http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJMuasJpFlw

This is a very informative video on the power of trademarks, how to file them, and importance of having one. A must watch for any independent artist.

Choosing a good artist name is as important as your music. With the internet being a major source for the way people discover and share music, not picking the right name can cause huge problems for your marketing and promotion strategy. Here are a 4 very important things you should take into account when selecting one.

1. Is your name easy to pronounce?
Having a difficult name to pronounce makes it harder for people to pass along info about you by word of mouth. This is not to say that there haven’t been artists who have made it with complex names, it just creates an added obstacle when trying grow your fanbase. If you have a complicated name, provide a phonetic spelling with it to help new fans get it right.

2. Is your name too common?
I once worked with an artist named “Mystery”. This was a bad choice for a number of reasons. For one, this name is not search engine friendly. No one will ever find you if you were “Googled”. In fact, it will be hard to find you anywhere. If you’re going to pick a common name, choose a different spelling to make it easier for your fans to find you. Also, names like these are most times impossible to trademark.

3. Will you want this name in the future?
For example: You may not want a “Lil’”,”Young”, or “Kid” in your name when you get all grown up. It’s just something to think about. Carrying around a name that uses a trendy word can make you look dated too soon when everyone stops using it. Example: Lil’ Swag (hope that’s no one’s name. I didn’t Google it before I wrote this.)

4. Check to see if someone else has the same name!
Nothing could be worse than having the same exact name as another artist in the music business. This not only confuses your fans, but it can also bring a lawsuit against you. See my post on trademarking.

If you’ve put a lot of years building your career with a difficult name to market, then I suggest that you change it or add to it. It could be making it harder for you to achieve the success you want and changing it could help you avoid any potential legal problems in the long run.

Support independent hip hop!

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. This is a terrible situation to be in after you have invested years into building your career. There have been cases where artists could not release completely recorded and packaged albums because they did not own their names. What happens is that you not only have to stop using the name, but you could be sued as well. In some cases, you can make the other party a monetary offer to release the name, but if you’re a bigger star, they’re likely to make you pay a hefty sum.

How do you acquire a trademark and how much does it cost? Well, I’m glad you asked that question. Filing a application costs about $325 and it can take a minimum of 6 months to get a confirmation. You can do a name search and file electronically online. There’s more detailed info on the website and they give you a walkthrough. www.uspto.gov/main trademarks.htm

Having an entertainment attorney do this for you can cost about $1000 because there can be a lot of paperwork involved. Also, entertainment attorneys have added resources that give them the ability to do a more thorough search of finding out if the name you’ve chosen is available.

Better to pay now than pay later. You should also try to pick a unique name. I meet a lot of hip hop artist that have given themselves common names or names of already trademarked comic book characters. This will guarantee you a future of legal trouble.

Check the trademark website and always consult with a attorney if you’re unsure about anything.

Web site: http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm

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