America's Top Player

Chapter 164 Big Trouble
"Why is this happening?" Phil stood there like a Roman column.

Having been in this circle for thirty years, he has seen too many similar things.

He was backstabbed by his wife, backstabbed by Epic Records, and now backstabbed by the rising star he had single-handedly nurtured.

Phil was numbed by the thorns.

A burning pain climbed up from his alcohol-burned stomach, as if someone had lit a cheap cigarette in his intestines.

"This is Marco." Leon waved, signaling a young white man to come over. "He used to do marketing for the Kardashian family. Kim Kardashian's current image as an independent woman was his idea. What an outstanding guy."

Marco took the initiative to extend his hand to Phil in a friendly manner, without a trace of nervousness.

Before "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" aired in 2007, the careers of the entire Kardashian family were at a low point.

After completing the creation of a new image for Kim Kardashian and taking on many commercial endorsements, he was kicked out due to uneven distribution of benefits.

"Get lost!" Phil pushed Marco's hand away, turned his head and fired at Leon: "Fuck you, you bastard! Listen Leon, I'm the one who helped you get from singing in the subway station to standing on the Grammy podium! Without me, you'd still be working so hard for $15 a night!"

"listen to me"

"You'll go to hell scum!"

Phil was so excited that he couldn't stop talking and couldn't hear any human language.

Li Ang had no choice but to shut up and watch his performance, fearing that the other party would go to see God without catching his breath.

It took Phil about two minutes to calm down, his eyes bloodshot.

"Can you listen to me now?" Li Ang said, "You know our agent's contract is about to expire, right?"

"These inexperienced young guys will ruin your career. They don't even know how to spell [record company]." Phil's voice was hoarse, but he still did not forget to speak.

"You're right. Although you are greedy and shameless, you are better than any of them in terms of ability." Li Ang said as he glanced at the five young men behind him.

"Stop the nice talk. What you're saying now is as ridiculous as holding a turkey knife to commemorate the Indians on Thanksgiving."

"I'm saying you should teach these young people well. They will be yours in the future."

"What are you talking about?" Phil widened his eyes and raised his voice by an octave.

"You will be in charge of this new company, Apocalypse Agency."

Amidst the other party's incredulous expression, Li Ang spent ten minutes describing his idea for the new company.

For a record company, the power of agents is no less important than copyright.

An agent not only has to connect artists with commercial performances and arrange valuable business activities, but his or her own resources can largely determine the height of an artist's career.

In this situation, there are countless examples of agents relying on their own resources to blackmail singers.

It's an X factor for record labels.

Especially singers who have their parents or siblings act as their managers are a big headache for record companies.

They're bound to cause some trouble.

Li Ang fiddled with the Knicks championship ring and said:
"After this company is established, you can still fully exercise my rights as an agent, but the contract can only be signed under the name of this new company."

This decision was made largely based on Luca's advice.

As Leon's agent, Phil's interests are hardly affected in the new contract, and may even be slightly improved.

Not only can he benefit from Li Ang's commercial performances, the new company's performance is linked to his performance, and he can also get an extra share of the profits.

But from a legal perspective, the broker's power belongs to the company and no longer to the individual.

That is, all of it belongs to Li Ang, the actual controller of this company.

As a veteran agent, Phil can obtain full benefits from Leon's agent activities.

However, the newcomers are not treated so well.

If Apocalypse Agency signs Lear Duke in the future and entrusts Marco to be responsible for the commercial performance connection, then he can only get a part of the agent's share.

This ratio cannot be too low, as it will affect the broker's enthusiasm for work.

Usually 20%-50% of the profits need to be handed over to the brokerage firm.

Hearing this, Phil's emotions were finally under control.

Phil's agency has passed away, and in the future he will be the head of Apocalypse Agency.

There was no loss in income, but his status was completely reduced to that of Li Ang's subordinate.

"This is totally unnecessary." Phil said stubbornly, trying to make a final struggle.

"Of course it's necessary. I'm going to sign Li Er Du Ke and King Von (King Von)." Li Ang said, "These guys who grew up in the O-block are difficult to control. I have to do this."

"You damn control freak, always wanting to control everything!" Phil gritted his teeth and yelled.

"You've spent thirty years proving your own failure." Leon spread his hands. "You wasted all your energy on women and alcohol."

Phil's face flushed red, and he couldn't utter a word of rebuttal.

