ProHipHop: Hip Hop Marketing & Business News

NYOIL on Marketing the 9 Wonders "Digital EP"

NYOIL & 9th Wonder - Conspiracy Theory from 9 Wonders

NYOIL, probably best known for the now classic single and video Yall Should All Get Lynched, reached out in mid-January to bloggers and websites with a message regarding the upcoming free 9 Wonders digital EP created with 9th Wonder.

That message included the following:

"I truly believe that what is considered hip hop press is at a cross road and I'd like to be the sort of artist that was innovative and NOT pragmatic about working with Bloggers and Websites with the same intensity and interest as Major labels work with commercial radio and print press."

"To this end I am doing the following: For all interested parties I will be releasing a new mix CD for free download hosted by the BLOGS and the Websites that are interested in posting it..."

"On average most hip hop blogs that covered my work posted at least 2 of my videos and did an average of 3 pieces on me on their own strength. This go round I would like to be able to work in tandem with you guys to create a strong consumer offering and also set the precedent that Artists (especially Indie artists) can really benefit from a symbiotic relationship with NEW MEDIA PRESS."

Though ProHipHop declined to participate in the download process, preferring to link to the sites and blogs that are hosting the project, I took the opportunity to ask NYOIL to share some of his thoughts on his approach to marketing 9 Wonders.

From NYOIL's email on marketing 9 Wonders:

"The overall idea of this technique is a take on the Ford Business model "I'd rather sell a million cars for a dollar than 1 car for a million".  Basically it is about creating partnerships with multiple websites that reach a concentrated set of people. Generally Blogs and bloggers are opinion makers with solid followings. 2000 here 4500 there after a while i have 40 thousand focused views on my project at minimal cost. In fact at no cost beyond that of producing the Digital EP."

"Knowing the nature of the net, many blogs run off RSS feeds. So if you have a relationship with the right blog then you have a proxy relationship with 5 others."

"Now it would have been a fool move for me to spend X amount of dollars petitioning XXL or a rag like Vibe for some sort of ad that would run for the duration of the month and would get lost amidst myriad other ads. It isn't affordable.  or sensible."

"There has to be an innovative approach to marketing adopted by indie artist to prosper in this new media world."

"Also notice the entire tactic of the project."

"After a "Rumor" hit the net about NYOIL vs 9th Wonder that implicated some sort of animosity. Behind the scenes i create relationships with blogs. Once they are on board... I released my press release detailing the project."

"I marketed on various levels bro."

"The project itself is a marketing ploy. Wait.. let's not get it twisted this is a solid heartfelt body of work, but i am not only an artist i am a marketing strategist. So, I do a "Digital EP" what the hell is a digital EP?? LOL. it's marketing. I change the name of my product to create more value and a sense of quality for the fans. I associate the product to a well established producer and by proxy to whomever else he is affiliated with (ie Little Brother, Boot Camp, Buckshot)"

"If the product is as good as I know it to be then I have now marketed myself as an artist to work with. 9th Wonder has to engage me because of the movement i am creating right under his nose. That presents opportunity for my lyrical products."

"The beautiful thing is that it's a symbiotic situation for myself and the associated Blogs. It legitimizes some, and gives them an elite aura. Knowing this industry, what works for one is emulated by all. That means theoretically I will be responsible for opening the flood gates to a new viable marketing technique that will put a lot of money into a lot of cats hands"

"and that is good business bro. Not only creating opportunity for oneself but creating opportunity for your business partners as well,"

"I'm just waiting for cats to recognize my intellect and genius and offer me some real bread to consult them on their marketing plans."

"(and that's me marketing my consulting company.. LMAOFR)"

There you have it, as real and raw as the man himself.  And, though he pitches it as a joke, as things move forward I would not be at all surprised if some consulting dollars make it his way.

Important note:
NYOIL initially caught attention via his YouTube videos, not by telling bloggers the obvious, that he wanted coverage.  He can now reach out in this manner because his work is known and respected.  As usual, there ain't no shortcuts.

Look for NYOIL and 9th Wonder's free digital EP 9 Wonders on February 20th at the following online locations:
GRANDGOOD
Sit Down Stand Up
Hip Hop 4 Black Unity
Classic Hip Hop L.L.C.
Rawkus Network
The Source

MySpace: NYOIL

Video via Grand Good

Comments to: clyde(at)prohiphop(dot)com

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
NYOil & Jay Smooth: Hopeful Talk on the Music Industry
Hood Treason & NYOIL's Hardcore Niche Marketing
PostImus Marketing: NYOIL Leverages March for Decency, Sance Debuts Profanity-Free
Ghetto Metal PSA's: M-1, NYOIL, Mr. Man, Bazaar Royale

Bizzy Bone: A Song For You Cover Art

Bizzy Bone - A Song For You

Bizzy Bone's A Song For You is due March 25th from After Platinum Records.

