5th Letter
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it's just with everything else bin life just know how to play the game.
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GovernmentCheese
New member
@Peezy_Jenkins Stuff like that happens here in N.Y. all the time. In the city, they have showcases where artist have to pay (min.$250) to perform for A&R's and all. I went one day to support my homie. Shit was a scam, There were A&R's that showed up representing Def Jam but they were unprofessional. They were busy flirting with the waitresses smacking their asses while people were performing. They also brought a rapper there that was signed to DJ. They were telling all the artist "you could all be like this guy and get signed if ya'll play the game right" The focused more on promoting him and didn't give any advice. The winner of the show got to get their own music video made and 1,000 dollars. Before they could pick a winner, a fight broke out and things had to end. The A&R's were no where to be found.
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GovernmentCheese
New member
Have some other stories. My friend is a DJ and when I go to promote with him, I witness the snake shit all the time. Dj's are to busy worrying about 1 upping other dj's most of the time.
Dj Gmoney. Don't know if you ever heard of him but he was buzzin here in N.Y. at one point. Even got to meet Russell Simmons but he fell off. I witnessed him do shady stuff and stopped messing with him. He managed this artist named steeno (signed him) Told him he wanted to revamp his whole style and have him appeal to the young teens. The artist steeno had that pretty boy type look. He was 20 but Gmoney had him lie and tell people he was 15 ( yes, he looked that young) G money was busy releasing songs buzzin hard while the dude asked when is he gonna get put on. He was told to wait at least a year and build up his fan base (attract the young teens) A year passed and at this point G money...had a whole bunch of recorded songs from steeno locked away in a vault collecting dust. The dude was like i'm ready and guess what? G money told that nigga " I could play these joints for you in the club but there's going to be some fees involved" Fees? He told him that a year later...a dude that he had writing/recording sessions with. He told him to get his money up for the fees and then he can come talk to him. The rapper stopped messing with him after that.
Here's some Dj Gmoney stuff
Dj Gmoney. Don't know if you ever heard of him but he was buzzin here in N.Y. at one point. Even got to meet Russell Simmons but he fell off. I witnessed him do shady stuff and stopped messing with him. He managed this artist named steeno (signed him) Told him he wanted to revamp his whole style and have him appeal to the young teens. The artist steeno had that pretty boy type look. He was 20 but Gmoney had him lie and tell people he was 15 ( yes, he looked that young) G money was busy releasing songs buzzin hard while the dude asked when is he gonna get put on. He was told to wait at least a year and build up his fan base (attract the young teens) A year passed and at this point G money...had a whole bunch of recorded songs from steeno locked away in a vault collecting dust. The dude was like i'm ready and guess what? G money told that nigga " I could play these joints for you in the club but there's going to be some fees involved" Fees? He told him that a year later...a dude that he had writing/recording sessions with. He told him to get his money up for the fees and then he can come talk to him. The rapper stopped messing with him after that.
Here's some Dj Gmoney stuff
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r.prince18
New member
GovernmentCheese;5660676 said:Have some other stories. My friend is a DJ and when I go to promote with him, I witness the snake shit all the time. Dj's are to busy worrying about 1 upping other dj's most of the time.
Dj Gmoney. Don't know if you ever heard of him but he was buzzin here in N.Y. at one point. Even got to meet Russell Simmons but he fell off. I witnessed him do shady stuff and stopped messing with him. He managed this artist named steeno (signed him) Told him he wanted to revamp his whole style and have him appeal to the young teens. The artist steeno had that pretty boy type look. He was 20 but Gmoney had him lie and tell people he was 15 ( yes, he looked that young) G money was busy releasing songs buzzin hard while the dude asked when is he gonna get put on. He was told to wait at least a year and build up his fan base (attract the young teens) A year passed and at this point G money...had a whole bunch of recorded songs from steeno locked away in a vault collecting dust. The dude was like i'm ready and guess what? G money told that nigga " I could play these joints for you in the club but there's going to be some fees involved" Fees? He told him that a year later...a dude that he had writing/recording sessions with. He told him to get his money up for the fees and then he can come talk to him. The rapper stopped messing with him after that.
