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Wordsmith breaks down his daily grind and shares a truly holistic view of artist self-marketing in these excerpts from an already widely distributed text:
I really look at myself as more of a business man then an artist nowadays. It's crazy to say that, but on the independent circuit there are no A&R's, publicists, promoters, bookies, etc.; guerrilla marketing is the constant. Un less you stumbled upon a large sum of money or an investor believes in you, any and all resources will have to be bought out of your own pocket. With that said, I want to take a second and describe an average day of guerilla marketing and recording for me.
I start my day at 4:00 AM 5 days a week and travel over an hour from Baltimore to Washington DC for work. During the drive, I am usually practicing my lyrics for different songs I want to perform at upcoming shows. When I get to my job, I carry in a book bag that has my rhymebook(s), beat CD's, and 100 blank CD's into work...I do an important job, but that doesn't stop me from spending all 8 of my hours at work burning copies...
When I am really free at work, I am making html codes for internet promo and building databases for every college, commercial, and internet radio station in the US. Its terrible work, but you don't need a label or a radio promoter to work your tracks, all the info is on the net if you're willing to be patient and research things. Just to give you an example, while everyone else is shelling out $2000 to $4000 for a college radio promoter to get their record charted, I took the time and looked up just about every college DJ that submitted a top 30 chart to Rapnetwork & Rapattacklives. Long story short, a track of mine called "Ode to the Pioneers" peaked at number 4 in a month without burning up a credit card or going in debt. It was a grind to make it happen, but I knew the track was strong and on the college circuit, they are all about underground Hip-Hop.
Anyways, back to the grind, when I leave work, I usually take the opportunity to get a lot of my writing done while I am driving home. I wrote most of my last mixtape and my first album in my truck because it saves me time to work on business projects when I get home. When I get back to Baltimore, I go to staples and spend $47 on 150 mixtape covers and proceed to go through sheet after sheet of cutting each cover out. Next, I usually go to Best Buy and buy two packs of jewel cases for all the CD's I burnt at work. Then, I have to put actual covers on my product, so I have to go CD by CD and send it through my printer, which takes 3 to 4 min to print. The final step is checking out my schedule and database to see what shows I can attend for the week to hand out CD's. I am working on servicing regular Gas Stations, Malls, and stores with my product as well, so I have my Kontact making me spreadsheets that will allow me to document where, when and how many CD's I leave at each location...
The next phase of guerilla marketing is something that most artists don't think about at the independent level and that's your image. You have to market yourself like you're already signed, so I push my self to be in great shape for three reasons. One, I travel a lot on the show tip, so it's important to stay healthy while your on the move. Two, I have a very energetic show that involves consistent quick movements and the use of props you would only see in a theater setting. Three, I want to look like a superstar and present myself as very professional when I am out and about. To make this happen, I run 3 to 4 times a week varying from a mile to 2 miles each time. That is followed by 100 sit ups/ push ups and then an hour to two hour rehearsal with my Deejay DJ Dublee and Kontact. Depending on what time it is, I usually cap my night off doing some more writing and recording.
It's funny because I feel like I am a machine at times or an annoying admin assistant with my schedules. Hey, what can I say, I am trying to make it in this music industry and I am willing to do as much work as possible to make it happen.
Peep Part 2 at Wordsmith Music.
Wordsmith Links:
Wordsmith Music
Wordsmith @ MySpace
Revolt Radio
Wordsmith @ YouTube
Lil Mama expresses her disappointment with Jive's marketing support for her debut album VYP: Voice of the Young People:
"'My fan base is out of this world and the youth really look up to me and I know for a fact my album wasn't promoted correctly because people would come up to me like, 'Oh your album is out?' Or, 'This is the second one?...It's really disturbing to know that I signed with a company that didn't promote my record properly. Highly disturbing.'"
Alluding to evidence of Jive's selling the album short, Lil Mama said, "the number of albums that they shipped out shows their prediction."
I have to say that, even though Lil Mama kept grinding, it seemed like there was a big drop in online energy and attention between her initial appearance and the delayed released of the album.
Note: In gathering up the related ProHipHop coverage below, I found many of the embeddable videos were dead. A sign of a lack of long term label support or of incompetence as well.
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Lil Mama's VYP: Voice of the Young People Cover Art
Team Lil Mama Take the G-Slide/Tour Bus to the Bank
Lil Mama: You Tube Promos for the Debut of a Pop Star
Zwinky Party With Lil Mama & Jason Fox!!!
