Paying to open up for rappers...

[*L*E*G*A*C*Y*]

nikkas got garbage managers



anyone who you'd have to pay to open up for is not worth it

More like nikkas got garbage business sense...

The shyt is embarassing.

How could someone pay $500 to open up for someone?

It's pretty much hustlin backwards.

 

[*L*E*G*A*C*Y*]

Say you pay $200 to perform and you kill it. You sell 15 cd's for $10 you already got $150. Then you get major traffic to your twitter or soundcloud. That's worth the other $50 to me so it's like you break even

I can see this working in a major market or a major city where there's atleast the exposure where it can lead to something so I couldn't knock it completely. It's better to do that in a city like NYC, LA, Houston, Chicago, DC, etc...where there's a possibility of drawing a huge crowd and breaking even. Or the chance that some internet tastemaker blogger type or actual industry type see you perform and decides to do a write up. That's a risk that's well worth taking. But outside of that or even in that same scene with a turnout that could be low it's a risk. I don't know about you, but anything I do musically or business wise I would more than likely want to see a greater return than loss.

 

[Eastside Get The Money]

I can see this working in a major market or a major city where there's atleast the exposure where it can lead to something so I couldn't knock it completely. It's better to do that in a city like NYC, LA, Houston, Chicago, DC, etc...where there's a possibility of drawing a huge crowd and breaking even. Or the chance that some internet tastemaker blogger type or actual industry type see you perform and decides to do a write up. That's a risk that's well worth taking. But outside of that or even in that same scene with a turnout that could be low it's a risk. I don't know about you, but anything I do musically or business wise I would more than likely want to see a greater return than loss.

I would never pay to perform in a little hole in the wall club. But opening for a major artist is a gold mine of exposure. , I work for an artists organization and over the past year I've learned that exposure is everything. Just think, if you have press there they will write about the opening act. And it's not like back in the day where it was in a newspaper and people would just read over it, now it will be online and when the writer talks about the opening act, even for two lines, his name will be attached with a link that will send readers to their social media. That's press that's worth waaaay more than $200. And it's a networking opportunity backstage.

 

[razassin]

Id rather throw free shows at small venues to build up a local buzz than spend hunneds or thousands to open up for some c list nikka...

Id also rather spend that money in studio time to make some quality product... But thats just me...

 

[observe]

Why would anyone do this? Why would anyone pay to play a show that they should be getting paid for?

I don't even blame this shyt on artists, but for promoters being greedy to and just tryin to fill a bill and shove wackness down our throats at hip-hop shows.

Some acts I have seen open up for respectable rappers have absolutely been terrible.

I guess this is just another reason why the music industry is dying. This is because artists and musicians have sold their intergrity to the highest bidder and turned their live show and buzz into karaoke.

Probably the most reasonable explanation for some of the wack acts I've seen open up for people.

Personally, I didn't even want to make this thread but this exists and has existed for a while

You don't actually pay to open up for rappers..the promoter gives you tickets to sell and the money you make from tix you give back to the promoter..usually they'll let you keep like 10% but you have to sell at least 25-50 tix to even get a slot,.if you don't have a product to sell at the show or merchandise like tees and posters you shouldn't even be doing it in the first place..but if you do then I don't see why not..the best way to do it is to sell tix to the people standing in line to see the show..I've seen it done..it's hard to get 25 random people or even friends to buy tix..but it's easy to hit the people in line at the door

Go on Craigslist into gigs and keyword hip hop..you'll see what I mean

 

[thernbroom]

I would never pay to perform in a little hole in the wall club. But opening for a major artist is a gold mine of exposure. , I work for an artists organization and over the past year I've learned that exposure is everything. Just think, if you have press there they will write about the opening act. And it's not like back in the day where it was in a newspaper and people would just read over it, now it will be online and when the writer talks about the opening act, even for two lines, his name will be attached with a link that will send readers to their social media. That's press that's worth waaaay more than $200. And it's a networking opportunity backstage.

You only realised that exposure is everything over the last year no wonder these artists are out here struggling

 

[L&HH]

PROMOTERS have resorted to this.....because most of them can't afford to pay anybody once they paid the HEADLINER....so it's a way of breaking even

I saw this with a recent 2chainz show at a strip club..their were like 8 opening acts......

and I can count at least half of them were basically fronted by dope boys who I guess were willing to pay for that shyt....