I'm still wishing the best for Bizzy Bone.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Bizzy Bone's Meltdown Reframed as "Spiritual Journey"

G-Unit Clothing Splits With Marc Ecko Enterprises

According to Miss Info's "very savvy source" G-Unit Clothing is splitting with Marc Ecko Enterprises with current operations shutting down and 50 Cent keeping the brand.

Jay-Z & Steve Stoute Form Translation Advertising

After the 2007 acquisition of Steve Stoute's Translation Consulting and Brand Imaging by the Interpublic Group, rumors that Stoute and Jay-Z were forming an independent marketing venture of some sort seemed kind of strange.

Like Stoute told Black Enterprise:

"When you step up to the plate and become a part of a public company, it requires a change in financial reporting. This puts me in a space now that is very heavy in terms of scrutiny and responsibility to financial partners who are very serious about their business."

Beyond the issue of financial reports, a lot would be expected of Stoute in such an operation, so the news from the NY Times that Jay-Z and Steve Stoute's newly formed Translation Advertising "will be part of Translation Consultation and Brand Imaging" makes a lot more sense than an independent project.

More details from the NY Times:

"Interpublic will own 49 percent of Translation Advertising. The majority stake will be owned by Mr. Stoute, 37, and Jay-Z, 38, who will be the co-chairmen."

Concerning Jay-Z's role:

"Mr. Carter said his role at Translation Advertising would be to offer his creative and entrepreneurial ideas. Mr. Stoute described it as not "day-to-day operations" but rather "using his eye, his taste, his understanding of the culture."...Mr. Carter's work as an endorser in ads will be independent of what he does for Translation Advertising."

The great thing about these guys is, depending on the setting, they can claim the ability to reach African-Americans, youth or a more general mass market and essentially do the same kinds of things they're already doing.

On a side note, I find the use of multicultural as a synonym for non-white kind of annoying since the concept of whiteness is itself an awkward umbrella for multiple cultures and ethnicities.  If you want to get multicultural, explore the diversity of all cultures and subcultures, don't just find a new label for market segmentation and/or targeting by race and ethnicity.

Over at HustleKnockin':
HustleKnockin' asks Nina DiSesa, McCann Erickson chairman some pointed questions including:

"How many GM agencies still treat their 'sister' ethnic shops as assistants forcing them to simply translate GM ideas for ethnic consumers?"

Wait, there's more:
Hustle Knockin' on Translation Advertising

Albums: 2008 Grammy Nominees #5

2008 Grammy Nominees

The 2008 Grammy Nominees album is no. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart and, no, we're not discussing the no. 7 debut of Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party.

That's not even part of my world and, besides, those remixes don't do justice to the originals by any means!

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard 200

1. Alicia Keys - As I Am
2. Soundtrack - Juno
3. Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
4. Bullet For My Valentine - Scream Aim Fire
5. 2008 Grammy Nominees
6. Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains
7. Hannah Montana 2: Non-Stop Dance Party
8. Keyshia Cole - Just Like You
9. Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift
10. Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus

Does AllHipHop.com's Template Approach = Doom?

Inc.com recently profiled AllHipHop.com's disastrous attempt to expand a successful barbecue into a group of high profile events that almost destroyed their company.

I at first thought it was kind of brave and a step forward for hip hop business that AllHipHop.com founders Chuck Creekmur and Greg Watkins would reveal what was a far bigger disaster than anyone outside the company's core network seems to have realized.  Unfortunately it's unclear whether or not it was a learning experience that taught them anything other than the template approach to leveraging a successful website.

The first big mistake revealed in this article was the choice to go from a small casual event, a hip hop community barbecue, to a whole series of high profile events that required them to turn over operations to outsiders:

"Watkins and Creekmur had outsourced much of the work to an event planner, a concert promoter, and caterers, giving them few budget parameters. The fashion show alone cost $25,000. The company had to pay to remodel the club, build a runway, buy insurance, hire models, and order invitations."

That should read as a pretty clear recipe for disaster without even getting into what happens when an artist who performs for free hits the afterparty and starts ordering drinks on the sponsors tab.