Mashable's Pete Cashmore interviews Chamillionaire and one can get a nice sense of Chamillionaire's strategic smarts.
Most of the interview is focused on the digital world and Chamillionaire says he studied that world as seriously as he studied mixtapes and the indie music scene. Now he's studying stocks.
In describing his choice of social networks for marketing, Chamillionaire says he goes where the fans go:
"It's not even about me. I go to what they want."
Unfortunately Cashmore doesn't follow-up on Chamillionaire's statement that now folks are starting their own networks and moving away from the biggies like MySpace. I'd love to hear Chamillionaire's thoughts on addressing that situation as a marketer. I'm curious if he has some ideas beyond just following suit and starting your own.
Chamillionaire gets into a concern he has about how digital downloads are tracked and a Mashable writer describes it this way in the post:
"Chamillionaire also talks about how the music industry needs new metrics to determine what’s popular, since album sales are meaningless in the world of a la carte purchases via iTunes."
Actually Chamillionaire states that he's concerned that someone could download 9 of an album's 10 tracks individually from iTunes and it doesn't count as an album sale. Well, they didn't buy the album and the iTunes downloads have already been included in all the relevant charts including the main singles charts. So it's an interesting idea but determining what's popular in terms of downloads is well in hand and Chamillionaire certainly got chart credit for all those downloads.
But Chamillionaire's clearly puzzling out the details and thinking everything through in a serious manner that's impressing folks and makes him look quite solid going forward.
Via Nathan Driver.
Official Sites:
Chamillionaire
Chamillionaire @ MySpace
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Chamillionaire Attacks Weak-Minded Industry Clowns
Grinding: Chamillionaire in India, Ghostface Hat on Ebay
Chamillionaire's Ridin' Promoted By Fans, Lip-Syncers, Weird Al
Marketing Music In Second Life: SoundScape, Chamillionaire, Talib Kweli
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons
Atmosphere is holding listening sessions rather than sending out advance copies of the upcoming When Life Gives You Lemons in order to cut down on bootlegging and heighten anticipation. It's basically an experiment that will be worth following and it's already alienated some reviewers.
Slug had some interesting comments at the New York listening session:
"It means a lot to me that you all came down...I just heard that there were certain people who—when they found out that we weren't giving out advanced copies—took offense and told us to take them off the label's mailing list. That's cool, but it's one thing to not want to waste your time with this, and it's another to boldly be like, 'F*ck you for doing it this way.' That's pretty self-absorbed."
Considering that reviewers seem to be taking all the other tricks of limiting bootlegs in stride, such as people speaking over the music or shouting out periodically, that make it impossible to actually listen to the music, it says a lot that this tactic really got to some of them. I would be more concerned that you're limiting your reviews to the folks that can show up to certain locations but I guess that turns it into focusing on media with the biggest reach prior to release.
Slug made an interesting point about his motivation:
"I'm not so worried about losing sales and downloads...If people are going to download the record, they'll just do it the day after it comes out. For me it's more about the anticipation. A lot of my friends put out records, and by the time the record actually drops and they go on tour, everybody is already sick of it."
So maybe there's some positive aspects to this approach for reviewers who are not all hung up on being the first to hear a rap track obscured by shoutouts and talking.
And one can always take the Maxim route, which some say is partly due to a climate in which folks aren't sending out review copies, and officially fake the listening part.
Via GRANDGOOD.
Related Coverage:
The Raconteurs seem to have come up with a more positive version of a similar plan focused on a quick release to everyone.
Inverse's Toby and Tunji are interviewed by Basementality including some thoughts on taking control of one's own business:
"basementality: If you were to decide, How would you empower Hip-Hop Music as a movement in the days to come?"
"Toby: I don't think hip hop really is a movement anymore...it's several movements...that vary from individual to individual...i would say that the best way to empower it..is for everyone involved to take ownership of their own path...deciding how to make, distribute, and market your music...deciding what you want to listen to....etc..."
"6. What is the best way to Promote/Market yourself as an Independent artist/group?"
"Tunji: The internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sign up on a messageboard, start a blog, get on Myspace, get on Facebook, get on Imeem, get on Last.FM, put your music everywhere that potential fans might see and hear. Find where your fanbase might be online and promote your music yourself. Don't be foolish and think people are just going to stumble upon your music - you have to do it yourself now. Also, going on tour...but not everyone can afford that."
