Is Artist Management Worth the Risk?

I am often asked why I chose to focus my career on Artist Management? Is it worth the headache and all the problems associated with managing artists who are some times regarded as been ungrateful? I believe artist management is the foundation on which a talent or artist career is based upon. Artist management connects all the dots in the maze of entertainment business. It's the basics on which the artist is groomed to have a successful career.

Recently an article in the Jamaica Gleaner we learned of the split between Shane Brown (manager) and Busy Signal (artist). In this day and age how could Brown manage and artist without having a written contract? Even though verbal agreements can be legally binding in court a written agreement cuts through the red tape. I have said it time and time again, that its time the reggae industry starts treating this industry as a business and not just a mere hobby. What form of accounting system did Brown have in place to protect both himself and the artist in the even there was a split? According to Brown "Contractual agreement don't bar ungratefulness" this maybe true, but it mitigates an artist terminating his/her contract cold turkey. It was easy for Busy Signal to terminate Brown's services, since there was no written contractual obligation and Brown is willing to walk away with out a fight, not even to collect the residuals from seven years of investment in this artist career.

Artists will leave your roster from time to time, and that is okay. However it should be done in a professional way and within the contract guidelines. It is reported that Brown is now managing Taurus Riley; I hope for his own good he now has a written contract with Riley. The personal and financial investments in an artist are great. Many artists (especially, out of Jamaica) mistake the roles that a manger plays in their career. A manager is not a booking agent, neither is he/she a publicist or your attorney.