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Hello,
Coming at 'cha again with a new round of question and answers. On one of the questions I got a little long winded but I wanted to cram in as much helpful info as I could. So enjoy and I will catch you all next week.
Stay well and stay informed.
Hello,
My challenge is this: about a year ago, me and two other guys started a record label (based out of Brooklyn). The goal at the time was to generate a buzz with our first single on the underground/college level and see what happens. Although we were successful in getting adds to over 40 college stations and were #5 in the most adds in HITS magazine, the lack of a business plan prevented us from making the next move.
I am now putting together a business proposal because one the ownerís dad claims he can pitch it for us to some heavy hitters who have millions to throw around. But as you are aware, business proposals for millions of dollars require intense scrutiny and may take months or even a year before approval.
With us all working day jobs for someone else, our spending capital at the end of the month to put towards promotion and other expenses amount to no more than $500-$700.
What can we do for this kind of money! Time is of the essence, we have product, but with $500-$700 we can't promote nationally and get the attention in CMJ, HITS, and Gavin. Should we stay local and if so, where should we focus? Or, should we focus on recording more singles, or should we sign more artists who'll work gratis? Or should we try to record and do live shows and sell merchandise? I feel lost, but the aim to succeed is still there.
Daniel Yang
Hi Daniel,
OK, you threw a lot of questions in there so Iíll take them one by one. Itís true that $500-700 is not a lot of money so what you might want to do is consider putting together a smaller, concise version of a business plan and apply for a small business loan or grant to help you start thins off. Iím sure an extra $5000 would come in handy. Once you get that youíll have a little money to throw around and youíll find waiting for your million dollar response isnít so bad.
Should you stay local? Why limit yourself? New York has to be the hardest place in the country if not the world to break a record. We are extremely critical of anything or anyone we donít know. Usually, what ends up happening is an artist breaks in other markets and then NY radio decides they want to play it now too. Half the time we donít even give our own a chance. So I definitely think you should expand outside of NY. Go make a hit then bring it home.
Where should you focus? Focus on the smaller cities that donít necessarily get a lot of hip-hop artists coming through. They are more appreciative of artists and their product, youíll have a captive audience and youíll probably be able to sell quite a few units on the spot.
Should you records more singles? Of course! Never stop making music. Itís the business youíre in after all. The public is always looking for something new and exciting, the next big thing so to speak. Youíll never get to it if you stop working on it.
Should you sign artist that will work for free? Why not? There are a lot of prospective artists looking for their big break and some of them would be willing to forgo initial payment until money is coming in. However, please make sure the artist is HOT!! Free crap is still crap, so donít waste you time with it, go straight for the talent.
Should you do live shows and sell merchandise? Definitely! All artist need stage and performance experience. This is how they learn to ìcommand a crowdî. Plus, it makes people aware of who the artist is and the company they represent (meaning you). And of course, always have product available for sale. Iíve been to so many shows where the artists have performed well and I think to myself, if they had CDs available they would make a killing.
The reason Iím telling you to do so many things is because you are a record COMPANY and all of these things make up the various functions of a label. In order to create a successful company, you will have to wear several hats, so sit down with your partners, figure out a plan and start multi-tasking.
Good Luck
Connie M. Howell
Jnelly991@aol.com
How do I get to know who's who at the record labels? I sent some material out to four labels and all of them came back saying no contact return to sender help please.
Hey J,
You should probably invest in ìThe A&R Registryî. It lists all of the A&R executives at major labels and independent labels. A&R execs in the United States, Canada and England are included. The entire A&R staffs of each label are listed, from the President and Senior Vice President down to the junior A&R scout. Their phone and fax numbers, the names of their assistants, their office addresses, and their e-mail addresses are all included. It also lists the style of music each executive focuses on. The book is updated and published every two months, with the latest personnel changes. You can purchase a single issue for $69.50, or you can purchase the six issue annual subscription for $354.50 including shipping. You can go to www.musicregistry.com to get copies.
Good Luck,
Connie M. Howell
Hey people,
Hope you all are well and blessed. I have a couple new joints for ya, so enjoy and remember to keep the questions coming.
Til next time
Peace
John Coleman
I am a remixer/producer and am having a hell of a time trying to get work outside of my own projects I'm already working on for myself. I want to put my work out there and have the maximum impact but at the same time, I'm weary of biters.
