The Dream is an incomparable artist. Although he was signed to Def Jam and was writing smash hits, it didn’t take away from his ill feelings about major label companies.

In his Billboard interview, Dream admitted that he doesn’t like the treatment artists have been receiving by the record labels they sign to. While the labels are trusted to protect their signed partners, he believes it’s turned into something that is more focused on money than keeping the artists’ best interest at heart. He even went as far to say:

“…Artists are treated like slaves. We have terrible contracts, we have streaming services that pay one-tenth of a cent per play, we have no laws to protect us.”

He continued to express on his personal experience of feeling like his former label never looked out for him, and were only making sure to deepen their own pockets.

The producer solved this problem when he created his “50/50 partnership” record label, Contra-Paris, with Capitol Records. He stressed how important it is for artists to have the power to argue the financial bullying of labels getting huge chunks of money from songs they put out on streaming services like Spotify.

The “evil” of record labels is also enhanced by racial double standards.

“If you got a hit and you’re white, there are no limits to what you can do. If you’re black and you have a hit today but can’t do it again tomorrow, then your ass is out of here. When the industry uses you up, that’s it. You’re gone. It’s a constant battle for our culture…Everybody is taking from our culture to enhance the pop side of things.”

With this in mind, Dream supports and understands Jay Z’s venture with Tidal. Big brand name companies are getting support, so it’s only right that a black man goes out and gets it for himself.  – Breanna Davis