The lessons learned seemed to be along the lines of putting basic business systems in place and making clearer binding agreements with service providers.

The lessons they couldn't learn were the ones that would have come from doing one piece of the puzzle at a time with direct hands-on involvement. 

If they were both closely involved with organizing the fashion show, for example, they would not only be learning about putting accountability structures in place but would have learned the details of putting on a show.

Maybe they picked some of that up as well, since they were doing some low-key events beyond the barbecue, but it sounds like they will remain vulnerable to people who function professionally in a way that is basically satisfying but does not outperform.  If you don't have someone trustworthy on your team who knows when a service provider is talking bs, you will be provided with a certain amount of bs even in the best of circumstances.

"Then there was the biggest line item of all--the $90,000 grand finale concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The event wasn't well publicized, and only a few hundred tickets had been sold. Watkins wanted to cut their losses and cancel it. "It's not worth it," he told his friend. But Creekmur was determined to press ahead with the original plan. Canceling the concert would have been a major embarrassment, undermining their goal of building the brand's visibility. "Let's put on the best event possible and think about money later," Creekmur argued."

That attitude is truly frightening but actually understandable given that these were two guys who loved hip hop and found themselves with a successful web business on their hands.

But it's also a reminder that it's better to accept one's short-term embarrassment while cutting one's losses than to put up a good front and risk the very real chance of being taken out of the game. 

Though they insist after all is said and done that these events have successfully raised their profile, one has to wonder among what group of people?  AllHipHop is the one web brand writers can drop that truly catches attention at all levels from Internet thug to rap star and that has little to do with events.

So who the heck were they trying to reach?  That's not indicated in the article and it sounds rather squishy without some more specific goal than raising visibility.

But it appears that this disaster pushed them to go back and re-evaluate their web business and put fairly standard procedures in place and that's all to the good.

What raises questions about their future is their decision to begin talks with venture capitalists in '07. 

An influx of capital from vc's, as opposed to normal investors, comes with an expectation of outsized returns that would almost ensure that they will ultimately become managers of professionals doing jobs that they themselves don't fully understand.

That can work but if it doesn't then they won't be facing service providers who will work with them to dig back out.  They'll be facing people who will cut and run as soon as things go bad though possibly after demoting Creekmur and Watkins and ensuring the company's death.  That's way more humiliating than canceling a concert.

Three experts weigh in at the end of the article with mixed results.

Lawrence Gelburd, a lecturer at The Wharton School, suggests that they extend their brand via partnerships and merchandising and so forth, i.e., follow another template to the obvious.

Steven Rogers, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management, suggests that they continue on their path of strengthening their business systems and learning more about business.  That's good enough advice and, given their post-disaster actions, seems to be what they're already doing.

Tim Westergren, founder of Pandora Media, says that staging events to boost your website is a mistake and that maybe they should focus on what they do best, their web game.

Both Rogers and Westergren advise the AllHipHop lads to focus on building their strengths and that's great advice unless your current strengths are keeping you from realizing much bigger goals.

But should they give up events when they're in what is still the biggest media center in the world?

Events are actually doing very well for publishers who use them to make money rather than to market their websites.  If we remove the marketing AllHipHop angle and replace it with events as a marketing platform for others, they would be able to leverage and monetize their quite strong brand and their New York location while simultaneously building that brand through successful events.

There's actually a lot they could do if they give up the template approach which they've embraced and to which they seem committed going forward.

I use "template approach" to indicate that they're making the same mistakes going into new territory as their web imitators have made with copying AllHipHop.

AllHipHop helped create the template that most hip hop news sites and even most magazine sites now follow.  You've got your features, your interviews, your video, your this, your that, almost all of which follows the most obvious checklist of possibilities that ensures that most such sites will have limited success though it does help newbies navigate your site upon first encounter.

AllHipHop entered the events scene with a unique event, a hip hop community barbecue, and then ramped it up by following the most obvious checklist of events possible:
art show, artists showcase, fashion show, roundtable discussion, concert

Does anything on that list surprise you in the least?

Does anything about the lessons AllHipHop learned suggest that they will deviate from the obvious in the future given that putting normal business systems into place at a successful web operation has led to seemingly inevitable meetings with venture capitalists?

That's not to say that leveraging the obvious is a mistake.  But which part of that company is the obvious part to leverage?

For my part, the rather slow attempt to expand on illseed's Rumors column suggests that their grasp of the obvious is leading them in the wrong direction, a process that venture capital would only intensify.