I haven't even begun to get this thing rollin' yet, it'd really suck if somebody already more established makes off with one (or more) of my fresh ideas that he'd hear on the internet or something and gets PAID with it. I'm having a time just getting recognized because I don't know WHERE to put my work for the RIGHT people to pick up on it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
-John
Hey John,
The fact is, when you have tracks that you are trying to sell, the chance for someone to take one of your tracks is there and it can be a very unsettling thing. However, if you let that hold you back then no one will ever hear your songs and your career will be stalled.
My suggestion to you is that you get a manager or a lawyer to shop your tracks for you. Get someone who has good contacts in the music business and also believes in your talent and the chances of your success. People will be less likely to steal from you if they know you have a support team or if they know the person representing you personally. So start networking and call up some entertainment attorneys and let them do what they do.
Good luck,
Connie M. Howell
Name: Jo Johnson
I want to sell hip hop beats. I know I have to network. I was wondering if it is normal practice to call up a label A&R and set up an appointment. If so can you give me a few examples of what I can say or what wording I should use to get an appointment.
Hey Jo,
I spoke to my friend Dwayne Adams who works in the A&R department at Jive Records to get a little insight on this issue.
The question isnít ìis calling A&Rs normal practice?î itís ìhow willing are they to take your call?î The answer: ìNot veryî. The best way to go about this is to have a manager or lawyer make the call for you, preferably a lawyer. A&Rs just feel more comfortable when they are speaking to someone they know wont waste their time (not to say that you would).
If your must call yourself, make sure you KNOW YOUR MUSIC! Iíve met so many artist who when asked ìwhat kind of music do you make?î they answer, ìwell, hmm, Iím not sure what to call it, its a little pop and rap and soul and countryÖî Whatever, yo! Know your strength and sell yourself accordingly.
This way when you call you can ask for a specific department and go from there. Simply explain who you are and that you would like to submit a demo. Keep it short, be professional, clear and cordial. And unless they ask you (though I doubt they will). DO NOT START RAPPING OR SINGING ON THE PHONE!
Also, continue to network because it is still the best way to make contacts and get your music heard.
Connie M. Howell
Hi,
I love hip-hop and I want to find some way to make some money from my passion. I am not a musician but I love music. People are always asking me about who is the next new artist to be looking out for because I listen to a lot of underground hip hop and neo soul. I want some type of job in the music business but I donít wanna start a label or sell records. I just need some ideas for hip hop or music businesses because that is what I truly enjoy and have a passion for.
J Mitch
Hey J,
Sounds to me like you need to find yourself. The best thing for you to do is to intern at a record label. As an intern you can float between different departments. Between the A&R, promotions, marketing, video, business affairs, etc. departments, you are bound to locate your passion. It will just take a little time and effort. You will get a chance to learn about the music industry as a whole and then you can decide if itís really for you.
Contact some labels local to you and inquire about possible internships. Who knows, once you discover you true passion, you may decide to start you own label after all. The option will always be there for you.
Good luck,
Connie
Hello,
I am an aspiring hip hop artist who has been honing my craft for quite sometime. I have become a seasoned professional with my delivery, context of music, wordplay, etc. I have projects that I am completing as we speak. And I have an unreleased album that I have completed. I am able to complete laying my vocals down on songs in minutes after entering the studio, yet I do not have a deal or the financial backing that it takes to get my music in the flow of the mainstream. I am desperately working my tail off to get my music heard by someone who knows good hip hop, but do not have the resources.
At this time, am not making my music to earn a profit. I just want the notoriety of getting my name in the streets. I feel that once I conquer this feat, I will be able to market my music on a major scale once I start leaking my completed projects to the streets. Do you have any idea on what I should do?
Bigga Black a.k.a. LB
What up Black,
Iím going to keep this short and sweet because the answer is simple and I get this question a lot.
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. You have to get out there so people can hear you and know who you are. Start attending some industry events and doing shows (like open mic nights) in your area. Build a following, once people see that you have support they start to take notice.
Hope that helps,
Connie
Hello everyone,
This week I thought we would touch on a topic that a lot of upcoming artists fail to think about and that is how the music and film/TV industries can work together. Luckily for you, a few people asked the right questions, so now I will share this with you.
Enjoy and stay well and stay informed.