Here's some Dj Gmoney stuff
Don't feel sorry for him at all, from the story you told gmoney fuck himself over
GovernmentCheese
New member
^^^^^
Yeah, I talk to the steeno dude every now and then. He's still making music but he has his own style now...not what Gmoney had him doing. I'm just happy he's following his own path, I can tell that experience shook him up a little though.
At my last job, I worked with a dope femcee. She was sexy too, thick brown chick that knew how to RAP. She was dope and I can honestly imagine her getting signed one day but a lot of dudes be on some bull. She had to deny so many deals from A&R's that wanted more than signing her. They were to focused on her body and not her music. It was crazy that she resisted it because I know a lot of woman that would have been like fuck it. This guy wouldn't sign her unless she agreed to be his girlfriend. He wanted to show her off in interviews and mags as his shorty. When she she said no, he basically told her off. Months later, he ends up signing a femcee lol
Yeah, I talk to the steeno dude every now and then. He's still making music but he has his own style now...not what Gmoney had him doing. I'm just happy he's following his own path, I can tell that experience shook him up a little though.
At my last job, I worked with a dope femcee. She was sexy too, thick brown chick that knew how to RAP. She was dope and I can honestly imagine her getting signed one day but a lot of dudes be on some bull. She had to deny so many deals from A&R's that wanted more than signing her. They were to focused on her body and not her music. It was crazy that she resisted it because I know a lot of woman that would have been like fuck it. This guy wouldn't sign her unless she agreed to be his girlfriend. He wanted to show her off in interviews and mags as his shorty. When she she said no, he basically told her off. Months later, he ends up signing a femcee lol
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blackdemo;5660089 said:Rock Well;5660047 said:Seems like for starters it would be in ur best interest to create a entire pseudo identity/life and/or be a convincing liar and excellent seller of good, digital bull-ish( oxymoron intended). and make certain that it sells. The game is not customer service, they not operating on that level. the level they operate on is more like business to business level which involve a lot of deal making. And the artist is supposed to be the one that flip the script (labels need artist, not rly the other way around). But wit some of the deals these artist be agreeing to, its not only labels, but even clubs, promoters, radio kick game to the artist and got em outchea paying to play the game. The very game the artist himself supposed to own.
blackdemo;5660089 said:The industry doesnt give a fuck about the artist but at the same time they couldnt make a dollar without him. It sucks cause im a nice outgoing person, and i can never be myself, i always have to be serious, i always gotta be on point and i can never get caught slipping, every word, every move, every deal, every person counts. Theres artist out there who pay hundreds for interviews man, its all about the benjamins
Can You elaborate on this please? What are the wrong things to say, wrong moves and why cant you be yourself? And this a great thread btw bro
GovernmentCheese
New member
TB.Boy;5665743 said:blackdemo;5660089 said:Rock Well;5660047 said:Seems like for starters it would be in ur best interest to create a entire pseudo identity/life and/or be a convincing liar and excellent seller of good, digital bull-ish( oxymoron intended). and make certain that it sells. The game is not customer service, they not operating on that level. the level they operate on is more like business to business level which involve a lot of deal making. And the artist is supposed to be the one that flip the script (labels need artist, not rly the other way around). But wit some of the deals these artist be agreeing to, its not only labels, but even clubs, promoters, radio kick game to the artist and got em outchea paying to play the game. The very game the artist himself supposed to own.blackdemo;5660089 said:The industry doesnt give a fuck about the artist but at the same time they couldnt make a dollar without him. It sucks cause im a nice outgoing person, and i can never be myself, i always have to be serious, i always gotta be on point and i can never get caught slipping, every word, every move, every deal, every person counts. Theres artist out there who pay hundreds for interviews man, its all about the benjamins
Can You elaborate on this please? What are the wrong things to say, wrong moves and why cant you be yourself? And this a great thread btw bro
I'll give you my 2 cents on the question I bolded. Stuff like that happens all the time. The industry usually wants you to shred everything about you apart if it's not in with the trends and all. Like how I put in my other post, the dj dude wanted the rapper to become a teenage ladies man. It's like the WWE, they want to give you a gimmick and see what type of reaction you get. You can be your self but you'll have to accept the fact that being yourself might not get you on. When Wale first got signed, they wanted him to cut his dreads off. He basically told them to fuck of and til this day...he may have adapted to the game a bit but he didn't give away all of his originality. Also, you can be yourself in the industry but it comes with it's pros and cons like everything else in life.