You gotta make other ppl perform for you to break even? Why do the show in the first place then...no door money, bar, presale tickets, etc

 

[L&HH]

I saw a Curren$y show like that over 3 years ago. It had 8 opening acts that all paid $250 each to open up for him and do 4-5 songs.

I know they paid that much cause I overheard one of the openers say it to his friends who came to him.

Some of them were groups of 3-4 people that were able to split 50-75 between each of them to come up with that amount.

For a promoter, that's a good hustle... Use the money from the opening acts to make back the money from the artists. How much it costs for currensy like $5k? well you made half that back just from opening acts. If you charge a meager $20 all you need is like 150 ppl to make the rest of it back . I may need to get in the pormotion game

 

[Higher Tech]

 

[Patent Leather AJ 1s]

For a promoter, that's a good hustle... Use the money from the opening acts to make back the money from the artists. How much it costs for currensy like $5k? well you made half that back just from opening acts. If you charge a meager $20 all you need is like 150 ppl to make the rest of it back . I may need to get in the pormotion game

Plenty of artist do pay to open up for x and x artist. The exposure is definitely worth it, some even book the artist themselves and have others artist pay.
think of SXSW and A3C and CMJ...many of those underground dudes with minimal connects for 500-2.5k to open up...Press, blogs, managers, producers, label heads are there. Paying just facilitates your access to connections.

A promoter won't book no name artist or better yet pay them..no matter how nice they are (leave that for the hole in the wall arts centers and pubs)

Think about it, book mid level underground dude (Casey Veggies, hes around 4-5k) plus venue cost. Easily 9k (unless venue splits tickets w you which is wack) and you get 10-15% bar sales.

It's def a tough biz, no one gonna win. Someone will always get fukked.
ps: currency is more like 7-8 maybe more..dude has his own tour bus . He books his own shows (JET LIIIIIFEEEEE)

 

[Mac Casper]

What if you're given tickets to sell upfront with no cash deposit, they give you 50 tickets and you have to sell 20 tickets at $20 a piece. You can sell 30 tickets for profit.

Is this worth it to you? There's a potential $600 to be made plus merchandise and exposure

 

[Omerta]

you gotta crack a few eggs to make an omelette though.

 

[hustlemania]

acts been doing this for close to a hundred years.. before the Harlem Renaissance, people were paying to showcase their talent, before headliners..

people pay to be promoted via radio spins, social media, email blast, etc.. if they want to- fukk it.. ironically, a huge number of artists that get stanned on here daily, have taken the same route.. its a music business..

 

[EducatedBrothaFromTheBank]

Hip Hop Openers Needed For Major Headliner

We will be throwing a show with a major hip hop headliner in downtown San Jose. We are looking for one or two acts to open for him at this event. Your music should be nightclub friendly, preferably hip hop or R&B, and all members of your performance group need to be over 21.
We need to review your music, so send us an email with samples of your music or a link to a music site, as well as a phone number. If we like your music, we will get back to you quickly.

If your music is acceptable, and we ask you to perform, you will need to commit to selling 40 tickets to the show. If you sell more than 40 tickets to the show, you will be compensated.

Please only reply if you are serious about performing, and have performance experience.

Thanks

 

[Mac Casper]

Hip Hop Openers Needed For Major Headliner

We will be throwing a show with a major hip hop headliner in downtown San Jose. We are looking for one or two acts to open for him at this event. Your music should be nightclub friendly, preferably hip hop or R&B, and all members of your performance group need to be over 21.
We need to review your music, so send us an email with samples of your music or a link to a music site, as well as a phone number. If we like your music, we will get back to you quickly.

If your music is acceptable, and we ask you to perform, you will need to commit to selling 40 tickets to the show. If you sell more than 40 tickets to the show, you will be compensated.

Please only reply if you are serious about performing, and have performance experience.

Thanks

Now is this realistic though? Like who's really going to be able to sell 40 tickets to a show for an inflated value of what the show is worth. Most of the time when I see artists taking these type of opportunities it's to open for a C-list regional act