Headliner.fm: A Good Way to Get Heard

Mar 26, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

null

In keeping with our mandate to be so much more than a site with offers rap beats/hip hop instrumentals for artists to buy online, we’ve found a number of cool online tools for musicians and artists and we will be reviewing them here from time to time.

If you are an indie artist and you haven’t yet checked out Headliner.fm, you ought to be kicking yourself right now. Headliner.fm, in my opinion is one of the most effective ways to get word of your music out. It seemlessly connects to twitter, facebook, soundcloud and even myspace, allowing you to potentially reach millions of fans. The way it works is, users get “band bucks” by connecting their various social media accounts, referring friends and most importantly, promoting other users on the site. You can then use these “band bucks” to launch your own promotions and reach potential fans/customers that you would not normally have access to.

Let’s say for example, you’re an indie hip hop artist who’s looking to buy rap beats online or attract interest from A&Rs. With the band bucks you’ve built up, you could target other artists who use the service by basically offering up band bucks for them to tweet/post a message from you about whatever you need to promote. That way, you can have the message sent out to the fan bases and followers of many other artists. This can clearly be of great benefit to you. The trick is to word your messages so that it seems as though the artist who does the tweeting is simply telling his/her followers to check you out. In a world where image means a lot, having an artist seem to give you an endorsement like that is very valuable.

With tools like this available, there is no longer a reason to worry about how to get signed. Indie artists, especially in the world of hip hop, can now easily buy rap beats online, create their mixtapes/albums and promote, promote, promote.

INDUSTRY TALK: Why Soundclick is Great for Artists

Mar 16, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

If you buy beats online or promote your music online and you haven’t heard of Soundclick.com, either you’re a new born, a Martian or just plain clueless. It is one of the most popular and enduring artist/producer communities on the web and has ushered in the cult-like popularity of some of the best young beatmakers/producers in urban music such as Johnny Juliano, Vybe Beats, SuperStar O and Beats Planet. However, even though the producers tend to dominate, Soundclick is always bubbling with activity from recording artists as well. If you’re going to have a presence on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Reverbnation or even MySpace (is that still there?), then you HAVE to add Soundclick to your list.

Here is why I believe Soundclick is great for artists:

It is a tried and tested site, which has been around for years. You will be sure that you have a large potential audience for your music, since the Soundclick community is huge.
The beats. Soundclick producers offer amazing, industry standard beats for non-exclusive license at prices ranging from $15 to $25. Soundclick beats are usually high quality and it is better to spend a little for a license to use a beat rather than illegally use a copyrighted “industry” beat
Soundclick offers html ready widgets and players that you can post on you own website, other community sites, or forums. Again a great way to maximize your exposure.
Facebook and Twitter integration. Every time you post a new song to your page, you can share it with just one click.

The few drawbacks I’ve found with Soundclick are that the on site promotional tools are somewhat expensive if you’re on a limited budget (as a lot of indie artists and up coming producers are), and that many of the producers just tend to copy the prevailing trend in terms of the style of rap beats they offer. In other words, if trap beats are hot then you will find the majority of producers pushing trap beats. Though this may be annoying for an artist looking to buy beats online, it’s an obstacle which can be overcome either by searching deeper within the site or seeking an alternative for hot rap beats, as there are many.

Soundclick is definitely a great online tool both for producers and recording artists. If you take your music career seriously, get online and get active in the communities that can give you the exposure you need.

INDUSTRY TALK: The Definition of “MC”

Mar 10, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

Throughout the years, I have been privy to many a debate on this topic. I have been a connoisseur of fine hip hop since the late 80s and many of my peers respect me as an authority on the subject. That aside, I’ve noticed that peoples’ opinions of what an MC supposed to be, within a Hip Hop context, tend to differ somewhat. On the day when we remember the late, great Christopher Wallace aka The Notorious B.I.G, I thought I would deal with this issue a bit.

