Free HipHop Music Day: Oddisee [Diamond District] Odd Winter
January 26th, 2010Don’t Steal My Shit? Pt 5 of 5
January 26th, 2010
This is part 5 of another 5-part series. Which means it’s going to be the rousing conclusion. What else is left to say? That the end goal, beyond creative expression of artistic rap music… is money.
Hip-hop and profit go together. Scarface could have been talking about this industry when he laid out the progression from money, to power, to women. And while I always encourage my readers to focus on the music above all, it’s the money that provides the end motivation.
And really, that’s what the end goal of letting people steal your logo and content is. It’s a specific strategy to help you build your exposure, and boost your bottom-line. You have to give up a few pennies now, to make a ton of dollars later.
It’s a strategy that counts on karma, and the eventual benefit of increased exposure. Getting famous, then getting rich later as a result.
Of course, protect something that you’ve made if it’s great. Don’t be a sucker for the talentless leeches just trying to make a buck off other people’s creativity.
But I encourage you to let people steal your stuff. Contribute to the community, and have faith it’ll come back to you later in turn.
Give some stuff away. Feel good. Then get yours.
It’s a simple equation.
Digitized Beauty of the Week: Ms. Jahni
January 24th, 2010
Don’t Steal My Shit? Pt 4 of 5
January 19th, 2010
While exposure, as covered in part 3, is the main benefit to letting people steal your logo and content, it’s not the only one. What else is there? Contributing to the open-source community.
There’s no doubt that the Internet is changing the music industry. No longer is music being made by solitary artists is far-and-away studios… and no longer is it being sold one piece at a time to solitary consumers.
Music is being pushed out to communities, who weed out, change, and push through what they like. Approval and success comes directly from people. Not from some suit high up in a recording office.
And if your success depends on your community, why wouldn’t you focus your efforts on this community? I don’t see any reason why not.
Letting people steal your logo and content is an easy way to integrate into the groups of people you want to reach. You can contribute to listeners, and other artists… putting out your creativity into the collective intellect.
Best of all, by putting effort out into the ether, you receive effort back. Other people add and contribute back to your content, either improving your work themselves, or giving you ideas to do it.
Your shit improves… and you get better as a result. By letting other people steal your stuff, everyone wins. And down the road, everyone gets more rich.
7Q’s with Charles “CZA” Sweet(HipHop industry expert/Columnist/Author/MC/Producer)
January 13th, 2010
(Q) Whats good CZA? It is a true pleasure to do this interview with you, can you please tell the DH readers about yourself?
(A) Thanks for having me. To put it as imply and as plainly as I can, I’m nothing more than a cat from the curb who talks about how I see the world. Some good, some bad but all about coming up from whatever hardship you face on a daily basis. Bio-wise, I started out as a writer for magazines and blogs such as The Source, Basic and Ballerstatus.com doing articles and columns before I made the jump into motivational speaking, writing and blogging. I have a syndicated column called “Mogul Motivation” you can catch on the net as well as a radio segment called “Mogul Moment” on The Carey Sisters show airing in Las Vegas every last week of the month.
(Q) You know CZA certain words can be intermediating or cause confusion such as the word CEO. My questions is what does the word CEO mean to you and how can people harness the power of that word?
(A) CEO is an acronym I came up with to mean something different than what most think it does. While you can be a Chief Executive Officer, you don’t have to be in a corporate setting in order to do you the best way you know how. To me, a CEO stands for someone who can Create Every Opportunity they get and Conquer Every Obstacle that stands in their way. By realizing and living these two philosophies, you’ll grind harder than you’ve ever grinded before and get the kind of results you’re looking for in whatever you do.
(Q) With DH I talk alot about personal branding especially for artist or MC’s but how can personal branding help somebody that is looking to get a promotion in a job or really stepping their game up by starting a business?