"Toby: The internet....and also the internet.....and then there's the internet...use it.....know it...love it."
MySpace: Inverse
Bavu Blakes - 08isSoGreat Cover
Bavu aka Mr. Blakes [aka Kanye Southwest?] has made an artistic self-marketing commitment to drop a flow a week at 08isSoGreat.com which is hosted by SSA Magazine.
It's a nice concept that requires a serious commitment. You can say, "I drop flows every day, nah, every minute," but how many people would complete the recording and get it up on time every week, week after week. Bavu's the type of guy who will follow through.
The format is quite flexible and "some will be over jacked beats, some will be original songs". I'd recommend Instant Classic featuring HeadKrack and Young Nick but his "wife got hooked on week 4's Fine Fleaux."
Extra Plair Party at SXSW
Bavu stays busy.
I asked Mr. Bavu how it was going as a promotional project and he emailed me this brief statement:
"it's going great
great response
lots of blogs, radio stations, dj's, newspapers, etc, catchin on beyond my normal reach
and i'm sure after more than the first month it'll get better.
just sumpn to do for fun while preppin' 3 new, original releases (two albums and an ep) for this year"
The one downside to all this activity is that it's a bit hard to find it all referenced at one spot. Bavu definitely has a strongly distributed presence but designating one location where everything gets linked would help.
Nevertheless, I like this project and look forward to 40-something more flows to come.
Mr. Bavu Blakes Online:
08isSoGreat.com
Bavu on MySpace
Bavu on YouTube
Extra Plair the EP
The Smooth Show
bahvoo.com
Related ProHipHop Coverage:
MySpace Feature: Austin's Mr. Blakes
Scion Disses Bavu Blakes
Bavu Blakes and DJ Elite on Myspace.com
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
Sage Francis does a nice job of exposing one MySpace promo fraudster with a dialogue that reminds me of some of the approaches used to mess with Nigerian con artists except the company is conning music fans rather than the artists themselves.
Basically you can pay to get plays on your MySpace profile, an important thing for artists. Sage Francis got the behind-the-scenes scammer info but I really wish he'd ask them not to give him some free plays to demonstrate the service but to share some success stories regarding particular musicians to see if he could have gotten some names.
In any case, nice work!
Via GRANDGOOD.
Crooked I discusses his Web marketing strategy and maintains that he is "running toward the Internet".
A fan almost passes out at a Chamillionaire event in India.
Ghostface is out west and says he's auctioning his hat on Ebay but good luck finding the auction.
Via Boo Goo Doo Boom.
Arnold T. Pants has a nice interview with Sage Francis at Baller Status. In particular, he talks about establishing himself as an independent artist in Rhode Island:
Being an MC from Providence, Rhode Island with little to no connections to the industry...it seemed impossible to make any headway, or become known outside my tiny area. But, I just went at it. I was just making music for myself, my friends, whoever would listen. I stumbled upon the hardcore scene in the mid-90s, and they showed me the way as far as f--- waiting for a label or anyone else to put you on. If you want to make music, and you believe in it strong enough, you really just need to take the bull by the horns and push it and do it yourself...Having some business savvy and just investing in yourself, it's financially scary for a lot of people, but it worked out.
I made as many tapes as I could afford and sold them, I couldn't make enough. CD-R technology came and I used my radio station to burn that sh--, always trying to find ways to cut corners as far as expenses go, while still making profits on my investments in myself. It was a snowball effect; it got bigger and bigger and bigger. Thankfully, free file sharing came about via Napster online, and that's how without any big money marketing behind me, I was able to reach all corners of the world. All of a sudden people in Sweden and California and Canada, everywhere, people were able to access my music and share with their friends. Then my name became more and more popular. Then I was able to do shows in all these various areas.
Lots of other good stuff there.
Adisa Banjoko recently interviewed Snoop Dogg for AllHipHop and dropped in a marketing question:
AllHipHop.com: Few rappers market themselves as well as you do. How do you choose what Snoop Dogg puts his name or image on?
Snoop Dogg: I got to like the s**t for one. For two, they gotta get they paper together, ya dig? That's important. Once you get all that together, it's gotta be something effective and efficient enough to go along with Snoop Dogg; it's got to be the same cup of tea. It can't be no s**t that’s out there...you ain’t gonna see no Snoop Dogg Speedos. F**k that.
