Taio Cruz Riding A Bike
Taio Cruz is urging fans not to download music illegally from the internet - because the practice means he has to work even harder to make a living.
The Break Your Heart hitmaker, who is currently topping the U.K. singles chart with his new song Dynamite, is convinced illicit file-sharing is harming his career - and as a result he has had to develop other ventures to earn his cash.
He tells Britain's Daily Star newspaper, "I understand why a kid wouldn't necessarily understand why it's important not to download illegally. Back in the day when artists were selling hundreds of millions you could only get records from the shops. Now you can surf and pick up tunes for free.
"It means artists like myself have to diversify to make a living. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm doing the Richard Branson thing by calling everything I produce after my brand, Rokstarr. Russell Simmons did it with Phat Farm, Jay-Z with Rocawear.
"I have the Rokstarr fragrance and the sunglasses. I'm going to expand it with a whole range of products. I have some secret ones too. I love drawing and designing. That's what I'd do if music went away."
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