P.S. due to the upcoming holiday you won't hear from me next week (AWWWWWW!) but I will return in December, Happy Turkey Day!
Hi,
I am a producer/singer and I was thinking about submitting some of my songs to music supervisors for film. What is the industry standard as far as fees to charge them if they decide to use my music.
Thanks,
Deric S.
Hey Deric,
Many factors go into determining what the synchronization fees will be for music in films. Some of those factors include:
How the song is used (is it sung by one of the characters, is it a background instrumental cue, does it play from a jukebox or radio, etc.?
The overall film budget of the film and the music budget
The timing of the use
Are there multiple uses in various scenes
Does the song play over the film credits
How long is the term, though usually they ask for rights in perpetuity.
The territory the request rights for, usually world or the universe
Whether or not the song makes the soundtrack.
Music publishers usually quote a synch fee in the $15,000 to $60,000 range depending on the answers to the questions above, the majority of which fall between $18,000 and $45,000.
Hope this helps and good luck with your song placement,
Connie M Howell
Hey Connie,
I submitted a song to a small independent film and they told me that they donít have enough money to license the song. Now they say they still want the song but they want to use it as a needledrop for a few hundred dollars instead of the $2000 I asked for. What exactly is a needledrop, if anything or are they trying to fake me out?
William P.
Hi William,
A needledrop is when a film uses your song, but you, the songwriter, retain all rights to the composition and you can sell or license the song to anyone else you choose to at any time. Granted the fee is significantly lower but hey, you still get to say you have a song in a film and who knows where this small indie film will take you. Plus, you keep all the rights to your song, so if you wanted to you could license it as a needledrop to an infinite amount of films or TV shows and the income will keep rolling in.
So I say go for it,
Connie
Hello again,
Let me just say that I appreciate all the questions you all send in (and there are a lot). I just ask that you all remember that I am one person handling a weekly segment so I am unable to respond immediately to all of these questions. Though I try to get to them all I may miss a few, so I ask that you be patient with me. I'll get there.
Thanks and stay well,
Connie M. Howell
P.S. keep 'em coming
Wayne M. Penn
I would first like to say the Hip-Hop community is thankful for websites like this... My questions are how can a low budget record company get distributors to take an interest in it's music, and how do we get in contact with them? Also how in the world does a label get the artist gigs out- side of the local area? I've tried booking agents, looking clubs up on the internet and even asking local club owners if they know any out of state clubs that book Hip-Hop acts and I'm coming up empty every time. If the info is in any of your books just list the books and I'll pick them up. Last thing I have a few contacts for sample clearances but should I worry about that if the albums are no distributed to the main stream.
Hey Wayne,
The best way to get a distributor to notice you is to start selling youíre albums independently. Go to mom & pop stores and try to get them to carry your product, sell out of the truck of the car if you have to. This way when you approach them you can say ìI sold ëxí amount of records on my own and would like to work with you in terms of distributing the rest of my productî. I bet theyíll be much more willing at that point. For a list of distributors go to www.hiphopbiz.com and purchase a copy of Walt's Hip Hop Entrepreneur Lists of Exposure.
As far as booking talent out of state I think your asking the wrong people. You said youíre asking local clubs about out of state clubs, hmmm. Ok, lets say I own a club in NY and you come to me and ask me how to get your client booked at a club in Boston. My first thought is ìI donít care and why are you wasting my timeî. No one wants to do the legwork for you, at least not for free. Youíll have to find contacts in the state youíre trying to perform in.
One avenue you may want to try is looking at flyers for parties and clubs in different cities. Most flyers have promoter and booking information on them, use it. Contact the people because they may be able to help you get your artist into the clubs.
Next, yes you should worry about sample clearance. The fact is, it doesnít matter how small the market is. If you are selling CDs for a profit that have songs containing samples on them, you should make sure youíre business is taken care of. You never know whose hands the CD may end up in and youíre leaving yourself open to a lawsuit if you donít license your samples.
Connie
Hi,
I always hear talk about music publishers and how I should have one if Iím making a lot of songs. What exactly does a music publisher do?
ANSWER: A music publisher administers, markets and promotes all of the music in their catalog. Basically it is their job to license out songs for different uses which will bring income to the writer, i.e. TV, film, compilations and the like.
Connie
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Hip Hop n.-- An urban cultural phenomenon encompassing a distinctive fashion, music, dance, art and attitude.
