Free Download Resulted In Strong Press For Talib Kweli & Madlib's Collab Liberation

Graphic Included in Free Promo Download for Liberation

I'm wishing I'd written about the free download offer for Talib Kweli and Madlib's Liberation album when it was actually available but it's also good to look back at the promotion and some of the results.  Stones Throw Records offered the album for free download for the first week of January only at Rappcats.

Unlike Roosevelt Franklin's free giveaway of Bare Food, this one week release offered a zipped download of music and graphics as a promo with a possible cd to follow.

.PDF'd CD Cover for Liberation

What was particularly cool to me, in addition to the MP3s, was the fact that the download includes cd cover art in a .PDF that can be printed out and used in a cd case.  I wouldn't do that but I loved the gesture and other people certainly would.

This free release resulted in coverage and reviews in such media outlets as The Village Voice, Pitchfork, MP3.com, Fader and in what seems to be a NY Times podcast [as linked from Madlib's page at Stones Throw].  In addition, a search on Icerocket for madlib + liberation currently brings up numerous posts about the release.

Assuming that all those MP3s floating around won't undermine sales of the CD, which may be different if it comes out, this free MP3s and graphics release served as a truly productive early preview and announcement.

Update and Correction:
It looks like this project was not intended as an album but was a promotional release:
"This 9-track collab was a free download for the first week of 2007. Stay tuned for possible release."

On the speculative tip, perhaps it was intended for promotional purposes but got such a positive response that they're considering doing something more with it.

Thanks to DJ Miratek for helping clarify.

Comments

[dj mirateck]

is the CD even meant for retail distribution?

i was under the impression that the collabo was supposed to be free to promote talib's blacksmith imprint and (secondarily) to build buzz around talib for his upcoming eardrum album. or i might be wrong.

on a sidenote i (literally) bumped into talib at work last week and asked him to sign my printed copy of the liberation cover. he told me to tell everyone i knew to download it... so i doubt its going to be a retail release (otherwise he was essentially telling me to tell all my friends to pick money out of his pocket).

[Clyde Smith]

I hear what you're saying though if you were going to put out a free download, you'd certainly want to tell people about it.

At Stone's Throw:
http://www.stonesthrow.com/madlib/
"Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation
This 9-track collab was a free download for the first week of 2007. Stay tuned for possible release."

Maybe it was meant to promote other things and got more of a reaction than expected?

[lonnyloe]

you can find this album at torrentportal.com http://www.torrentportal.com/details/861224/Talib+Kweli+%26+Madlib+-+Liberation+%28December+31%2C+2006%29.html