Before You Sign a Record Deal: Music Attorney Randy Ojeda Exposes the Truth About the Industry

Youngest in The Yacht Club returns with one of the most in-demand names in the industry — celebrity entertainment lawyer & music attorney Randy Ojeda (@realrandyojeda). With massive buzz around his work advocating for independent artists, Randy breaks down the REAL inner workings of the music business, contract traps, split sheets, distribution, royalties, and how creators can protect their careers from day one.

Whether you’re an artist, producer, manager, or creative entrepreneur…
👉 THIS is the episode you needed.

🎙️ EPISODE SUMMARY

In this 49-minute masterclass, Randy shares how he went from punk-band musician → law school → A&R at Symphonic Distribution → founding his own music law firm dedicated to helping independent artists win.
He exposes predatory contracts, explains why labels get away with shady practices, how to properly secure royalties, when to hire a lawyer, and why split sheets can literally save your career.

Randy also gives real stories from the industry, talks about Tampa’s rising music scene, breaks down name/credit issues on streaming platforms, and offers game-changing advice to new artists trying to navigate the industry without getting screwed.

⏱ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro: Youngest in the Yacht Club welcomes Randy Ojeda
00:18 – Who is Randy Ojeda?
00:37 – Journey from law school to managing artists
01:06 – Pandemic shift & launching his law firm
01:28 – Why most lawyers don’t serve independent artists
01:54 – Founding a music-focused law practice
02:15 – Entertainment law vs. general law
02:38 – Managing artists while in law school
03:23 – Origin story: Growing up in Tampa
03:43 – USF → Chicago → Returning home
04:18 – Why you DON’T need LA/NY to make it
04:39 – Tampa’s rising music scene
05:22 – Doechi’s Grammy speech & Tampa recognition
06:07 – Why Randy became a lawyer
06:34 – Musician background & punk band history
07:11 – Choosing entertainment law
08:19 – Why music law is so specialized
09:16 – The danger of using non-music lawyers
09:36 – How bad contracts trap artists
10:00 – What’s actually “fair” in music deals
10:38 – Why you NEED a music attorney
11:02 – The emotional journey of passing the bar
11:22 – Helping artists protect themselves
11:49 – Contract traps & red flags
12:13 – Work-for-hire dangers
12:53 – Perpetuity clauses explained
13:31 – Why labels prey on uninformed artists
14:09 – “No one will fight harder for you than YOU”
15:03 – Why some lawyers hide information
15:19 – Artists signing deals without reading
16:17 – When creators come to lawyers in crisis
16:54 – ChatGPT vs real legal expertise
17:12 – Real-world issues artists face
17:36 – Stories of fighting for clients
18:17 – Lack of accountability in the industry
18:57 – Distribution payout problems
19:40 – Royalty collection challenges
20:13 – Why artists miss out on money
20:50 – Fraud & under-reporting in the industry
21:09 – Big artists who want to quit
22:16 – Who really makes money in music?
23:06 – The cost of being an independent artist
24:14 – Being offered a record deal after jail
24:39 – How adversity shapes an artist
25:14 – Start of Segment 2
25:45 – Randy’s path: musician → A&R → lawyer
26:50 – How to book a consultation
27:12 – What artists ask Randy during consults
27:28 – Strategy talks & release planning
27:44 – Sharing opportunities & network
28:01 – Why a lawyer is the FIRST person you hire
28:41 – Setting up trademarks, copyrights, structure
29:23 – How Randy vets who he works with
30:16 – What turns him away from certain artists
31:13 – Artists who prove him wrong
31:35 – Randy’s mission: empower independents
32:00 – IG, Discord & reaching him directly
32:45 – Studio culture & community building
33:21 – Why he loves being around creatives
33:42 – Meeting people at concerts
34:16 – Staying genuine in the industry
34:46 – Is the music industry gang related?
35:33 – Fraud & smoke-and-mirrors culture
36:07 – How small towns get exploited
37:09 – Credit issues: the “Tom G” problem
38:10 – Name conflicts on streaming platforms
39:12 – Why Vince switched from “Hunt” to his real name
40:15 – When people misuse your artist name
41:13 – Catalog contamination issues
42:08 – If Randy could speak to his younger self
42:38 – Be outside: the value of real networking
43:20 – Social media vs real life
44:08 – New York music politics
45:15 – Why Randy wants music to be about MUSIC again
45:42 – FREE tip: SPLIT SHEETS!
46:23 – Why split sheets save careers
47:07 – Turning split sheets into real agreements
47:29 – All the ways to contact Randy
47:50 – Office Hours in Discord
48:12 – Flowers for Randy
49:10 – Outro & Subscribe!

📢 FOLLOW RANDY OJEDA

Instagram: @realrandyojeda
Website: RandyOjedaLaw.com
Discord Access Available via DM

🔥 HASHTAGS (YT + Spotify SEO)