A cool story on how a Cali indep. label is trying to get major luv. Read on ...

[dawgggpound4life]

What's up from Australia,

Here's a great story of why many up and coming westcoast artists are going independent. This is a familiar story for a lot of new Cali rap artists today.



(Story by 'Wendy Day' from Rap Coalition)

'I-Funk records' is the dream turned reality of a 30-something entrepreneur from the streets of Inglewood, CA. In an era where Cali rap isn’t getting the love it deserves at radio, the street savvy businessman, r, understands the streets and is working them with his team, blitzing them with posters and flats, and handing out enhanced CDs that showcase the new single and the video on one CD. Maybe I’m drawn to him because we think so much alike, or maybe I’m just impressed by his incredible business mind and by the fact that he studied this industry for years before jumping in with both feet (which is rare but necessary). "To make it happen, ya gotta love doing it all day everyday," he explains when I ask about his apparent commitment and dedication.

'I-Funk' began in 1995, but really came to life as a tangible asset 2 years ago. The foundation was laid with hella studying, making connections, and more studying. After putting together incredible music with his artists: 'Reservoir Dogs' (rap trio), and 'Dice The Pimpstruss' (female MC). Here's one of her tracks with 'RBX' for download -

http://www.ifunkrecords.com/audio/dice/road%20kill.wma

Jerome pressed up Reservoir Dogs album, "Uncivilized," which hit the streets on February 5, 2002. To set up the album, 'I-Funk' used some traditional ideas as well as some incredibly creative approaches. Focusing mostly on the South West and South East regions of the U.S, 'I-Funk' released a video of the first single "This Life We Lead,"

(download video here - http://www.ifunkrecords.com/Media/dogs.asf)

targeted radio play, and unleashed street teams in NC, FL, and Cali. The video ran 6 weeks before the album dropped, and radio and the street teams kicked in with phases throughout Florida, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Southern California. The video features 'Crooked I' (Suge Knight’s next artist to blow up at The Row), and 'Miss Toi' to lend some local association and support to the project. And if that doesn’t do it, old friend 'Mack 10' appears on the next single’s remix, and in the next video.

'I-Funk' has a blueprint and is sticking to it. They’ve promoted by giving away turkeys for Thanksgiving to radio stations; t-shirt giveaways with radio stations, where they printed the station logo on the front of the shirt and the 'I-Funk' logo on the sleeve; offered breakfast at The Box in Houston; and all the while employing street teams to give away posters and T-shirts at high schools, colleges, and the streets. What motivates Jerome? "Watching guys on the street blow millions, and I am proving to the guys in my Hood that you don’t need millions to do this. Once it’s spent, it’s gone. There is no second chance because you’re not Sony or Time Warner," says Jerome who is proud that he doesn’t have a lot of money. When I ask him what qualities he has that make him different, he tells me about his strong business ethics, the fact that he "needs to take care of the people around him," that he’s "fair," and "that he never forgets." He knows this is a business and that "you have to make sure everybody makes money, so they don’t forget you either!"

Jerome did some research and hired Marvin Robinson to consult for radio, and is getting love in Jackson, NC, SC, etc, but not on "home turf." Airplay is hard to get in LA for the smaller labels, but this doesn’t slow the roll at 'I-Funk' one bit. They chose to do a promotion with the VIP Records chain focusing on Watts and Compton supported with local cable advertising on BET for 3 months; they blanketed the Watts store with posters in the windows, on the door, and are on the impact rack as you walk in the store. Jerome humbly points out to me that Sony ran a similar program for 2 weeks, but he’s showing his love for the community for three months! With a street team in LA that just kicked in on the release date: hanging posters, passing out flyers, hitting up the clubs, and doing retail displays-they are basically bringing what they’ve done in other areas, home.

They announced their arrival in LA rather flamboyantly. Last month, at 'Mack 10’s' album release party at House Of Blues in Los Angeles, which was also the same night as the American Music Awards, 'I-Funk' decided to show support for their homie. Jerome dressed 80 street soldiers in long sleeve red T-shirts with the 'I-Funk' logo and rented two limo buses to bring them to the party. This turn-out not only showed support for 'Mack 10' but promoted 'I-Funk' so strongly that folks were talking about it on Hot 97 in New York a couple of days later. The other unique effort 'I-Funk' has made that stands out is the enhanced single CD. It contains the underground hit single 'This Life We Lead' by Reservoir Dogs, and also has the video so anyone can play the video on their computer. The next single, which is called "Soo Woo," is the strongest song (Jerome believes in never releasing your Ace first). It, too, will have an enhanced single with the original version, the remix with Mack 10 and Dice, and the video, which shoots mid-March.
(Here's the 2 remixes with 'Mack 10' for download)

http://www.ifunkrecords.com/audio/res/soowoo%20-%20king%20tech%20mix.wma

http://www.ifunkrecords.com/audio/res/soowoo%20-%20studio%20steve%20full.wma

'I-Funk' records believes in doing things big, but not in spending a lot of money. "I have a strong plan, and don’t need to spend big money, just money in the right places," Jerome teaches. You could do what he’s done for around $80 to $100 thousand. "But even if I gave my plan to 100 people, no one could recreate what I’ve done," Jerome sadly states. "Because most people don’t want to put in the hard work," I chime in. "Exactly," says Jerome.

The first release from the aspiring 'I-Funk' records was in stores January 2002, and came from the hottest West Coast Trio ever assembled, "The Reservoir Dogs " with their debut album, "Uncivilized". Future releases coming from 'I-Funk' records include the original "Pimptruss, Dice aka Devo", with her debut album, "Nothing But The Realness". And be on the look out for the follow up album from "The Reservoir Dogs" called "Miracle on 62nd Street" and each members own solo albums - Kola Duces with "The Bad Man", Stoop-Lo with "H.U.S.T.L.E.R. (hardcore since '74)", and All Day with "Lallies Black Sheep".

'I-Funk' records promises to be a household name for sure, through aggressive marketing and promotions in the streets, radio, retail and video outlets around the country.

Peace !

[dawgggpound4life]

r is supposed to be 'Jerome "Mugs" Taylor' .Sorry 'bout dat.

[STILLDRE IS THE GODFATHER]

thanks for postin that