This thread reminds me of a Jazzy Jeff video, where he says that the night he received his grammy he was flat broke and even cried because of it.
It was a very interesting video.
Personally I think that by choosing to be creative and doing something you love, you will have to be very lucky to make it very profitable.
You can have all the talent in the world, but without the right connections or lucky break, or even business sense, then you are doomed to be broke while others get rich from those that are creative.
Its happened for years, great artists broke while they were alive only to become huge after their death, when others with more business sense get a hold of their work. Or inventors like Tesla, whose inventions are taken and used by others who make huge profits only for the inventor to die broke.
The media portrays the creative life as a dream come true, all the money success and fame. But it really is just a dream.
Many artists dont realise that a lot of the cash advance goes towards tour costs, and there is no such thing as something for nothing.
Many artists get signed, given their cash advance and can never recouperate the money so end up in debt to the label. Im not so sure how it works these days as the industry doesnt support unsuccessful artists like it used to, but the many failed signings used to be subsidised by the successful artists, label execs would be more willing to take a risk on something new or different. Nowadays its just all image and cookie cutter personas, styles, subject matter. Its all about maximum return on investment, minimum artist development, a quick return...ie a couple hot singles then consigned to the trash heap.
So many people spend a lifetime chasing fame, but the fact is fame is fleeting, todays hot act is tomorrows has been.
Solja Boi anyone?
An artists sole goal in life should be to do the thing they love and just be able to afford to keep doing it, reinvesting back into their craft, while still being able to pay the bills. I think thats being more realistic, but even that can be difficult to achieve with so many chasing the same thing.