(A) Being an up and coming MC is no different than entering the corporate world; you don’t have a lot of means at your disposal initially and you have very little experience to draw off of initially. That’s when your creativity comes in and when you should focus on building a presence for yourself through everything from your clothing options to elements of your resume. Whether it is on the block or in the boardroom, you should create your persona, your personal brand, by incorporating who you are into your environment and use the skills and tools available to you. While I would never advise anyone to stay in someone else’s corporate setting, the skills you learn at your 9-5 can translate into you jumpstarting your own enterprise.
(Q) It is quite obvious that the Recession is probably not going to stop anytime soon my questions is what is ROHI and what are some things that people should focus on to increase their ROHI?
(A) As I mentioned in my free ebook over at 10Facets.com, ROHI stands for Return On Hustle Investment and is based off the financial term ROI or Return On Investment. Underneath it all, the game is you get out exactly what you put in. If you lack integrity and play people to the left, you’re not going to get anywhere because karma will come back in the form of angry people blackballing you or worse. To get the most out of your ROHI you have to evaluate the hustle you’re interested in versus how you’re built. Not everyone can do everything as well as everyone else and why would you want to be mediocre at something when you could be great at something else? Knowing this will speed up your rise because there’s no wasted effort!
Another tip to improve your ROHI is not committing to a project, person or idea until you’re ready to. How many times have you come across someone who floats from one thing to another, starting up with enthusiasm only to stop mid-stride and go another direction? Plan it, execute it, move on.
Finally, a great way to get your ROHI up is to not look at failures as failures but as a chance to up your knowledge. Don’t let it bum you that your deal didn’t go through or Dr. Dre wasn’t feeling your demo tape–if possible, ask for criticism and apply it to your hustle next time. At the very least you learned something you didn’t know before.
(Q) In my last couple of interviews I have been asking this question a lot, how do you see Hiphop in the next 10 years?
(A) I think in the next ten years we’ll see more and more artists taking control of their music, image and business opportunities, creating more Diddys and 50 Cents. The day when you had to beg a label to sign you is well past dead; the artists been knew it, the labels themselves are beginning to catch on and the fans are respecting the movement. I couldn’t be happier that the middle man is being cut out–these mega conglomerates have been raping the culture since the onset and soon there’ll be a better distribution model with the music and fans in mind that’ll completely do away with the old school play-for-hire trap. We all see through the 360 deals for what they are and enough is enough.
(Q) I can’t wait for your “upcoming book and album”, can you please DH readers about it and what it expect?
(A) You can expect good, quality reading and even better music all about grinding, getting your mind correct and staying positive. I’m not on that corny Schoolhouse Rock, either, I can’t do anything but speak the real so be prepared. There’s a joint on there for every type of hustler and even some cuts to play with your lady. The book is deep too, chopping up the essentials of how a successful CEO thinks from ground zero. I’m talking about everything from creating your brand to the psychology of the hustler to how to get the most out of networking opportunities from a street corner perspective. OGs on the block can relate to this. Presidents in the biggest corporations in the world can key in on the game I’m dropping. Even your mom can use the book to go further because of how approachable and applicable it is to every day life.
(Q) What do you think the biggest mistake young entrepreneurs do when starting off?
(A) The biggest mistake I see a lot of young entrepreneurs making is they talk too much. They feel like by telling the world what they will do before they do it will make them look more accomplished than they really are. building a buzz is one thing but hitting up cats when you’re not prepared tarnishes your reputation and can make it harder for them to believe you when you’re actually ready to go. Don’t broadcast every single thing you do on the net–it’s too easy for people to search you now and use any negative aspect against you. Work first, acclaim second.
You can also find CZA@
Facebook.com/czatheceo
Myspace.com/czatheceo
Don’t Steal My Shit? Pt 3 of 5
January 12th, 2010
Alright. Since we covered the counter-argument in part 2, let’s get to the fun part. Let’s now cover what we came here to talk about…. the benefits of letting people steal your logo and content to spread your brand.
