disc and its hot.Listen to the track propaganda again and it kinda mirrors the whole 9/11 tragedy.Govt conspiracy.Start thinking.I seen both their shows here in South Africa.Madd.got to mee em too and they're real.No frills just truth.Support their album and pls.....I hope we get to tastewhat their new one is like.I've been waiting 2 years already.They're hip hop......like KRS said.

Posted by: EQ at June 27, 2003 10:20 AM

The New Dead Prez cd is another classic. For all real DP fanz who enjoyed let's get free this is no sophmore jinx. The beats and the lyrics are on point. As soon as it hits the stores i'm going to buy a copy to support them. Until then i'll be playing DP wit my windows down so the world can hear the truth.

RGB (Revolutionary But Gangsta)

Posted by: Poet at July 25, 2003 02:13 AM

Yo, what's going, this is Nathan.
Please can anybody tell me what the hell is going on with my brothers dead prez;because for one thing,I have anticipated thier new album (RBG) for a long time now. I have been looking through so many website and dot.com's, that it is getting ridiculous to even try to find some more info. That show's how f'uped the record companies are, they record a whole album, then print it and afterwards drop the artist from the company. That's real pathetic, but forget about columbia, I wanna know when these courages youngmen deadprez will be droppin that science on our asses. We need fellows like dead prez who can sense about these real life situations. Forget about these hogwashed ass rappers who aint saying nothing. I'm an Artist/Poet/Writer myself, and I know good lyrical skills, when I here them, and I also know when brothers practice what they preach. Peace Out! Let me know something.

Posted by: Nathan at August 27, 2003 08:49 AM

BIG DEAD PREZ FAN LOVE LETSGET FREE PICKED UP THE MIXTAPE, AND BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SHIT HERE TO DROP. READ ABOUT IT IN THE SOUCRCE...4.5 MICS... AND EVERYBODY IN THE SOURCE IS ON THEIR DICK LAST YEAR THEY WERE SLEEPIN ALWAYS POPPED DEAD PREZ IN THE TAPE DECK FUCK THEY SCHOOLSYSTEM. KNOW YOUR ENEMY KNOW YOUR SELF. WHERE CAN I PICK UP A TASTE OF THIS NEW SHIT????? MUCH LOVE PEOPLES ARMY

Posted by: LARCENY at September 2, 2003 01:40 AM

Revolutionary But Gangsta is an amazing CD. It was leaked to the Internet about a month ago, and I was wondering why it never hit store shelves. I guess now I know why. I'll be taking good care of my copy now, in case the CD is never released.

Posted by: Koala at September 2, 2003 12:21 PM

Uhuru to all Afrikan peoples across the diaspora...The first memory I have of Dp is the Spring day concert at Hunter College in 98. These brothers rocked the stage with little acknoledgement from the crowd except for myself and a few others. They all slept like Columbia and the whole world of Music(not just Hip hop)is sleeping. I mean these brothers started a revolutionary army in Bklyn NY for Christ sake(Peoples Army). Fear not though, DP will never die cause real headz multiply. UHURU!!!

Posted by: Kwame at September 3, 2003 03:03 PM

Like the all things in life; the GOOD and STRONG always get mirrored by the BAD and WEAK!! 50cent you a wanksta fool a marketing tool hyping violence and bullshit means us normal folks prolly never seen! And bitch I don't care if ya got shot, niggas get shot everyday!! AN all them little suburbian kids buying yo shit are useless POP rapheads, hip-hop is bout reppin ya community, the problems we face, NOT a spinning iced out dinnerplate!!! Da real will always recognize da real... M1 and sticman I wish yall the best, and I hope this record label shit gets hashed out quick... To all them fans lovin da DP, support them niggas man!!! Be going to they shows and shit and I guarante you will walk away with more than just a ticketstub.....

Posted by: pekt at September 8, 2003 12:27 PM

i just wanna say its a buitiful thing that we still got loyal real hip hop heads out there
keep supporting that fo real. dead prez ya niggaz
hold ya head the world will catch on sooner or later its just a matter of time cuase ya ahead of ya time dont even trip ya. 1 love to real hip hop
keep it alive ya peace.

Posted by: kenny at September 9, 2003 11:59 AM

"we need a revolution,we need a revolution. i'm tired of strugglin'..." i'm ready - one love to all those who feel these dudes. try to wake someone up today...

Posted by: akil jahi at September 10, 2003 11:38 AM

WELL DA ROC GOT EM. SOLID. JAY-Z DOES HAVE HIS HAT ON RIGHT. SAW HIM IN OCTOBER'S VIBE ROCKIN DA RED, BLACK & GREEN. I GUESS DPZ R ALREADY MAKIN A MAJOR IMPACT ON HOVA.

DA REVOLUTION BEEN BEGUN...MEK I & I FLIP DA GLOBE BACK 2 DA WAYZ OF OUR ANCESTORS, DA KMTS, & UNIFY ONCE AGAIN IN DA NAME OF DA MOTHER FATHER & CHILD.

1LOVMENT

Posted by: WANLOV at September 15, 2003 01:53 AM

I been feeling these cats er since I first heard em. They real, and talk about real things. Its a lot of cats down here in s.c. thats feeling that way.

Posted by: soulja b at October 29, 2003 11:42 PM

STICMAN & M-1WE R SUPPORTING YOU BROTHERZ KEEPIT UP NEVER GIVE UP. DP'Z ARE THE CHAMPIONZ.
THEY SAY A REAL CHAMP RECIEVES STRONG PUNCH AND FALL DOWN AND RISE UP AND WIN THE FIGHT.FUCK DA COLUMBIA LABEL,FUCK W BUSH & HIS SYSTEM,FUCK THOSE WHITES THAT KEEP CALLING US NIGGAZ & KAFFIR WE ARE AFRICANZ.1 LUV 2 ALL DA KINGZ & QUEENZ OF BUTIFUL MOTHER CONTINENT AFRICA.WE ALL SEE THE SAME SUN BUT WE DO'NT SEE EACH OTHER BUT THE SUNSHINE 4 ALL OF US AND WE ALL FEEL WARM INSIDE. I AM IS AZANIA BUT THEY CHANGE IT TO SOUTH AFRICA.WE WANT TO SEE YOU BROTHERZ FREE ONE DAY

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