Record labels are marketing companies that promote and manage artists, coordinate music production, and enforce copyright. They look for talented artists and help develop their careers. Major labels like Sony and Universal generate the most revenue through large sales and famous artists. Tupac was signed to the major label Interscope Records, known for hip hop artists like Dr. Dre and Tupac. Interscope was founded in 1989 and is owned by Universal Music Group. Record labels are responsible for enforcing copyright to prevent illegal uploading or downloading of music without permission.

1. Record Label
Mohammed Mehbobur Rahman

2. What are record labels? & What do they do?
Record labels are marketing companies that create artists and coordinate the
production of the music; they also promote the artists as well as imposing their
copyright with every product.
The company also look for those who have potential talent within the music
industry; they also manage them and if they are successful then they can become
famous artists. If they are famous, they can become their own brand and their own
trademark.

3. Is the artist signed to a major or independent record
label?
A major record label creates the largest amount of revenue due to their high sales of
records and by creating the biggest well known artists of today. The biggest well
known record labels are Sony, EMI, WEA and universal. An independent record label
creates opportunity for anyone to start a career within the music industry; they create
less revenue but still give artists the chance to gain fame and income.
Tupac was signed to a major record company called Interscope Records; the company
is a division of interscope Geffen A&M Records whose parent is the Universal Music
Group.

4. What existing record label would your artist be most
suited to?
Now, the artists is no longer alive but he first joined a Hip Hop group called Digital
Underground until he left as a solo artist; his fame grew and then was signed to
the record label Interscope; he was acting as a solo artist. He then moved onto
Death Row in 1995 which was part of interscope until death row left. Death Row
and Interscope specialised in Hip Hop as they were very successful with record
sales and they had great artists like Dr Dre and Tupac who were very famous and
successful with the genre Hip Hop. Interscope also specialised in Rock and POP
but mostly Hip Hop
After, he was famous and successful enough to create his own record label called
Makaveli which was named after Tupac. This was created in 1996 a year after he
left death row; in the the same year, he was killed but his name still lives on and
he was rated 86th out of the 100th most well known artists.

5. What type or record label is most suited for the artist?
& What are the origins?
Interscope was founded in 1989 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field. The company is a
division of Universal Music company; Interscopes’ parent company is Interscope
Geffen A&M Records. It’s European distributor is called Polydor; their international
distributor is called Universal Music Distribution.
Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field spent $20 million as a joint venture with Time
Warner’s Atlantic Record; this company gave control to their producers and artists
to make their own music. However, they wanted the right to control Death Row
which included artists like Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre.

6. What is copyright? & How are record labels responsible
for this
Copyright is a law that gives companies/people ownership over some that they
have produced/created themselves. This can be any type of media format from
videos to books but once you have the right then your creation would be
protected: If someone uploads music onto YouTube and it’s not theirs than
YouTube can restrict and prevent you from uploading as that is copyright. This is
the same for downloading music illegally and not paying for it; this is against the
law.
As I will be using someone else's music, I must be cautious and make sure that I
don't claim and credibility nor shall I make any financial claims. Also all credibility
will be given to the artist and I will be clear to my audience that the music is not
mine but it's by this particular artist.

7. What are the considerations of using the music as it is
copyrighted? What are you not allowed to do with your
music video? & What can you do?
When creating my music video, I will make sure that it is not similar to the original
music video; all credibility will be solely given to the original artist. Fortunately, the
music I have chosen has no music video but the music is well known and it is a
original Hip Hop music. I will make sure that the video is original and emphasizes
with the lyrics of the music. I will also not try to make any revenue out of it as I will
be uploading it onto YouTube which means that everyone can see it for free; I
cannot make money off someone else’s music or I will get prosecuted for any
illegal activities. I will make sure that my audience know that the music is
someone else and I will do this by adding the artist’s name at the end of my video;
as the artist is no longer alive, I might a memorial as a tribute to one of the best
Hip Hop artists Tupac.

8. What have you learnt about record label? How are you
going to use this? & The copyright in you production
Each record label are unique, especially in the division of production, distribution
and exhibition of a media product. Their logo and name stands out and it is easily
recognisable; companies like Cash Money Record use bold writing and their logo
is different from any other company logo so it is not generic. When creating my
own record label and logo, I will make sure that it is unique and it suits the genre
of my music. My uniqueness will prevent me from falling under any trouble due to
copyright; I am fully aware of the principles and I know what to add and what not
to add.