what it takes to blow up/sell records, or not sell records

[budsmokeronly]

people always argue about this shit, so here is a break down, and this is real business shit.  I know a lot about business, I love business, I have a college degree in business.  I'm not trying to brag about what I know, but when it comes to business I can be pretty smart.  Music is a business, just like sports are now a business.

1)  If you are on an independent label, you're chances of sucess are slim to none.  You can have the greatest product in the world, but if you don't have the marketing for it, then it's not gonna sell.  This is an obvious fact, I did not make this up.

2) It takes money to make money.  A rapper is an investment for major labels, that is why they put money in them to promote them.  If you spend $5,000 to promote yourself as a rapper nowadays, then your gonna sell for shit.  Labels spend millions of dollars promoting Eminem, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Ludacris, Ja Rule, Nelly, etc.

3)  If you wanna sell, you MUST have a lot of radio/tv play.  How to get this?  that I really don't know.  Probably gotta know people and have money.  anyone thinking you get on the radio or mtv cause your fans request you is kidding themselves.  Also you gotta have music suitable for the radio/mtv.  If all your songs are about murder, drugs, guns, and bitches and full of cussing then its gonna be hard to get on the radio/mtv.

4) Find the biggest market of people buying rap music.  I'm not sure, but I think it is kids ages 10-18.  How many 12 year olds besides Big AG are out their that can relate to/or listen to rap music like Spice 1 or MC Eiht or Crooked I?  People like Eminem, Snoop, Nelly all have lots of songs that kids would luv w/o having any idea of what they could be rapping about.  Do you think the avg kid aged 12-16 has any idea what Ras Kass is rapping about?  I doubt it, and thats why they think its boring.  On the other hand Eminem always disses his mom and shit.  Many teenagers are rebelling, and get in fights w/ their parents.  I'm sure a lot of kids like eminem cause of how he is a rebel and raps about his mom.

5)  It's not nessassary but it, really helps a shitload, to have BIG names involved w/ your album.  First, people recognize their names.  second radio/mtv will play the song w/ them.  third, they got experience and they know people in the business.  bad thing about westcoast rap is that no one wants to help each other, they all just dissin each other.  How many rappers do you see nowadays that blow up w/ no help from anyone huge in the industry?  I can't think of any, but I also don't really listen to any rap outside the westcoast.  There may be some down south cats who blew up w/ no help, but I think that is very rare to do.

6)  LUCK!  luck is involved in everything.  Some people get their breaks better than others.

Why don't westcoast rappers sell?

90% of them are on a indie, they don't put money into their marketing, they don't get radio/mtv play, they don't use big name producers, they don't help each other out, they don't make music for rap's target audience.  Most new cats use no name producers.  And the big cats who made it, ain't helpin out the lil young cats.  Cube, Dre, Snoop, E-40, really ain't puttin no westcoast cats on the scene and helping them.  in the last couple years, Snoop is the only one who even introduced new cats, but he really just seems to want to make his own money and thats all he cares about.

Take it for what its worth.  I personally think its pretty accurate and makes a lot of sense.  Seer, you can even use it for an article for dubcnn if you want.

[GangstaBoogy]

I agree, Bakk to u Beauford

[.:Hercy Buggz:.]

thats what im saying!!!

[PLANT]

I agree, Bakk to u Beauford

True & LOL^

Great thread and post!

[R-Tistic]

I agree with a lot of what u are sayin. I think independent people think they can blow up nationwide before even creatin a buzz with their local crowd. One thing I try to tell all the people I work  with in L.A. is that you HAVE to have your local neighborhood or city support u. If people two blocks over have never heard of you, I doubt people in other states will care.

Ludacris started out local, sellin CDs to people in his neighborhood, and throwin lil concerts and all.

Also, major companies recognize talent and hustle...when they see somebody small movin hella units, they'll check em out and see if they would have a chance at blowin up nationwide..