So I recently saw some of my peoples in a facebook group arguing (kinda) over whether a certain rap artist can be considered an MC (Nicki Minaj -__-). Some people said that she’s not a good lyricist and therefore she should never hold that title. Well is this really true? Does being lyrical equate to being a real MC? It’s all about perspective really. At the beginning of Hip Hop, the term MC implied “one who moved the crowd”. It was actually closer akin in definition to the dictionary meaning “Master of Ceremonies”. The earliest Hip Hop showcases were not so much about the rapper, as it was about the entire culture. The MC in those days basically hyped up the crowd with simple party styled lyrics (“throw ya hands in the air, and wave ’em like you just don’t care”) while the DJ did his thing on the wheels. Even the early songs by Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash and The Sugar Hill Gang were not lyrical by today’s standards but they did in fact move the crowd. We could even argue about what “lyrical” means, as many people may say that the Furious Five’s “The Message” was a lyrical song simply because of how they brought across the subject matter.

Fast forward to now. It’s 2012 and the game has been significantly changed, time and time again. Now the most revered MCs are the lyricists (I use MC and not rapper. A rapper can be anyone who raps. Many rappers exist and are chart toppers not because of skill but because of marketing). As time progressed, MCs such as Big L, Kool G Rap, Biggie, Pac, Nas, Jay-Z, Common, yasiin bey (Mos Def) and others have made music that redefined how we judge an MC. Nowadays, if you’re not lyrical, your “MC” status is dubious at best (except in the eyes of MTV). The use of metaphor, double entendre and punchlines is now a vital part of being an MC.

Even now in a time where success as a rap artist seems to be dependent on your marketing and your beats, real hip hoppers understand what it takes to be an MC. The real reason why I would say that being and MC now requires lyricism is because in many circles, that is how you ‘move the crowd’. Even some of the most popular mainstream artists, such as L’il Wayne and Drake, are top notch MCs because of what they say and how they say it.

To any rappers or MCs reading this, aspiring or established, I hope it helps in some way. To the indie artists longing to claim your place among the greats like B.I.G, study your craft and do worry about hot beats. The beats are everywhere now and you don’t need to have a Timberland sized budget to get them. Simply grab your debit/credit card and buy beats online. Respect the art. Peace.

R.I.P

Christopher George Latore Wallace

May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997

INDUSTRY TALK: How To Be a Better Rapper/Singer

Mar 08, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

I run a small recording studio and therefore I come into contact with a lot of artists of all different types. Because the major genres I deal with are Hip Hop and R&B, I interact with a whole lot of rappers and singers. I myself started rapping at an early age went on to win competitions and awards in my home country, on my way to becoming a producer and audio engineer. Over the years I’ve gained some insight into what it takes to become a better rapper (or singer for that matter), and I want to share a few points here:

Read more. Sounds basic but it’s important. The more you read, the more you get familiar with words and the nuances of language, enunciation and cadence. These are essential tools for any vocalist.
This is related to point 1. Expand your vocabulary. Learn more words and what they mean. Especially for rappers, this helps you to have a bigger arsenal when writing or freestyling.
Stay up on current affairs. Again it’s about feeding the mind so that you will have sources of inspiration and knowledge to draw from. Some of the best lyricists in rap are also some of the most socially aware and intelligent members of the community.
Don’t practice in isolation. This is why having a circle of like minded individuals around you is very important. Your crew should be able to keep you sharp via friendly competition and constructive criticism. Don’t stay alone in your corner and not expose yourself to other opinions and stimuli.
Practice a lot and try new things. Don’t settle for doing the same thing over and over again. Challenge your abilities. It’s a good way to grow.
Vocal training (yes rappers need this too). Not only should you have a vocal coach teach you correct breathing techniques and such like, but you should also take good care of your voice since it’s your instrument of choice.
Search for and use beats that suit the type of artist you want to be. There are almost infinite resources to choose from, especially when buying beats online, so listen through your options and choose what sounds and feels right.

I know that was a mouthful but I felt as though it needed to be said. Here’s to better music and better music careers for all of us!

Make Music Outside the Box

Mar 02, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

It’s 2012 and the music industry is in its most interesting state ever, in my opinion. On the one hand, we have artists who are purely about musicianship and raw talent i.e. Adele and on the other we have gimmick artists like Nicki Minaj. Both successful but from two totally different perspectives. One is crafted solely by the engine of the industry and panders to whatever trends are hot while the other has brought back that feel of true artistry.

I want to encourage artists, producers and beatmakers to think. Think not just about what sells currently or what is the next shock value gimmick that can be employed for the sake of remaining relevant, but instead try to craft your songs, beats and videos with a kind of cutting edge creativity. Here are some examples of what I mean, little things that may make a difference:

Song structure. The usual intro, verse, chorus, verse chorus blah blah blah is cool but maybe try switching it up a bit. Try a simpler hook or maybe even verses where the hook line of the song is at the end of each line of the verse. Bridges are cool but try using them in an unorthodox spot in the song, or maybe have the bridge come at 2 points in the song.

