--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been approached by major labels…" description: "\"I've been approached by major labels every single year of my existence as an artist. Since 1996.\" — El-P" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/el-p-2359_art_i-ve-been-approached-by-major-labels-eve_2658751.png" --- # I've been approached by major labels every single year of… ![“I've been approached by major labels every single year of my existence as an artist. Since 1996.” quote by El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/el-p-2359_art_i-ve-been-approached-by-major-labels-eve_2658751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/el-p-2359_art_i-ve-been-approached-by-major-labels-eve_2658751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5e/el-p-2359_art_i-ve-been-approached-by-major-labels-eve_2658751.png) > “I've been approached by major labels every single year of my existence as an artist. Since 1996.” [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistent interest from major labels reflects persistent artistic relevance. **In simple terms:** Labels keep approaching me. Key Takeaway Leverage offers to maintain creative control. Themes career music industry artistry Mood determined pragmatic Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - contract negotiations - branding - tour planning - collaborations Key Concepts industry dynamics artist autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance commercial offers with personal vision? - What defines success for you? A Different Perspective Industry pressure can compromise artistic integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist 1996](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-1996-2409865/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-artist-2056232/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Labels Single](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels-single-2409866/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Major Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-labels/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Single Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-year-917500/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I would love for my existence as an artist to be completely about my art - not about my social media, or what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/i-would-love-for-my-existence-as-an-artist-to-be-completely-about-my/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Major labels don't play with samples not being cleared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dean/major-labels-don-t-play-with-samples-not-being-cleared/) [Mike Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dean/) > [Major labels just lost their way. It's like the housing bubble. They lost a sense of the fundamentals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/major-labels-just-lost-their-way-it-s-like-the-housing-bubble-they/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [Major labels blow all their money massively and blame it on the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/major-labels-blow-all-their-money-massively-and-blame-it-on-the-band/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [The only thing major labels can really offer is money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/the-only-thing-major-labels-can-really-offer-is-money/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There is no question that the US market is the hardest to break into. I believe that the reason for this primarily has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-starland/there-is-no-question-that-the-us-market-is-the-hardest-to-break-into/) [Wendy Starland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-starland/) > [I now believe that major labels can only work with people who care more about fame and money than the quality of the art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wilson/i-now-believe-that-major-labels-can-only-work-with-people-who-care/) [Malcolm Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wilson/) > [I was offered seven deals from seven different major labels between 2009-2011, and to be quite honest... nowadays, you need a hit record, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-was-offered-seven-deals-from-seven-different-major-labels-between/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [You have strengths within your team every single year and sometimes they stay the same, sometimes they change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabo-swinney/you-have-strengths-within-your-team-every-single-year-and-sometimes/) [Dabo Swinney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabo-swinney/) > [For me, I'm an undrafted guy, so every single year was a battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/for-me-i-m-an-undrafted-guy-so-every-single-year-was-a-battle/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [All of the books in the world contain no more information than is broadcast as video in a single large American city in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/all-of-the-books-in-the-world-contain-no-more-information-than-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I've toured the U.S. every single year and I've put a record out every single year whether it was on a major label or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-osborne/i-ve-toured-the-u-s-every-single-year-and-i-ve-put-a-record-out-every/) [Buzz Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-osborne/) > [You've got to get better every single year, it doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-scherzer/you-ve-got-to-get-better-every-single-year-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Max Scherzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-scherzer/) > [I'm trying to add and show more every single year, you know, as much as our system allows me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-bradley/i-m-trying-to-add-and-show-more-every-single-year-you-know-as-much-as/) [Avery Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-bradley/) > [Of course, I want to end every single year over 1,000 yards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-jefferson/of-course-i-want-to-end-every-single-year-over-1-000-yards/) [Justin Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-jefferson/) ## More by El-P > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Standing up for what you believe is right, as well as standing up for what you believe is funny, standing up for what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/standing-up-for-what-you-believe-is-right-as-well-as-standing-up-for/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [For me, growing up in hip-hop culture, it's all about having the next style, the new fashion, the new way to express yourself, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/for-me-growing-up-in-hip-hop-culture-it-s-all-about-having-the-next/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-definitely-grew-up-on-garfield-i-just-loved-his-pessimism/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Most people aren't happy about being consistent and staying at the same place for years. People want forward progress and motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/most-people-aren-t-happy-about-being-consistent-and-staying-at-the/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Any issue and any problem, no matter what height you look at it from, no matter how much you extend past the first fractal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/any-issue-and-any-problem-no-matter-what-height-you-look-at-it-from/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I really don't believe in going too far out of your way to hunt down somebody to do a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-really-don-t-believe-in-going-too-far-out-of-your-way-to-hunt-down/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [The last Company Flow reunion show in New York City was pretty insane. Everybody knew all the words to every song; everybody had smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/the-last-company-flow-reunion-show-in-new-york-city-was-pretty-insane/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [At a young age, I really wanted to make music and make my own sort of thing. I'm sure if it wasn't music, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/at-a-young-age-i-really-wanted-to-make-music-and-make-my-own-sort-of/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [One of the reasons why I thought it was a good decision to put Def Jux on hold is that it's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-thought-it-was-a-good-decision-to-put-def/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I am trying to change hip-hop music because I do feel there are places people can go with production and the structure of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-am-trying-to-change-hip-hop-music-because-i-do-feel-there-are/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I'm not really one of these people who's been known for particularly hopeful sentiments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-really-one-of-these-people-who-s-been-known-for-particularly/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I think it's impossible for hip-hop to be a dying art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-it-s-impossible-for-hip-hop-to-be-a-dying-art-form/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I like Das Racist, and so should you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-like-das-racist-and-so-should-you/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I had a boom box with a dual cassette deck and a mic, so I used to make pause tapes. I think a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-boom-box-with-a-dual-cassette-deck-and-a-mic-so-i-used-to/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) [Explore all 170 El-P quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been approached by major labels every single year of my existence as an artist. 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