Question

Jimi Hendrix, like so many African-American blues musicians before him, signed away a huge chunk of his music royalties to his manager (Kaadzi). This statement is:

a) True
b) False
c) Uncertain
d) Irrelevant

Answer 1

The statement about Jimi Hendrix signing away a large portion of his royalties is true, reflecting a common issue for African American musicians throughout history.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Jimi Hendrix, like so many African-American blues musicians before him, signed away a large part of his music royalties to his manager is true. It was not uncommon for artists, particularly African-American artists during the times of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond, to enter into contracts that were not necessarily in their best financial interest to do so. This was due in part to the socioeconomic conditions of the era and sometimes due to the lack of legal understanding or representation.

Jimi Hendrix's experiences with management and contracts echo a recurring theme in the music industry, where artists – particularly those within the African American community such as blues, jazz, and later rock and soul musicians – often received unfair compensation for their work due to exploitative contracts. Hendrix's management issues underline a broader history of African American musicians facing similar challenges, from the jazz era in Harlem to the blues and into modern genres like rock and hip-hop.