Ex. Big Krit - Big krit is to humble for the game..not his fault, he's just being himself. Well, in the industry...being to humble leaves you in the dust. Sad to say but you have to step on niggas to get to the top.
Now can you say the same for Ye?..being himself got him to where he is now so you can be yourself but the game ain't for everybody.
32DaysOfInfiniti
New member
Skills needed? Just know who you are or you'll never be anybody, stuck in a rat race for all the wrong reasons. The entertainment industry is all about personality and vouchers.
If somebody important vouches for you in whatever field you are perusing use their validation as a stepping stone to change your life.
Learn but don't always follow. People will generally discourage you in covert ways for there own selfish reasons but dont listen.
Most celebs are really cool, treat them like people. The ones who act like celebs, take it or leave it.
Dont believe people who ask you to pay them upfront for anything but studio time, they are lying to you. Real dudes in the industry usually wont work with you unless you got a budget anyway.
Dont do business with people you cannot trust, unless you have a great lawyer. It is petty at times, but could save you a lot of headaches.
Thats it pretty much, if youre meant for it someone will find you eventually. You just have to still be doing it when they finally do.
Persistence.
If somebody important vouches for you in whatever field you are perusing use their validation as a stepping stone to change your life.
Learn but don't always follow. People will generally discourage you in covert ways for there own selfish reasons but dont listen.
Most celebs are really cool, treat them like people. The ones who act like celebs, take it or leave it.
Dont believe people who ask you to pay them upfront for anything but studio time, they are lying to you. Real dudes in the industry usually wont work with you unless you got a budget anyway.
Dont do business with people you cannot trust, unless you have a great lawyer. It is petty at times, but could save you a lot of headaches.
Thats it pretty much, if youre meant for it someone will find you eventually. You just have to still be doing it when they finally do.
Persistence.
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A1000MILES
New member
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan...
Aight, I'm a rapper from upstate SC...From 2002 to 2010, if I came across the name of any DJ/producer/A&R/label head that was hot on the local scene, I contacted them somehow...Cassette, cd, video, email, voicemail, mp3, press kit, all that...Been to mad networking events, showcases, and shit like @govermentcheese was talmbout where artists hoe themselves for "a&r's" who really have no interest in helping anybody that day...In 2010, I hooked up with my producer, and we've cut 2 full length albums at one of the most reputable studios in California, but have had a crazy hard time promoting the music...A lot of that is on us, but some of it comes from folk just ignoring us or fuckin us over...Case in point, a dude named Toro y Moi had his album mixed by the same studio round the same time we did our second one last year, and while we got a less than satisfactory mix, he got a finished product that got him
nominated for a Grammy...We personally know the heads at the site that had a huge hand in putting Trinidad James on, and one of those dudes wanted to manage us, but ended up becoming Young Dro's new manager...I been lied to and let down so much in this shit, that I really been wavering lately, but I know I'll never stop lovin music so it is what it is...Just gotta adjust accordingly...
Things I've learned:
1. Money and connections mean everything...One or the other will be necessary, and money tends to be the more solid one.
2. Know your worth and what you have to offer before you agree to anything that diminishes that.
3. If you don't have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish, it'll be no surprise if someone else leads you in a direction you didnt want to go.
4. Circumstances might cause you to be stagnant sometimes, but if people look at you as lazy, it's a wrap. Cause nobody in the industry wants to give to someone who they can't gain anything from.
5. In a lot of cases, promotion >>>>>> the actual music itself. If your shit is soundin decent enough, anything can take off if promoted right. And that goes back to money, connections, and a true desire to grind.
