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Berry Gordy cheats another Motown artist out of money smh

Ms Elle Driver

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This is why we'll never see a movie about Marvin Gaye's years at Motown. Gordy treated him like the lowest form of crap. I remember reading that he didn't want Marvin to release his "What's Going On" album because it wasn't fun music. That album is now a highly regarded classic.

omg--seriously?! That's messed up.

So Marvin Gaye couldn't be a true artist, and express what he saw going on in the world. Because Gordy was too busy creating happy negro fantasies for Massah.

As if black people were havin' so much damned fun, in the 60's. smdh.
 

char28

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Berry Gordy robbed artist like a Wall Street banker while Don Robey did it upside the head gangster style. Big Red in Five Heartbeats was based on him. Little Richard said that when he asked Robey about royalties, Robey hit him so hard it resulted in a hernia. Robey owned Duke/Peacock records which had Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Parker, Johnny Ace, Johnny Otis and many others. They also had a legendary roster of gospel acts - Mighty Clouds of Joy, Swan Silvertones, Sensational Nightingales, Inez Andrews, Dixie Hummingbirds.

very sad
 

char28

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When Michael Jackson brought half of the industry including the Beatles catalog, he also brought Little Richards. There was a story how Katherine Jackson told Michael to give Little Richard his music catalog and he did, he also gave Chuck Berry his music catalog. Joe Jackson couldn't stand Berry Gordy with a passion and also Diana Ross. When the Jackson Five left, Berry was trying to get them blackballed as well. Joe Jackson was smart enough to do the Epic Records deal under the table, Motown didn't know what Joe did and it pissed Berry off. Berry sued Joe Jackson and his sons and got the rights to the Jackson five, resulting changing the name to the Jacksons. Their career took off big time, and getting them the control to write and producing their music. Marlon, Tito, Jackie, and Randy gets royalties from Epic Records.

Gladys Knight has said that if she didn't leave Motown like she did, she would have never won her lawsuit right along with her family. Stevie Wonder mother was lawyered up and knew Berry was bullshitting when it came to royalties. Gladys Knight was blackballed for 3 years in the late 70s, no television appearances. The only time she performed with her family is when they went on tour. If you sue Motown, you get blackballed. Gladys and her family won the lawsuit, because they didn't allow Motown, to control their finances and their careers.

Many Motown acts didn't know how to read contracts, they just sign on the dotted line and didn't realize that if they want a house, need money or anything Motown was their power attorney. That's what happened to Marvin when he resigned his contract on Motown in the early 70s. Marvin was offered many recording contracts and couldn't sign because he was stuck with Motown, because he gave power of attorney to Motown.

Smokey Robinson was vice president of Motown. He is just as a crook as Berry Gordy. He makes me sick saying that Marvin was his brother.

Paul Williams, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks knew Berry was a thief, that is one of the reasons why they self destructed. Otis and Melvin had their heads up in Berry ass and was getting ripped off in the process.[/QUOTE]
 

Juny.B.Jones

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When Michael Jackson brought half of the industry including the Beatles catalog, he also brought Little Richards. There was a story how Katherine Jackson told Michael to give Little Richard his music catalog and he did, he also gave Chuck Berry his music catalog. Joe Jackson couldn't stand Berry Gordy with a passion and also Diana Ross. When the Jackson Five left, Berry was trying to get them blackballed as well. Joe Jackson was smart enough to do the Epic Records deal under the table, Motown didn't know what Joe did and it pissed Berry off. Berry sued Joe Jackson and his sons and got the rights to the Jackson five, resulting changing the name to the Jacksons. Their career took off big time, and getting them the control to write and producing their music. Marlon, Tito, Jackie, and Randy gets royalties from Epic Records.
]

I've always heard MJ gave Little Richard rights back on his own, it had nothing to do with Katherine but his respect for Little Richard. N I don't think MJ owns Chuck's music. If he does its a few songs and he probably still owns them.

Also Joe help initiate the brothers leaving Motown but the guys sealed the deal in their own.
I'm also glad Joe help encourage the boys to leave but the boys were at the age where they wanted more creative input but Motown was being stingy. The Jacksons did some great work on Epic Records.
-----------------------------
As for the article,
I guess you guys didn't see how this man recently screwed himself over by selling his songs rights for songs he later wrote for a business venture that failed??
To me the situation he is in, is more his fault than anything.
You can't come back 50 years later for something just because you screwed over the 2 million you sold your rights for. He should have put some away for retirement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

M.A.R

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That 'Standing in the Shadows of Motown' documentary was heartbreaking. He pretty much screwed over all the studio musicans at the label. I had no idea until I watched that.

