Why do rappers still sign to labels in the 2012

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

Who is buying these discs at $8 a pop... in the context of shyt like Datpiff.com

Folks who still buy albums... buy retail

Folks who follow the underground... don't buy music lol.

 

[Da King]

Who is buying these discs at $8 a pop... in the context of shyt like Datpiff.com

Folks who still buy albums... buy retail

Folks who follow the underground... don't buy music lol.

copped album on iTunes before, and I know a lot of people that if they do buy an album it's iTunes only

 

[Lavish]

The thing is... how many rappers are going to handle all that on their own? Even artists that are indie have a group of people that invest into them like majors...

Cats who sell albums for $8/unit but someone put some money behind that artist to get them to a 20k level. Whether it be managers, PR firms, producers (in-house or not), engineers, road assistants, etc.

The truth is most rappers are too busy, lazy, or misinformed to do anything solely on their own, indie or major. Someone is dipping in their pockets, period. Just some less than others.

Ur right. They still got a team in most cases.

So someone is always in there pockets. But less hands

So i agree with u

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

copped album on iTunes before, and I know a lot of people that if they do buy an album it's iTunes only

U dont need a deal to sell on Itunes :D

 

[Lavish]

This is what I'm saying... its a dead dream, as far as being a CAREER. There might be 1000 rappers in the game, indie and signed, with positive cash flow. Of them, maybe 100 make enough to live like a rapper. And then the ones who are in the game at the moment who made/are on the way to make enough to retire on? You can prob count that w/your hands and toes.

I'm not even saying its a dream or hobby you shouldn't pursue... but the way the game is, you need a plan B


I guess that comes down to the question of how much you value fame. tremont said props don't pay the bills. He's right. But neither does fame... case in point, Bobby V. Theres a long list of artists who had a hit and went back to regular life, only now w/the burden of everyone knowing they fell off and either didn't cake off like they presented themselves to, or even worse had it and blew it all


Labels can only do so much... look at all the hot nikkas only selling 100K... look at all the dudes who are signed w/zero buzz... label or not your success really comes down largely to your music and how much people want to hear it.

I would even argue the independent grind is kind of dead... people dont buy retail... theyre prob not buying indy shyt either. Best bet, get your SHOW buzz going, and cake off appearances/performances. People pay for shows, cause thats an experience you can't replicate or download... and is a way to really connect.

Another big problem is just the sheer volume of artists/music out but I don't want to jump around more than I already have. Its just a totally different game thats not in the artists favor, financially.

I also agree wit u.

People likey wont buy an indie album as much either..album sales are down in all avenues.i was jus sayingin contrast to a major...u may still see more paper in ur pocket from an indie album just because there less hands in ur pockets.

Indie show money is probably the most Profitable and cost efficient. Because you can get free production for mixtapes. Unlike albums where unless ur like krit, andu make all ur beats, you gonna have to pay for production.

But i think albums are Still a good idea. u can drop an album here and there..Jus to solidify you as a real artist. I mean people will only check you for mixtapes to a certain extent. You gotta show that your a real artist..its part of building a loyal cult fanbase imo.

 

[Danie84]

'Cuz the 90s have them thinking they can relive that epic Hip-Hop era

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I also agree wit u.

People likey wont buy an indie album as much either..album sales are down in all avenues.i was jus sayingin contrast to a major...u may still see more paper in ur pocket from an indie album just because there less hands in ur pockets.

Indie show money is probably the most Profitable and cost efficient. Because you can get free production for mixtapes. Unlike albums where unless ur like krit, andu make all ur beats, you gonna have to pay for production.

But i think albums are Still a good idea. u can drop an album here and there..Jus to solidify you as a real artist. I mean people will only check you for mixtapes to a certain extent. You gotta show that your a real artist..its part of building a loyal cult fanbase imo.

I mean the distinction between albums and mixtapes get blurrier by the day. Some of the production quality on mixtapes is just incredible, and a lot of times its all original music over original beats. But yea. I think these days if you want to rap, I mean really make music and further the craft, you have to accept + work around the very real chance that it will never pay off, and that going w/a label will most likely work against you rather than for you in the long run. I think theres too many rappers period, but especially nikkas "rapping for food", which brings down the quality of the genre and drowns out dudes rapping cause theyre talented and have something to say.

