Hip Hop/Rap Music In Review, My 2009 Grammy Awards Rant

All right everyone, here we go! This is my perspective rant for the 2009 Grammy award winners strictly as an independent hip hop artist in the realm of the music business. What we have here may be biased, but it's not any music industry political bullshit ! This is strictly my opinion, so if you have a problem with it, be sure to leave your comments below.

BEST FEMALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCE
“Superwoman,” Alicia Keys

>> Alicia Keys is an amazing vocal performer with tremendous amounts of pure talent. On top that, she is gorgeous and looks great on big screen features. Although she already has numerous Grammy awards she continues to push the envelope with her music. Hard work continues to pay off for this recording artist, I was happy to see her receive this award.

BEST MALE R&B VOCAL PERFORMANCES
“Miss Independent,” Ne-Yo
BEST R&B SONG
“Miss Independent,” (Ne-Yo) M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & S. Smith, songwriters

>> Often over-looked, Ne-Yo's style and voice continue to turn heads and grace hits. This is a great song, and Ne-Yo is an outstanding recording artist as well as vocal performer. It is really no surprise to me that he won both of these Grammy awards for this very popular and catchy tune.

BEST R&B ALBUM
“Jennifer Hudson,” Jennifer Hudson

>> I'll be honest, this is an album I am yet to listen to. I think Jennifer Hudson is a talented singer/recording artist and actress. I am sure this album is a great one, and now I have to check it. This is a huge musical accomplishment for this young woman who still has an incredible future ahead.

BEST CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
“Growing Pains,” Mary J. Blige

>> Not surprised. I love Mary J. Haven't listened to this album yet either (I know, I'm slacking, sorry baby!). This is just another award in Miss Blige's growing collection, she is a phenomenal R&B artist.


BEST URBAN / ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE
“Be OK,” Chrisette Michele Featuring will.i.am

>> I still have to check it out. I'll post it here and peep it myself, this sounds like an interesting combination of great artists.


BEST RAP ALBUM
Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III

>> Wayne has been killing the mainstream scene for over the last year. Although I enjoyed his album, I think this category should have been tossed up between these three. T.I.'s Paper Trail had hit records, singles that reigned the top spots on the Billboard charts and great songs that made the album a complete success. Nas' aptly untitled album was "different", in the eyes of many. In my eyes, it was a solid album and it has some notable tracks that left an impression on me as a fan and aspiring hip hop artist.

Hands down though, out of the nominees for this award, Lupe Fiasco's The Cool impressed me the most. This album is great, a representation of what the creatively savy hip hop artist can contribute to the genre. The Cool has quickly become one of my most favorite albums that I have recently acquired.

BEST RAP PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP
T.I. feat. Kanye West & Lil Wayne, "Swagger Like Us"

>> What else can you say ? The other nominees made great runner ups, but with a heavy weight roster such as this one, this collaboration made for some really amazing live performances, which made this Grammy a Gimme, definitely.

BEST RAP/SUNG COLLABORATION
Estelle feat. Kanye West, "American Boy"

>> This is a great song, it's catchy, it pops, and it tore up the mother fuckin' charts ! But, I would have like to see Lupe Fiasco and Matthew Santos take this award home, I thought that collaboration was the single of the year !

BEST RAP SONG
“Lollipop,” (Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major)D. Carter, S. Garrett, D. Harrison, J. Scheffer & R. Zamor, songwriters

>> This song ruled the Billboard Charts for a long time. Hit radio stations across the continent were playing this song multiple times in a single hour, due simply to popular demand. Personally, I can't disagree. As an avid fan of having a wild time at the gentle men's club, this song is definitely a dope song to get a dance with. My only notable mention is Superstar by Lupe Fiasco and Matthew Santos that could have also received this award.

Lupe Fiasco Announces Title Of New Mixtape Through Twitter Account

Hip hop recording artist Lupe Fiasco has recently leveraged the power of his social media networks to spread the news of his new mix tape to all of his music fans. The rapper announced the title of his new mix tape, "Enemy of The State", to the almost 42,000 followers on his Twitter page.

This is sound strategy when it comes to marketing your own music online. Using your own popularity to your advantage by spreading the word about your upcoming projects is a great way to keep current and potential fans interested in what you are doing. Social media sites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook can help an independent rap artist build the following needed to see success in the rap music business.