Rap groups should try being more integrated on tracks, e.g. in the case of a 3 man crew, instead of 3 verses and a couple hooks, have 2 verses and have each member play parts in both. This creates a real crew vibe and is very interesting to the listener.

Try weird things in your beats. Sample household implements or things that you wouldn’t normally associate with music. For producers who compose more often than they sample (like me), avoid monotonous loops throughout the song. Use your chops to create different movements and mini bridges within your beats. It makes them more appealing to artists who are looking to buy beats online or otherwise.

Look at the success of Odd Future (OFWGKTA). Even though a lot of their music is filled with what I like to call shock value content, which in itself may be seen as a gimmick, they certainly get an A for effort. They are unique and as such have garnered a cult following.

Think outside the proverbial box. Boxes are stifling….and square.

INDUSTRY TALK: Hot New Consequence ft Busta Rhymes (Beat is CRAZY)

Mar 02, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

cover art

Real hip hop seeps back into our lives every once in a while. This Native Tongues reminiscent track (If you don’t know what I mean by Native Tongues, never listen to hip hop again -__-) is refreshing, with the Dungeon Dragon Godfather and the heavily underrated microphone virtuoso showing the younger cats how it should be done! The beat is insane too! Well produced. I’m not totally a fan of the mix but in some cases these things are simply a matter of taste.

If you enjoy hip hop of this nature and/or your are an artist looking for REAL hip hop beats online, visit my beats page. Nuff said

Source for this track and info: Mr. X at Nahright.com

MOVIE NEWS: The Avengers are Coming!

Mar 01, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

I know this is a little off the beaten path for this blog but if you are a big movie buff/comic fan like me you probably can’t wait to get your hands and eyes on this one! Sure to be action packed of course, but sources say the plot should be interesting with the super-sized egos of Hulk, Iron Man and Thor often clashing. Catch me at your local cinema with my 3D glasses on for this one!

PS. I’m sure the sound mixing and music will be awesome! Those are things i’m also heavily into. Anything to do with audio, music production, buying and selling beats and mixing and mastering I’m there. If you want to here what I do visit my main beats page.

INDUSTRY TALK: How to Start Off Your Music Career with a BANG!

Mar 01, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

Respect The Hustle

I’ve produced and helped alot of independent artists for the past few years. Some of them have received critical acclaim, radio play and even financial success while others remained in obscurity. The reasons for this disparity are varied, however, there is one thing which we all know for sure: marketing methods for artists in 2012 are way different to what they were 5 years ago.

In order to have a successful impact with your first single release, there are a few things I believe that you need to do. I won’t go into the conventional, outdated methods because, let’s face it, times are changing than a Usain Bolt sprint these days. These are some of the tings I suggest for artists releasing music in this present era:

Choosing the right beats. Understand what type of artist you want to be and thus the market you want to capture. Choose beats that not only suit you as an artist, but also embody the prevailing trends of a “hit” in your chosen genre. Personally, I would suggest using a beat that is a bit on the cutting edge of the popular style, since people these days are always looking for something familiar, yet fresh and new. Buying beats online is the best option for shopping around, as there are plenty of websites to suit most styles.

Give your single away for free download. If you don’t already have an established and paying fan base, then upload your song (we’re assuming it’s blazing hot and people will want to have it) to sites like Mediafire or Hulkshare and start tweeting and plus-one-ing and facebooking your download link like crazy. Don’t spam people though, make it tasteful and not excessive. Giving away something for free is a sure way to garner interest, build your fan base and give people an incentive to actually buy when you do have something for sale.

Go viral. Get an affordable HD camera (if you are a do-it-yourself-er) and shoot and edit a simple but clean and impressive video for your single, otherwise find an affordable video guy and get him to do it. Upload that thing to youtube and get to sharing. Signing up to active communities such as ThisIs50 can help you as you share your video and try to get its views up. People like to listen but in this era, connecting with your fans visually is priceless!

