Music...Film...Life...

Reading the Power of NOW

I found out about it from a pavlina article and I ordered it online. While the book was in transit I watched Revolver…which talked about the ego - awesome movie by the way. At the end of the film several experts commented. One of the books flashed on the screen was journey into now. I found it on amazon and read a review that called it a knock off of the power of now. Perfect. Because the next day I received my copy of the power of now.

I couldn’t wait to start reading it. I got home and went in. I read until after midnight. I read the first four chapters and it was phenomenal.

I have been watching my mind and have caught it trying to dwell on the past while I was in the shower! I’m awake. And I’m writing these notes while in a training and I have not missed a thing.

I can’t wait to get home to finish the book.

When I was in high school my man Travis and I dreamt of becoming the next Biggie and Puff, but better. Our plan was to go to college first, make our mamas happy, study the game and then jump off. Well, a funny thing happened when I got to Iona and majored in business - I got the opportunity to read and review the typical artist contract.

The artist contract has got to be the absolute worst deal in all of business. I mean, it’s great for the label but the artist is thoroughly raped. In general, it works something like this: once you sign the artist contract you get (or are supposed to get) a budget, you use that budget to create your product - studio time, production, and all other costs.

Sounds good so far, except that this budget is more like a loan that you will have to repay..or recoup. So you use the money to make your album and then you have to recoup by selling units. That means that the price the consumer pays for the album is used to repay your loan. So for every album you sell your actual profit is, on a great artist deal, about a dollar.

On top of that, once you sign you more than likely have signed over part of your publishing - this is where royalties come from. You own half of every song you write and the producer owns the other half…when you give part of your publishing it comes out of of your half meaning you end up with a portion of the writer’s half of the song. Confused? Exactly.

This only pertains to the dollars, we haven’t even talked about the creative control, the jockeying for marketing dollars and promotion. The only reason to sign a major deal is if you want fame over fortune because if you want fortune there are better ways to go about it. If your not the number 1 priority on your label it will be a while before you see any daylight. 

Thank God for college, and even though me and Travis have lost touch over the years I’m glad we stuck to the plan - learn the game first, then play.

Anyway, if I have an awesome artist deal I’m making about a dollar from every album sale. If my goal is to make a million dollars I have to sell a million records. If I am an independent artist and I want to make a million dollars I have a much different formula.

As an independent artist I have a major deficit compared to the majors - marketing dollars. However, I own all the rights, or publishing, to my written works. To take it a step further I can start producing my own beats therefore giving me rights to 100% of every song. Why is this important? Royalties. All you need is one hit, that you own outright, and you could be set for life.

Let’s say, as an indie artist/owner, I create an album and sell it for $10. I actually keep $10, plus any royalties from spins or placements. Now in order to make a million dollars I don’t have to sell a million records, I only have to sell one hundred thousand records. All I need to do is come up with a marketing budget…insert crack cocaine here…ok maybe not, all you really need to do is save, or get a few investors together, or come up with another creative way to raise a budget - rappers are hustlers for a reason my dude. You’ve got some great examples out there like : Slim Thug, Scarface, Luda, and Jay. These guys started out selling their own music, some still do, now anything else anyone may have allegedly done to raise funds is outside of the purview of this article.

But here’s the rub…it’s hard as hell to sell records right now. I can’t remember the last time I bought an album so why would I expect my audience - smart, money savvy, intellectuals - to buy something they can get for free? I don’t.

So how do I get paid making music?

Shows? Radio? TV, Movies, etc.?

Now, I have a product and a small marketing budget, what’s the best way for me to invest that? Websites, flyers, promo CDs? Payola? Print up CDs and sell them out the trunk? What?

You tell me, what does an up and coming artist do to avoid the “artist deal” rape, keep the rights to his/her music, and invest their hard-earned marketing dollars in today’s professional music climate?

My next post will discuss my thoughts on this.

- sunny blaq 

PS - If you know where my boy Travis is, tell him we got a label to run!

Alright, we know the key is to get the most aesthetically pleasing venue possible, with all the right perks. After careful research, I actually found a great photography studio right here in downtown Atlanta. These film and photog studios are quickly becoming quite competitive with your traditional halls, bars, clubs, etc.

Of course, I shopped this around, first on the internet, narrowed it down, and then visited. I saw one place, a traditional venue - really nice, great location, but they we’re not budging on the bar situation AND they had food and bev minimums - I don’t gamble on stuff like that. The second place I saw was smaller, not as sexy, but the price was good and it included sound, lighting, security and parking. Also, the guy was really distracted looking at some blueprints, so I didn’t quite feel the love - and he wanted half of the liquor action. My main issue with that one was that it capped at 250, and for this to be worth it to me I need to be in the 500 guest ball park. I feel confident that me and my people can get 500 heads in a spot. So, I’ll keep that spot on tap for more intimate gatherings, perhaps a listening party or screening.

The third place I went to, at the behest of “tha boss” was actually the best. She had been hounding me for days to look at it so I finally gave in. I was picking up some wings from the famed GutBusters when I GPS’d the place…it was really close so I decided to swing through. 

Jackpot! The place was the real deal. 500 guest capacity, cool stage area, hardwood floors for my b-boys and b-girls, a VIP for my artists to chill in, ANOTHER VIP section for me to chill in overlooking the whole place, and, you guessed it, they were willing to let me bring in my professional bartenders and stock my choice of spirits. The rental price was a bit higher and there are some add ons I need to pay for. Example, sound - there is a house system but they made it seem like it was weak, so now my DJ HAS to bring the Brooklyn Labor Day back of the truck special; parking, I will need to rent the lot across the street and pay an attendant, kinda sucky, but that also means I can charge for parking and make a few extra dollars - even though I hate that myself, but I gotta pay for it, so…it is what it is. Besides, I’m all about value so a $10 dollar ticket and a $5 parking price is not going to kill MY clientele.

So there it is. The place has a great look and feel, technology set up, the people were professional and answered all my questions as best they could. The only thing left is to sit down with the owner and lock in a date, drop the deposit and sign. Now my liquor connect is saying that I shouldn’t lay down my own money nor book a date until we here back from the sponsors, which is a valid point. My response was that this event is going down regardless, plus it puts the pressure on me to get this mixtape and album done…

Pressure bust pipes, but it also makes diamonds…

- sunny blaq

How exactly do you spell boujie???