Indie Gems pulled from the Interview with DaBaby’s Manager, SCMG Founder and CEO, Arnold Taylor

The original and full interview was written by Dave Roberts and can be found here: These are the gems I pulled from the interview and shared with indie artists.

This is hard for many artists to hear. Yes, talent and quality of music are important, but this industry veteran knew how important MINDSET was. It was going to be a LONG and DIFFICULT journey. A lot of CLOSED DOORS!

Arnold signed and managed DaBaby for four years before anything happened! Four “effn” years even with all of his connections. Arnold had major influence with DJs. He had been an A&R, with famous labels including Blackground Records, Def Jam, and Interscope working alongside artists and executives including Timbaland, Aaliyah, Cash Out, Yo Gotti, and L.A. Reid.

With all those connections and experience, it still took him 4 years to break this well-packaged artist. Yet, I talk to artists weekly, with no connections and less talented, frustrated after a year or two.

Also, would you stay with a manager who couldn’t break you in 4 years? Most will say yes but your track record shows less fidelity. Let’s keep it real.

Let’s drive the point home. It has a lot to do with the person, the mindset, and not the music.

Look at what he says, “I wasn’t blown away by the music.” and “I was more impressed by him as a person than his music.”

Maybe your music is dope…but what about your mindset? What about you as a person? What about your work ethic? Your willingness to sacrifice? Your faithfulness? Your hunger to grow and learn?

I’ve sold plasma to pay for marketing courses when I was broke. I pulled up to McDonald’s drive-throughs in the beginning, and wrestled with the question, “Do I buy two cheeseburgers and a Powerade? Or use this $3 bucks to pay for more FB ads?” My fat ass often went hungry! Why would anyone who has made such sacrifices work with another person who isn’t willing?

Arnold describes a bit of an oxymoron here. He stays away from “managers who are too involved” because he wants the control. But I get it. He doesn’t want the creative control or to micromanage….what he is really saying……is he doesn’t want to have to run everything through this micromanager to accomplish his vision with an artist.

Until you break, you should be at every meeting possible that your manager has about your career. If they say you don’t need to be there, or worse, they don’t want you there. Big Red Flag!

It’s scary to think the person who is managing your business and getting you meetings……is actually keeping you from getting the help you need…because after the meeting no one wants to really work with them.

Baby was signed to this label of Arnold’s and they had to SPEND A LOT OF MONEY to develop him and break him.

Many indie artists don’t want to sign but don’t want to spend any money? If Arnold and labels have to spend a lot of money to break an artist, why are you the exception to the rule? Because you’re better than DaBaby? Because you saw a Russ clip on Instagram? You better start digging deep and paying the price. Find a plasma clinic. Skip a meal. And for the love of God quit ordering bottle service.

I have been shot down dozens of times when creating a marketing plan for an indie artist that included expensive features, ad budgets, paying to perform, or experiential marketing ideas. I was told they couldn’t afford it.

But when I look at their Instagram and see them in the studio, leasing beats, making videos, uploading the 20th song with no streams, Vegas trips, paying for hotel rooms, partying, smoking, drinking, eating out, dating, dressing nice, displaying guns, and renting cars………..I have to disagree. It’s No business acumen. No long game vision. Back to the broken mindset.

I am a creative but I’m not an artist so I always upset many when I say this. So I won’t. I’ll let Arnold say it. “It’s a business.” Here is how you balance it in my mind:

You put hours of hard work into creating something of value, you should be compensated. You spent hours away from your family working on something then you need to be able to justify that time spent away. In the name of keeping it real as an artist, you’re going to record all weekend long but not spend any time with your kids or help your wife with rent? Miss me with that BS. I got no respect for your art in that case.

But fans of your music drop $20 on a live show of yours. They had a great time with friends and escaped the drudgery of their 9 to 5’s or challenging home lives. For that hour, they were in a pseudo heaven vibing out to your music and syncing with other complete strangers in an ocean of motion. You created real value for them. A real experience, a real escape. They were happy to pay you for that………and your payment was earned. It created real value.

But it took ticket sales, a venue, a booking agent, marketing, uber rides, hotel rooms, and tons of other businesses to make that happen. All of whom were part of that experience, spent time away from their family, worked hard, and deserve to be compensated too! You can’t escape the business side!

He mentioned the word blueprint too. Do you have one? Can you take a meeting a describe what your 1-year goal is and the plan to get there? Is there a budget? A marketing plan? A release strategy? Dude, ….are you even serious about wanting to make it?

If you’ve followed me for any time you know that I often compare the Music Industry to the startup world, and if you are trying to get signed, you need to understand this.

Startups normally have to create a consumer base. They normally have to be earning money. They take their good numbers, customers, and buzz to venture capitalists who use their money and connections to throw gas on the fire. To blow up exponentially what has proven to be working. Think Shark Tank.

Music Industry is the same. Artists normally have to be earning money, have a fan base, and a buzz. Then labels are willing to sign you. The infuse cash, get you features, place on rap caviar, and late-night tv. But you have to build the foundation. Quit sending songs to labels and executives when you have zero fan base and are earning no real money. They aren’t interested. I just want to make sure you are spending your energy on the areas that matter.