[Nima - Dubcnn.com]

alot of artists go indy cause u make more money off it that way! if u indy and sell 100,000 records u rich! if u sell 100,000 on a major u just get yourself a lil change

[Don Seer]

true.. the indie game done well can be just as profitable to the artist at the end of the line.. but it means they have to do more than just spit in a booth.. for someone like daz, altho a seemingly successful example he's got a leg-up because he's been on a major and he has the DPG affil and fanbase.. its a bunch harder for the no-namer local guys, off the 'net who have to build that shit up.. daz already has history and fans checkin for him. so its no suprise his shits doin ok

[R-Tistic]

true.. the indie game done well can be just as profitable to the artist at the end of the line.. but it means they have to do more than just spit in a booth.. for someone like daz, altho a seemingly successful example he's got a leg-up because he's been on a major and he has the DPG affil and fanbase.. its a bunch harder for the no-namer local guys, off the 'net who have to build that shit up.. daz already has history and fans checkin for him. so its no suprise his shits doin ok

That's 100% true...cause if he wasn't Daz from Dogg Pound, and he was jus independent Daz that nobody knew, he wouldn't be sellin shit like he was.

[budsmokeronly]

I'm not really talking about making money off the albums, but more of why the westcoast is dead.

I'm sure Daz has made quite a bit of money from dpg recordz.  but really how many albums has he sold total from there?  How many times have you heard him on the radio?  seen his video on tv?  How many people outside of cali know much about daz and all his lil independent releases?  Not many.

Lots of westcoast rappers could be doin it just like daz.  You think daz just thought of this on his own, and is a genius?  of course not.  daz and dpgrecordz is like a single proprietorship business burger joint, and Jay Z and whatever label he is on is like the corporation McDonalds.  Sure Daz could make his money and good money at that at the lil burger joint, maybe even as much as jay z.  The ceo of jay z lable is gonna make the most money.  and jay z is an artist of the lable aka an owner of one mcdonalds.  aight so a family is on vacation and goes into town and wants to get something to eat.  Their options: daz burger joint, or jay z mcdonalds.  (say for some ungodly reason, this family is part of the fatty's that luv fastfood such as mcdonalds) .  What option do you think is going to be chosen more if 1 million family's came through w/ those options?  but on the other hand, the locals aka daz fans aka westcoast people know that daz makes a more chronic burger and so they choose him over jay z mcdonalds.

thats a lil analogy for you, hopefully I explained it good.

so daz food aka music is better than jay z mcdonalds.  why would you eat jay z mcd if daz burger is better?  well you don't know daz burger, you have never heard of it.  but you eat mcdonalds all the time because there is at least one in every city, you see tons of ads, etc.

You see the comparison?  Jay z has all the radio play, can be found in any store, is on mtv, etc.

Independent artists do have the possibility of making as much, or more than major artists.  this is very rare tho.  You have to remember that daz was once huge and selling millions on death row.  He has an advantage of someone like sly boogie who enters the game w/ no history.  

and my main point in the first place:  Even if independent artists are selling 100,000 copies (how many have even done that?) and making a good living, the west in general is still gonna be dead.  they still won't be on the radio/mtv, and they won't be well known.  whether this is a good or bad thing to the fan himself is all of personal opinion.  Me personally, I could give a fuck about radio/mtv or who has heard who I am listening to.  If I like it than I listen to it, whether everyone and their momma likes it, or I am the only one I know who likes it.

BTW:  Daz and Jay Z were just random popular independent and major rappers that I used.  You could substitute many rappers in their place. ex: roscoe vs nelly, bad azz vs ja rule.

[Lil Jay]

good post grundy. it depends whats more important to the artists, making good money (being independent) or being backed by a major & then getting better promotion like airplay (but not getting the same amount of money). majors are not gonna solve things, you need luck too cause alot of artists on major labels are still nobodys

[The Watcher]

if westcoast artists want to blow up ala jayz, ja rule, nelly & the bunch then they need to sacrifice being on an independant label and try to get signed by a major. independant labels havent got the money to back an artists & give the promotion they need

[Smoke]

true.. the indie game done well can be just as profitable to the artist at the end of the line.. but it means they have to do more than just spit in a booth.. for someone like daz, altho a seemingly successful example he's got a leg-up because he's been on a major and he has the DPG affil and fanbase.. its a bunch harder for the no-namer local guys, off the 'net who have to build that shit up.. daz already has history and fans checkin for him. so its no suprise his shits doin ok

That's 100% true...cause if he wasn't Daz from Dogg Pound, and he was jus independent Daz that nobody knew, he wouldn't be sellin shit like he was.

Yeah, expecially with DVD's like Tha Row Killa (garbage) and mediocre EP's some of the EP he has released.