Thoughts about music videos......

[Mr. D-Sane]

Do ya'll think it's necessary to have a video? And what do ya'll think of the low budget videos they show on BET Uncut everynight?

Personally I think they're over rated most of the time. I think they can be very useful......but it's almost like if you don't have the right budget and the ability to get it onto MTV (or a real video show)....then what's the point? If you can't get into the homes of your target audience at the right times....doesn't it seem kinda pointless?

And why are they all the same now? Cars....girls.....houses.....pools.....the same old redundant shit. What happend to the days of the video being a mini movie? With some well thought out scenes and some real action that actually has something to do with the song.

Speak on it.

 

[danadane215]

I always watch and listen to BET uncut when I'm on the computer or out in the Garage, I might hear some good NEW shit. That is what late night videos are for, new artists just trying to get their name out.
I think a video is a good idea, it's just another medium for you to expose yourself to the people. I remember seeing T-MACNs' video that was never released for young tenders. It wasn't a "high" budget video but the BET Uncut, MTV2, and all the public access stations would have ate it up.
What song from what artist would you do (if you've even thoought about it)?
Can Me and the Oldsmobile be in the video(if there is one)?
You ever seen that Joker the Bailbondsman video on Uncut. They had one fat bitch is a tub and about 37 1/2 blunts, and alot of fuckin' snow. Please don't make the video look like that.

Do a video

 

[MilesAaron]

i'll tell it like this im a music video producer from seattle and im currently workin with many different labels up and down the west coast when it comes to writing storyboards i always try and stray away from the typical videos that u see everyday and instead come up with videos that are more thoughtful and really go with the song well. Videos with all the bling bling and cars are boring to me now because they are all the same. U can see a preview of a documentary im currently working on for young krime and felony entertainment at my website www.mientertainment.net undr the videos section.
-M.I.

 

[Rubiqkz]

That one song is horrible. Dolly or somethin. "Girl got a chest like Dolly Dolly...Dollyyyyyyyyy" Good video tho

 

[Purebred Hogg]

Dont make em...unless they air on MTV...low budget videos,in my eyes,are a waste of time and money.

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

i like videos with a point, i like videos that actually have to do with what the song is about, and flashy videos are alright as long as they arent too flashy, i think they definetly helped, but hell look at nwa, they did all their early sales without that and airplay.

 

[mo-x]

Do not make a video. You said it yourself.... what's the point of making and paying for a video to get on BET's Uncut if it's not going to be played for your target audience? There isn't any... Yes it's cool as hell to have your own video but the only upside to having one on Uncut is the-getting-pussy-factor-because-you-told-some-strippers-your-video-was-going-to-be-on-TV. The reality of the situation is that our target audience isn't even awake during the shows hours 10 months out of the year, and probably doesn't know the show exists, or even watches BET like we do. If you can't come up with a proper amount of money to have a video on MTV during the daytime where your viewers are watching, then the effort put forth is futile. Videos are just another form of free music. I can tell you right now people don't buy the music based off of the video unless the song is REALLY GOOD... THE ARTIST HAS MAJOR SEX APPEAL (we all know who really buys the music don't we?)... OR... the artist is being hyped up by everybody on MTV/BET. If a VJ isn't constantly telling us how tight someone is and how dope there new album is going to be then the masses don't really take notice. When 50c hit it took a good couple months before people thought he was tight. When EM & Dre were hyping him that drove people to Kazaa to download his music and until they heard his shit the promises and hopes of hype were just that. 50c was hyped like a motherfucker and delivered a dope album. So what I'm saying is even if you are hyped that doesn't guarantee you're going to sell on a major level. Take Fat Joe, he had like 3 videos for his "Jelous Ones Still Envy" album, and he went how many times platinum last time I heard? 1x platinum... YAY. Would 1x platinum put SLR on the map, SURELY. But if the artist didn't take, it might just kill the label all together from debt. With all that rambling aside, I guess my main concern/point would be this: If you're going to do a video, you better make sure you have the money to properly promote it and go balls to the wall.

 

[TONY206]

i agree^^^^



what about radio play?


and D what happened bout that radio show you were gonna have?

 

[mo-x]

...and another thing... Haven't you all noticed that Hip Hop is dying? Every 3-6 years there is a major switch up with the genre of music that the youth listens to. It's beginning now already and the only way to stop it is to infuse the market with original, talented, sexy artists that the youth can relate to... and I'm not entirely sure that would stop it. I think it's just the natural order of things. Rock/Alternative could be king soon, and once that music stagnates the next genre to offer original material will be next until it stagnates. Right now the videos they're pushing on MTV for alternative music are all about the same shit. They're not ready to be king because they're already stagnating. Gangsta rap hit the scene BIG TIME then Alternative took over for a few years, then Hip Hop has dominated since then and now it just might be there turn again. All we can do is try our hardest to be the ones when it's our genres turn next.

...Tony asked a good question too... What about Radio? I been struggling with that one for a minute now. The only way I see success is if someone can get there songs played all across the country. Then you're forcing people to take notice of who you are and what you're about. If someone blows up on Kube, with the right sense, they can sell 5,000 or more records just off that promotion. But with D-Sane's sense... and I got faith in you bro... you could sell a shitload more records than that if you can push all your aritsts singles all at the same time and force people locally to take notice of Street Level Records. Ya dig?