6. Don't believe shit til you see shit.
7. Get your publishing right. Copyright your music. Know that eventually you'll need to trademark your name.
Aight, I'm a rapper from upstate SC...From 2002 to 2010, if I came across the name of any DJ/producer/A&R/label head that was hot on the local scene, I contacted them somehow...Cassette, cd, video, email, voicemail, mp3, press kit, all that...Been to mad networking events, showcases, and shit like @govermentcheese was talmbout where artists hoe themselves for "a&r's" who really have no interest in helping anybody that day...In 2010, I hooked up with my producer, and we've cut 2 full length albums at one of the most reputable studios in California, but have had a crazy hard time promoting the music...A lot of that is on us, but some of it comes from folk just ignoring us or fuckin us over...Case in point, a dude named Toro y Moi had his album mixed by the same studio round the same time we did our second one last year, and while we got a less than satisfactory mix, he got a finished product that got him
nominated for a Grammy...We personally know the heads at the site that had a huge hand in putting Trinidad James on, and one of those dudes wanted to manage us, but ended up becoming Young Dro's new manager...I been lied to and let down so much in this shit, that I really been wavering lately, but I know I'll never stop lovin music so it is what it is...Just gotta adjust accordingly...
Things I've learned:
1. Money and connections mean everything...One or the other will be necessary, and money tends to be the more solid one.
2. Know your worth and what you have to offer before you agree to anything that diminishes that.
3. If you don't have a clear vision for what you want to accomplish, it'll be no surprise if someone else leads you in a direction you didnt want to go.
4. Circumstances might cause you to be stagnant sometimes, but if people look at you as lazy, it's a wrap. Cause nobody in the industry wants to give to someone who they can't gain anything from.
5. In a lot of cases, promotion >>>>>> the actual music itself. If your shit is soundin decent enough, anything can take off if promoted right. And that goes back to money, connections, and a true desire to grind.
6. Don't believe shit til you see shit.
7. Get your publishing right. Copyright your music. Know that eventually you'll need to trademark your name.
A1000MILES
New member
8. When you out, or speaking to someone on the scene...Be cofident in yourself, and your product...If you act like you suck, folk gon think you suck...
poindexter2
New member
Those showcases are full of BS. A. They are judged by people who used to work for the label. B. They are set up to promote a newer artist. C. No one gets signed or even barely get a meeting by winning a showcase.
Every A & R I know wants artist to put the money up to get a feature with respectable artist, film the shit, promote it on all the video mediums, to capture a share of that person's fan base. The keeping their attention is left up to the artist.
Unless you're the next Prince, it takes money to get it poppin as Artist. Lots of it too.
Most artist out now was already part of a situation years(ie 2chainz, Rick Ross) back or have family in the industry (drake)
Publishing is EVERYTHING. advance & royalty money comes and goes but Publishing can feed your grandkids lol
Every A & R I know wants artist to put the money up to get a feature with respectable artist, film the shit, promote it on all the video mediums, to capture a share of that person's fan base. The keeping their attention is left up to the artist.
Unless you're the next Prince, it takes money to get it poppin as Artist. Lots of it too.
Most artist out now was already part of a situation years(ie 2chainz, Rick Ross) back or have family in the industry (drake)
Publishing is EVERYTHING. advance & royalty money comes and goes but Publishing can feed your grandkids lol
poindexter2
New member
Really its about persistence, and knowing where to invest. The business is all about relationships.
TB.Boy;5665743 said:blackdemo;5660089 said:Rock Well;5660047 said:Seems like for starters it would be in ur best interest to create a entire pseudo identity/life and/or be a convincing liar and excellent seller of good, digital bull-ish( oxymoron intended). and make certain that it sells. The game is not customer service, they not operating on that level. the level they operate on is more like business to business level which involve a lot of deal making. And the artist is supposed to be the one that flip the script (labels need artist, not rly the other way around). But wit some of the deals these artist be agreeing to, its not only labels, but even clubs, promoters, radio kick game to the artist and got em outchea paying to play the game. The very game the artist himself supposed to own.blackdemo;5660089 said:The industry doesnt give a fuck about the artist but at the same time they couldnt make a dollar without him. It sucks cause im a nice outgoing person, and i can never be myself, i always have to be serious, i always gotta be on point and i can never get caught slipping, every word, every move, every deal, every person counts. Theres artist out there who pay hundreds for interviews man, its all about the benjamins
Can You elaborate on this please? What are the wrong things to say, wrong moves and why cant you be yourself? And this a great thread btw bro
Well what i meant by that is, people will always try to test you (like in all walks of life) but in the music industry its 24/7. I mean i just woke up this morning with 3 emails with deals on the table on a weekend.
