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Part 8: Lyor Cohen: I Didn't Make Roc-a-Fella, Murder Inc, Ruff Ryders Rich, They Did it Themselves
Part 6: Lyor Cohen on Selling "300" to Warner for $400M+ 9 Years After Starting It in His House
Part 1: Lyor Cohen on Growing Up in LA & Israel, Losing All His Money Doing a Hip-Hop Show
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Lyor Cohen discussed the changes in the music industry, specifically with regard to artist development and the new pressures of being signed too early. He compared this to the Motown model of encouraging sustained growth and development of artists over the years, resulting in eventual superstars. These days, he finds that music labels are 'day trading rappers,' signing them too soon and piling on tremendous pressures. Although the money involved isn't inherently negative, he believes it is the subsequent rush to deliver results (and in an age of digital and short-form video, quick fame) that can harm an artist's development. He urges that there's no shortcut to true long-term success, adding that the moment of truth will come when artists need to perform on stage. Lyor calls attention to the need for better artist preparation and development, something he feels is currently lacking in the industry.
