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Black Sheep Had No Choice in 'The Choice Is Yours' Kia Ad

Posted Jul 1st 2010 3:30PM by Nia Beckwith
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It's very evident that hip-hop has become a staple in the advertising sector of Corporate America. And while most artists are aware that their music is being used to promote different products, one rapper says he had no idea his music was selected for an advertising campaign for Korean automaker Kia.

In a Vibe interview, rapper Dres -- the lone member from the group Black Sheep -- says Universal Records never reached out to him to get permission for use of the hit song 'The Choice Is Yours.' Despite not having anything to do with the decision, Dres isn't letting things fall by the waist sides. He still plans to collect what's owed to him.

"I wasn't even contacted," he told Vibe. "I have yet to receive payment on it but don't get it twisted, I will. I've been talking to Kia for the past week or two so certain things might be done moving forward in maximizing what we're trying to do. But Universal, the record label, was basically the ones that signed off on it and gave [Kia Motors] permission to use my likeness so that's a different story that might wind up having a life of itself as well."

"I wouldn't say that the label did everything that they were supposed to do but that goes to us being young artists and not understanding some of the things that we were singing. I would say to the artists today and this is 20 years later, that I'm not the administrator of some of the things that I should be especially so far down the road. But God moves in mysterious ways and I see it as a blessing at the end of the day."

In related news, Dres new album 'The Black Pool of Genius' was released this week.