Dope D.O.D. has been making a name for themselves out in Europe. I don't remember how I even got put on to them, but my first impression was that they were weird as hell. But after hearing a few tracks and understanding their direction, I can dig em. Their production is usually sick, they have alright rhymes and their videos are always very well done. In some of their music videos, the footage from their live shows looks crazy too. But yea, today I seen they dropped a new video featuring Onyx, and I thought it was dope. Seems like a hype track for a performance. Check it!
This interview is dope. As always, Montreality obtains some interesting info from Papoose, and even gets him to drop a little freestyle. The freestyle over 50 Cent's "Major Distribution" beat gave the interview a more than appropriate introduction. From discussing his favourite books to updating you with information about his upcoming album, "The Nacirema Dream", this interview helps you get to know Papoose a little better.
Fuck yea! I've been waiting for over a decade to see a "Last Friday" movie. It's great to see that Ice Cube is taking the next step towards making the final film in the series for the fans. In this video clip presented by Duck Down Visuals, Ice Cube gives us an update on his upcoming album "Everythang's Corrupt".
Cube also speaks on the level of creativity that the next generation of hip hop artists coming from the West Coast are providing for the culture. Peep some knowledge from a real OG.
"Have It All" - David E Beats featuring GangstaGrass
If you don't know David E Beats, then you really must not read this blog all that often. For the better part of the last two years, we here at the Future of Rap Music Business blog have been a supporter of the New York City based producer/artist and musician.
Whether you want to admit it or not, you always have to route for some one who works as hard as David E Beats. From producing, writing, and recording every track on his latest mixtape release "Renaissance", to being the only official member of the White House Band, opening the stage at live performances for such notable acts as Keith Murrary, Slum Village, Das Racist, Too $hort, Action Bronson & Mickey Factz (just to name a few) while also heading up the Rap Rocks! concert promotions company.
His newest achievement though would have to be the recent release of the new mixtape "Renassiance", which is currently buzzing through most of the biggest names in music blogs and hip hop websites.
The thirteen track project, hosted by Mick Boogie, boasts some serious instrumentation and dope production. Not to mention some sickening guitar riffs that just bring tracks like "Have It All" featuring GangstaGrass together sonically, into one very nice mix.
To me, the "Renaissance" mixtape is all about showcasing the diverse range of sounds that David E Beats is capable of bringing to the table. There's a little bit of something for everyone; mellow joints like "Dream" and "Everyday", to more hype tracks such as "T.G.I.F." and the uplifting joint "Happiness" featuring Ciph
One thing that quickly caught my attention, is how not one of the tracks sounds much like any of the others. Each song on "Renaissance" brings its own unique vibe, message and overall emotional feel, which makes you want to keep listening from start to finish.
In fact, the tracks blend together quite seamlessly, which is an art form that goes highly overlooked (or underheard) when it comes to this day and age of an infinite number of mixtapes. However, "Renaissance" comes with the full package, truly the soundtrack to one man's very unique story.
This mixtape has tracks for all kind of hip hop heads, but mainly for all those fans out there who are looking for something fresh and vibrant. Certainly, few could argue that there are no other artists/producers out there right now whom you can compare to David E Beats.
The man quite literally drives in his own lane when it comes to the future of the rap music business.
Phife Dawg of the iconic hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest recently sat down for this in depth interview with the home boy DJ Chedo from The Come Up Show. Here is the description for parts 1 and 2:
The Come Up Show had the opportunity to sit down with Phife Dawg of the legendary A Tribe Called Quest. One of the best interviews we’ve done so far as Phife sat down for over 20 minutes answering our questions about J.Dilla, the Tribe documentary, his relationship with Q-Tip and much more.
Since we live in a A-D-D- world we decided to split it the interview into a few parts. In part.1 of our interview Phife discusses how he feels about Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks. In part 2, Phife Dawg talks about the new album and its title "Cheryl’s Big Son: The Anomaly" and the first single, called "Soulmen" featuring one of his artists LEL.
I asked Phife about the high expectation fans have because it is his first solo album in twelve years, he tells us he wasn’t thinking of making an album because of his battle with his health, unless it was a Tribe album, he was just going to produce, but all of a sudden he caught the bug again while producing.
Check it out and make sure to subscribe to The Come Up Show TV for the rest of the series.
With Sadat X's latest single "We In New York" currently tearing up the internet and radio airwaves (song was played on Hot 97 by DJ KaySlay & "The Morning Show" with Sway on Shade 45) and Stryfe releasing his EP, "The Opening Act", Loyalty Digital Corp is back with another dope song called "I Like It".
“I Like It” is Local MU12's second single which features Stryfe alongside his fellow Union Members RP, NOM & FOKIS.
Produced by Real McKoy, a fellow Local MU12 member.
Young Jack Thriller of ThisIs50.com met up with Hopsin this week, for the second time. They discuss signing to a major label, the XXL Freshman List, and consistently crack jokes about everything that's brought up. It's a pretty funny interview and they made a lot of fun out of the situation. Check out more interviews by ThisIs50 here.
