Sometimes your dreams begin with such promise. And then you’re asked to compromise your artistic integrity. Do you deal with the devil? Or do you walk away?

Imani Coppola grew up in a family full of musicians. They didn’t have much, but they all shared the same passion. Imani played the violin and wrote songs, and during college in the mid-90’s she recorded a few demos which made their way into the hands of a major producer; which led to recording fancier demos with him producing and jazz-rap group Digable Planets backing her; which led to a major label bidding war that Columbia Records eventually won.

During the recording of her debut album, Imani played the majority of the instruments, but a few songs did feature samples, as was the fashion of the time. Coppola wrote one of those songs — later built on a sample from Donovan’s “Sunshine Superman” — based on things overheard around her dorm, the language of the young and lusty. Released as a single in the summer of 1997, “Legend Of A Cowgirl” bucked its way just inside the Top 40 both in the US and the UK.

For the follow-up single, Columbia Records chose a track with a sample from The Doors but the song couldn’t build on the earlier success, and during the recording of her second album, Coppola and Columbia found themselves at loggerheads when she decided to eschew samples altogether while the label insisted she add more. Coppola stood her ground and refused to compromise her art. As a result, Columbia shelved her sophomore album and dropped her from the label.

But she stayed in the business, older and wiser, on a smaller level but doing it her way. Yippee-ki-yay!

So pack your bags and mount your horse — ride on into the next town … with Imani Coppola.