Eljay Williams is a screenwriter, director, and most importantly, a big supporter of independent hip hop artists. He’s the creator of a documentary that profiles independent emcees, producers, b-boys and graffiti artists. These documentaries are called The Stand On Demand, and they have been on Comcast, in the Atlanta, for the last 3 years. I caught up with Eljay to find out more about his passion for hip hop and to ask him about what he has in store for the future. This is that interview.
In this video, DMX talk about how even the highest paid artists get abused and taken advantage of by major labels. This is why I’m glad that the the old way of doing business in the industry is collapsing. What artists can’t afford to do is allow major labels to regain their power to continue this.
Naughty by Nature is now releasing their music on their own label, Illtown. I caught up with them in Chicago and asked them about the benefits of being independent artists.
Check out their new single, “Get To Know You Better’.
Filed Under (Interviews) by FuNkwoRm on 08-10-2009
In this video, Saigon expresses his frustration with trying to maintain integrity with his music, while constantly seeing less talented artists achieve more success in the hip hop game.
Tommy Boy Records’ role in the history of hip hop has been of great significance. From the very beginning, artists on that label defined the very core of hip hop culture. Some of the most notable artists were, Afrika Bambaataa, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Naughty by Nature, Digital Underground, and many, many more. I caught up with founder and CEO, Tom Silverman, to talk about his thoughts on the future of the music business and The New Music Seminar, an event Tom created to educate aspiring artist by bringing them together with music industry professionals and visionaries that are shaping the future of the business.
DJ Averi Minor is one of Chi- Town’s finest on the 1’s and 2’s. I caught up with him at the Adidas spot in downtown Chicago, and chopped it up about independent hip hop and the moves he’s making for his production company. VP of Core DJs Derek “the Big DM” Jurand and DJ Malik Shabazz dropped by on a Twitter’s notice and talked about the Core DJs Retreat in Atlanta. King Boola, CEO of Infinite Hustle joins the pack to top off a dope interview with a group of some of the most influential people in the game.
Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor was signed to Universal for 18 years before going completely independent over a year ago. After experiencing some disappointments as an indie artist, Read the rest of this entry »
Ms. Foxamillion is a mover and shaker that’s launching a highly anticipated mid-west magazine this spring that will primarily focus on independent artists (Chindustry Mag) . She’s been pushing her way through the Chicago for a few years now and definitely has her finger on the pulse of the city’s indie hip hop scene. I caught up with her to find out what she’s up to and to get her take on what independent artists should be doing to further their careers. Ms. Fox drops a few jewels that every aspiring artist needs to hear.
There are a lot of independent hip hop artists on Twitter that are wasting their time by using it ineffectively to promote and market themselves. Twitter is a great tool if used correctly, but it can be totally useless if not. Here are 5 Twitter marketing habits you should avoid.
1. Sending me an @ reply with only a link to your music. If I don't know you and you didn't take the time to introduce yourself, I'm not going to waste my time clicking on your link. It's spam and it's annoying.
2. Letting 3rd party sites use your account so ...
How to Properly Send Your Music Over the Internet
I felt the need to write this post because so many artists fail to send me music correctly. This can be an annoyance to DJ's, bloggers, podcasters, or anyone else on the receiving end of your delivery. You need to make the process of downloading and listening to your music require the least amount of effort. If this becomes difficult for the receiver, you may very well miss an opportunity to have it heard. Here a are a few dos and don'ts to take note of when sending your music out.
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5 Ways To Get Through Writer’s Block
We've all experienced it right? Those annoying moments when it seems like your brain is on deep freeze. Can't find a concept...can't start a beat..can't find that next hot line. Sometime ago I decided that I'd find a some ways to work though the drought. Here are five.
1. Write hooks and come back to them later. Don't try to complete an entire song. Sometimes the hooks are the only thing you can get off at the moment. Why stay stuck on one tune when you can shoot of a dozen hot choruses that you can fill in later?
2. Listen to ...
Why You Should Trademark Your Name
Ever wonder why Common is no longer Common Sense? Or why Soulja Boy is now Soulja Boy Tell 'Em? Well, the answer to both of those questions is, the failure to acquire a trademark.
Common Sense, after building a sizable fanbase and an impressive body of work, soon learned that a reggae band owned the name before he did. Soulja Boy was sued by a hip hop artist who also owned the name first and had to either change his name or modify it in a way that was legally acceptable.
Related posts:4 Laws of Choosing the Right Artist Name Choosing ...
The Hip Hop Artist’s Survival Kit
Don't miss another opportunity to share your music or network with a good contact because you didn't have your music or info on you. Way too often, I've checked my wallet to exchange info with a contact only to say, "Sorry, I don't have any more business cards." You can avoid mishaps like these by always having a few things with you. Here is a short list of them.
1. Business Cards: In this day of great technological advancements, this old school way of passing along your info is still the quickest and most effective. It's a pain in the ass ...
7 Ways to Fuck Up Your Start-Up Hip Hop Label
Running a successful independent record label takes lots of hard work. A good business plan, good talent and proper management are essential to making this possible. Here are 7 things to you should avoid when running your independent hip hop label.
1. Choosing a name for your record label before you check to see if it's already been trademarked: Can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen. Someone chooses a label name, puts out CDs under it, and then carpets the office with the logo and name dead in the center, only to find out that someone else ...
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