Isaac Hayes III Questions Megan Thee Stallion's Negotiating Power

BYErika Marie5.1K Views
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Isaac Hayes III Megan Thee Stallion
Isaac Hayes III, son to late icon Isaac Hayes, discusses why Megan Thee Stallion believes she should negotiate her contract before releasing her first album.

After Megan Thee Stallion came forward with grievances against her label, it seems as if everyone is weighing in with their two cents. Megan took to social media to share that 1501 Certified Entertainment was holding her back and keeping her from releasing new music. Now that she's managed by Roc Nation, some things are apparently shifting behind the scenes and Megan revealed that she wanted to renegotiate her contract because there were things in the document that she didn't understand. 

Isaac Hayes III, son to the legendary late music icon Isaac Hayes, has had a long career in the industry. He recently shared his opinion on the matter and uploaded a video of himself criticizing Megan's desire to renegotiate her deal. He starts things off by saying that he is a fan of Megan Thee Stallion and played her music on his radio station long before she became a star. "When I see the same ol' same tricks and mistakes being made by an artist, I'm gonna point 'em out 'cause I want to see her succeed," Hayes said.

"Artists need to be mindful of the 99 and the one percent," he added. "That means that granted, an artist is 99 percent of the success sometimes, right. They do all the heavy lifting, they're out in front of the camera, they do all the traveling, they're up late, they work hard, but there's also this one percent that artists cannot forget about."

Hayes states that the "one percent" are those that give you just a nudge that "changes the entire trajectory of your life." He added, "Meaning, if it wasn't for them, there would be no you. There might be another version of you, but there would be no you." He said he doesn't know Megan's relationship with 1501, but "regardless of what the contract said," she elevated musically as an artist under their guidance.

He doesn't believe that Megan should be talking about reworking her contract until she's released a debut album and gained a level of success where she can pull those types of moves. Hayes gave the examples of Boyz II Men and the Backstreet Boys who both renegotiated their contracts, but that wasn't until they released chart-topping records.

When artists make moves prematurely, Hayes asked if they'd rather have "50 percent of 50 million dollars or 100 percent of a million dollars." Check out his opinion in full below.


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
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