After the success of Leon and Cardi B, his career should have been smooth sailing.

However, he had no ambition to expand, and just dealing with the commercial performances of the two of them exhausted his energy.

Phil's agency has been in a half-dead state for a long time, and its registered address with the New York State Tax Department is virtual.

It's a complete empty shell.

Li Ang continued to induce, "These young people need your wisdom. Learn how to become a top manager. Soon you will have everything, more than you had at Epic Music."

"I have a huge development plan in the fields of singing, acting, and even sports, and I'm already preparing for it."

With both literary and sports flourishing and his income remaining unchanged, Phil really couldn't think of any reason to refuse this proposal.

Return to the peak of life and slap the faces of those who mocked you when you were at the lowest point in life.

"You convinced me." Phil snorted coldly and took a cigarette from the desk and lit it.

Snapped--

"Great~" Leon snapped his fingers and said to Marco and the others, "You can learn a lot from Phil, including the experience of treating Disease X~"

"Shut up, you bastard." Phil was angry and wanted to laugh.

On the afternoon of the second day after finalizing the new company structure, Apocalypse Music officially announced an important message on social media:
Signed from the South Side of Chicago, Lil Duke and King Von.

This signing has nothing to do with the word "heavy hit". It's just two unknown underground rappers.

But the topic is immediately maxed out.

It caused an uproar on social media.

Li Er Du Ke and King Feng are already caught up in the vortex of Didi's shooting case, and the struggle between Li Ang and Didi has entered a white-hot stage.

Signing these two people at this point in time is undoubtedly like strangling Didi's neck and slapping him hard in the face!
At the same time, Apocalypse Music also announced the establishment of a new label.

The label is still in the planning stages, and currently known members include Lil Duke and King Von.

In stark contrast to Apocalypse Music's all-female lineup, this new label focuses solely on rap.

To be precise, it is gangsta rap and drill music.

The slogan that Li Ang came up with was: Let rap music return to the streets!
This will be the purest, most street-savvy rap label ever.

With the establishment of new companies and new labels at the same time, Apocalypse Music's original office space seemed stretched.

Li Ang has considered looking for a suitable new office space to expand several times the previous size.

I had just finished what I was doing when my cell phone rang.

The caller was Taylor.

"Hi~" Li Ang leaned back in his swivel chair and answered the phone.

"I heard that you bought a new house in Tribeca. Why didn't you inform me?" Taylor was still as arrogant as ever.

"Sorry, I'm really busy lately." Li Ang responded: "If you want, you can come to my house for a drink now."

"You just invited me to your house? Are you usually this casual?"

"."

Taylor's double standards are her usual style. During her relationship, she chatted on the phone with other men late at night, which was pure friendship.

And if your boyfriend does this, he is a scumbag.

Similarly, she could invite Li Ang to her Los Angeles mansion without knowing him at all, but not the other way around.

"I mean, I'm in New York today shooting a magazine cover," Taylor said. "Maybe we can meet somewhere. Even your house."

"Okay~" As a high-level scumbag, Leon fully understood that Taylor just wanted to find an excuse to see him.

He followed the location Taylor gave him and arrived at a cafe in lower Manhattan.

As soon as they met, Taylor asked straight to the point, "I heard you're signing with Columbia Records?"

"Who told you that?" Li Ang frowned.

Not many people know about this, so it should be kept highly confidential.

But he soon felt relieved, because this circle was inherently transparent.

Those professional paparazzi who secretly photograph celebrities getting their hair done look more professional than CIA agents.

The duration of the battle between the two sides, the preparation of props, and novel gameplay are all within their intelligence network.

If the American government had half the administrative transparency of the entertainment industry, it would not have fallen to its current level.

Some people only have an annual salary of $20, but they have created a stock market legend by using stock market operating methods that even Livermore could not match.

Earn hundreds of millions easily sitting in an office on Capitol Hill.

"That's not important," Taylor said, shaking his coffee cup gently. "What's important is that this is true, right?"

Li Ang spread his hands and practiced Tai Chi. "I have contact with Columbia, but you know, in this industry, except for what is written in black and white, everything else is fake."

"I just want to hear your thoughts." Taylor bit his lower lip lightly, as if he had something to hide.

Li Ang knew it even if she didn't say it.

Taylor's career was completely controlled by Big Machine Records.

When it comes to exploiting artists to the utmost, Scott is considered a leader among the capitalists in the record industry.

