The document discusses concerns that record labels may be overworking artist Rick Ross which led to health issues. It notes Ross had seizures while traveling between concert dates but was still expected to perform. His ex-girlfriend blamed his label, Def Jam, for pushing him too hard with videos, tours and shows instead of considering his health. The document questions if labels are running artists like Ross into the ground with grueling schedules and commitments.

1. Are Labels Running Artists Into the Ground? The Rick Ross Question...
paul
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
This has always been a problem in pro sports, where teams will do anything to keep a player on
the field. But music? Look no further than the nightmarish medical emergencies experienced
recently by Rick Ross while travelling between dates. Instead of calling it a day after
experiencing a seizure (while flying), Ross quickly turned around and jumped onto another
flight, only to experience another seizure.
And, even after all that, Ross (or someone in the Ross camp) tweeted fans to expect him at a
scheduled gig that night. He never showed.
Undoubtedly, an overdriven artist may simply ignore the critical warning signs (like, a seizure).
Ross is undoubtedly driven, and his work ethic has a lot to do with his success - or excess. But
the question is what role labels are playing in all of this - and if they're simply running artists like
Ross into the ground with grueling schedules and commitments.
A few days after the medical meltdown, ex-girlfriend Elise Neal stepped forward and squarely
blamed Def Jam for the situation. "I hate to say this, but I saw this coming," Neal told RumorFix.
"I think Def Jam is pushing him too hard. They don't think about him or his health, pushing him
to do all these videos, pushing tours and shows. He is not 20 years old anymore � no one
seems to care about him really or overall his health."
Makes you long for the days of ample tour support, pot-smoking marathons on the bus, and
screwing around backstage. Sounds great, but nothing close to reality for most of the bands
we've talked to. Because despite endless waxing about lucrative touring revenues and
revolutionized direct-to-fan models, most artists actually 'making it' consider themselves
extremely lucky - and are only doing it with punishing itineraries and grueling schedules.
Like the one Ross is obviously enduring right now.