This poor man. Standing in the Shadows of Motown was an excellent documentary...
 

Gaea

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Those contracts that Berry had those artists to sign were written so that all the money and intellectual property rights (e.g. trademarks, copyrights) ultimately belonged to him. Most of the artists (Supremes, Temptations, etc.) were barely out of high school and were so happy to sign with Motown, they signed contracts without any type of negotiation of the terms. Berry played on their youth and desire to sing and become famous. I recall reading somewhere that Aretha Franklin's father would not allow Aretha to sign with Motown because Berry was a crook. This is why Aretha is not in the same financial predicament as most of her peers and owns the majority of her music. Unfortunately the law is on Berry's side, but God is the ultimate judge and dispenses out judgment!
 

UPS Guy

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Berry got an angel protecting him because I'm surprised nobody didn't kill him. People stayed getting shot and beat back in those days. He was destroying people's livelihood and 50 years later, people still suffering from his shady dealings and he all on the television living large off the money they made him.

I'm over here boiling mad hearing all of this.
 

Lr1127

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When Michael Jackson brought half of the industry including the Beatles catalog, he also brought Little Richards. There was a story how Katherine Jackson told Michael to give Little Richard his music catalog and he did, he also gave Chuck Berry his music catalog. Joe Jackson couldn't stand Berry Gordy with a passion and also Diana Ross. When the Jackson Five left, Berry was trying to get them blackballed as well. Joe Jackson was smart enough to do the Epic Records deal under the table, Motown didn't know what Joe did and it pissed Berry off. Berry sued Joe Jackson and his sons and got the rights to the Jackson five, resulting changing the name to the Jacksons. Their career took off big time, and getting them the control to write and producing their music. Marlon, Tito, Jackie, and Randy gets royalties from Epic Records.

Gladys Knight has said that if she didn't leave Motown like she did, she would have never won her lawsuit right along with her family. Stevie Wonder mother was lawyered up and knew Berry was bullshitting when it came to royalties. Gladys Knight was blackballed for 3 years in the late 70s, no television appearances. The only time she performed with her family is when they went on tour. If you sue Motown, you get blackballed. Gladys and her family won the lawsuit, because they didn't allow Motown, to control their finances and their careers.

Many Motown acts didn't know how to read contracts, they just sign on the dotted line and didn't realize that if they want a house, need money or anything Motown was their power attorney. That's what happened to Marvin when he resigned his contract on Motown in the early 70s. Marvin was offered many recording contracts and couldn't sign because he was stuck with Motown, because he gave power of attorney to Motown.

Smokey Robinson was vice president of Motown. He is just as a crook as Berry Gordy. He makes me sick saying that Marvin was his brother.

Paul Williams, David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks knew Berry was a thief, that is one of the reasons why they self destructed. Otis and Melvin had their heads up in Berry ass and was getting ripped off in the process.[/QUOTE]
I don't know if you watch the Unsung episode with Eddie Kendricks? Is this the reason why Eddie wanted boycott Motown but Otis was not having it?
 

NE Heartbreak

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Yes....Eddie hated Gordy and wanted to help the guys get the money they deserved
But Otis being the kiss ass he is didn't want to do it.....
I don't know if you watch the Unsung episode with Eddie Kendricks? Is this the reason why Eddie wanted boycott Motown but Otis was not having it?
 

NubianQueen

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@char28.....
Smokey Robinson was vice president of Motown. He is just as a crook as Berry Gordy. He makes me sick saying that Marvin was his brother.
I tried to tell my hubby that Smokey wasn't sh!t and that he was in cahoots with BG. He didn't want to believe me.
 

NubianQueen

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Didn't BG and Rick James get into it?

It has been awhile, but please correct me if I'm wrong.
 

prettyjoy04

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I believe Smokey was going through his coke addiction during his collaboration with Rick James....I have been wanting to see "Standing in the shadows of Motown" for years. I saw pieces of it some years ago. Now I can't find it anywhere.
 

Crown Royal

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Sad as this is it doesn't seem like dude was the lightest bulb in the pack from jump....he later went back and sold his other hits for 2mil on a contract he thought was one thing but ended up being an outright sale....after being screwed the first time around one would think he would be extra careful with his songs the next go round..

Now that he's disabled and struggling he's seeking his money? I agree Berry needs to either give that man his money for said song or agree to fund his medical cost and housing until he leaves this earth but when/if this goes in front of a judge they're going to look at his history with contracts leading up to this.

