Hi Damon,

I recently started seeing this guy. Right now, it’s not anything serious. I’m just enjoying his company. Anyways, in one of our conversations he mentioned that he doesn’t particularly like titles in a relationship because then people start feeling like they own one another. Initially, I thought he was being ridiculous– of course you can’t own another person. But the more I talked to others in committed relationships they started speaking about the expectations and even the way their lives included other restrictions once they were in a relationship. For instance, one woman said her boyfriend doesn’t like for her to wear certain types of revealing clothing when he’s not around. Do you think there’s any truth to this “owning” people thing?

 

Source: Wire Images

We’ve heard countless stories of Grammy winning, commercially successful artists going bankrupt. Remember Toni Braxton and TLC? Well, all of that happens because most of the time in the music industry, artists don’t own the music they write. The record companies do. Well Beyonce and Jay-Z have made sure that won’t happen to them, not like it ever would have anyway.

Earlier this week, Jay-Z inked a publishing administration deal with Warner/Chappell  from all his music from 2008 until…he retires…for real this time. Roc Nation was also signed to a worldwide publishing deal.

The next day, Warner announced that Beyonce would receive a similar deal. Except Beyonce will have publishing writes on all of her future songs, including those on her upcoming album.  Beyonce had this to say in the press release announcing the deal:

“It’s an honor to join Warner/Chappell Music and to continue working with my friend Jon Platt. I trust his vision and admire his professionalism, and I look forward to our partnership.”

This is a dream for any artist who writes their own music. It’s truly a mark of independence. Remember, Prince had a falling out with Warner, saying that creating music under their label was like being a slave. Though it seems terribly unfair that companies would be able to make money from an artists’ work, it’s standard protocol. Now, Beyonce, Jay-Z and members of the Roc Nation firm will make money anytime the music included in this contract is used or played anywhere. Talk about power plays!

WENN.com

It’s not easy being business, man.

Ever since Jay-Z purchased a share in the Brooklyn Nets, it seems everyone’s got a problem with Hov. Whether it be people wondering why he talks about it so much or exactly how much of the team he actually owns, there is always something hovering over this purchase.

Well, leave it to Dr. Cornel West to come out and tell it like he thinks it is.  At a recent event, Dr. West was filmed addressing a crowd and he got on the subject of Jay-Z and the Brooklyn Nets.  On one hand, it sounded like he was praising Jay for how far he’s come but on the other hand, it seems there was definitely some shade. He said:

  “Jay-Z came from Marcy Projects. Look at him now, he owns the whole [arena]‘ No! He owns one-fifteenth of one percent of the stadium, let’s get it right.”

We all know shade when we see it, right? We also know that Dr. West is pretty known for calling people out as he does it on a regular basis to President Barack Obama and several others.  But he goes on to talk about how a “Russian gangster” actually owns 80 percent of the Nets and he wants Jay to just keep it real:

“Now I love Jay-Z, I’ve spent much time with the brother.  He’s a lyrical genius. But we’ve got to tell the truth. Tell the truth, Jay-Z.  You told the truth on Reasonable Doubt in 1996. That’s what he started out with. We love you but we’re going to make sure you’re accountable too.  All of us in this together and I’m saying it out of love.”

If that’s out of love, I don’t want to see Dr. West angry. But seriously, should Jay-Z be more clear about his actual ownership in the team?  As a rapper, he’s done like most other rappers when they do something big and has boasted about “his team.” He also said during one of his concerts at the Barclays Center last weekend that he doesn’t know where people are getting that percentage from (actually, most people got it from the New York Times)  but he doesn’t take it personal.  Many knew that he wasn’t a majority owner in the team but is he selling “hoop dreams” to fans who might think otherwise?

Or, should people just let him live?  Jay might not be the majority owner of the Nets but he has been the face of not only the team but of the Barclays Center ever since his involvement in the team was announced. In fact, he has a 40/40 Club in the Barclays. So regardless of his actual ownership, has his influence already eclipsed it?

You can read the rest and check out the video at Hip Hop Wired.

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Every week, there’s a new report on an instance of black people being excluded, overlooked, or discriminated in some shape or form. This week it was Acura and “The Bachelor,” a few weeks ago it was Vanity Fair and Kerry Washington, always its fashion magazines and runways and beauty campaigns. The thought that comes up most consistently after the outrage is why are we looking for white people’s approval, why are we seeking their validation, why don’t we spend time nurturing our own? And while I don’t agree that by pointing out these instances of discrimination we are seeking white people’s approval (I think it’s holding them accountable and demonstrating evidence to the contrary of their melting pot, post-racial society, we love diversity claims), I do think that more time would be better spent not seeking or needing to be a part of what white people have going on—and have obviously shown through their actions they want to keep to themselves. But I’m curious if we really know what that would mean or how to even achieve it.

