This cat speaks the truth on the music industry from a producer's point of view. He wrote a whole entry on what he calls "The Free Music Generation". Some choice excerpts:
The general strategy in the minds of those “on the grind” is this: I’m going to talk everyone into doing free things for me. Then I’m going to press up a product (CD, DVD, whatever else you can think of), promote the hell out of myself, and then I’m going to walk into a major label and they’re going to fork over a few million dollars for me to record my project.
The problem is that major labels, while they still have some value, have seen their relevance and their ability to just pour out money to artists with a “buzz” dwindle in recent years. There isn’t just some big pile of money waiting to be handed over anymore. This isn’t the 90s. Dudes need to be realistic. Buzz does not equal record sales.
The message:
Everyone’s got a company these days, but nobody wants to do business. Everyone’s an executive, but can’t execute even the simplest thing. And it’s because they think there’s some big bag of money that’s gonna fall out of the sky once they put out enough mixtapes, go to enough industry parties, kiss as many A&R asses as possible, and get on as many street DVDs with guns as they can before they get locked by the local cops (not the hip-hop cops, they’re not that important).
What do you guys think? We're all about supporting independent artists, especially on MySpace Mondays but I agree that there's a lot of presumption on the part of the MC or the promoter that "grinding" online will get them a deal.
Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Speak the Truth. Man, this cat comes correct on the current situation of the music bizness. The most troubling aspect of this article is that no one will heed his message and continue to fall into the pitfalls of the industry. One can only have hope for the future.
ReplyDeleteSo peace to the nation, the people that represent, and those cats that never bug out to the extreme
Yo, If word is bond
then Q is gone
Look at Run's kid with his "group".
ReplyDeleteDude thought the exact same thing and ran up in an indie label and got smacked by reality.
All good points, guys. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Aaron! Sorry I had to bump it down, but you understand. Kind of a big day and I'm doing my best to sway friends and readers to think. ;-D
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i didnt read the article, but to me it's old news and does not only apply to those online... it applies to any idiot in MOST situations
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and about runs kid, he actually is gonna make more money than some dumb ass that wants fame over money... and to sign with a major... signing with a major If it happens which are lottery odds... is like at most 12 percentage points on each cd/record sold.. thats at MOST peanuts.... thousands of artists on majors and only a few with longevity or platinum longevity...
ReplyDeletego to an indie label or start your own and you get up to 50 % sometimes more so you can sell WAY less records AND STILL MAKE more money with out EVER compromising YOUR music ...
the best thing is to do(perform) shows, go on tours(if your good enough people will WANT you on "THEIR" tours.. sell self produced c.d's and go from there... simple it so it seems
and no matter what, don't let some label OWN your masters..(accapellas)
I will and do agree with everything the producer says. I will say this as an up and comer in this hip hop "game" I make it my personal motto to never expect freebies.
ReplyDeleteGrinding online however could and can get you something..maybe not a major record label deal but enough buzz to draw attention from ppl who care and matter. Of course there's no one true and tried formula for success in hip hop..everyone came up/comes up differently. Some ppl have blown off word of mouth, others off youtube..but the universal thing we can agree is hard work aka 'grind' = success.
That theory hasn't failed and doubtless ever will. You get what you put in. For some of us doing this thing, we aren't really making "money" off it to the point we can actually sustain a living, hence some of the extras we need to do in order to get out there more..which is why I'm thankful to God for the internet, myspace, blogs, facebook you name it. How else would someone in my position without the backing of the interscope or def jam machine be able to generate interest outside my locality?
Yes Buzz doesn't equal record sales, heck nothing really equals record sales anymore. A hit single can't guarantee you that, a sure fire a-list of producers can't, nothing really save in my opinion God's favor..
with some cats that have blown up now, it was hit-or-miss, rap or bust, make it in music or hustle..which is why some put their ENTIRE ALL into it. Though sometimes even that comes through with mixed results, but that's why we love music
Neo: I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with internet "hustle", I'm saying just don't expect stuff to happen immediately.
ReplyDeleteThere's no one way.
if you dont know or understand hip hop stay in your place. hip hop is a cultture and a way of living. and thats what going on in the new hip hop home on the net
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