Is it realistic to make a living as a northwest rap artist?
- Thread starter Darxiide
- Start date
As mentioned, egos are everywhere... some so bad that some artists dont wanna fuck with others. But dont think that the NW is the only one feeling the bullshit. NW is different bekuz it never got its just due.
The Unity thing can work... and like mentioned, you dont have to be best friends.. but be able to do something together.
This is related, but more on the damu side. I started reaching out to artists to put their songs on youtube. To keep it real, I didnt like hearing lil wayne, as blood, or jim jones..
I got in contact with a few cats and they gave me songs.. that shit got the ball rolling and I started to reach other regions. Most of the people started to refer me to they homies if they wanted a song on youtube or promoted...
But to make it more solid, I went down to compton, watts, san diego, sacramento to meet and interview them. And I got a huge network and people jumping on each other's projects.
I put shaolin with Bigg Tupp and their song is dope. I got at redrum 781 (piru love) to connect with San Diego legends Big June and Black Mikey....
Even though this is on the B side, the whole point was to get people that had a common goal to work with each other to make music... I got a network that reaches over 150 artists.. NW to Texas thru the Midwest, to the NY.
Now, I started with the B side, but I'm trying to incorporate anyone else that I know. Its hard bekuz some of the the street politics is what hinders progress. Some people can over look hood shit.. and some shit is too deep that its an issue. Big Reese Loc is one of those cats that wants to do music and over look the colors shit.... that's the business.
The Unity thing can work... and like mentioned, you dont have to be best friends.. but be able to do something together.
This is related, but more on the damu side. I started reaching out to artists to put their songs on youtube. To keep it real, I didnt like hearing lil wayne, as blood, or jim jones..
I got in contact with a few cats and they gave me songs.. that shit got the ball rolling and I started to reach other regions. Most of the people started to refer me to they homies if they wanted a song on youtube or promoted...
But to make it more solid, I went down to compton, watts, san diego, sacramento to meet and interview them. And I got a huge network and people jumping on each other's projects.
I put shaolin with Bigg Tupp and their song is dope. I got at redrum 781 (piru love) to connect with San Diego legends Big June and Black Mikey....
Even though this is on the B side, the whole point was to get people that had a common goal to work with each other to make music... I got a network that reaches over 150 artists.. NW to Texas thru the Midwest, to the NY.
Now, I started with the B side, but I'm trying to incorporate anyone else that I know. Its hard bekuz some of the the street politics is what hinders progress. Some people can over look hood shit.. and some shit is too deep that its an issue. Big Reese Loc is one of those cats that wants to do music and over look the colors shit.... that's the business.
real speak.. How huge would it be if you were out here in Spokane sellin cds if you had a Certified feature on your album, or if like Da Gu is out in seattle and he's got Neema and Notes on his shit... and then be like, well guess what, I'm doing a show wit these cats tonight too.. Share fans fuckers!
Its what I tell people. Unless you doing shows and come to those regions/towns often.. you're name and cd might not be not reach potential unless you had someone from that region that people listen too.
hot music is hot music.. but again, its marketing and getting people to listen to it. If Shao went to Compton and put his music out there.. it might get passed... but if connects with lets say, young hooite, 6 Mill, Bigg Tupp, Phuj Doose, Keda Ru.. he will definitely get play from their homies/fans.
hot music is hot music.. but again, its marketing and getting people to listen to it. If Shao went to Compton and put his music out there.. it might get passed... but if connects with lets say, young hooite, 6 Mill, Bigg Tupp, Phuj Doose, Keda Ru.. he will definitely get play from their homies/fans.
Muthafuckas need to Press up 1000 Cds..(If you cant afford that and you call yourself a RAPPER...Somethings wrong!) and hit the streets! Someone will ALWAYS Pay 5-10 bucks for a CD thats nicely Packaged and Ready to Sell out the TRUNK.(Plus, they get to Say "WOW! I MET A RAPPER!" NOTE:Make sure you Keep Stressing the Fact that this is "YOU" on the CD Cover and your Sure to get some Sales! If you sell those 1000 hand to hand even at 5 bucks you make 5gs!(OMFG) Put away $2000 press $3000 worth in more CD's and get back to it!(Most pressing plants/CD duplication will bump down the Price on your 2nd time around especially if you double your Order! (WOW, Thats Awesome!) Keep that shit Going like the God damn "ENERGIZER RABBIT" and you should be alright. If you have no Motivation and are a Lazy, snack eating, White around the Mouth, Beer Drinking, Eighth A Day of PRETENDO Smokin,TRICKIN your DICK OFF with Hood Skanks that Compare your Flow to LIL WAYNE, Sorry Excuse for a Rapper Thinkin the "INTRAWEB" Is gonna Make me Go Platinum I dont wanna Leave My Porch ass Muthafucka..... then this dont apply to you.
REMEMBER.....all them O'l school BAY AREA Pioneers that Sold out the TRUNK,At PARTIES PICNICS,BARMITZVAS AND YOUR LOCAL CORNER STORE Didnt have The "INTRAWEB"........and look where they are Now. Get Off your Lazy asses and Leave that Cracked "2 Sidewalks" you Call your HOOD and make a Name For yourself!!!!!!
Good Luck...