The first benefit of letting people steal your stuff is that you get more exposure. It’s a pretty simple concept. As the example in this post goes, imagine you have an ad on a car. You can drive it around yourself for a little while, and some people will see it. You do all the maintenance, get a little exposure.
Now imagine you open the car up to your whole community. Other people get to drive it around… and have the opportunity to add and maintain the car and advertising. Imagine how many more people know about your ad, whether through seeing it on the road (it’s out there nearly 24/7), or hearing about it through the other people who get to drive.
Your logo and content are naturally a little different than an ad on a car… but it’s the same concept. Instead of holding everything close to the vest, you open up your stuff to the community, and tons more people know about you.
Your logo will be spread everywhere, by everybody. And while you may lose a few pennies here and there while other people profit from your work… the dollars you make from the increased exposure makes it beneficial in the end.
It’s not necessarily win-win. But at the end of the day, when you’re rich… you’ll know you’ve won.
Free HipHop Music Day:Eric B. & Rakim “Paid In Full (Rarities Edition)”
January 10th, 2010Free HipHop Music Day:Reason’s “The Cool Graduate”
January 6th, 2010
7Q’s with Tolu Olorunda(Columnist/Cultural Critic)
January 6th, 2010
(Q) Hi Tolu, I enjoy your articles on AllHipHop.com and it is a pleasure to do this interview with you. Can you please tell the DH readers about yourself?
(A) I appreciate that very kindly, Shawn. I write a weekly column for All Hip Hop (every Monday) as well as other sites like TheDailyVoice.com and BlackCommentator.com. My work is primarily centered on culture and the ways in which a society makes meaning of the many factors it consists of—music, education, sports, politics, entertainment, and so forth.
(Q) You have some very insightful articles about Hip-Hop. What do you think the current state of Hip-Hop is; not only in the U.S., but globally, specifically regarding Africa?
(A) Good question. I caution people not to adapt their same views of North American Hip-Hop when assessing the global framework. (1) Because different contexts produce different results. (2) Because the artists are not all the same and, from history, all attempts to address Hip-Hop artists, of all stripes, as a monolithic entity have always proved worthless—there’s just too much diversity involved. (3) Because the sociological factors are much different from each other and are bound to account for radically dissimilar causes and effects.
In North America, we have a dominant media obsessed with commercial junk and disposable records. The same, however, cannot be said of Europe or Africa—or even of Canada!
Earlier this year, I wrote a piece on the emergence of Hip-Hop made in Africa and what it means for the future of the culture (“African Artists: Stormin’ Into The Hip-Hop World,”30 July 2009, All Hip Hop). From many of the comments and responses, it appeared fans in the U.S. are too stuck on parochialism and provincialism in their conception of Hip-Hop.
I think on a global scale Hip-Hop is doing much better than what folks in the U.S. are exposed to; but the Hip-Hop community is one body, so we all suffer, internationally, when any sector fails to live up to its promises.
(Q) What are your feelings on making music totally free online to music fans especially regarding the current state of the record business?
(A) I think it’s inevitable. Artists would have to come to terms with this, on their own terms, sooner or later. It’s simple: Fans have stopped buying records. Sure, every now and then, a Raekwon, or Jadakiss, or Busta Rhymes defies conventional wisdom with great opening weeks sales, but, by-and-large, most fans aren’t interested anymore in paying $10 for something they can get for free. A study was conducted by the University of Reading a few weeks back, in which 10,000 students were interviewed on the issue of music downloading. A stunning 75% announced they preferred to download music rather than buy it or even stream it. That says plenty enough. So, the smart artists would begin looking into various avenues through which adequate revenue can be made even if CD or mixtape sales are longer part of the picture. But I don’t think it should be the labels making these decisions. I think artists deserve that opportunity.
(Q) You know, Tolu, you could say a lot of people that were raised on Hip-Hop, especially during the 90’s, have lost a lot of faith in the current state of Hip-Hop. Can you offer some suggestions to people that want to improve the current state of Hip-Hop—especially in quality of music?
