by Dave House (@DaveHouseOutlaw)
If your an Independent artist or company, stay away from Miami, NY, LA, Atlanta, and any P-1 markets. Its official, Hip Hop has become an out of reach sport where illusion oversteps reality, especially in these delusional markets and markets that mirror them like Orlando. In these markets, no one cares how you got here, they are only impressed with the success that seem so all of a sudden.
Jay Z blows over 250K at CLUB LIV in Miami South Beach celebrating the release of his album with Kanye West, a great album I must add. After looking at the numerous youtube clips I seen something that I only see in the markets that I named above, which is the illusion. People at the club were popping bottles and doing all the stuff that it means to celebrate WHILE DANCING TO SONGS OFF THE ALBUM. HALT, Wait a Minute… You can play new music in the club and get a reaction? No, you can get a reaction you purchase if you spend the amount of money that will campaign your artist nationally, instead of one night in a club.
I would rather the DJ say hey if you want to break a record in the club the independent artist will have to spend 250K or better to even be noticed. The stakes have been raised in Hip Hop and its not poor man’s music. Hip Hop is not the voice of the young and oppressed but is now the voice of the elite and prestigious. Hip Hop: where Philip Drummond & Mr. Belvedere is more accepted ON THE STREET than Bill Cosby narrating lessons learned off a Fat Albert episode. Hip Hop today is the voice of those who are doing YOU the favor because they are alive, and they decided to rap or to dj or to be an executive. As a result, Hip Hop really has better things to do than to represent & entertain you; the consumer or subscriber.
This is the reason why artist or dj’s are so quick to get their videos posted on these popular websites, or get their songs heard on terrestrial radio without having to lift a finger or work. You would think that the artist or dj’s would catch on that the internet is a reference tool for promoting the artist campaign, like an encyclopedia, for the audience to subscribe to personally at the audience’s discretion and convenience. The artist or DJ still has to get up and work guerilla market “tape out the trunk” style after the video or radio gets posted or heard on -air.
For example, for all the videos you have seen on the worldstarhiphop, Vlad TV, and the other sought after websites, how many acts actually hit the pavement outside of another CORE DJ convention. How many artist did lifestyle promotions that involved car washes, college campuses, beauty salons, barbershops, high schools, etc. The indy artist is sitting back working his material by spreading the gospel on how many views they got. But the pattern that HAS YET to be caught on is, after your 24 hours is up on the sites, then what? After you get the BIG PAGE on the top part of worldstar, then what? All you have is the 20,000 ghosts who you don’t know that viewed your material left a comment and will be back tomorrow to do the same thing to some other video and your video is forgotten cause its been six weeks since you last posted up something.
Even Jay Z back in the Reasonable Doubt days had to grind to get to his position. I remember 1996 NY, that dude Pain in De Ass used to campaign the Roc-A-Fella brand. Jay Z has earned his position to be able to walk into that South Beach Miami spot and watch people react to his new music, positively. But the Independent act has bypassed the “In My Lifetime” PayDay Video and he is Jay Z now, expecting equal feedback as a result.
Since those P-1 markets are clearly saying “Hey, if your not Jay Z or Baby, or anyone who can come in here and spend a working man’s middle class salary, in the name of Hip Hop, your kind isn’t wanted here. Artist need to go to these smaller URBAN markets to campaign their initiative. Artist should grow with other like DJ’s so everyone can band together, niche a market share, and cater to that audience. Niche the demographic is key, If you a hard core rapper don’t worry if Rihanna or Drake fan base don’t know you, if anything you don’t want them on your music.
As far as Jay Z blowing the amount of bread he blew at the club that’s great. Thats what he supposed to do. Jigga is the last older person of my generation thats doing what he supposed to do: raising the bar so younger folks have something to reach for. Popping 250k at the club don’t mean you should do it. I feel like I popped 250K everytime I wake up in the morning and breath fresh air on my balcony and look at the mountains, the deers, and the rabbits. The people at the club dancing and celebrating with Jay or just as equal to the deers, rabbits, and chipmunks, that I see in my backyard. Just like the deers, rabbits, & chipmunks, they have no idea why they are in my backyard just like the people popping bottles with Jay Z have no idea what song they just listened to that they clearly said was hot. Is this the kind of feedback these independent artist wants on their record, the feedback that makes the Yes Man WORSE than the Hater???????? If so, please accept Hip Hop for what it is today, cause if you compare Hip Hop to what it was yesterday, you’ll be disappointed…………. #OUTLAW
Dave House is the founder of WHOOOOSHOUSE WORLDWIDE, LLC. With over 50 Million Records sold/Over 100 Million Spins detected during his career Dave has established himself as a voice in the music industry that you can trust. Follow him at @DaveHouseOutlaw on TWITTER for your WEEKLY MEDIABASE MONDAY REPORT EVERY MONDAY @ 12PM EST/ 9AM PST & MEDIABASE MONDAY RECAP @ 6PM EST/3PM PST
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