Bad Boy Records's B5 Singer Says He's "Never Seen A Penny" From Album Sales

BY Erika Marie 27.2K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Evan Agostini / Staff / Getty Images
B5, Bad Boy Records
Bryan Breeding from B5 spoke about the "snakes" in the industry in an Instagram post celebrating

There was a time when B5 was poised to be the next great singing boy band. The quintet—made up of five brothers—signed to Bad Boy Records in the early 2000s and in 2005, they released the self-titled debut album. Their Jackson 5 cover "All I Do" remains a fan favorite, but unfortunately, B5 never truly reached the successes that their admirers had hoped for.

Paras Griffin / Stringer / Getty Images

Days ago, B5 celebrated the 15-year anniversary of their debut, so group member Bryan Breeding took a moment to reflect on the album that changed his life. However, he called memories of that time in his life "bittersweet" because he learned a hard lesson about what goes on behind the scenes in the industry. "After being exposed to the deep levels of politics and agendas quickly helped me realized that the music business is less about music and more about the 'business," Bryan wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.

He also lamented about "snakes" who are "cleverly hiding behind contracts" that only benefits the person who penned the document itself. "We made about 99.9% of all our income 💸 from live performances & merchandise and till this day I’ve never seen a PENNY from any of our B5 commercial albums. 🤷🏽‍♂️," he added. Bryan Breeding further claims that he's attempted to share B5's story with networks and has even reached out to lawyers and advisors but no one will work with him.

"So here I AM! telling my story, my truth and not from a 'woe is me' perspective but as an example for the next generation of young artists to WRITE and OWN your content! READ your contracts and create new sounds for the LOVE of music, as a expression of who YOU ARE!" Bryan added that artists shouldn't feel the need to "compromise for the bag." Check out his message in full below.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.