REMEMBER.....all them O'l school BAY AREA Pioneers that Sold out the TRUNK,At PARTIES PICNICS,BARMITZVAS AND YOUR LOCAL CORNER STORE Didnt have The "INTRAWEB"........and look where they are Now. Get Off your Lazy asses and Leave that Cracked "2 Sidewalks" you Call your HOOD and make a Name For yourself!!!!!!
Good Luck...
Thats wat im sayin!
@ Dstruction, i've had plenty of our fans who never heard of Neema or Notes(or any other NW artists to be honest) cause our city/town had yet to hit wit the local music scene like that. But after hearin our tracks wit Neema n Notes, they've started to learn of some of the NW artists that are talented. We have put on shows to bring out Sonny Bonoho, Neema, Blymm, Turf Grindaz n Cool Nutz so their music could be spread to a part of the region where they probably hadn't touched before and let the city know of who they are.
I really do believe that if we help each other/work with each other, so much more can b accomplished.
@ Dstruction, i've had plenty of our fans who never heard of Neema or Notes(or any other NW artists to be honest) cause our city/town had yet to hit wit the local music scene like that. But after hearin our tracks wit Neema n Notes, they've started to learn of some of the NW artists that are talented. We have put on shows to bring out Sonny Bonoho, Neema, Blymm, Turf Grindaz n Cool Nutz so their music could be spread to a part of the region where they probably hadn't touched before and let the city know of who they are.
I really do believe that if we help each other/work with each other, so much more can b accomplished.
if your ultimate goal is to make money I would ask why are you making music in the first place? There are careers that are way easier to get into with 401k and health insurance ect that you can make a lot more money in than a lot of people who make music are. This music should be a part of you the money should be second but if you want to sell it keep in mind who you want to buy it.
This is a pretty easy question to answer.
You just have to look at it like any other biz. You make widgets (CD's) and you need to get the widgets into the hands of the people who need them. You need to invest in a quality product (this means getting out of your home studio unless your home studio is D-Sanes.....lol) Invest in some REAL production because it takes more then a beatmaker and a rapper to put together a solid record and you need to get out and market yourself and do shows and network. If you arent putting in a solid 60-80 hours a week on marketing and networking alone then you might as well just quit now or be comfortable with the fact that you are a hobbiest.
Making music is easy. Its what you do with it that takes hustle.
You just have to look at it like any other biz. You make widgets (CD's) and you need to get the widgets into the hands of the people who need them. You need to invest in a quality product (this means getting out of your home studio unless your home studio is D-Sanes.....lol) Invest in some REAL production because it takes more then a beatmaker and a rapper to put together a solid record and you need to get out and market yourself and do shows and network. If you arent putting in a solid 60-80 hours a week on marketing and networking alone then you might as well just quit now or be comfortable with the fact that you are a hobbiest.
Making music is easy. Its what you do with it that takes hustle.
60 to 80 hours a week is a bit extreme imo. But you do want to be out there grinding like it is a full time job. I personally still think cds are really a dying medium and an old business medium. I also feel that especially in the NW that so many people are spending so much more time on the computer doing myspace, twitter, facebook and things like that it would be crazy to think that you can really spend that kind of time in the streets and hit a real fan base. Use technology to your advantage. You can really touch a lot of people on twitter and ustream when used properly
DON'T NEGLECT THE STREETS.. YOU SAID SOMETHING IN THIS POST(SO MANY NORTHWEST ARTIST ARE ON THE INTERNET) YOU HAVE TO WORK ALL HI TECH ANGLES BUT YOU CAN NOT NEGLECT THE STREETS. PEOPLE STILL BUY CDS THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T USE THE INTERNET LIKE THAT AND THERES A LOT THAT DO.. WHAT A ARTIST HAS TO DO IS GRAB BOTH. AND YOUR GOING TO HAVE TO START IN THE STREETS TO DO IT.. FROM PUSHING CDS TO DOING SHOWS OR HANDING OUT FLYERS TELLING PEOPLE TO CHECK OUT YOUR SHIT.
With this internet talk, you can easily get applications for myspace, facebook n twitter on a smart phone so if an artist got the funds and is about his networkin game, he can b in the streets grindin cds AND still be networkin on the net thru his phone....nowadays everybody got the net on their cells. USE IT
YEAH PEOPLE STILL BUY CDS.. JUST CAUSE THEY SHUT DOWN ALL THE RECORD STORES DON'T MEAN CARS DON'T COME WITH CD PLAYERS ANYMORE LOL. REAL TALK OR ELSE YOU HAVE A COO 10,000-20,000 TO DUMP INTO INTERNET PROMOTION FROM PAYING THESE POPULAR BLOGS TO PROMOTE YOUR NEW MUSIC.. AND TO GET THE BANNERS AND THE FRONT PAGE OF MYSPACE. THE INTERNET SHOULD BE THE LAST THING ON YOUR MIND OF CONQUERING THATS IF YOU PLAN ON MAKING A LIVING OF MUSIC. DON'T GET ME WRONG YOU HAVE TO FUCK WITH IT BUT DON'T SPEND ALL YOUR TIME ON IT. THAT STREET GRIND STILL WORKS TRUST ME. IT JUST TAKES A DEDICATED CAT TO GET OUT THERE AND MAKE IT WORK...