OK so its apparent to almost everyone that unsigned rappers have no idea how to act.
It tends to be the younger generation.1. Always know that there is somebody better than you. A lot of rappers come to me with aspirations of being the next jay-z or the next lil Wayne or drake. When the truth of the matter is, you won't be the next. People have already heard them, and are looking for something new! Stop trying to fill someones shoes when they're not even done walking in them. They're are so many different lanes in this music industry why not take people by surprise with something that's scarce in the game.
2. STOP BEAT JACKING Now don't get me wrong on this, its cool to do a freestyle here and there to your favorite beats. But if all you're doing is taking commercial instrumentals and doing your own version to them, you will most likely stay right where you are and go nowhere with your music. You're lacking originality and people don't usually give beat jackers a 2nd thought. I know I don't. More importantly its illegal to sell your music if youre using other people's material. If you can't find a producer to work with you then just ask around, Google search, or hell just E-mail me and i will connect you with someone like my man Curtis Anderson www.captainbeats.com and he will give you 15 BEAT LEASES FOR $55. That is a whole albums worth of work! If that doesn't happen to be your style then just ask me for another composer because best believe I got Cats lined up with that work!
3. STOP ASKING FOR HOOK UPS You might occasionally meet someone who will give you something for free or super cheap, but most of the time you are just turning a business deal sour. If you're not willing to come out of pocket then you're not willing to take your craft to the next level. I can't tell you how many rappers and singers I know who won't even record in a quality studio because they don't want break bread.
4. LISTEN TO THOSE WITH EXPERIENCE I couldn't possibly tell you how many times I've slipped and landed square on my face, because of simple mistakes I've made in my younger days. If there is anything I could recommend...it would be to listen to those who have dealt with the same situation in the past. Its never a good feeling to take one step forward to take 6 steps back.
5. DON'T INVOLVE YOUR FRIENDS WITH YOUR MONEY Friends can't stay in there place. If you try to involve people in your business then they think they are in charge alongside you(Ever seen the episode of Martin where he hires Cole to be his assistant, yeah it will be just like that) .More importantly, your money can always come between your friendships. So always remind your freinds & family that they will always be your people, but they can't have a damn thing to do with your business or your money!
6. IGNORE THE RUMORS, YOU STILL HAVE TO RECORD IN A STUDIO In today's rap game one of the biggest differences in independent artists is the quality of their music! If you think you can get by recording in your bedroom like you're in middle school still then that's a BIG problem. Quality is what makes people spread it out, bump it in their car, and if its bad quality then many people will turn it off because they can hardly under what you are saying! Find a quality studio where they can work with your budget.
7. COLLABORATE ON OTHER PEOPLE'S MUSIC AS MUCH AS YOU CAN Bottom line, you are nobody to society. So how do you build your own fan base up? You work with others! Get your name and face out there! If you can crush every feature that you get offered, that could possibly lead to more offers and people could then demand to hear your solo music that you've had ready. Don't believe for one second that relying on your friends to spread the word is going to help you in any real way possible. Go after every chance you get to get heard.
8. THE DJS RUN THE MIXTAPE WORLD Don't let the industry fool you. Djs still run the mixtape game and nothing has changed about it. How many downloads do you have on your last mixtape? I have over 1000+ streams and downloads each of my mixtapes that i hosted. Which is NOTHING compared to my fellow mixtape DJs who have been doing this long before myself. DJs have the connections and resources to promote a fire mixtape. An artist promoting his own stuff will get no love. But a DJ with a respected name behind him will get your music played and get feedback on it for you as well. If you need that then just holla at on of us Coast2Coast DJs and we will get with you about your project. But a DJ is CRUCIAL for a SUCCESSFUL mixtape.
Again, just some simple guidelines young artists should be aware of when managing themselves and their career. Some collective wisdom I've gained through experience and some industry connections. Knowledge is key to success in any profession.
-Aaron "Skinny Joey" Lord
Renegade Music & Coast 2 Coast DJ
aaronj.lord@gmail.com
@SkinnyJoeyMusic
The Night.Life | Mixed by @skinnyjoeymusic
Featuring: Scotch, Marka, Twon TopGun
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