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Interview by: The Wonder Twinz
Story Written by: MJ a.k.a. Manssa J. Lonardo
Ice was one of the first rappers to sign with a major label, Warner Brothers. "Since I was part of the first wave, the label allowed the music to stay raw. When "Cop Killer" came out, the majors got attacked and then censorship started becoming the new trend." Next, the labels started pushing artists that they felt would make good "selling music", mostly without a message. The next wave after that was more focused on underground music. However, when Cash Money got signed and got millions of dollars, that's when the majors decided that they would deal with the music, but on their terms only. That's when the singy-rap style came out and slowly started to dilute the music.
Ice believes that the internet has helped destroy the industry as well. Its an opinion that's backed with facts, considering that corporate giants like Tower Records are going out of business. "What was the last CD you bought at a record shop? The last CD I bought from a store was 'Fish Scale' by Ghostface. That was only because I was at a record store to find a sample for my album." The truth is that less and less people still go to stores to buy their music. We now live in a time where you can go on the internet and download or listen to your favorite artist for free. Plus you can download the album cover too and make it your screen saver. "Record sales are not what they used to be, the business has changed. That's why I have other investments and don't solely rely on album money."
That last sentence is like the victory lap of a true champion. The goal of every artist should be to invest in other outlets to secure a great future. "Now a days everyone is a rapper. We all have friends that are unsigned, but can rhyme really good. It's a big difference from when I started." Back then, you could count the total amount of Hip-Hop Artists with albums out on your hand and they each had their own sound. "Today everyone sounds the same and talks about the same subjects, there's no individuality. Hip-Hop, the Kulture, truly is dead. Even my wife Coco admits that when her and her friends listen to a rap song, they're captured by the catchy beat, not the lyrics. That's because most rappers just focus on sampling older songs and then knock out a new single within a couple of minutes. Where as real Emcee's take the time needed to sit down and write songs that can create change."
Friday, December 28, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Multimillion Mobile Sales Made T-Pain a Superstar!
By: Antony Bruno
Billboard Musician's Guide to Touring & Promotion
"Buy U a Drank" is the best-selling mastertone of 2007, according to Nielsen RingScan, moving more than 2.3 million units year to date. That figure nearly doubles the very respectable 1.6 million digital downloads the same track has sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and completely dwarfs the 686,000 CD's that the album it supports-"Epiphany"-has moved since its debut June 23.
-5 Lessons of T-Pain's Ringtone Success- According to Jive Records Sr. VP of Digital Music, Jeff Dodes.
1. A Catchy Song
Ringtones are like audio versions of a concert T-shirt. They let fans proudly display the songs or artists they like. Therefore, the song that it's based on needs to be a hit. "I'll be the first to say, 'Credit our A&R guys and credit our promotion guys,'" Dodes says. "They're finding great artists who are making great records and getting exposure for it. We just do the rest."
2. The Right Hook
As great as the song may be, fans need to be able to hear it in a crowded room for it to work as a ringtone. Typically, higher-pitched notes work best. This is one reason why the theme song to "Halloween" remains popular. The synthesized vocal effects that T-Pain uses for many of his songs fit this requirement.
3. Relatable Lyrics
Madonna scored a ringtone hit last year with the song "Hung Up," which featured the line, "Ring, ring, ring goes the telephone," primarily because the words fit the situation of an incoming call. T-Pain's lyrics strike a chord with the club-going urban set who relate to songs about buying girls drinks and (apparently) falling for exotic dancers. "If there's something in the lyric that the consumer wants to say about themselves, it helps," Dodes says.
4. Work With The Operators
For all the hay labels like to make about selling ringtones to fans directly via the artist's Website or via marketing partners like Jamster, it's still the prime placement on the wireless operators' "What's Hot" menu on the phone that moves sales. Dodes says sales can increase 75% with such featured placement. Only 3% of sales from T-Pain's "Buy U a Drank" came from outside the carrier sales portal.
5. Exposure
If the song's not getting decent radio play, club spins or video impressions, it likely won't be a big-selling ringtone. That's why few artists write music solely to be used as ringtones. "If you don't know it and if it's not what everybody in the neighborhood knows, you're not really making that statement," Dodes says. "Who's going to buy a T-shirt for a band that nobody's heard of?"
Billboard Musician's Guide to Touring & Promotion
"Buy U a Drank" is the best-selling mastertone of 2007, according to Nielsen RingScan, moving more than 2.3 million units year to date. That figure nearly doubles the very respectable 1.6 million digital downloads the same track has sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and completely dwarfs the 686,000 CD's that the album it supports-"Epiphany"-has moved since its debut June 23.
-5 Lessons of T-Pain's Ringtone Success- According to Jive Records Sr. VP of Digital Music, Jeff Dodes.
1. A Catchy Song
Ringtones are like audio versions of a concert T-shirt. They let fans proudly display the songs or artists they like. Therefore, the song that it's based on needs to be a hit. "I'll be the first to say, 'Credit our A&R guys and credit our promotion guys,'" Dodes says. "They're finding great artists who are making great records and getting exposure for it. We just do the rest."
2. The Right Hook
As great as the song may be, fans need to be able to hear it in a crowded room for it to work as a ringtone. Typically, higher-pitched notes work best. This is one reason why the theme song to "Halloween" remains popular. The synthesized vocal effects that T-Pain uses for many of his songs fit this requirement.
3. Relatable Lyrics
Madonna scored a ringtone hit last year with the song "Hung Up," which featured the line, "Ring, ring, ring goes the telephone," primarily because the words fit the situation of an incoming call. T-Pain's lyrics strike a chord with the club-going urban set who relate to songs about buying girls drinks and (apparently) falling for exotic dancers. "If there's something in the lyric that the consumer wants to say about themselves, it helps," Dodes says.
4. Work With The Operators
For all the hay labels like to make about selling ringtones to fans directly via the artist's Website or via marketing partners like Jamster, it's still the prime placement on the wireless operators' "What's Hot" menu on the phone that moves sales. Dodes says sales can increase 75% with such featured placement. Only 3% of sales from T-Pain's "Buy U a Drank" came from outside the carrier sales portal.
5. Exposure
If the song's not getting decent radio play, club spins or video impressions, it likely won't be a big-selling ringtone. That's why few artists write music solely to be used as ringtones. "If you don't know it and if it's not what everybody in the neighborhood knows, you're not really making that statement," Dodes says. "Who's going to buy a T-shirt for a band that nobody's heard of?"
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