Axum Ezana
Driving in the fast lane
This is just my opinion so take this shyt with a grain of salt, but this is how I feel about rappers of today(and some from the past).
1.know how to pick out hot beats that people can vibe to or club to.
2.Know how to FLOW over these hot beats.
3.Make songs geared towards your female(fans) crowd. they don't all have to be club bounce either.
4.make shyt that people, who you grew up with, can relate to. talk about YOUR REAL LIFE EXP......there is always someone with a similar past to you. you don't have to act like a gangsta but you do have a certain(image) swag that enhances your persona.(Kanye,wiz,drake,bob)(pharell,timbo(I know they not fulltime rappers but still)
5.dont be afraid to be creative. make songs that have complex concepts with simple poetry. you don't have to be overly technical if you cant. you just come from the heart and people will be amazed. remember music is about inducing emotion which can affect the present mood or bring up memories.
6.a public relationship with a bad azz bytch can increase your popularity to. and this all ties into promotion and perception of your image. you can have a street team and a net team.(online) word of mouth gets around quicker than the net sometimes.....
7.you have to learn to promote your self. say you are the best rapper. tell people what they should think of you. let them know you have confidence. if they see you have confidence in your self they will follow.....its all about being a leader(figure head).its all about perception.....its how people see you....not who you really are sometimes in the music business. also the internet is the great equalizer and with that you can take more control of promotions.also before a rc signs you, they want you to at least have a good portion of your home city locked down and a decent internet fame. (fan base)
8.develop relationships with powerful business people(a&r,ceo,president of rc) in the background who can help you go forward and give you tips/tricks, and secrets of the business. get a mentor that has had to success that can show you the ropes.
9.get a good ass lawyer, manager/business manager and accountant THAT YOU CAN TRUST.(but never trust them lol) best to go with family members but if you cant.....watch these muthafukkas closely. I'm serious, they will steal all of your hard earned money. also have someone that can read and understand those long ass sneaky contracts. don't get into deals where these nikkas can own you for life.
10. try to own as much publishing that you can own of your own product. that is your constant money maker throughout the years even when retired. which leads me to this, get a good ass publisher. or you can open up your own PC. it depends on what type of person you are and the situation you are in.
11.you can go independent and be successful but its not for everybody. so look at your situation and see if its good for you. never make SPECIFIC decisions off the strength of the next mans success.
12.last but not least have a general understanding of how the music business works before you go into it. it would be good to have a degree in entertainment law,accounting, business or advertisement. or you can go to 2 year schools like full sail.(which im iffy about because of things ive from people who went but still.......its your choice)
So there it is my personal thoughts. you can tell me what you think or just read it. Either way its just my personal opinion. I have never been in the business but I have read books and listened to interviews from established business men. Im just writing down shyt that I feel will work. I could be very wrong.So take this shyt with a grain of salt and I also wouldn't mind others adding on to it or pointing out where they think im wrong.
1.know how to pick out hot beats that people can vibe to or club to.
2.Know how to FLOW over these hot beats.
3.Make songs geared towards your female(fans) crowd. they don't all have to be club bounce either.
4.make shyt that people, who you grew up with, can relate to. talk about YOUR REAL LIFE EXP......there is always someone with a similar past to you. you don't have to act like a gangsta but you do have a certain(image) swag that enhances your persona.(Kanye,wiz,drake,bob)(pharell,timbo(I know they not fulltime rappers but still)
5.dont be afraid to be creative. make songs that have complex concepts with simple poetry. you don't have to be overly technical if you cant. you just come from the heart and people will be amazed. remember music is about inducing emotion which can affect the present mood or bring up memories.
6.a public relationship with a bad azz bytch can increase your popularity to. and this all ties into promotion and perception of your image. you can have a street team and a net team.(online) word of mouth gets around quicker than the net sometimes.....
7.you have to learn to promote your self. say you are the best rapper. tell people what they should think of you. let them know you have confidence. if they see you have confidence in your self they will follow.....its all about being a leader(figure head).its all about perception.....its how people see you....not who you really are sometimes in the music business. also the internet is the great equalizer and with that you can take more control of promotions.also before a rc signs you, they want you to at least have a good portion of your home city locked down and a decent internet fame. (fan base)
8.develop relationships with powerful business people(a&r,ceo,president of rc) in the background who can help you go forward and give you tips/tricks, and secrets of the business. get a mentor that has had to success that can show you the ropes.
9.get a good ass lawyer, manager/business manager and accountant THAT YOU CAN TRUST.(but never trust them lol) best to go with family members but if you cant.....watch these muthafukkas closely. I'm serious, they will steal all of your hard earned money. also have someone that can read and understand those long ass sneaky contracts. don't get into deals where these nikkas can own you for life.
10. try to own as much publishing that you can own of your own product. that is your constant money maker throughout the years even when retired. which leads me to this, get a good ass publisher. or you can open up your own PC. it depends on what type of person you are and the situation you are in.
11.you can go independent and be successful but its not for everybody. so look at your situation and see if its good for you. never make SPECIFIC decisions off the strength of the next mans success.
12.last but not least have a general understanding of how the music business works before you go into it. it would be good to have a degree in entertainment law,accounting, business or advertisement. or you can go to 2 year schools like full sail.(which im iffy about because of things ive from people who went but still.......its your choice)
So there it is my personal thoughts. you can tell me what you think or just read it. Either way its just my personal opinion. I have never been in the business but I have read books and listened to interviews from established business men. Im just writing down shyt that I feel will work. I could be very wrong.So take this shyt with a grain of salt and I also wouldn't mind others adding on to it or pointing out where they think im wrong.
