Music Industry

Jan
07

Beyonce & Jay-Z: Is Dating inside the Industry a Good Idea?

Written by webmaster Tag: Editorials, United States, Beyonce, jay-z, love, Music Industry, personal, relationships

We take a look at Beyonce's marriage to Jay-Z and ask the question, is it a better to date someone that is in the industry or someone that is not. Be sure to leave your comments. The best ones will be featured in the next issue of Makin' It Magazine.

Oct
22

Are you a Generic Artist?

Written by webmaster Tag: Music 101, branding, budget, investing, marketing, Music Business, Music Industry, Music Promotion

The following article is Applicable to All independent Artists, Producers, Models, Actors, Filmmakers and Entrepreneurs. It is written in the context of a rapper because 68% of our readers are rappers. Live, Learn, Enjoy!

Jan
25

Move Over MP3, There's a New File Format in Town!

Written by webmaster Tag: News, General, Technology, file format, mp3, Music Industry, technology

Looks like MP3s may soon be joining Cassettes, 8Tracks & VHS. Bach Technology, Co-inventors of the original MP3, have launched the successor to the popular file format that single-handedly turned the recording industry upside down. This new music format dubbed MusicDNA will contain additional embedded content in audio files such as lyrics, videos, news updates and album artwork.

Jan
03

15 Reasons I Didn't Listen to Your Music.

Written by webmaster Tag: Music 101, Artists, United States, A&R, DJs, get a record deal, get radio play, Independent Artists, Music Business, Music Industry, music review, music submissions, record pool

95% of the music I receive is deleted without ever being listened to. Why? Outside of the fact that I  get 300-700 records sent to me each week via Email, Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Its just impossible for me to listen to every song I receive and still find time for my family and work. In an effort to increase the amount of material I listen to I have outlined "15 Reasons I didn't listen to your music" in hopes that you will shape up :)

Apr
05

Is Your Favorite Rapper Gay?

Written by webmaster Tag: culture, down low, gay, Hip Hop, homosexual, kanye west, Music Industry, rapper

There’s no denying the relationship between hip hop and basketball and no matter how many changes they make to the dress code, the culture is still going to bleed on to the court. In between the fact that every rapper thinks he could’ve went to the NBA and every basketball player thinks he can spit a hot sixteen, I don’t see this relationship coming to an end any time soon. Go to any basketball game and you’re likely to hear MIMS, Jay-Z, or Nelly playing throughout the arena. Turn on MTV or BET and you might just catch a story about Jay-z or Nelly buying a team. So when John Ameachi outed himself, becoming the first openly gay man to have played in the NBA, I had to turn my head toward the hip hop world and wonder... Which one of our favorite rappers is living a life on the Down Low?

Feb
05

DJ Drama Gets Thrown Under a Bus!

Written by webmaster Tag: Aphilliates, bootleg, culture, DJ Drama, mixtapes, Music Industry, raid, riaa, unity

For me January 17, 2007 is a day that will never be forgotten. I sat at the studio with my producer and watched as Atlanta Fox 5 reported that the Fulton County SWAT Team along with Clayton County officials and the RIAA had just raided DJ Drama’s downtown Atlanta studio seizing everything in sight. CD’s, recording equipment, company records, cars, money, and pretty much anything that wasn’t nailed down was confiscated as DJ Drama and DJ Don Cannon were taking into custody and latter hit with a RICO Act for racketeering. Now for those of you who don’t grasp the severity of what the RICO Act is, I’ll explain it. The RICO act was created back in 1970 to aid law enforcement agencies bring down organized crime families. Simply stated, if you commit any 2 of the 35 crimes specified in the Act within a 10 year period you can be hit with a RICO charge which carries a maximum fine of $25,000 and 20 years in prison. Now with that in perspective, let’s get back to the subject.

Jan
05

What You Should Be Spending Money On?

Written by webmaster Tag: Music 101, branding, investing, marketing, Music Business, Music Industry

When it comes to any business, one thing will always be true. You are your biggest investment. The time and money you put into yourself is directly reflective of how seriously YOU take YOU and that usually dictates how seriously other people will take you. The truth is, technology is evolving so fast that what used to cost thousands of dollars can now be done for a little over a hundred bucks. So, there is no reason for anyone to claim to be a model and not have comp cards and photos, with tools like digital cameras and Photoshop so easily accessible. There is no reason for a manager, promoter, or producer not to have business cards when you can easily get 1,000 printed Full Color and Double Sided for just $35 (www.NeedCDsNow.com). 

How can you call yourself a rapper and not have a single song recorded when there are so many programs that will let you turn your home computer into a virtual studio. When you approach a company or potential client that may be interested in your talents or services, how seriously do you expect to be taken when you don’t even have the basic necessities for conducting day to day business in your given field. 

Jan
05

How the South Killed Hip Hop!

Written by webmaster Tag: Music 101, Atlanta, Dirty South, East coast, Hip Hop, Hip Hop is Dead, Music Industry, Young Jeezy

Who killed hip-hop? I've heard some say that D4L killed hip hop. I've heard others say it was Dem Franchize Boys, Lil Jon, Three-Six Mafia and even Young Jeezy. Right now we are on the verge of an East Coast/Down South feud that I am sure the media will sensationalize until we loose even more of our talented young men and women in a hail of bullets and bullsh*t. Everybody's talking about who killed hip-hop, but the last time I checked you don't investigate a homicide without a body. With Three-Six Mafia just winning an Academy Award and T.I. nominated for multiple Grammies, hip hop is looking very much alive to me. It seems the more important question on everybody's mind should be, "Who in the hell said hip hop was dead?" Before we turn this into an East Coast vs. The Dirty South beef lets remember that Smoke of Field Mob, just this past summer was quoted having said, "...hip hop is dead and D4L killed it."