It is also extremely helpful if you have your own website being used as the basis of your social network campaign. For instance, lupefiasco.com will be the first search result if you go searching for the artist. His website also links to his MySpace and Twitter pages.

After his first album, "Food and Liquor" helped break this hip hop artist out on the industry scene, his follow up album would turn him into a rap super star. Following up with "The Cool", Lupe received the much deserved recognition for being a talented and unique artist. "The Cool" also brought Lupe Fiasco some commercial success, with his hit single "Superstar" holding down the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for over 9 weeks.

Lupe continues to reach new fans by staying true to his own values as an artist. Check out LupeFiasco.com for more information. Also, peep this new track by Lupe Fiasco entitled "Solar Midnite" which is featured on the upcoming "Twilight Sage: New Moon" soundtrack.

The Consequences of Your Commitments, Rap Artist DMX Sued for $1 Million

In the rap music business, there are many lessons one can only learn through experience. Any celebrity or independent artist can learn the same lesson, but by a different scale of consequences.

Take for an example, an indie rap artist who intentionally misses out on a scheduled performance. This will surely have negative consequences for this artist and his/her brand. Simply put, it is just not good business to miss or back out of an engagement you have previously committed to attending. It's also shitty for your publicity.

Hardcore rap pioneer DMX, recently out of prison as well as rehab, was scheduled to perform in a celebrity boxing match in Birmingham, Alabama. Unfortunately for the rap superstar, as a result of his refusal to take part, a lawsuit is the consequence.

By backing out of the celebrity boxing match that he agreed to participate in, he will now be forced to pay an undetermined amount in damages for breach of contract, as well as legal fee`s for both him self and the defendants. The damages are reportedly in the million dollar range

The only thing that works in favor of DMX is, this is totally his persona at work. He would not be Dark Man X if he acted any other way. Sometimes it`s hard to break that curse, where your fans expect that type of publicity and exposure to set the bar.

Rap Music Business Facing Challenge, Album Leaks Force Early Releases

Remember when Jay-Z's Blue Print 3 leaked a full month before it's release ? Eventually the rap artist entrepreneur decided it made more business sense to rush the release ahead of schedule in an effort to sort of combat the "damage" which could be caused by the record leaking earlier online.
It seems to be becoming a trend, with 50 cent's new album "Before I Self Destruct" now implementing the same exact strategy. Having now leaked across the world wide web, this forced the G-Unit Records mogul to release the record early, after the album had been pushed back for many many months.

Is this seriously still a problem ? Depends who you ask. Any big name mainstream rap artist is going to have security issues revolving around their new rap music tracks. It's hard for these super star artists to keep these projects under wraps long enough for a legitimate release and full music marketing campaign to begin. But why not use it to your advantage ?

Lets take for example, the release of Eminem's Relapse album. It was highly speculated that the album leaked online ahead of schedule on purpose, as a tactic to gain more attention. The idea was, since the rap artist was releasing two albums (Relapse 1 & 2), the early leak was the first album, and the second album would be released on the actual street date.
Although this did not happen, it would have made for an interesting and innovative strategy that had not been used before. It's definitely time for these super star rappers to get creative with their album releases.

Clearly indie rap artists are not having this same issue in the music business. It's hard for an album to "leak" online for a group or artist who does not have that main stream appeal yet. After all, if nobody knows that you exist or that you music is about to be released, then who will rush to download it before it even comes out ?

The key here is definitely how much demand is out there for your music to be heard, played and purchased. Even independent rap artists should be seeking out new ways to revamp the traditional "release" of a record. How do you feel about album leaks ? What are some other ways around the security issues involved with such a high stakes music venture (i.e. a Eminem, Jay-Z or 50 cent album release) ? Leave your two cents piece.

The iPhone App Trend Continues, 50 Cent Hops On Board With 50SoundLab.com

All right, now it's getting old. The trend is not only apparent, it's down right painfully obvious. If you are going to release an iPhone application as a rap music business mogul, you should come up with something a little more creative (ie. David Banner's "Work Out Or Die!" app).

50's Sound Lab App invites users to remix the recent singles off of his new album "Before I Self Destruct". The rap artist entrepreneur is also hosting a contest for his music fans to remix his track "Baby By Me". The contest winner, who will be chosen by 50 himself, will receive a grand prize of a face to face meeting with the popular rap artist.

This provides Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson with another branding opportunity for his Vitamin Water company, which is heavily tied to this new venture as the sponsor of the new iPhone application.

