In 2023, selling pure albums and singles seems to be a very controversial topic. Lloyd Banks openly retired from music a few years ago, to which his fans pleaded with him to return. Now that he's back, the music community is debating whether or not his next mixtape should be sold for $100.

This conversation has even made it to the music production community with music producer, rapper, and content creator Curtiss King electing to remove his music from streaming platforms with the intentions of selling his new album exclusively through a platform called EVEN. This decision has brought much scrutiny in his direction, even causing fellow music producer and educator Busy Works Beats to refer to him as a scammer.

In episode 8 of the Pen Game Elite Podcast, host J Nolan will break down how opposing ideologies are causing the greater music community to become more disjointed than ever. DIY music creators are at a crossroads, being forced to choose between taking steps to monetize their music and build an equitable business plan for their careers, or focus on producing vanity metrics in hopes that it will one day yield financial gains.