When I think of a time when black people had their “own” on a large scale in entertainment, I think of the Robert Johnson 1980 BET days, even Don Cornelius’ Soul Train days come to mind. These men had a vision to give black people something they could be proud of on TV and they made it happen. But the reality is Bob Johnson had to get John C. Malone to invest $500,000 in the project to get it off the ground, and once the network became a raving success, it no longer remained a black-owned network because he sold it to Viacom for $3 billion in 2003, and ever since we’ve been left with the version of “black entertainment” we see now. When I thought about the wealthy rappers that were acknowledged by Forbes yesterday, I noticed a common thread. A lot of the men’s wealth came from selling companies and brands they’d built. Jay-Z sold Rocawear, 50 Cent sold his stake in Vitamin Water, and Dr. Dre gave up his majority ownership in Beats Electronics for a hefty price. It’s a common—and smart—business practice, but not one that allows us to have the ultimate say in the decisions that upset us, like who appears in which advertisements and how we’re portrayed on TV. That wealth also doesn’t trickle down into the community because we’re not selling these businesses off to other African Americans, they’re going to large corporations headed by white men mostly who could care less about our representation, and the money remains in the hands of the black 1%.

I even think about Oprah and the enormous opportunity to change the face of black programming if she would even just back a venture financially, aside from putting it on her network, but from what we’ve observed of her career that’s just not her thing. If we look at where the wealth is distributed in black America and the individuals who have the dollars to invest in independent black films or black clothing designers, the interest just isn’t there. That doesn’t make these figures bad people. They’re businessmen. White people aren’t thinking about sharing the wealth when they embark on a new venture, they’re building their individual pockets. It’s just that there’s so many more of them and so few of us, and so when we run out of the few select black people who could open doors to come through, we’re left with relying on white people to at least acknowledge we exist in some way and to represent us fairly in the media. That’s why we get so upset when they fail—often times on purpose—it really is our last resort in a lot of ways.

The idea of not having to look at programs and networks that weren’t created for us to begin with as the only source of quality programming is like the black community’s Nirvana but we don’t own much and when something isn’t yours, you don’t get much say in how it operates. There’s hope on the horizon with Diddy and Magic Johnson’s new cable channels that are in the works, but even those networks will be owned by Comcast. A few years ago, Quincy Jones announced plans to buy back Vibe, the magazine he started, I’m not sure if the web presence of the publication is evidence he kept his word or not. I hope that there are other black business minds out there with altruistic goals of putting black people on the map, and not just self, but I’m not too optimistic. I am completely behind the idea that we need to create our own and nurture it, my question is, how will we ever be able to do that without needing white people’s approval, at least from a financial backing standpoint, if we’re not even holding on to the things we’ve built or paving the way for others?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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A few months ago, my mother-in-law called me raving about a new pastry shop—owned by a young, black woman. Being that I love to see my sisters in business for themselves, living their dreams, I couldn’t wait to taste the sweets. For black businesses to thrive, we have to give one another a chance. Unfortunately, my excitement came to a sudden halt when we showed up not once, not twice, but three times during business hours and no one was in the store. There were no notices, just an open sign some tumbleweeds rolling and crickets.

We gave up.

Two weeks ago, she relocated into a shopping center less than two miles from my house. I’ve driven by several times and she appears to be open. So, when celebrating my birthday last week, a piece of me wanted to give her my business. She is young, black and female. How could I not support that?

Well, I didn’t.

Instead of patronizing her store, I purchased overpriced key lime and red velvet cupcakes from another nearby pastry parlor owned by a white family. Why? I knew the product and service were reliable.

Am I saying white establishments are more reliable than black? No. I am saying I went out of my way on multiple occasions to buy black and it was a bust. I had no reason beyond melanin to chance going back to the store and leaving disappointed.

Black businesses with lackluster products and poor customer service don’t deserve black dollars any more than other-owned businesses. All companies should be held to the same standards. Black business owners shouldn’t receive a get-out-of-jail-free card on account of being black. It is important to support men and women of color in business, but we should always remember we are paying customers first. It’s your money, not “black” money.

Furthermore, black entrepreneurs who prove their abilities should have no problem reeling in black patrons. We should be eager to support the diversification of American business and uplift deserving people from our community. And, for  you and them, it won’t feel like going out of your way because you will feel like your money is appreciated.