This is definitely an opportune time for the artist who releases this app in line with his new album. Music marketing strategies in action ! Indie artists can learn a lot from one of the big dogs like 50, who always implements the "go big or go home" attitude when it comes to creating awareness for any one of his many ventures.

For more information, check out the site which is: 50soundlab.com

Eminem Track Used By Microsoft Xbox360 Commercial For C.O.D. Modern Warfare 2

"Til I Collapse" written and performed by Eminem featuring Nate Dogg is from the album "the Eminem Show". This particular track is used here to promote the new blockbuster game Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 by the Xbox360 of Microsoft Corporation.

Having the funds to properly market this already highly anticipated game, it's no surprise Microsoft decided to use an Eminem song to promote their new million dollar baby. The rap superstar has an unmistakable voice, catching viewers attention instantly. I know this.

How, you ask ? I just so happen to be sitting in the living room, working on my laptop, when I heard the rap artist's song coming from a TV commercial. It caught my attention immediately, considering the last TV commercial I saw which featured an Eminem track was for the iPod by Apple, who wound up getting sued and settling out of court with the rapper's music publishing company.

For more details on that, check out my article on the subject: 8 Mile Style Lawsuit Against Apple

Hopefully Microsoft acquired the proper synchronization license, or else they are going to run into some legal trouble. What do you think ? Leave your two cents.

"Beat Makers", An Indie Film On Hip Hop Producers In The Music Business

Reel One Entertainment presents "Beat Makers", an independent documentary on how hip hop producers are striving to come up in the music business. Executive produced by Eddie Singleton and Martin Kelley, this film is an in depth look at how the next generation of hip hop producers are using whatever they have and can get their hands on to develop the sounds of the future.

Directed by Laron Austin, this film completely captures the essence of hungry producers trying to come up in the competitive world of hip hop music production. Broken down into chapters, the documentary touches ground on what it takes for these producers to ultimately find their own level of success in the music business.

Chronicling their starts, struggles and successes, "Beat Makers" includes interviews with producers who have spent years creating their own unique twists on producing rap beats. Posing an array of questions, these interviews take place in familiar settings, such as home studios, vinyl record stores, and even street corners.

The producers involved with the film answer such questions as how they manifest inspiration, where they draw from creative influences, and how they dig to find samples. Producers also share their choice of equipment and software programs used to create their hot beats.

If you are considering a career in hip hop music production, this documentary may be all the inspiration that you need to go forward. I personally took the time to watch this film and was pleasantly surprised with how well it was produced. Being an emcee, having avid enthusiasm for good beats and great music, this documentary definitely struck a chord with me. I suggest you check it out if this is a facet of the rap music business that also fascinates you.

The whole documentary can be viewed on Youtube here...

SUPPORT REAL PRODUCERS PUTTING IN REAL WORK !!! Purchase a copy of "Beat Makers" on Amazon


Inspired by the documentary, the production team behind "Beat Makers" is currently working on their next project entitled "Battle". This new movie is about a hip hop producer looking to start his career in hip hop production by winning a national beat battle competition. With a movie trailer and mixtape on the way, this new movie sounds quite promising.

50 Cents Dips Back Into The Video Game Market With C.O.D. Modern Warefare 2

The rap music business mogul has lent his voice to the new blockbuster game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Curtis Jackson is no stranger to the video game world, having already released his very own video game entitled "Bullet Proof", featuring himself as the main character. The game also brought the release of new music (at the time) as the soundtrack, which included tracks released by 50's G-Unit Records imprint.

With a new record release, more video game voice overs and prominent movie roles, the entrepreneur continues to profit from his efforts inside and out of the entertainment industries. I made a post not long ago about 50's new brand of cologne, and before that there was another post about his book venture "The 50th Law" with noted author Robert Greene.

50 sure knows how to pick the project, not all successful mind you, his efforts to pay off large when they do, which is quite often. Modern Warfare 2 is a game that is currently breaking sales records and boasting great reviews, quite possibly could be named the game of the year by critics. Even to be associated with such a project is a great result.

Choosing the right business ventures can be incredibly tricky, especially for artist entrepreneurs trying to break through the music industry. 50 Cent has proven over time that he can pick good ventures to associate himself with. The man is a business beast, period.

Rap Artist David Banner Launches New iPhone App, "Work Out Or Die!"