 

[Notes]

Lemme just point out that Stagga Lee's video first aired on BET Uncut and now he's getting radio play across the country, which is usually followed by a tour, which is where the money is. I haven't seen it on MTV and I don't know if his album has even dropped yet but I think that video worked for him. On the other hand, most of the video's don't make it past BET Uncut. From my understanding, anyone with $30,000 can make a video and get it aired on BET Uncut. I agree with what Mo-X said. As far as indi lable's with a limited amount of money, it's either hit or miss. But if you want to take it to the next level you have to take risks.

 

[mo-x]

I agree with what you said about Stagga Lee and he might just blow even bigger soon. We've all seen his face in the magazines. Kube has his "Rollin wit MVP" (lalala) song in regular rotation, so we've all heard his music... he just needs to follow up with another dope single, get some promotion on MTV and he'll blow. I think doods tight.

But if you want to take it to the next level you have to take risks.

I also agree with your statement above... I think if labels want to take it to the next level they have to take risks, that's for sure like death and taxes. I have major faith in D-Sane's ability to take it to the next level. I have more faith in D-Sane then I do in Jesus at this particular moment in time and it shouldn't be like that... LOL

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

well thats why i make the music that i want instead of the music people want to hear, cuz if you are in the game trying to be the flavor of the month then once that flavor is up and the game switches like mo said, then you are stuck in limbo and you will probably not be too happy cuz you will realize that you were just doing something that aint important to anyone anymore and the chances are it wont be important to you anymore cuz people who are flavor of the month type cats will just tranfer to whatever is cool....but if you do what you want then it dont really matter its what you wanna do and you dont give a shit what others think,
oh yea im also riding on spinners....lol

 

[mo-x]

^ this is a little off topic, but the ultimate goal of a video is to blow up... so like you said... do the music you wanna do. i think most rappers think they have to have a "commercial sound" but then they can't even describe the sound that they're talking about. most of 'em think the commercial sound is from high quality equipment, or beats that sound similar... artists should do what works for them. they don't have to fit a particular mold. if they're marketable and there music doesn't suck, all they have to do is hook up with the right producer who can package them correctly and they'll blow. artists need to understand that the majority of the time, people don't even really listen to there music. I mean really LISTEN... who besides US soaks up each others material? the masses don't... they vibe to the beats and remember a few catch phrases here and there and they recognize a good song when they hear one just like we all recognize a good singer when we hear one because she makes our hair stand up or our spine tingle... but commercial success isn't about the music. to get to that level, you gotta have a flow and delivery that's hella tight, your lyrics can lack, but only if your beats are on fire. that's just life, it's all about packaging. if people knew that rappers had hearts would they listen to 'em rap about gangster shit? that's one of the reasons why fifty is on top right now. because he has that image of a thug, but he also has a sweet side that the ladies can vibe with as well.

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

very true, i find it sometimes that when i make a beat or a song i just dont like it, and when i sit and think about it i realize that the reason i dont like it is cuz its not me, and whats even more funny is that is usually the track or the song that people are feeling the most, i respect anyone in the game that is doing their thing, cuz regardless if you are the flavor of the month or you are strange and unorthodox like me or whether you are just solid at what you do its all about the music, and to me music is a very powerful thing, and you are right mo, if you know what the recipe to what the club kids wanna shake their ass too then you pretty much have the best chance to blow up, but at the same time i am a firm believer that the beatmaker and the producer are the ones that really make the hits, look at it this way, how poppin would clubs be if all they played were just accapellas of rappers rapping? but yea people love a bad guy with a sweet side.....
im still ridin spinners....
ps thats another thing, 3-6, i love them dudes and i been bumpin them for years, but they just got their highest debut to date, could it be that they ride spinners? probably not, i think its cuz that single sounds like 100 others on the radio and tv and in the club. as far as a video goes.....image is everything

 

[mo-x]

i feel you 206% bane!

 

[BANETHEMERCILES]

i thought you would mighty mo-x

 

[Lil Mickey]

how much yall think it costs to get a video up on bet uncut or to do an mtv caliber video? and u thought about trying to get airplay on sirius or xm radio now that shit is coming up and nationwide?

 

[MilesAaron]

i think musci video are key to exposing artists whether it is on a dvd u release it with ur cd or it is on bet uncut because it shows people what u look like and it helps them to understand ur music better

 

[mo-x]

^ key to exposing COMMERCIAL artists... videos on BET's Uncut do nothing for the artist except expose them to a very small audience IMO.

 

[BAMMER]

Total waste of money.You have to be a total idiot to spend what little project money a company has on a video.I think running commercials on KUBE would be a way better way of spending money on promotion.BET is wack,let's be real about this shit...and ain't nobody gettin play on Mtv w/o knowing a higher power within their establishment.Until a lable can spend 50 grand on a somewhat legit video without feeling a financial hit,it's idiotic.I would rather paint the city with posters,and vehicle wraps,and street promotions,than waste money on a video that is never played.Control your own city,then move on.