I was told in '07 by a source who will remain unnamed that the Rumors column was their biggest hit after the forums.  If you check out who's giving MSM entertainment publishers trying to succeed online the most grief, you'll find that it's the gossip blogs.

Do I really need to go on with the obvious details?

Like the experts said, build on your strengths.  If they knew the company and the landscape in which AllHipHop operates a bit better, they'd recognize that a smart build-out of that section could have outsize returns.  AllHipHop's illseed shows signs of that understanding but the commitment to that option is weak because the two founders are busy seeking investors while one of them is most likely writing the illseed column (according to folks who might know but AllHipHop's kept a tight lid on that one).

[illseed may prove me wrong and I would have no complaints with that.]

Will following a template kill AllHipHop in the end?

Probably not on its own.  They helped create the web template for such sites and their brand is strong enough and the business systems are supposedly being put in place in a manner that should allow them to leverage the offline events template and do quite well.

But given that they clearly want much more than they have, however much that might be since the financial figures revealed are designed to show them doing quite well without actually revealing how well they're actually doing, their hunger for growth may well outstrip their knowledge of what fuels that growth and limit them to being successful in a milieu that does not reward simple success.

The New York hip hop "community" and venture capitalists are equally unforgiving and are much happier with seeing death than with low-key success.  Death satisfies the inherent aesthetic of New York's dominant forms of hip hop.  Quick death allows vc's to move on so they can get to that oversize return that few businesses will ever reach since low-key success does not make them rich.

On that gloomy note, ProHipHop wishes Greg Watkins and Chuck Creekmur the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Please send responses to clyde(at)prohiphop(dot)com for possible inclusion in a follow-up post.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
AllHipHop's illseed Seeks Sidekick, May Launch Rumor Site
SOHH Rides 2 Girls 1 Cup to #1 Hip Hop Site Status

Flo Rida: Singles King w/Low, Mail On Sunday Due Mar. 18

Flo Rida - Mail On Sunday

Not only is Flo Rida's Low featuring T-Pain no. 1 on the Hot 100 for the 7th week, it's making some strong moves on other charts [note, most of this is contingent on being the debut rap single rather than simply being a rap single]:

"'Low...has hit #1 on this week's CHR/Top 40 national airplay chart...'Low' is officially the first-ever debut single by a rap artist to reach the top spot in chart history, as well as only the fourth rap title to ascend to #1 since 2005...'"

"'Low' continues to light it up at Rhythmic outlets nationwide, maintaining the #1 airplay ranking for 8 uninterrupted weeks and counting. The track's success marks the longest-reigning debut track from a male artist since Nelly's classic '(Hot S**t) Country Grammar' held the top spot for 10 weeks in 2000..."

"The 'Low' companion video...[comes] in this week as the #1 most-played clip on both BET and MTV. 'Low' -- which also topped the countdowns on BET's '106 & Park' and MTV's 'TRL' -- is now in 'Heavy' rotation at BET, 'Big 10' rotation at MTV, 'Elite 8' rotation at MTV2 (where it is the network's #2 most-played video), 'Summa Cum Laude' at mtvU, 'Blazin'' at MTV Jams, a top 5 'Power' rotation smash at MTV Hits, and the #1 ranked clip on MTV.com...'Low' is also a top 10 success on Fuse."

"Flo Rida...is currently MySpace's #2-ranked Top Indie Artist, logging a remarkable 8.5 million total streams thus far at his www.myspace.com/officialflo page. At YouTube, the video for "Low" has received more than 6 million views via Flo's official channel, www.youtube.com/user/officialflo."

It's certainly helped Flo Rida that Low is included on the Step Up 2 The Streets soundtrack.

Given that Soulja Boy's Souljaboytellem.com has done much better than expected, one wonders if Flo Rida's Mail On Sunday, due March 18th will fare as well without it's own special dance craze.

On the other hand, being part of the Step Up 2 The Streets dance lover's craze is clearly having a strong effect.  I guess it's one of those wait-and-see things.

Singles: Flo Rida's Low Takes #1 for 7th Week

Flo Rida's Low enters its 7th week at no. 1 on the Hot 100 singles chart.

Top 10 Singles on the Hot 100:

1. Flo Rida - Low feat. T-Pain
2. Chris Brown - With You
3. Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music
4. Timbaland - Apologize feat. OneRepublic
5. Alicia Keys - No One
6. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
7. Fergie - Clumsy
8. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
9. Yael Naim - New Soul
10. Sean Kingston - Take You There

Worth noting as an alternative path into the top 10:

"The biggest news in the top 10 is the No. 9 debut of Yael Naim's "New Soul," the chart's best entry since "What Time Is It" by High School Musical Cast (No. 6) and Akon's "Sorry, Blame It on Me" (No. 7) bowed in the Aug. 11, 2007, issue."