Good luck to him, Berry has been shady his entire life and I wouldn't be surprised if the second time he sold his songs Barry didn't orchestrate that or have a hand in it himself, but when you dealing with snakes you just never know.
 

Linda Cliff

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I don't know if you watch the Unsung episode with Eddie Kendricks? Is this the reason why Eddie wanted boycott Motown but Otis was not having it?

If you haven't read the Ain't To Proud To Beg book about the Tempts, here is a little passage about Eddie and his issue with lack of payment by Motown.
*******************************************

"It would've been a self-destructive thing to do. No person was bigger than the Tempts, but no act was bigger than Motown. So I told Eddie, 'We gotta do the opposite of a strike, we gotta keep recording as much as we can.' That was the only way we could get in a stronger financial position." (that was Otis talking. *rolls eyes* Lol)

Eddie wasn't convinced, and demanded it to be put to a vote, but as usual Melvin fell in line behind Otis. Eddie had thought he could work on Dennis, telling him the lead voices of the Temptations had to stick together or else all wind up like David Ruffin. But Dennis, who was so timid that Otis, even though Dennis always backed him up, couldn't stand it----"Goddammit, speak up! Take a stand on something!" he raged at him once---followed the prevailing wind, effectively killing Eddie's plan. Paul too voted nay, but was far more willing to cut Eddie slack. "Paul was torn," Otis says. "between Eddie and the group. When Eddie'd get all crazy, Paul would say 'Otis, he didn't mean it. You know Eddie, he's a hothead. Leave him to me, I'll talk him down.'" He often did, and after the strike failed, doing so many have saved Eddie's job. Shortly after, Eddie licking his wounds, came by to see Paul, burning hot.

As Joe "Scrooney" Williams, Paul's younger brother, who was there, recalls, "Eddie was stomping around, saying 'I'm not gonna hit another note wtih this group.' Paul, who'd heard that a million times, told him 'Aw Eddie, come on, man, not again.' Then Eddie pulled out this book he had listing all their concerts. He said, 'Lookit here, Paul, we sold out Shea Stadium and we didn't get a dime. I'm sick of this sh!t.' "Eddie had it in his head to go see Berry Gordy and put it to him and Paul couldn't stop him but he wouldn't let him go alone. So we all jumped in Eddie's car and he drove over to Berry's office on Woodward Avenue. Eddie jumped out and Paul and I were trying to keep up with him. 'Cause he blew past all of the secretaries and everybody and walked in on Berry.

"That was some scene. Man, I couldn't believe anyone could talk to Berry Gordy the way Eddie was. He was pointing his finger and cussing and I swear, he was gonna jump over the desk at him, but Paul kept saying, 'Eddie, calm down, man.' Eddie said, " Hey, this motherfµcker is ripping us off!' Finally, Eddie blew out again, saying, 'I ain't singing with this group no more, I'm done!' Paul hung back to talk to Berry and Berry told him, "Paul, this ain't right. You gotta straighten things out.' And Paul said, 'I'll talk to him, we'll work it out.'

Fortunately for Eddie, he did. And Gordy was remarkably tolerant about the incident, no doubt with the sales of the Temptations records. in the equation. Still, Eddie would remain on a slow boil for the next several years. During the time, he would add another grievance to fuel his hatred of everything Motown---Paul's alarming deterioration , and how the group was handling it. Or more accurately, how Otis was, which, Eddie believed, reflecting his hang-up that he and Paul were always looked upon as "Alabama trash," was meant to kick them both into the Motown garbage bin.
 

FeliceKafka

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Berry got an angel protecting him because I'm surprised nobody didn't kill him. People stayed getting shot and beat back in those days. He was destroying people's livelihood and 50 years later, people still suffering from his shady dealings and he all on the television living large off the money they made him.

I'm over here boiling mad hearing all of this.
I think Don King and Berry Gordy might have been separated at birth.
 

Butterflyj82

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Didn't Melvin Franklin (Temps) Mother sue Otis and or Berry Gordy? If so was she awarded any money?
 

NE Heartbreak

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I'm not sure if they won anything..... But Mel and David's families sued Otis over that fraud movie
That movie told so many lies...smh
Didn't Melvin Franklin (Temps) Mother sue Otis and or Berry Gordy? If so was she awarded any money?
 

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Don't know if the actual song has been posted I love this song they should pay him his money

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpJvrBt_HwQ]Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want) - YouTube[/ame]
 

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