Wendy Day on Ownership, Leverage & Building Empires

This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with Wendy Day — a legendary music industry advocate, dealmaker, and founder of the Rap Coalition who helped shape the blueprint for independent success in hip-hop. From pulling artists out of bad contracts to helping structure groundbreaking deals for Cash Money, No Limit, and more, Wendy has spent decades fighting for artist ownership, leverage, and long-term wealth. In this conversation, Wendy shares the real stories behind some of the culture’s most pivotal deals, how she built leverage for artists before labels came calling, and why her mission was never about money — but empowerment. She breaks down the evolution of the music business, the shift from physical to streaming, and why today’s artists may not need labels at all. This is Mixed and Mastered with Wendy Day. Mixed and Mastered is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. Join the conversation on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+