"Featured in the TV commercial for Apple's newly launched Apple MacBook Air, the track also debuts at No. 2 on Hot Digital Songs with 135,000 downloads. With "New Soul" generating only three plays on the nearly 1,300 monitored Hot 100 Airplay stations, TV is the sole source of its lofty sales and Hot 100 ranking."

Mary J. Blige & Jay-Z: Heart of the City Tour Dates & Ticket Sales

Mary J. Blige & Jay-Z Announce Heart of the City Tour

Normally I'd flip the headline and run with Jay-Z first, since this is ProHipHop, but you just can't fade Mary J. Blige, especially in an outfit like that!

You can read the press release for all the "historic firsts" but don't they seem somehow beside the point?  Ok, it does give "journalists" something to write about.

But this is all that matters: It's the Mary Jay-Z Blige Tour!

Tickets on sale February 15th via livenation.com but here's an opportunity to get in early:

"Citi cardmembers will also have access to purchase presale tickets through Citi's Private Pass(R) Program, available to all Citi cardmembers at http://www.privatepass.citi.com/ beginning Wednesday, February 13th at 10AM."

If Citi publicizes that well, they should get a lot of new customers, so look for that campaign if they're smart.

Here are the dates and venues with more to come:

MARY J. BLIGE & JAY-Z:  HEART OF THE CITY TOUR

    DATE           CITY                    VENUE
March 22      Miami, FL             American Airlines Arena
March 26      Baltimore, MD         1st Mariner Arena
March 27      Uniondale, NY         Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
March 28      East Rutherford, NJ   Izod Center
March 30      Philadelphia, PA      Wachovia Center
April 2       Toronto, ON           Air Canada Centre
April 3       Boston, MA            TD Banknorth Garden
April 5       Greensboro, NC        Greensboro Coliseum
April 6       Washington, DC        Verizon Center
April 16      Los Angeles, CA       Hollywood Bowl

[Photo courtesy PRNewsFoto/Live Nation]

Remembering Tony Silver, Director of Style Wars

Style Wars - Directed by Tony Silver

Tony Silver, director of Style Wars, the first and best documentary on the early days of the graffiti movement in New York, passed away this weekend.

Folks are sharing their memories and I'll update this as more post.

Mare 139:
Tony Silver - R.I.P 2008

Vibes and Stuff:
R.I.P. Tony Silver [includes Del's interview]

Jesse Thorn:
RIP, Tony Silver, director of Style Wars

WHATYOUWRITE.COM:
Tony Silver - R.I.P 2008

At MySpace:
Style Wars 1982

Devin the Dude Leaves Rap-A-Lot Records After 15+ Years

Devin the Dude Presents Coughee Brothaz - Waitin' Our Turn

Devin the Dude is leaving Rap-A-Lot Records after just over 15 years on the label.

From the press release:

"'Rap-A-Lot has been my family for a long time and there's no bad blood at all,' Explains Devin of his decision to leave the label, 'But change is a part of life and I feel like this is the time to make a change and focus more on the business side of my career, I've had a nice run so I'd like to develop artists and give some of these other cats out here a platform to shine.'"

"Devin has spent this past year touring with his original Coughee Bros. promoting the recently released independent project 'Waitin Our Turn'. With several offers on the table for label situations, Devin is exploring options right now but is ready to get back in the lab and blow out another batch of his finest music for a new generation of music lovers."

Best of luck with your new ventures! Now hand over that spliff, homie.

HHNLive.com Up for Sale

Dr. Drew sends word that HHNLive.com is up for sale.

Hard to say what this means at a distance since selling a business is how one cashes out and is also an appropriate end-game when you've taken it as far as you're going to take it but, like the good doctor told me, this is a tough game.

By the way, did you know that the Fed's stats on business closures include businesses that remain open but change ownership?

That one surprised the heck out of me too.

Chuck D at MidemNet: Buzzard Execs & Universal's Negroes

Though Katti Gray doesn't share any Chuck D quotes regarding speculations that he might become Def Jam president from his recent appearance at MidemNet and his comments on Jay-Z's tenure are chopped up to the point that you have to take her word for what he's actually saying, Chuck D's general perspective will always keep him out of the major label executive game.  Fortunately, he's got a pretty good game of his own.