Spend money to make money. It’s an old adage but it’s still relevant. Shell out a little cash for some hosting and a domain name and put up a simple WordPress site to showcase or even sell your music. Or simply sign up on Bandcamp. Then the next thing to do would be to buy some banner advertising and place it in high traffic areas, such as online forums where your target market would congregate. Make sure your videos contain your web links as well. This rule also applies to beats. Don’t just seek out free beats, spend the extra couple dollars to buy the tagless beat lease or even the exclusive rights. This speaks to how serious you take yourself and in turn, the universe and the people in it will take you just as seriously.

Ok that was a mouthful but I thought it was needed. The key here is to take yourself and your music career seriously. Turn a hobby into an income generator. I did and so can you.

INDUSTRY TALK: Is the Gimmick-Driven, Auto Tune Era in Music Ending?

Feb 27, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

Adele with grammys
We’ve all been subjected to the past few years in music. With the emergence of flamboyant, larger-than-life personalities such as Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj, and the widespread abuse of Antares’ Auto Tune, The music industry has churned out batch after batch of prepackaged, cookie cutter pop stars. Not to say that these people don’t have amazing natural talent, but these days talent is playing second fiddle to an artists ability to keep the media talking with controversy.

That aside, along comes Adele. This juggernaut of an artist is like the organic fruit in a room full of processed snacks. Dean Cramer of http://www.kingsofar.com gives a better rundown in his article which you should read here

This is something indie artists need to take to heart. Maybe it’s better to be who you are, rather than conform to what the industry is dictating as a prevailing trend. Maybe it’s better to continue to buy beats online for low price and sell records independently in your region. Be the hometown hero. Just a thought.

Helping Artists Buy the Best Beats Online: Rocbattle review

Feb 26, 2012 by strat - Comments Off

This article is meant as a simple guide to assist independent artists who scour the internet in search of good original beats to buy for their mixtapes, albums, demos and videos. If you are asking the question “how do I get signed?”, right now is the best time in music industry history to be an independent artist. Though you may not have access to the mighty financial prowess of the major label, the internet has become an invaluable resource which can allow you to promote and sell your music by building strong movements on the social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and Youtube. More and more these days, the ideal of being signed to a major label, while still alluring, is fraught with danger i.e. the notorious 360 deal. An indie artist can diligently build a fanbase through social media and sell on iTunes or in his/her local area (while booking gigs) and make a comfortable living without having to deal with record label politics.

One site which has become a leader in providing rap and r&b beats for indie artists is Rocbattle.com. The site is hosted by legendary grammy award winning producer Rockwilder and has over 80,000 members. Admittedly it is a very good site in many ways. The biggest feature is the producer battles, which basically gives producers a way to gain visibility (by winning battles) and customers a way of finding the hottest beats (those that win the most battles). The site has a wide selection of producers and beats of all kinds of varying styles and genres, a nice mobile version for listening to and buying beats on the go and a feature which allows customers to send in a request for a specific type of beat to the producers on Rocbattle.

While Rocbattle is a cool site with a good reputation, it is by no means the be all and end all when looking to buy beats online. Here are some potential cons to the pros listed above:

The customer has to join the site in order to buy beats. From checking it out myself, having to go through the entire process of signing up to the forum and setting up a profile seems like to much hassle if you are basically looking to lease a couple of beats.
The large quantity of producers at times takes away from the personalized service a client may need. There is such as thing as too much choice.
The site’s layout is a bit complex and a first time buyer may take a while to get their bearings.
The site seems more geared towards attracting new producers than attracting new beat buyers.

While not taking anything away from Rocbattle, there are alternatives which offer beats that are just as hot while not having the same cons. One such alternative to Rocbattle is StratCarter.com. Here clients get personalized customer service, no need to create a profile, an informative newsletter, special coupon deals for being on the mailing list, instant downloads after purchase, bulk purchase discounts and easy interaction with the producer, where you can email him directly about custom built beats and exclusive licensing. The site layout is very easy on the eyes and navigation is simple. StratCarter.com is very into personalized customer service and the rates are extremely competitive.

In conclusion, Rocbattle is a leading beat selling site with many advantages over others in terms of professionalism and design. However its biggest downfall may be that it has grown too big and complicated in terms of the beat buying process. If you are an artist looking to buy beats online and you want a viable alternative to Rocbattle, click the preceding link(s) and check the vibes!

Please note the song in the video above was produced an mixed by yours truly, Strat Carter!

‹ Previous Next ›

Blog Archives