Here is a video recap of Iron Solomon’s ‘Monster' album listening event at the packed house inside the infamous Flight Klub Studios in NYC. After a brief Q & A with Hot 97's own Peter Rosenberg, industry insiders, press, and radio DJs were given an exclusive preview of the new album, ‘Monster,’ which dropped yesterday on March 27th.
This video combines one of my favourite hip hop blogs with one of my favourite hip hop artists who is currently on the come up. With that being said, it's no coincidence that over at The Come Up Show, real recognize real and Chedo took the time to reach Toronto to interview SonReal while he was visiting. Another great interview with a great artist.
There’s nothing more I love than doing interviews with artists who are constantly grinding, putting themselves out there, progressing and stand for something real. It’s easy for me and other interviewers to want to cover musicians who have blown up but I find it more meaningful when I’m interviewing an artist on their journey to success.
That’s why I’m excited to present our interview with Vancouver based Hip-Hop artist Sonreal. In the past couple of years he has released countless singles, freestyles, music videos and mixtapes like Where’s Waldo and The Lighyear which you can cop at Sonreal’s website. I caught up with Sonreal in Toronto and he talked to me about his progress, the honesty in his music and why we won’t be moving from Vancouver to Toronto any time soon. – Chedo
Here is part 2 of Al Lindstrom.com's Violating The Game video series, which features this interview with Chris Lighty. In this clip Chris discusses managing his recording artists, meeting with 50 cent, helping Drake land his Sprite commercial and other goodies. Take notes!
Buckshot has just released this 80-page, hard-cover book that is the same size as a standard CD digipak. The inside, back cover includes a CD insert with original audio from Buckshot. The book will be available in the audio section (Under 'B') at Best Buy, FYE, Borders & other independent record stores.
In addition to the hard-cover book, e-book formats (with full color photos) will be available at outlets such as iBook (iTunes), Kindle (Amazon), Sony Reader, & Nook (Barnes & Noble). Buckshot provides an A-Z guide on the basics of the Entertainment industry. which also includes a 15-track album with original Buckshot music based on the concepts from within the book.
Buckshot has recorded a series of educational interviews with people who play the role's of various positions that he highlights within the book. The first visual is Buckshot explaining the basics behind creating a record. He works alongside Young Piff, the winner of Boost Mobile & HOT 97's Summer Jam MC Battle.
With a number of different projects in the works, the man who has worked along side the likes of Joell Ortiz, Ty Fyffe, Focus (Aftermath Ent.) and Olu Dara is now dedicating time to taking his brand to the next level.
It was after releasing the Appetizer project with eMC's Punchlyne that Fokis silently took some time to dedicate to the emergence of his own brand, Loyalty Digital Corp. "These past few months I have been putting in long hours structuring my company," the multi-faceted New Yorker explained. "I have been learning the ins and outs of running a successful business, being a CEO and still be able to maintain the roles of artist and producer."
This time of reflection and hard study saw Fokis partner with multi-platinum producer Ty Fyffe and together they created the online competition 'TY FYFFE PRESENTS RAW AND UNCUT'. "Fokis is a real professional and business man whom I have a lot of respect for..a real pleasure to work with," says Ty Fyffe. Allowing himself the opportunity to nurture talent has always been a vital component of Fokis's assault on the music industry as a CEO.
Over the next six months Fokis will be releasing a slew of projects including his solo album, FOKEEZY FOSHEEZY. He also plans to release a compilation album featuring various artists over his production.
Included here is “Holdin’ On” f/RJ Swift, Potent and Rasheeda Wallace from Fokis’ A Walk Through Myspace Vol 2 project.
Russell Simmons always has some great insights on the music business. In this clips, Russell shares some tips on how he uses innovation as the means to grow his businesses.
The world lost an awe inspiring talent when we lost Aaliyah in a tragic accident about nine years ago. Girl was a serious threat to the industry as an artist, she could sing very well, act on screen as well and she was absolutely beautiful. We will forever miss you Aaliyah!
The Coast 2 Coast New Music Industry Convention is a professional music networking event focused on the new music industry, taking place this August 27th–29th in Miami, FL at the Newport Beachside Hotel and Resort.
The event will be hosted by J Hatch of iStandardProducers.com and feature presentations on marketing, promotion, new media, industry etiquette, production tips, music monetization and much more.
Panelists from every major urban website and record label will sit alongside platinum producers and artists to inform fans and aspiring artists alike of the changing landscape of music.
Artists and music industry guests can register for the event now at http://www.coast2coastconvention.com as well as review the updated schedule and list of panelists, partners and sponsors.
The event will be covered in over 50 urban media publications, blogs and websites. Some of the main sponsors include: iStandardProducers.com, Datpiff.com, HipHopDX.com, AllHipHop.com, HopHopGame.com, NewIndustryTips.com, Scratch DJ Academy, Bottom Feeder Music, WordUpDJ.com and more.
To find more information on the event and a full updated list of panelists, sponsors and schedule please visit http://www.coast2coastconvention.com.
