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Welcome to Law and Hip Hop, where music and legalese meet. 

At least five million Black Americans struggle to read chapter books. According to The Literacy Project, 45 million Americans are unable to read above a fifth-grade reading level, and GloRilla may be one of them.

Gloria Hallelujah Woods, aka GloRilla, had a strict religious upbringing. She was homeschooled until 5th grade, later graduating from Melrose High in Memphis, Tennessee. During her high school years, the police responded to an altercation regarding Glo and her sister. According to MyMixtapez.com, An affidavit shows Glo told the police that she could not read or write, so the officer signed the citation for her. 

Southern Black American households have a long history of illiteracy. After slavery, laws were passed to promote illiteracy amongst the Black community. Black schools were burned and Black teachers were targets of the KKK. This was done to discourage black excellence and education.

Labor replaced learning, and religious faith was how Black American families coped and survived. Between 1910 and 1970, many Southern Black Americans moved up North to escape racism and religious trauma. From the North to the South, Black Americans had to, and still have to, choose survival over school.

Floyd Mayweather is another case of Black American success despite illiteracy. His illiteracy is often mocked or dismissed, most famously by 50 Cent. Here at Black American News, we do no such thing. Instead, we are here to educate and encourage with the aim of ending illiteracy in Black American households. 

Contract Law is the common denominator between GloRilla and Floyd Mayweather. Today, we will talk about how contracts make or break Black American success, from student loans to 360 deals. 

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Contract law controls agreements between people and places, like businesses or the government. Athletes and musicians are both entertainers. Entertainers depend on contractual agreements to become rich and famous. This includes endorsement deals, management and show performance contracts. 

In the 90s, TLC and Toni Braxton filed for bankruptcy after being contractually exploited for their talent. Mike Tyson and Lil Wayne are additional examples of popular Black American entertainers being victims of financial exploitation. This is not because of literacy, but access. 

Black Americans have to rely on legal and financial advice from White professionals, specifically Jewish or Italian-American advisors. Mike Tyson was financially exploited by Don King, a Black American man from Ohio. So, it is not race that keeps you safe from financial exploitation, but instead strategy and self-reliance. 

Rihanna and Steve Harvey were financially exploited years into their careers. Though Rihanna hails from Barbados, she is a household name for Black Americans. Also, Rihanna is a prime example of how a young, non-white musician was taken advantage of so badly, she almost filed for bankruptcy. 

Black American success usually starts with the signing of a contract, however that same success commonly ends with criminal charges and jail time for Black American celebrities. This is where music and legalese meet:

G Herbo, YoungBoy and more Hip Hop artists are modern examples of how contractual success can become a gateway to criminal charges. With great privilege, comes great responsibility. 

One responsibility that often gets successful Black Americans caught up in legal trouble is contractual loopholes, including recoupment. Recoupment includes paying back all of the money record labels spent on their signed artists. This includes studio time, music video expenses and tour costs.

You probably saw a rapper online showing off a money spread of hundred dollar bills, or showing off very expensive watches and diamond chains. Labels, even minor ones, give artists money and items upfront to portray a certain image. This is not a gift, but a loan. 

Suddenly, these artists find themselves deep in debt. Similar to student loan debt, interest is added overtime. This creates stress and depression, which leads to addiction and criminal charges to maintain the luxury lifestyle portrayed in their music and on social media. Common charges include drug possession and fraud, specifically amongst Black American men who return to the streets of drug dealing, scamming and robbing not long after signing major record deals.

Folks say to stay in school, however student loan debt is usually the only avenue for Black Americans to earn an education. Most of us were not privileged enough to have college funds or scholarships. This is where many, if not most, Black Americans choose survival over school. It becomes impossible to devote time to school and pay bills on time; therefore, one prioritizes the other.

So, how do we as Black Americans avoid the contract trap? Well, for starters, you do not avoid contracts but instead, you learn how to use contracts for your long-term benefit. We will use 50 Cent for two examples to show you how contracts can secure financial success…forever. 

According to Curtis Jackson’s book, “Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter”, Sha Money demanded 50k from him and his new label. 50 Cent offered him a deal he should not have refused; 30 thousand dollars upfront and one percent of album royalties from Get Rich or Die Tryin’. Sha’s legal illiteracy and arrogance tricked him out of over 1.3 million dollars in royalties. Illiteracy is more than being unable to read or write. It also involves being unable to accept constructive criticism and hinders critical thinking. Sha Money wanted immediate cold hard cash instead of equity. 

Equity is the reason why Vitamin Water paid 50 Cent millions once the company sold to Coca Cola. Instead of a standard endorsement deal, 50 Cent asked for equity. 50 and his manager negotiated a deal for him to become a minority shareholder and spokesperson for the brand. Comment below if you remember 50’s infamous Vitamin Water commercials in the early 2000s. 

You see, contracts are not to be feared. Black American illiteracy allows other races to hold contractual leverage. GloRilla is a young artist who has time to avoid the contractual mistakes Floyd Mayweather made. If you are unsure about career paths, choose law. Start with becoming a paralegal. You do not have to argue in court. With a law degree, you can be a legal advisor for entertainers. You can advise athletes, musicians and entrepreneurs about their contracts before they sign them. You can help others avoid the contract trap and get paid big bucks for it too.

Comment below which cases or celebrities you want us to talk about in future episodes. Until next time, peace.