Rapper/actor David Banner has recently launched a new iPhone application entitled "Work Out Or Die!". The idea stems from a conversation between the rap artist and a friend, who just so happens to work for the Apple corporation. According to David, the friend encouraged him to pursue the new venture to satisfy a market within the rapper's fan base.

It was common knowledge to his fans, that the rapper had lost weight from an exercise program he had built for himself. The whole concept of providing something new to service the basis of your niche market (i.e., the fans of David Banner), and supplying them with something else that they have in common with the rap artist, i.e. a weight loss program for people who are over weight.

This is a great idea which can have amazing results for music sales as well. Having an iPhone application puts the rapper in the perfect position for any type of music marketing campaign he may under take here after. The iPhone applications subscribers will have access to extra material that the rapper will provide at his discretion.

Now all iPhone users who are David Banner fans, or just looking to lose weight but are categorized in the "urban market", (or both) are accessible to rapper at the click of a button. He can provide exclusive music downloads, updates about his film career as an actor, or just share tips on his exercise strategies and weight loss program.

This is a great example of artist entrepreneurs thinking outside of the box, and looking for other ways to profit from the base of fans that they already have, while also trying to attract new fans to grow the base.

Winners of BET's 2009 Hip Hop Awards

What do you think y'all, did I call it or bunk it ? It's time to see if any of my predictions came true. This post is strictly my opinion on the award winners, and who I think should have won.

Verizon People's Champ Award: Fabulous
Song: "Throw It In The Bag" feat. Dream

Fab wins by popular vote. Out of all the nominee's, I think Fab deserved the recognition, good pick by the people.

Best Hip Hop Collabo: T.I. and Rihanna
Song: "Live Your Life"

This award was no contest, the track between T.I. and Rihanna tore up the charts all year long.

Best Live Performer: Jay-Z

Some of my boys just caught the Jay-Z shows up here in Canada (London and Toronto), and they said his live performance is unmatched. When it comes to being a performer, Jigga really puts it down for his music fans.

Lyricist of the Year: Jay-Z

I think Jay-Z is always equipped with that lyric-wit. Seriously though, how do you not give Eminem this award ? Relapse was filled with clever rhymes schemes and incredibly intelligent lyrics from the mastermind himself, who somehow was over looked for this award. Good for Jigga though, who also brings deep thoughtful lyrics to the track.

Video Director of The Year: Hype Williams

Nobody can argue with this one. All other nominee's have artistically created some cool videos, but Hype Williams is the visionary that deserves this win.

Producer of the Year: Kanye West

Some great producers were nominated in this category. Cool and Dre, Tha Bizness, Ron Brownz and T Pain all brought the heat when it came to the beats, but still the award goes to 'Ye who produced a string of successful hits this year.

Rookie of the Year: Drake (called it.)

This kid had an amazing run this year, and short of Kid Cudi I didn't think any one else deserves this award as much as the young money millionaire Drizzy Drake.

Track of the Year: "Every Girl" - Young Money

Really ? Meh, you got me. I think that "Day N' Nite" by Kid Cudi should have taken the track of the year award.

CD/ Album of the Year: "Paper Trail" - T.I.

This album is great. Can't say I'm surprised it is the album of the year.

Best Hip Hop Video: "Live Your Life" T.I. feat. Rihanna

The song tore up the charts, the video did the same.

MVP of the Year: Jay-Z (bunked it.)

I really thought LiL Wayne was going to take this award. I believe Weezy had the hardest grind of the year, however, Jigga is a hustler in his own right. Guess thats why he won this, and the hustler of the year award.

DJ of the Year: DJ AM (Adam Goldstein, RIP)

There is no surprise here. After this young DJ tragically lost his life earlier this year, this award was posthumously given to DJ AM for his contributions to hip hop music.

Hustler the Year: Jay-Z (hard to argue)

This award seems to be very much like the "MVP" of the year award ? Maybe they just felt the jigga man deserved an extra one for his shelf.

Made You Look Award: Kanye West

No doubt, with all the stunts he pulled this year. That Taylor Swift stunt really takes the cake though, and thus you have the made you look award winner Kanye West.

Best Hip Hop Blog Site: All-Hip-Hop

These guys run a tight ship, and have the hottest information source in hip hop, bar none. All the hip hop blogs/sites that were nominated do great work and in a way deserve this award. Although, since there can be only one winner, it is no surprise that the best site received the honor.