It is normal for record company investors to earn more than singers, but it is abnormal in Scott's case.

Because Taylor was the only one making money at Big Machine Records, the entire company depended on her.

In this case, Scott earns as much as Taylor.

Lyrics and music copyright, mastering rights, and agent contracts
Taylor had long had enough of the oppression of these three mountains, and she also wanted to get out of the quagmire like Leon.

Seeing Taylor hesitating, Li Ang took the initiative to say, "You should be more decisive. Some people are not meant to work together."

"I don't understand you," Taylor said.

"I'm saying you can't just be decisive about dumping your boyfriend," Li Ang said, taking a sip of coffee. "You should be like that in your career, too. Struggling to accommodate and compromise will ultimately get you nothing."

After hearing this, Taylor fell into deep thought.

Li Ang often said these words when brainwashing his employees with "wolf culture".

The common characteristic of losers is that they always choose to compromise and cater to difficulties and challenges.

You feel anxious when your interpersonal relationships become strained or you make new enemies.

After a long silence, Taylor whispered, "I understand what you mean. Thank you."

"You're welcome. You can tell me any difficulties you encounter and I will find a way for you." Leon leaned forward and got closer. "I mean anything."

Taylor's brain suddenly shut down and two blushes appeared on his face.

The love brain is activated, occupying the high ground of IQ.

It was not until Leon pulled his body back and lit a cigarette with his head tilted without any gentlemanly etiquette that she regained her senses.

"You're always bragging." Taylor curled her lips, acting like a complete girl.

The two men's situations are completely different. Taylor's copyright to his works is very valuable, and the complicated dispute between him and Scott could involve hundreds of millions of dollars.

This is not a problem that can be easily solved.

The two became more and more happy as they talked, so much so that Taylor completely forgot about time.

This "date" lasted more than four hours, and it was only after Li Ang reminded us that we realized it was almost 11 o'clock.

When the two walked out of the cafe, their relationship had been completely upgraded.

Taylor couldn't help but cling to Leon, like a couple in love.

"OMG! Is that woman Taylor Swift?"

"Who is the man next to her?!"

I heard the coffee shop staff talking behind me.

Although she was wrapped tightly, Taylor's figure was so outstanding that it was difficult not to be recognized.

The shop assistants took out their phones to take pictures, and Taylor frowned when he saw this scene.

"Fuck! Put your damn phones away!" Leon shouted angrily, "I said immediately!"

The men and women in the coffee shop were stunned by the yelling and stopped what they were doing.

"Let's go quickly."

Taylor subconsciously held Leon's arm tightly, and his face became even redder.

As soon as he left the coffee shop, Li Ang noticed that many people were standing around his Porsche 997 parked on the roadside.

They were wearing police uniforms.

"What's going on?" Li Ang was about to go to the hall to check what was going on when a rough big hand fell on his shoulder.

He turned around suddenly and saw a black police officer squinting at him with a mysterious smile on his lips.

"Excuse me, is this Mr. Leon Smith?"

"Yes, officer, please."

Before Leon could finish his words, the black police officer pulled out his ID and said, "I'm Frank Tenpenny, from the New York City Police Department, number 431."

"We received a report half an hour ago that there were a large amount of contraband in your car. We are inspecting the vehicle you are driving in accordance with the law. You have the right to remain silent now."

"What?" Li Ang wondered if he had heard it wrong.

Taylor, who was standing by, also came over and said, "Officer, are you mistaken?"

Tenpenny shook his head. "The source confirmed it's this Porsche 997, and we've confirmed it."

Li Ang changed his previous cooperative attitude and said, "You have no right to search my personal vehicle without a search warrant."

Tenpenny lowered his head, shook his head and laughed, then pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. "Search warrant? Is that what you're talking about?"

Li Ang was so shocked that he was completely speechless.

Usually, after police officers respond to a street tip, they must first verify the reported information and then decide whether to apply for a search warrant.

This process usually takes at least an hour.

Tenpenny received the tip-off half an hour ago and completed all the procedures during this time.

The police officer next to the Porsche 997 opened the door to search and discovered the situation under the seat just two minutes later.

"Hou Li Crab, look what this is!"

"Boss, take a look!"

A police officer ran over excitedly waving a bag of white powder.

"Now we're in big trouble."

While Tenpenny was checking the package, he immediately took out his phone and called, "Luca, I'm in a little trouble."

(End of this chapter)