Here is a great video I found courtesy of ArtistsHouseMusic.org. This site has amazing resources, especially for beginners looking to get a tune up on their knowledge of the rap music business.
The professionals in this video share some excellent information on how indie artists can maximize their music marketing budget.
Browse through hundreds of video interviews with music industry professionals, as they share their experiences and knowledge with you regarding all aspects of the business.
Now a days, it can be hard to find your place in the world, especially in the music industry. Most people spend their lives "chasing the dream" and never have a clue of how, or even why they're trying to get there in the first place. I used to be one of those people, that is until I started college.
I graduated with a professional certificate in music business through the online extension of Berklee College of Music. During my time studying with the online music college, I learned a great deal of knowledge in such area's as: music business, music marketing and promotion, publishing, entrepreneurship and even scratched the surface of music and copyright law.
While I learned from many great professors (George Howard and Chris Stone to name a few), during my time in the program one very interesting man stood out above the rest (could it be the shirts?). Dave Kusek's passion and influence inspired me to get out here and take a shot at success as an entrepreneur in the music business.
Who is Dave Kusek?
Dave Kusek is vice president of Media at Berklee Music and author of the "Future of Music: A Manifesto for the Digital Music Revolution". Dave also co-developed one of the music industry's most significant technological advances, Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI). For more background on Dave, check out his Future of Music blog. So what's Dave Kusek doing these days? Well he just launched a new membership site with major benefits for indie artists, musicians and entrepreneurs alike.
Music Power Network
The Music Power Network is a perfect investment for any and all indie hip hop artists and producers looking to start a serious career in the music business. It combines essential music biz lessons, with business planning tools, video interviews with many notable professionals in the music industry, as well as access to numerous resources and a valuable network of other musician contacts and music industry professionals.
Most independent artists have a hard time raising the funds or finding time to invest in expanding their educational experiences. The great thing about the Music Power Network is it gives you access to all these tools and resources at an affordable price for a life time membership. You will always have access to the materials in your account, which makes it easier to learn exactly what you need to know at your own convenience.
Also, if you've never experienced the whole "online college thing", or perhaps doubt it's effectiveness as an educational medium, I would urge you to re-consider. My time at Berklee College of Music has helped me to create and work towards a vision for a successful music business enterprise.
During my time studying through the online extension school Berklee College of Music, I was (obviously) required to read books, all of which were loaded with information that has been useful for me along the way of my career in the music business.
One of these books is titled "Getting Signed! An Insiders Guide To The Record Industry" by George Howard. George is an accredited professor at Berklee, among many of his numerous jobs and ventures. I learned loads of stuff from Mr. Howard, but I thought I would share this review of his book with all of you whom may be interested in picking up a copy.
What I loved about this book:
When I first started studying the ins and outs of the music business, the case studies presented in this book were great examples based on stories featuring bands, musicians and labels that I actually knew of and even enjoyed.
The structure of this book made is great if you're looking to catch the attention of A&R executives at major and/or indie record labels. It outlines all the key players involved in providing an artist/band with the opportunity to construct the best possible record deal.
Overall this book is well written, in a manner which makes the information easy to digest. This helped me pick up the material quite easily, hence why I am creating this post.
Also, if you are serious about taking your career as an artist in the music business to the next level, check out berkleemusic.com for some online courses. Try out the "Getting Inside The Recording Industry" course, which is taught by George Howard. I'm sure it will give you a great foundation to get started on your music business path. Many other courses are available as well.
Have you taken any online course in the music business? Would you, as an indie hip hop artist and/or producer be interested in taking an affordable courses online to grow your knowledge in the rap music business? Please share your thoughts.
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.
A deal is currently in the works between mega-computer conglomerate Hewlett-Packard computers and Jimmy Iovine/Dr.Dre of Inter Scope Records. This deal will develop a music package for intention of helping to stimulate the creativity in the music making-listening demographics. Years locked in the studio has convinced Dr.Dre that the music fans simply aren't receiving the full high quality sound of the music on average ear bud head phones. "Hear what you've been missing" is the tag line for this product.
Further more, this package will includes HP laptop computers accompanied by Beats by Dre headphones which will be sold in a bundle to new customers through retail stores (such as Best Buy, Future Shop, etc.). The package will also provide users with some sort of music soft ware that will be used in conjunction with the headphones and laptop. This is a joint effort that aims to further develop the quality of digital music creation.
Everyone who is anyone in the music business knows about these headphone sets that were released by pioneering producer Dr.Dre earlier last year, January 6th, 2008. Countless rap superstars, producers, artists and even celebrity rap music fans such as basketball star Lebron James have all been spotted rocking these dope headphones. It is also worth mentioning that this product has been "placed" in numerous hit music videos by high profile rap artists as well as musicians outside of the hip hop genre. Executive Jimmy Iovine is said to being brokering the deal between the rap artist-producer and the corporate giant HP.
Check out more information on the Monster Beats By Dr.Dre headphones at the site Beatsbydre.com. What do you think about these headphones, have you copped a set yet? It's quite the price tag, but I hear there is a noticeable different in the sound quality when listening to the music, which after all, is what this is all about.