LaShaun Williams is a Madame Noire contributor and columnist whose work has appeared in the New York Times and across several popular sites, such as HuffPost Black Voices and the Grio. For more information, visit her blog Politically Unapologetic or follow her on Twitter @itsmelashaun and Facebook.

Dear Felicia,

I have a question with regard to online businesses. I run an online music video website that will soon be adding e-commerce as a revenue stream. Is it necessary to register my business in a particular state although the transactions will primarily take place online?

Thank you,

Charlie

via e-mail

Dear Charlie,

There are three main reasons — and depending on your long term plans, a fourth reason — to register a business with the state: liability, credibility, taxes and ownership.  Liability is a concern if you operate a business with a physical space where an accident can happen, or if you operate a business in an industry that is highly litigious. An example of such an industry is financial services where people might allege that a business ripped them off and take civil action to recoup their losses. But it doesn’t sound like liability is a big risk for you.

If you are the sole owner of your business, and are planning to give ownership to others as you expand, then you may consider registering with the state so that you codify your business and operating agreements.

Now we’re down to the two reasons that probably matter most for you: taxes and credibility.  A well-managed, unregistered business is no less credible than a registered business, but a registered business creates a perception of higher authority and trustworthiness.  Since you operate an online business, you should take advantage of that perception. People have heard of Napster, iTunes and Amazon.com, but they may not have heard of you.  Most people are accustomed to shopping online at this point, but scores of people are still leery (including my mom). So, if they wanted to check to make sure your business is legit before making a purchase from your website, then an easy way for you to create instant credibility and set them at ease is to be registered with the state.

Also, there is the issue of paying and collecting taxes.  You can take advantage of most business deductions whether you are registered or not. But some advanced deductions may require that you are a registered entity. Plus, if you were to ever be audited by the IRS, they would have a harder time declaring your deductions invalid because your business seems like a hobby if it is registered with the state.  (This is more of a concern for part-time entrepreneurs who could more easily be pegged as hobbyist. I am mentioning this because I’m not sure of your status.)

As far as collecting sales taxes, generally, if you have a physical presence in a state, like a store or business office open to the public, then you must collect and remit sales taxes from online purchasers in that state.  But this is a murky subject because there is no consistent rule from state to state.  Check with your state revenue department and tax attorney for the final word.

Ultimately, you don’t have to register, but it’s a good idea to do so. You can simply register in the state where you reside and from which you operate your business.

Grace & Peace,

Felicia Joy

Felicia Joy is a nationally recognized entrepreneur who created $50 million in value for the various organizations and companies she served in corporate America before launching her business enterprise.  She is often called on to discuss the ins and outs of entrepreneurial success and has appeared on CNN, FOX and in other national press.  Felicia operates Ms. CEO Inc., a company that helps women entrepreneurs achieve more success, faster — as well as Joy Group International, LLC, a business development and consulting firm. Send her your questions at ask@feliciajoy.biz or www.twitter.com/feliciajoy.

(Entrepreneur) — A sudden feeling of nausea, shortness of breath and massive head pain had me leaping from my theater seat and rushing to the restroom. The producer, a good friend, had invited me to sit in on a rehearsal to provide feedback. The outing ended when I suffered a minor stroke–and started a journey that would change my life.

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(Target Market News) — Radio One has announced that it has initiated financial transactions that will enable the company to increase it ownership stake in the TV One cable network. Currently Radio One control approximately 37% of outstanding shares. The purchase will give it about 56% of the controlling interest. In addition to Radio One, TV One’s investors include cable TV operator, Comcast Corporation; The DirecTV Group; Constellation Ventures; Syndicated Communications; and Opportunity Capital Partners.

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(Target Market News) — Radio One has announced that it has initiated financial transactions that will enable the company to increase it ownership stake in the TV One cable network. Currently Radio One control approximately 37% of outstanding shares. The purchase will give it about 56% of the controlling interest. In addition to Radio One, TV One’s investors include cable TV operator, Comcast Corporation; The DirecTV Group; Constellation Ventures; Syndicated Communications; and Opportunity Capital Partners.

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(Daily News) — Mikhail Prokhorov is a man with tsar power. The new Russian owner of the Nets made a Steinbrenner-esque splash in his New York debut Wednesday, publicly dumping GM Kiki Vandeweghe without sentiment, sorrow or a heads-up to Vandeweghe. The postbreakfast purge came around the same time as Vandeweghe discussed the team’s future on WFAN-AM, unaware his days with the Nets would end June 30.