In March of this year, Ms. Anita Baker took to Twitter and asked her loyal fans not to “advertise/buy” her music.
Confused, we all let out a deflated sigh, because how were we supposed to clean our houses on Saturday mornings without the soundtrack of sanitation to guide us? How long would this last? Could we not clean until she got them back?
We had so many questions.
Anita Baker went on to explain she was still having trouble obtaining ownership of her masters. She also stated that she was prepared to fight for what she was rightfully owed.
Miraculously… I have out-lived *ALL, of my Artists Contracts
They no longer “Own”, My Name & Likeness. And, by Law…30 yr old, Mstrs are 2B Returned, 2 Me
Unfortunately, They’re gonna make me Fight 4 it. I’m Prepared, 2 do that. Please Don’t advertise/buy them ABXO
See her original tweet below.
Fast forward to September 3… Auntie Anita blessed us with an updated tweet stating, “All My Children Are Coming Home,” along with a photo of her catalog.
When a fan asked if we were in the clear, she responded, “Yes Children…Stream On.”
Ms. Baker is not alone when it comes to artists being wronged and taken advantage of through the predatory nature of the music industry, and she won’t be the last.
It seems that her battle wasn’t as extensive as others, and she won in the end.
It’s shameful that an artist of her stature had to endure this treatment with everything that she’s contributed to the industry and the amount of money she’s brought her label.
There were murmurs of a tumultuous legal battle, but Ms. Anita Baker clarified that wasn’t the case and that mutual respect, courtesy, and compromise were what ultimately got the job done.
Now that we have the green light to indulge in her catalog, I expect every crevice, every counter, and every baseboard to be inspection ready by next Monday!
What Anita Baker song are you scrubbing the floors to this weekend?
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