 

[Rominati]

Haha no offense to the t/s. He a good poster and all. But ol boy is jumping all over the fukking place in this thread. One sentence he is saying dont sign. Other sentence he is saying sign to a major if you got good music. Then another sentence he is saying a label can take you to the next level. Then the next he says a label will hurt you more than help


No offense to the T/S but I know who you are slime. You are a rapper yourself. And you are prolly just venting your frustrations. You say there are millions of rappers out which dilute the game. But in reality you are one of em yourself

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

Haha no offense to the t/s. He a good poster and all. But ol boy is jumping all over the fukking place in this thread. One sentence he is saying dont sign.

A lot of rappers are getting fukked over by these deals

Other sentence he is saying sign to a major if you got good music.

If you have a situation where people want to hear you, and its clear the labels want to help you and your paperwork, then yea why not? The point is thats not the case for a lot of rappers

Then another sentence he is saying a label can take you to the next level.

If people want to hear you and you have momentum to build on

Then the next he says a label will hurt you more than help

If nikkas aint checkin for you... it doesnt seem that complicated to me

No offense to the T/S but I know who you are slime. You are a rapper yourself. And you are prolly just venting your frustrations. You say there are millions of rappers out which dilute the game. But in reality you are one of em yourself

At the end of the day, I'm gonna make my music whether or not anyone wants to hear it, cause its what I want to hear. And I don't need music to put food on the table. So I'm not sure what this frustration you are talking about, is about.

Plus people have given me props for my production and lyricism. People who had nothing to win or lose by giving me props. So its not like my shyt is garbage. But thats all besides the fukking point, which is, for most dudes the old model of profiting from music is dead, so people in it for that old record deal shyt are probably not gonna come out how they want.

 

[Rominati]

A lot of rappers are getting fukked over by these deals


If you have a situation where people want to hear you, and its clear the labels want to help you and your paperwork, then yea why not? The point is thats not the case for a lot of rappers

If people want to hear you and you have momentum to build on

If nikkas aint checkin for you... it doesnt seem that complicated to me



At the end of the day, I'm gonna make my music whether or not anyone wants to hear it, cause its what I want to hear. And I don't need music to put food on the table. So I'm not sure what this frustration you are talking about, is about.

Plus people have given me props for my production and lyricism. People who had nothing to win or lose by giving me props. So its not like my shyt is garbage. But thats all besides the fukking point, which is, for most dudes the old model of profiting from music is dead, so people in it for that old record deal shyt are probably not gonna come out how they want.

Breh but you came in here orginally stating that labels cant do nothing for you that you cant do ya self. And that they are ultimately bad. Now you on sum "what about the technicalities" shyt



Just admit it. You were wrong and you jumped tha gun with this one here plehboi




ASAP Rocky had NO buzz let alone even songs out before he signed to a Major. Now the lil nikka got Fifa Commercial money. I think imma go with that. Over random message board man dictacting the ills of the modern day record insustry

 

[Capitol]

Breh but you came in here orginally stating that labels cant do nothing for you that you cant do ya self. And that they are ultimately bad. Now you on sum "what about the technicalities" shyt



Just admit it. You were wrong and you jumped tha gun with this one here plehboi




ASAP Rocky had NO buzz let alone even songs out before he signed to a Major. Now the lil nikka got Fifa Commercial money. I think imma go with that. Over random message board man dictacting the ills of the modern day record insustry

You have that backwards. He got buzz from LiveLoveA$ap. Fast forward to now and his album is in limbo and all the momentum he had is all but gone

 

[Rominati]

You have that backwards. He got buzz from LiveLoveA$ap. Fast forward to now and his album is in limbo and all the momentum he had is all but gone

He was already signed when that dropped. Lil nikka is on a crazy tour right now stacking with school boy q and Danny Brown.


Ive said it already here. Im in the same social circle as those guys. He eating heavily. nikka was a average joe 2 years ago. nikka wasnt even rapping.

 

[MegaTronBomb!]

I guess that comes down to the question of how much you value fame. tremont said props don't pay the bills. He's right. But neither does fame... case in point, Bobby V. Theres a long list of artists who had a hit and went back to regular life, only now w/the burden of everyone knowing they fell off and either didn't cake off like they presented themselves to, or even worse had it and blew it all

Bobby V. is an independent artist now ( and has been for awhile now), he was literally on the breakfast club this week.

7 years after he first really hit the scene... had 5 albums, 2 top 10 hits.

having that type of resume, and then not being relevant as you used to be is far better than being a dude nobody ever knew, and never made it.