Chuck D on music industry execs at MidemNet:

"They were hovering around like buzzards, trying to figure out how they can dominate the space."

According to Gray, Chuck D said that exec attendance had doubled since last year as the music industry tries to figure out how to save what's left of their bottom line.

Chuck D on artists at SlamJamz:

"Simply wanting to get rich is the wrong road to take...I tell all my artists to keep their day job."

Chuck D did have this to say about Def Jam/Universal:

"The higher-ups at Universal are happy with their standard of Negro."

Wish those quotes hadn't gotten so chopped but it's nice to see Chuck D continuing to take a role as the music industry's conscious while still building for himself and for other artists.

Via Grand Good.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Chuck D & Just Blaze Team for NBA Ballers: Chosen One
Chuck D @ Guitar Center Sessions, Compares Russell Simmons to a Buzzard

Chuck D & Just Blaze Team for NBA Ballers: Chosen One

Chuck D: Studio Host & Announcer for the Chosen One Game Tournament

Chuck D and Just Blaze both have major roles in the videogame NBA Ballers: Chosen One due April 29th from Midway Games.

From the press release:

"Chuck D...will serve as announcer and studio-host for the Chosen One tournament, and also provide play-by-play commentary throughout the game."

"Just Blaze...will produce the entire instrumental score for NBA Ballers: Chosen One."

NBA Ballers: Chosen One Video Game

More from the press release:

"The Just Blaze-produced score for NBA Ballers: Chosen One marks a bold departure from the current norm in sports video game soundtracks. Instead of a random compilation of tracks from various artists, the soundtrack will instead interact with the gameplay, much like a cinematic score, and will be a noticeable change from the typical use of licensed music in games."

This sounds like a cool project for both these guys.  I think Chuck D would be a great sports announcer on tv, though speculations that he might be considered for the Def Jam presidency were obviously absurd given his consistent take on the music industry that regularly includes the term buzzards.

It will be interesting to check out what Just Blaze does with this project because he's clearly got much more depth beyond being the track star for which the general public knows him.

And I do miss that blog.

H3 Enterprises Releases Sales Report w/Few Numbers

H3 Enterprises, the company that created the HipHopSodaShop, has announced its "first full monthly revenue report for 2008."

Basically they give a description of what's happening without real financial figures except for the claim attributed to CEO Benjamin Chavis:

"Despite the fact that we have yet to touch our marketing budget for Tampa since all 48,000 University of South Florida students were on winter break during our first month of operation, we still managed to take in over $125,000 with accelerating sales growth rates."

I spoke briefly with H3 Enterprises' Tanya Munro who's in charge of Investor Relations and she says they are generally sharing all the public information they're making available in these press releases though she's going to double-check with Dr. Chavis regarding this revenue report.

Though I see no reason to cast doubt on the revenue figure, I do feel this press release/report is a good example of why investing in OTC and BB stocks can be perilous due to the lack of full financial reports.

The USF winter break ran from around December 15th to January 6th so that would affect sales if a large part of their base is USF students though one might also expect a response from local folks in holiday mode checking out the new store including students from other schools that are in Tampa to be with their families.

Since this report covers January revenue figures, that means they lost a week at most, though students usually get back at least a couple of days before school starts.  It also raises the question of why they haven't spent money on marketing since that returning crowd would be ripe for new adventures at the start of the school year and should have been receptive to a focused, campus-based marketing campaign if they are, in fact, going to be receptive.

More complete financial information would help clear up this confusion and make this press release/report appear to be more than a marketing tool for the stock itself.

Update:
Ms. Munro got back to me with the official word that, for the moment, all publicly available financial information is included in the press releases.  However they do intend to be more forthcoming in the near future and I think that's a really good thing for both H3 Enterprises and for investors.

One of my biggest concerns regarding so-called penny stocks is not that the companies are necessarily being shady by not disclosing information because they're not legally required to disclose as much as companies that operate via more stringent exchanges.  But lack of disclosure means that companies on BB and OTC exchanges can be more easily gamed by criminal elements with absolutely no connection to those in the company.

So exceeding their disclosure requirements will ultimately strengthen a company like H3 Enterprises even though that means folks like me will have even more to work with in our critiques.  While one of the strengths of being private is the ability to manage one's public image more thoroughly, long term that's just not a viable strategy for any public company that wants to build a solid, lasting enterprise.  So if H3 can follow through, they'll be taking an important but not always pleasant step towards realizing their grand vision.