But anyway to ellaborate, when I'm my nice NORMAL self people are extra willing to try to take advantage, and in reality ALL people are soft and ALL people have the same emotions BUT people with power never show these emotions because it shows weakness. I'm only cool around my friends or people who aren't a threat. But with business people from the (DJs, artists, PRs, managers etc.) I never wear my heart on my sleeve or say too much because people are plotting for your power (knowledge) that you have.
everytime you talk you are showing people how much knowledge you have or lack thereof, thats why in this industry, you ask ppl for info but never state why youre asking anything because people are constantly watching you.
Always ask why, and always watch those who are watching you.
That being said i just turned 21 so my knowlegde is limited but since i've been exposed to this life, thats what ive taken in and thats what people who made it tell me.
StillFaggyAF
New member
I'm a beatmaker (hobby for now) so this is a great thread, you still rapping @a1000miles?
32DaysOfInfiniti
New member
C/S open mics never really being helpful, at most you might get a good song stollen by a "celebrity host"
damobb2deep
New member
it aint what u kno its who u kno....
loyalty in the game don't exist unless it benefits one person involved..
especially in the music game u have 2 watch what u say cuz one wrong interview/ tweet and u can be done... the politics that come with it is sometimes not worth it...
but on the flip side if u have enough support musically you can do damn near anything and get away with it... $$$ can make 2 niggas dat really don't care 4 each other squash beef...
loyalty in the game don't exist unless it benefits one person involved..
especially in the music game u have 2 watch what u say cuz one wrong interview/ tweet and u can be done... the politics that come with it is sometimes not worth it...
but on the flip side if u have enough support musically you can do damn near anything and get away with it... $$$ can make 2 niggas dat really don't care 4 each other squash beef...
damobb2deep
New member
poindexter2;5666689 said:Those showcases are full of BS. A. They are judged by people who used to work for the label. B. They are set up to promote a newer artist. C. No one gets signed or even barely get a meeting by winning a showcase.
Every A & R I know wants artist to put the money up to get a feature with respectable artist, film the shit, promote it on all the video mediums, to capture a share of that person's fan base. The keeping their attention is left up to the artist.
Unless you're the next Prince, it takes money to get it poppin as Artist. Lots of it too.
Most artist out now was already part of a situation years(ie 2chainz, Rick Ross) back or have family in the industry (drake)
Publishing is EVERYTHING. advance & royalty money comes and goes but Publishing can feed your grandkids lol
c/s why do people think dope boys get in the game....
A1000MILES
New member
BlackGerald;5667302 said:I'm a beatmaker (hobby for now) so this is a great thread, you still rapping @a1000miles?
Oh yeah, I doubt I'll ever stop makin music...Just gotta go back to the drawing board on persuing it as a career...I was gon drop a couple new lil freestyles next week...
blackamerica
New member
Bottom line,the music industry is full of hot shit. Everybody in this thread (including myself) has been connected to it. Basically what you have is greedy people taking advantage of other people's dreams. Niggaz don't give a fuck about you or your dream but manipulate you into thinking they do, as if they can help you. Once they've got what they needed then its "fuck you". I've seen niggaz still songs, studio's robbed & everything. I had a dj friend that worked at a local radio station. This nigga is the most manipulative piece of shit ever. Nigga used to accept $$$ to play local artist. Anyways, when I was younger I used to rap with him playing role of manager. We started generating a buzz but when majors started calling shit started gettin funny.So at the time def jam called him with a offer for me to sign, he told them the only way he'd let them sign me was if they gave him a VP position at def jam. Of course i didn't find this out till later.
