Prince. Twenty years for two.
In the 90s, one of the biggest musicians alive turned up to award ceremonies with the word slave written across his face. He had just signed a deal worth 100 million dollars.
THE GIST ON PRINCE: "Prince and Music Rights"
Why did Prince write slave on his face?
In the 90s, one of the biggest musicians alive turned up to award ceremonies with "slave" written across his face. He'd just signed a deal worth $100 million. It was Prince. Because that deal handed over everything he'd made, including his name.
What did he sign?
He signed to Warner Brothers as a teenager, on the standard deal of the day, which handed the label every master he made. "Sign o' the Times" and "Purple Rain" were all theirs.
Then in 1992 he signed again: $100 million with six more albums, including his own name as a registered trademark owned by the company. Everyone thought the symbol was a joke for a decade, but Warner owned the word "Prince". Turning his name into a symbol was the only way to put out music that wasn't theirs.
How did he fight back?
He went to war. Warner sat on one of his best records for years. In '96 he handed them an album called "Chaos and Disorder" with a line on the sleeve saying it was for private use only.
On the cover, his own copy of "1999" crushed underfoot.
What did the fight cost?
It was just a matter of time. Purple Rain came out in '84, Warner did the maths and came to the table, and he got his masters back in 2014. He tragically died in 2016: 20 years of fighting for two years of ownership.
The law was always going to hand him back the music. No one was going to hand him back those 20 years. Every fight you win, you pay for, in the only currency you can't go out and get more of.
Should artists always own their masters?
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Quick answers
Why did Prince write slave on his face?
His deals with Warner Brothers handed the label his masters and, in 1992, even his name as a trademark. He was fighting for the rights to his own music.
Why did he become a symbol?
Warner owned the word Prince, so turning his name into a symbol was the only way to release music that wasn't theirs.
When did he get his masters back?
In 2014. He died in 2016, so it was 20 years of fighting for two years of ownership.
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