Vibe Hollywood Issue: Robert De Niro & 50 Cent, 1st Green Section & Ralph Lauren Special

Robert De Niro & 50 Cent: Vibe Hollywood Issue Cover #1

Vibe goes into takeover mode with this pair of covers, an interview and photo shoot with Robert De Niro and 50 Cent plus an interesting sounding "collectible flipbook design" as part of their March Hollywood Issue available February 5th.

Both are starring in Righteous Kill along with Al Pacino and you can read the press release for some not so interesting quotes from De Niro and 50 Cent or just wait and check your favorite online hip hop "journalists" to see if they make it look like they got those quotes themselves.

OMG!  Vibe's doing a Green section as well as described in the release:

"This month's issue also includes VIBE's first-ever "green" pages. This 10-page special section takes a look at the green movement through developments in conservation, urban planning, the auto industry, technology, fashion and even home decor. From introducing environmentally friendly gadgets and cars to suggesting simple methods for conserving energy, VIBE invites readers to get involved with saving our environment."

I wonder how hard it was to sell those ads considering the assumptions so many marketers have about black folks.  Maybe things are changing.

Robert De Niro & 50 Cent: Vibe Hollywood Issue Cover #2

From the press release:

"The March issue also features a special tribute to the classic styles of Ralph Lauren and the designer's 40th Anniversary spring collection."

From the photo description:

Shot in January by celebrity photographer Jake Chessum at New York City's famed Milk Studios, the magazine's exclusive photos are styled by veteran VIBE Fashion Director Memsor Kamarake. De Niro is in Giorgio Armani and 50 Cent in head-to-toe Tom Ford."

I have not been very impressed with Vibe's web game but this is a stellar issue full of great concepts.

Though all such projects emerge from a team of serious committed professionals, ProHipHop's got to big up the boss, Danyel Smith, on this one.  Nice work!

[Photos Courtesy PRNewsFoto/VIBE Media Group, Jake Chessum]

The Return of the Trill: Bun B's Back!

Bun B returns to the stage February 8th in Houston at Warehouse Live.

Hip Hop Album Releases for Feb. 5: Afroman, Bone Brothers, Dead Prez, Kool G Rap, Salt-N-Pepa, Step Up 2 The Streets

Kool G Rap - Half A Klip

To receive this report separately each week, please visit Weekly Hip Hop Albums and sign up for our free weekly newsletter delivered every Monday with Tuesday's releases.

The following new releases are available from Amazon.

Afroman - Waiting to Inhale
The Best of Salt-N-Pepa - Millennium Collection [Original Remastered]
Bizzy Bone & Layzie Bone - Bone Brothers III: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony 4 Life
Dead Prez - Live in San Francisco
DJ Modesty [Hosted & Mixed] - Kings From Queens
Fabri Fibra - Bugiardo [Import]
Kool G Rap - Half A Klip
Mac Dre Presents - Starters In The Game
Soundtrack - Step Up 2 The Streets

For a database of upcoming and past releases with updates,
please see Hip Hop Albums @ netweed.

Singles: Flo Rida's Low #1, Singin' Snoop Dogg #8

As Flo Rida's Low entered its 6th week at no. 1 on the Hot 100 singles chart, it also entered its 9th week at the top of the Hot Digital Songs chart which ties with Gwen Stefani's previous record for Hollaback Girl from 2005.

Plus, Singin' Snoop Dogg takes no. 8 with Sensual Seduction.

Top 10 Singles on the Hot 100:

1. Flo Rida - Low feat. T-Pain
2. Alicia Keys - No One
3. Chris Brown - With You
4. Timbaland - Apologize feat. OneRepublic
5. Rihanna - Don't Stop the Music
6. Fergie - Clumsy
7. Sean Kingston - Take You There
8. Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction
9. Sara Bareilles - Love Song
10. Chris Brown - Kiss Kiss feat. T-Pain

Good news for Lupe Fiasco as he heads toward the final projects of his all-too-brief career.  Lupe breaks his own record on the Hot 100 as Superstar featuring Matthew Santos rises from no. 36 to no. 70 on the strength of last week's largest airplay increase.

Albums: Radiohead's In Rainbows Still in Top 10

The hip hop season will soon be kicking in on the Billboard 200 album chart but, till then, here are last week's top 10 albums including Radiohead's In Rainbows.

