Chris Brown Is Better Than Usher Says Hitmaka I CLUB SHAY SHAY
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Hitmaka, with 27 hits with Chris Brown, declares Brown superior to Usher due to his work ethic, output, and cultural impact.
- ❖Producers operate in a 'service business'; once paid, they must release ownership of the song to the artist.
- ❖To avoid conflicts, producers should not socialize with artists in environments with women, adhering to the 'never outshine a master' principle.
- ❖Hitmaka likens his collaborative production style to Quincy Jones and Diddy, emphasizing team effort over solo creation to manage multiple projects.
- ❖Clearing samples, especially from estates like Rod Temperton's (Michael Jackson's 'Transparency'), can be exceptionally difficult, even for major artists like Chris Brown.
Insights
1Chris Brown's Unmatched Output and Cultural Impact
Hitmaka, a producer with 27 hits with Chris Brown, asserts Brown's superiority over Usher, citing his 'workaholic' nature, prolific output, and significant cultural influence. This perspective is rooted in direct, extensive professional collaboration.
Hitmaka states, 'My boy Chris a workaholic. His output is crazy. And then only that um I just think culturally what what he's been able to do... I got like 27 hits with this [__].'
2The Producer's Role as a Service Provider
Hitmaka views music production as a 'service business.' Once a producer delivers a song and is paid, they must relinquish emotional and creative attachment, allowing the artist full control. This detachment is crucial for professional longevity and avoiding disputes.
Hitmaka explains, 'Bro, we in a service business. Once I give you the song I got to let that [__] go... I got paid. Once you get paid, you got to let it go.' He compares it to a trainer or nutritionist assisting an athlete.
3Strategic Avoidance of Personal Entanglements with Artists
To prevent conflicts and maintain professional relationships, Hitmaka enforces a strict rule: avoid socializing with artists, especially around women. This boundary is based on the principle of 'never outshine a master' and acknowledging shared human desires.
Hitmaka states, 'I don't want to be around no artist with no women. That's my new rule... You never outshine a master, bro. 48 laws of power. That's the big dog. Stay away.'
4Collaboration as Key to Scaling Production
Hitmaka rejects the 'one-man band' approach, advocating for extensive collaboration to executive produce multiple albums simultaneously. He compares his model to Quincy Jones, Diddy, and LA Reid, where a team of producers contributes under his direction.
Hitmaka states, 'I'm executive producing nine albums this year. How can I possibly make executive produce do every song for nine albums... by myself? There's no possible way to do that. So for me, collaboration is always key.'
5Challenges in Clearing High-Profile Samples
Securing clearance for samples, particularly from deceased artists' estates, can be a significant hurdle, even for major artists. Hitmaka recounts the difficulty of clearing a Michael Jackson sample for Chris Brown's 'Transparency,' which ultimately prevented its official release.
Hitmaka details, 'The hardest song to get clear is Michael uh Michael Jackson. Um I have a song called Transparency with Chris Brown... his estate wouldn't allow us to clear it. We couldn't get all the situation connect the te's and do the eyes.'
Bottom Line
Diddy's strategy of 'stealing' a producer (Rob Holiday) from a rising talent (Hitmaka) highlights how established industry figures leverage their resources to acquire talent and sound, even if it means disrupting existing creative partnerships.
This demonstrates the aggressive talent acquisition tactics in the music industry, where power and resources can override loyalty or prior relationships, forcing younger talents to adapt or lose their creative partners.
Emerging producers need to understand that their creative teams and unique sounds are vulnerable. Structuring robust legal agreements with collaborators early on, or developing a diversified network of talent, can mitigate the risk of a key partner being poached by a larger entity.
Key Concepts
The Service Business Mentality
Producers, like many creative professionals, are in a service business. Their role is to deliver a product (a song), get compensated, and then release control, allowing the client (the artist) to take full ownership and direction. Holding onto the creation as 'their baby' after payment leads to conflict and stagnation.
Never Outshine a Master (48 Laws of Power)
In collaborative environments, especially with high-profile artists, it's crucial for supporting roles (like producers) to avoid drawing attention away from the primary figure. This extends to maintaining professional boundaries, such as avoiding social situations that could lead to competition or conflict over women, ensuring the artist remains the focal point.
Lessons
- Cultivate a 'service business' mindset: Focus on delivering value, getting paid, and then detaching from the creative output to allow the client full ownership.
- Implement strict professional boundaries: Avoid social situations with artists that could lead to personal conflicts, especially those involving romantic interests, to preserve working relationships.
- Embrace collaboration to scale: Delegate production tasks and work with a team of producers to manage multiple projects effectively, rather than attempting to be a 'one-man band'.
- Prioritize credit sharing: Actively big up and give credit to all collaborators and ghost producers to foster a positive and sustainable creative ecosystem.
- Understand sample clearance complexities: Be prepared for significant challenges and potential roadblocks when attempting to clear samples, especially from high-profile or deceased artists' estates.
The Collaborative Producer's Playbook for Scale & Longevity
**Define Your Role as a Service Provider:** Understand that your primary function is to deliver a musical product for a fee. Once paid, the creative output belongs to the artist. Let go of emotional attachment.
**Build a Collaborative Production Team:** Instead of doing everything yourself, assemble a network of specialized producers, engineers, and sample replayers. Delegate tasks based on expertise (e.g., programming, sample flips, beat creation).
**Set Clear Professional Boundaries:** Avoid personal entanglements with artists, particularly in social settings involving women. Adhere to the 'never outshine a master' principle to prevent jealousy and conflict.
**Champion Your Collaborators:** Actively give credit to all team members, including ghost producers, on public platforms. This fosters loyalty, attracts new talent, and strengthens your professional network.
**Navigate IP & Clearance Proactively:** Understand the complexities of sample clearance. Identify potential issues early, especially with high-profile or estate-controlled samples, and be prepared for alternative solutions (e.g., replaying samples) if clearance is impossible.
Notable Moments
Hitmaka recounts Diddy 'stealing' his producer, Rob Holiday, early in his career, highlighting the power dynamics and talent acquisition strategies of established industry figures.
This anecdote illustrates how major players can leverage their influence and resources to poach talent, forcing emerging artists and producers to adapt to a competitive landscape where loyalty can be secondary to opportunity.
Quotes
"My boy Chris a workaholic. His output is crazy. And then only that um I just think culturally what what he's been able to do..."
"Bro, we in a service business. A lot of people, this where it get lost at. Once it was it's the same thing I was doing with you uh Jeezy and Juice and once I give you the song I got to let that [__] go."
"You never outshine a master, bro. 48 laws of power. That's the big dog. Stay away. You stay away from you stay away from people that you're actually making music with unless you're cultivating relationships and they're your artists and they're someone that you're building and growing with."
"I'm executive producing nine albums this year. How can I possibly make executive produce do every song for nine albums and have that [__] and compete with what's going on by myself?"
"The hardest song to get clear is Michael uh Michael Jackson. Um I have a song called Transparency with Chris Brown that he put out. He didn't put it out. He just soft launched it and it got leaked or something like that..."
Q&A
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