(A) I think more fans should start boycotting the mainstream outlets that insist on promoting misogynistic, hedonistic, and materialistic values to young people. It’s that simple. Just a few days ago, HOT97’s DJ Enuff was questioning colleagues why Jay Electronica’s smash single, “Evidence C,” arguably the hardest-hitting record of the year, wasn’t being circulated more on mainstream radio. He wrote on his blog: “Why is it not spinning on the radio? At least during my time slot? Is it because there’s no dance tied to it?” To his credit, Enuff ended up selecting it as the “Heavy Hitter pick of the week.”
I also think fans should demand more of their artists. No more should fans function as Yes Men for artists. When the music is creative and complex, they ought to be rewarded. When it isn’t, they should feel the pinch from fans.
Most importantly, fans need to rethink a lot of the values we currently work with. Most of us have very warped perceptions of artists—as deities and demiurges, or as irredeemable savages—and I think it’s about time we start seeing artists as legitimately flawed human beings not so different from us.
(Q) Hip-Hop is truly everywhere. As a cultural critic, what are some things you would improve on to make it better?
(A) I would put more power in the hands of the consumers and performers—that way the middlemen would be cut off, and Hip-Hop artists wouldn’t have to worry so much about side-hustles to keep the lights on. When an artist has to engage in 20 other business deals just to maintain a lifestyle, the music takes a considerable hit. And this is why once giant labels are currently crippled and collapsing.
(Q) Tolu, I definitely see the death of the record label, but what do you think should replace the record label, and can you give some advice to artists who do not want to go the record label route?
(A) I think the labels will be replaced by what a former major label marketing department executive once described to me as “Music/Entertainment Firms.” I would go into greater detail, but it’s laid out perfectly in the interview (“Interview: Did the Marketing Department Kill Hip-Hop?” 31 August 2009, All Hip Hop).
For further reading, see also:
“The Death Of Record Labels: Artists: Take Charge!” 6 September 2009, All Hip Hop.
“When Will Rap Artists Stand Up For Their Rights?” 9 November 2009, All Hip Hop.
“Why the Music Industry Can’t Save Itself” 7 December 2009, All Hip Hop.
(Q) It seems like causal fans of Hip-Hop only focus on one element—the MC. Do you think in the next decade we will show love to the other 3?
(A) I hope so. And, in fact, I raise this issue in my latest editorial (“Hip-Hop: We Bid One Decade Adieu & Welcome Another” 28 December 2009, All Hip Hop). I think the decade calls for some seriousness and maturity from artists; and I, for one, can’t wait to see greater collaboration, greater unity, and greater humility amongst Hip-Hop performers and consumers. It might start off a bit bumpy, but we should coast on just fine as the decade proceeds.
Don’t Steal My Shit? Pt 2 of 5
January 5th, 2010
This is a 5-part series about letting people steal your logo and content… all in an effort to spread your brand and improve your profits. That’s all good, but before we really dig in, I feel like I have to give the counter-argument.
Because really, I don’t want to mislead any of my readers. And I certainly don’t want to be responsible for your heartbreak. Nothing worse than chilling in the car, only to hear your music played on the radio… by another artist.
Truth is, all the big artists copyright their stuff. If you write something incredible, you need to protect it. If you spend weeks making a beat, make sure that’s protected too. Same goes with anything else you make that will go huge. People are naturally good… but don’t be naive.
Think of the idea of letting people steal your logo and content as a marketing strategy. Something you can do to raise awareness for your brand, contribute to the common good, and increase your own bottom-line.
But just like any marketing tactic, it’s not for everyone. That whack used car dealership may make money putting out cheesy television ads. That doesn’t mean you should make one. You have to use what works for you, and only in the cases that calls for it.
Don’t be naive. Be smart. Hustle your shit, using the “let people steal” tactic when your work calls for it. But please don’t regard these next three posts as infallible, or the final word.
Just like producing great music, you have to follow your own intuition. Take advice, sure, from me and from others. But use your own internal compass as your guide.
For real.