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard 200:

1. Soundtrack - Juno
2. Alicia Keys - As I Am
3. Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine
4. Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains
5. Radiohead - In Rainbows
6. Taylor Swift - Taylor Swift
7. Chris Brown - Exclusive
8. Keyshia Cole - Just Like You
9. Garth Brooks - The Ultimate Hits
10. Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus

Tupper-Bowl: Ice-T & Coco Throw Tupperware Party

Coco & Ice-T at the Tupper-bowl

Earlier this week, Ice-T and his wife Coco threw the Tupper-bowl, a Tupperware party intended to benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club of America:

"The party was held in a private lounge at Jay-Z's 40/40 club in New York and was the place to see and be seen. Over 200 guests were in attendance and celebrity highlights included: Oscar-winner, Tatum O'Neal; Sex and the City star, Chris Noth; Law and Order SVU stars Adam Beach and B.D. Wong; Frank Whaley from The Wire, and NBA players Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets and Jason Williams of the Miami Heat."

Ice-T & Tatum O'Neal at the Tupper-bowl

The press release quotes are hilarious:

""Tupperware unites us all. Tupperware's going to save the world," proclaimed party host, Ice-T..."

Plus, the party sounds fun:

"Guests enjoyed "Tuppertini" cocktails and "bowl-food" themed hors d'oeuvres served in Tupperware, and danced to music provided by celebrity DJ, D-Nice. The crowd was treated to impromptu performances by Ice-T and renowned hip-hop legends such as Positive K, Smoothe Da Hustler, Khrist, Grandmaster Caz, Kool Herc, and Melly Mel."

ProHipHop Note:
I was actually more excited about this news when I thought Coco and Ice-T were becoming Tupperware reps.  But I'm funny like that.

Press Release:
Law & Order: SVU Star Ice-T Hosts 'Tupper-Bowl' Party

Hypebot: Qtrax Lied, Sony BMG Firings, EMI & NY Daily News, Tipping Point Toast, MIDEM, RoyaltyShare & COO Steve Grady, Jobs, China Music Biz Pt. 2

Music industry news from Hypebot:

Ad supported P2P download service Qtrax announced on Sunday that it was launching Monday with 25 million tracks including all for major labels.  On Monday there was no launch and all four majors denied having Qtrax deals leaving some to wonder if it were a stock manipulation scheme.

More staff cuts at Sony BMG.

EMI and the NY Daily News to give away downloads.

An essay "Is the Tipping Point Toast? Music Marketing Needs To Change Again..." got lots of reaction across the web.

Music industry action shifted this week to Cannes, France and the annual MIDEM conference.  Here are roundups of news and announcements: Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.

Digital music tech provider RoyaltyShare is taking on the digital aggregators with a new direct distribution service. Hypebot had an exclusive interview with COO Steve Grady.

Help Wanted: Two junior management positions are being offered by Davis Jones and PunkDaFunk.

A series on The Music Business In China continued with an installment on indie and major label activity.

See ProHipHop's Hypebot Industry News category for past roundups.

Real Hip-Hop Network's Atonn Muhammad Makes Billboard

Atonn Muhammad, Founder and CEO of The Real Hip-Hop Network

We're suddenly seeing some decent coverage of hip hop business rather than the entertainment oriented themes of "how much did he make" and "buy the latest hip hop real estate as seen on MTV Cribs" and a lot of it is focused on the web game.

For example, Atonn Muhammad, founder and CEO of the Real Hip-Hop Network, is featured on the cover of Billboard's February 2nd issue.

I haven't gotten a chance to read the article yet but that's a good look for anybody and congratulations are in order!

Press Release:
Billboard Magazine Cover Features Hip-Hop's New CEO

Cranky Clyde Sez: Comments Closed, Peace Restored

Some really smart folks think I should keep the comments open but I care a little too much and I control my anger a little too poorly.  Cause when I get hurt, that's when I start taking heads.

And I'm running out of room for storage in the ProHipHop Hall of Trophies!

Really, it's not you.  It's me.

And Imma do me cause that's how I can best serve you.

Less like Rocko, more like James Walker Michaels:

"He refused to play the access journalism game. (Better to have your nose pressed firmly against the glass than to be a guest of the people you report about.) He believed in congratulating true business achievers and slamming crooks and flops. What better way to celebrate capitalism, he argued, and keep it safe from the me-firsters who could wreck it?"

Comments/Dialogue/Biz Dev:
clyde(at)prohiphop(dot)com

Press Releases/Pitches/Video Links/Newsletters:
hiphoppress(at)netweed(dot)com

ProHipHop Recommends:
For occasional brief conversations about hip hop web biz, check out the Hip Hop and Advertising discussion group.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
ProHipHop May Go Comment Free