Derek Minor on ‘No Labels Necessary’: Clout Ain’t Cash, Ownership Is

On a recent episode of the "No Labels Necessary" podcast, co-hosts Brandman Sean and Kory sat down with artist-turned-label-owner Derek Minor to dissect the evolving dynamics of artist management, label relationships, and independent success in the music industry. With over a decade of experience navigating the business both as a performer and executive, Minor offered independent artists a rare, unfiltered education on ownership, mistakes, and the value of building your own system.

Though best known for his work as a rapper and producer, Derek Minor has grown into a force behind the scenes, running RMG Amplify and helping other artists avoid the traps that once snared him. His insights throughout the conversation weren’t just personal—they were practical. Artists at any level would be wise to take notes.

Why 50/50 Splits with Managers Can Be Dangerous

The episode was partly inspired by a debate surrounding a manager's claim that a 50/50 split with an artist could be justified. Minor, while respectful of alternative views, offered a strong counterpoint: when managers take half the equity without long-term accountability, it can leave the artist holding the bag.

"I've had managers walk away, and I'm stuck with the consequences of decisions they made," Minor explained. He illustrated this with an example from an arena tour where every member of his crew—from the DJ to the lighting tech—got paid more than he did. While everyone else took flat fees or cuts off the gross, he was left covering costs and taxes. "I was underwater hoping merch would cover the gap," he said.

This lopsided burden, he argued, underscores the importance of treating management as an expense unless there's true shared investment and risk. "If someone's not going down with you on the decisions, they shouldn't be getting 50%."

Manager vs. Partner: Know the Difference

Minor was clear: not all managers are partners. Some just alleviate pressure. Others offer strategic insight or critical access to networks. But if a manager is simply taking care of tasks, they should be paid a fee, not a percentage.

Too often, he noted, artists confuse loyalty and convenience for equity. "The industry calls everyone a partner, but the paperwork usually says otherwise." That misalignment of expectations can lead to heartbreak when managers feel cut out, or when artists are left to clean up someone else’s bad business moves.

Red Flags in Labels and Management

When asked how to identify bad managers or bad label situations, Minor laid it out simply:

• If someone agrees with everything you say, run.

• If a label can’t explain how they plan to scale your career, run faster.

  
  

He compared label deals to applying for a loan. "You can't get a bank loan without a business plan, so why sign to a label that doesn’t have one for you?" Minor urged artists to ask labels what value they add, beyond vague promises or clout-by-association. "Just because your favorite rapper is signed there doesn’t mean they’ll do the same for you."

He also encouraged artists to reach out to other signees—especially ones who signed within the past year—to get honest feedback on the label’s actions versus their marketing pitch. "If they can’t give you references, that’s a red flag."

Artist Mindset: From Victim to Business Owner

One of the strongest themes throughout the episode was self-responsibility. Minor emphasized that the most powerful thing an artist can do is accept full accountability for their own career. "Everything that happens in your career is your fault," he said. "Whether it’s a good deal or a bad deal—own it. Because once you own it, you can change it."

He called out a dangerous entitlement mindset: artists waiting to be "saved" rather than building their own boats. Whether it’s building an email list, selling merch, or running direct-to-fan campaigns, the tools are there. What's missing, often, is the work ethic to use them.

The Business Artist: Learning to Balance Creativity and Commerce

Minor believes the artist has two sides—the creative and the business brain. Success, he said, comes when those two are balanced. "Sometimes the business side needs to tell the artist to chill. Other times, the artist side needs to push past the numbers and make a gut decision," he said. Good managers, when you find them, help you navigate that balance.

He credited much of his growth to community and counsel, referencing both spiritual wisdom and peer advice. "There's safety in a multitude of counselors," he quoted. Even without a manager today, Minor surrounds himself with people who challenge his decisions and expand his perspective.

Why Clout Ain’t Cash

One of the realest moments came when Minor recalled a quote from Mase about Diddy: "You asked me to make you famous, not rich." The point hit hard: fame doesn't equal financial freedom.

"Artists think signing to a label with a lit roster means they'll blow up," he said. "But they don't even know what kind of deal their favorite rapper had. It could have been a licensing deal, and now you're signing away your masters hoping for the same." Instead, Minor stressed getting clarity on what a label is actually offering and ensuring it matches what you can't already do yourself.

Building Forever Fans and Direct-to-Fan Revenue

Minor pointed to streamers and online creators as models of how to monetize without middlemen. He praised platforms and strategies that help artists convert passive listeners into paying supporters, using tools like Forever Fan.

"Streamers don’t complain about streaming money because they built direct relationships from day one," he said. "You don’t need to sell CDs outside a club anymore. You can DM fans from your couch."

Direct-to-fan commerce, from print-on-demand merch to automated beat sales, is wide open. According to Minor, artists who don’t take advantage of it are simply choosing not to pick up money off the ground.

RMG Amplify and Artist Imprints: Infrastructure for Independence

Minor hasn’t stopped at preaching independence—he’s building the infrastructure for it. Through his company RMG Amplify, he’s rolled out distribution, publishing admin, and now marketing services to help artists operate efficiently.

The next phase? Artist Imprints—a platform aimed at giving artists both tools and strategy to scale their brands. With his longtime business partner Doc Watson, he continues to expand both his main label and his support network for upcoming talent.

"You don’t need to have a label, but you do need people," Minor said. Whether it’s staff or trusted advisors, independence doesn’t mean isolation.

The Bottom Line: Nobody's Coming to Save You

To close the conversation, Minor drove home a message rooted in both hard experience and clear vision: "Nobody's coming to save you. You got to build your own boat."

From watching managers chase quick checks, to seeing artists give up equity with no plan, to building his own business brick by brick, Derek Minor's journey is a blueprint for those who want to own their careers instead of renting them out.