PAID IN FULL: THE BATTLE FOR BLACK MUSIC (2024)

Charting the shocking story of how some of music’s most loved artists - from Louis Armstrong to Prince - were exploited by the music industry on the basis of their race. 

Episode 1

This episode tells the stories of how some of the most successful and popular jazz, blues and rock 'n' roll musicians of all time suffered at the hands of the industry. Bad contracts with flat fees were signed by Bessie Smith, Nina Simone, Chuck Berry and many others, which ended up losing them tens of millions of dollars. 

There are the stories of scheming and manipulation of artists like Louis Armstrong and TLC by managers. White cover versions of songs like Tutti Frutti left artists like Little Richard, having unknowingly signed away his publishing rights, feeling used and underpaid. But the cost wasn’t always financial - in one of the most tragic stories, the relentless persecution of Billie Holiday by the authorities left her virtually penniless before she died of a drug overdose. (00:59:16)

Episode 2

A look at the attempts of black musicians to fight back by starting their own record labels. 

Considered by many to be the ‘OG’ of black-owned labels, Sam Cooke decided he’d had enough of other people profiting from his phenomenal success and started Swan Records in the 1950s. He started investing in other black artists on reasonable terms, and had he not met an untimely death, he may have been the Jay-Z of his time. 

His mantle was picked up by legends like Berry Gordy with the Motown phenomenon, Philadelphia International and Stax. All, though, were ultimately unable to fight the incredible power of the major labels and ended up selling their stakes back into the white-dominated industry. 

It wasn’t until Master P that a black-artist owned label would survive and prosper within the hostile music world. His success was emulated by artists like Jay-Z, and then the new generation of artists like Drake and Stormzy followed in his stead to become music moguls in their own right. (00:58:09)

Episode 3

A look at the rise of artists who, in more recent years, own their own rights and decide for themselves what to do with them. 

Building huge management teams, and moving into merchandising and entrepreneurship, artists like Ice-T, Jay-Z, Drake and Stormzy realised the power of their global brands and became richer than their predecessors had ever imagined. But not all independent artists had it so good, and with the rise of the streaming services, many found they could have massive hits and yet receive just a fraction of the income their songs were generating. 

Whilst they feel progress is going in the right direction, many black artists feel the battle is not yet won. (00:58:24)