While I'm sure many are relieved at the assurance that Snoop Dogg Speedos are not in our future, Snoop had a more startling revelation regarding the Slave Trade:
AllHipHop.com: You mention unity. You recently went to Nigeria. Tell me about your trip to Africa, 'cause I have not yet been. Many people say that such experiences give them clarity on what it means to be Black in America. Did you have any such experiences? Did you learn anything?
Snoop Dogg: I got more in tune with my spirit musically out there, which I knew that I would. That American/African s**t, I’m not into all that s**t – I'm happy where the f**k I’m at; good look for bringin' us n***as [as slaves] over here, we appreciate that. Good lookin’!
The thing is, Adisa assures me Snoop wasn't joking. And I have no further comments.
The Do You!!! Takeaway: "Ignorance is Bliss".
J. Space of tPC: the People's Choice recently wrote me about some of their marketing activities and I invited him to expand on his email for ProHipHop:
With your focus on marketing, I want to point out the approach my group tPC: the People's Choice has taken to promote our newest release, Welcome to the World [zip download].
First, Welcome to the World was created as a traditional mixtape; and when I mean traditional, I mean "blended by a DJ with turntable skills", rather than "compiled by a DJ with Pro Tools who then does some drops with too much delay". We worked with DJ Solo, Muggs's protege at Soul Assassins. He brought a real hip-hop edge to the project that we feel is missing in a lot of the mixtapes out today.
Given the crowded market, we were not sold on the idea of putting the mix out as a hard copy CD, competing with DJ Warrior, Aphiliates, etc. etc. Instead, we focused on streaming it as many times as possible directly from our MySpace, via a WebJay playlist. Once we hosted our music through the web, it was extremely easy to set up the player, as Webjay offers an easy code generator for MySpace.
Secondly, we recognized that international hip-hop fans are often quicker to accept progressive, new hip-hop artists than American ones. So with the help of our trusty MySpace FriendBot, we aggressively added friends around the globe. After all, the mix is called "Welcome to the World". We found that a lot of overseas heads are a lot less jaded about MySpace than Americans, and were very quick to hit us back with positive feedback. The bot can get you in trouble with MySpace, so you have to use it wisely.
Lastly, since we are using a non-Myspace player for Welcome to the World, we added a World Visitor Map, courtesy of MyMackSpace so that industry types could get a sense of the reach of our project. Just as a note to all you MySpace rookies, when you add outside content like the World Visitor Map, strip it off the included ad tags. They can interfere with other design elements on your Space, including Top Banners, aka Mastheads.
The map shows right away where our project has gone in only three short weeks. At present, we have been heard on every continent, with particularly good Australian and European response. Compare our World Map with many other artists, and you will see the difference our approach has made. In fact, we are probably better known in Sydney than in San Francisco.
I do not know if commercial success is guaranteed to us or not. But, the truth is, many aspiring artists will waste years of their life starving for American attention. I do want the States to show us love, but I made music for people to HEAR it, not to be worshipped as a pop culture icon. I think our marketing efforts will do more to establish tPC in the long run as global act that can tour and market our brand worldwide. We feel that by giving them the music for free, other commercial opportunities will present themselves, given that they continue their support.
By J. Space of tPC: the People's Choice
Roger Kahlon left the Yay Area for New York City a while back and now he shares The 10 Mistakes I've Made Hustling My Music.
In particular, Roger has a nice take on marketing to your emerging fanbase rather than to journalists and other folks I would describe as gatekeepers. He describes the "mistake" as "Targeting People Who Respond To Demand and Not the People Who Create Demand".
I was also particularly taken by his "New Policy":
"(If You're Going To f*ck Up) f*ck Up Fast + Recover + Move On"
That very much reminds me of the Web 2.0 perspective of launching early, making mistakes and adapting rapidly. In fact, the focusing on fans rather than gatekeepers approach to marketing is also a perspective that could be associated with current developments online, though bloggers are one element that blurs the distinction.
Overall, Roger's observations suggest that on and offline may not be as far apart as we tend to think.
That wouldn't make any sense except for one thing, there are actual humans involved and what's working is human contact and conversation, whether facilitated by a weblog or a local coffeehouse.
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