HERE'S A ARTICLE THAT WAS IN THE STOCKTON RECORD
SELLER: Doja Clik's "THC" CD is a popular local hip-hop salute to recreational drug use in Stockton. At left is the Clik's Aaron "Young Ren" Mena.
Smoke high-grade marijuana. Drink cognac. Talk dirty to women. Avoid the player haters.
These aren't just parts of Doja Clik's lifestyle. They're crucial ingredients in the Stockton rap group's simple and successful marketing plan.
"We don't steal or kill," said Aaron "Young Ren" Mena, 28, who founded the east Stockton group. "We just rap, work and live."
Despite never performing at a major show in Stockton or ever having its music played on local radio, Doja Clik has sold 35,000 copies of the four albums it's released since 1994.
The group's newest album, "THC," was the No. 8 seller at Stockton's Tower Records outlet during its first week of release in September.
Mena and his Clik are proof that, despite the many obstacles presented by hip-hop's underground status in Stockton, success stories can be written.
I wake up with an empty Hennessey in palm
All is calm last night I was gone off bomb
Ain't nothing wrong hit the fridge for my last O.E.
Eight double "o" in the morning and I'm still getting keyed
Grab my roach from the ashtray and fire it up
Resonate my membrane, wake and bake and get stuck
-- "Servin' 'Em Up" by Young Ren
Using a formula created by other independent regional rappers such as Oakland's Too $hort and Compton's N.W.A., the Clik has created album sales, a fan base and profits.
Jesse "Gooch" Hernandez, 27, president of Hard On Da Grind Records, Doja Clik's Stockton-based record label. won't talk about the money, but said fans really buy Mena's musical style -- a mixture of
synthesized bells and handclaps peppered over engulfing bass lines.
"The music industry is easy," said Hernandez. "The hardest part is getting people's attention."
The group -- the ever-changing lineup currently includes Mena, Antidote, Suga Bear and Mackaholic -- doesn't sugarcoat its latest effort.
"THC" is a follow-up to "Underground Mailroad," Mena's 1999 solo album that sold 6,000 copies.
The "THC" cover -- bushels of marijuana plants under lamps with "THC," the chemical term for marijuana, spelled out in lime green -- makes it clear where the group's coming from.
"Weed brings people together," Mena said. "People who smoke bud are going to buy the album."
The group's marketing formula -- promoting its albums in the liner notes, making sure record stores are stocked and selling copies through a Web site (dojaclik.com) -- is working.
When "THC" was released, it outsold the "Barbershop" soundtrack and recordings by Nelly and Pink at Tower.
Another indicator of success? A burned copy of Doja's latest album was being sold recently by a vendor at an east Stockton open air mall.
"We're worth being bootlegged," said Mena. "Imitation is the best form of flattery. I don't see anyone bootlegging Garth Brooks."
When Doja Clik was formed, "it was all word of mouth," Mena said.
The group's debut, "Hard on Da Grind," featured Stockton rappers Wizard Wun and Nasty Tre and sold 10,000 copies with no promotion.
In 1997, with more financial backing, the group released "Speed Kills." It featured Bay Area artist JT the Bigga Figga and Merced rapper Young Droop. The album sold 20,000 copies, said Mena.
"That's ghetto gold," he said.
Independent rappers who promote and distribute their own albums earn a bigger percentage of the profits from CD sales than rappers signed to major record labels, Mena and Hernandez said.
They wouldn't comment on exact percentages, but said the group keeps well over 50 percent of CD sales.
A rap artist signed to a major label gets between 8 and 13 percent of a CD's sales price, according to Wendy Day, whose New York City-based Rap Coalition helps rappers manage their finances.
They crashing planes into the World Trade
It's a shame, war games
(expletive) ain't playing, no delaying
Get your gats and pack your straps, get ready for the spraying
Tell your momma to start praying
-- "Mayday" by Young Ren
Although Doja Clik's themes include partying, the music industry, envy, social issues and national dilemmas, no subject is rapped about more than marijuana.
It was something the group members had in common when they got together, said Mena.
"Me and my homies had the same pastime," he said, adding the group was named after a potent variety of marijuana.
Mena and Hernandez are comfortable with their street notoriety. They want more.
"We're on the verge of blowing up," said Mena. "We just needed to learn the (music) business a bit more." *]
Smoke high-grade marijuana. Drink cognac. Talk dirty to women. Avoid the player haters.
These aren't just parts of Doja Clik's lifestyle. They're crucial ingredients in the Stockton rap group's simple and successful marketing plan.
"We don't steal or kill," said Aaron "Young Ren" Mena, 28, who founded the east Stockton group. "We just rap, work and live."
Despite never performing at a major show in Stockton or ever having its music played on local radio, Doja Clik has sold 35,000 copies of the four albums it's released since 1994.
The group's newest album, "THC," was the No. 8 seller at Stockton's Tower Records outlet during its first week of release in September.
Mena and his Clik are proof that, despite the many obstacles presented by hip-hop's underground status in Stockton, success stories can be written.
I wake up with an empty Hennessey in palm
All is calm last night I was gone off bomb
Ain't nothing wrong hit the fridge for my last O.E.
Eight double "o" in the morning and I'm still getting keyed
Grab my roach from the ashtray and fire it up
Resonate my membrane, wake and bake and get stuck
-- "Servin' 'Em Up" by Young Ren
Using a formula created by other independent regional rappers such as Oakland's Too $hort and Compton's N.W.A., the Clik has created album sales, a fan base and profits.
Jesse "Gooch" Hernandez, 27, president of Hard On Da Grind Records, Doja Clik's Stockton-based record label. won't talk about the money, but said fans really buy Mena's musical style -- a mixture of
synthesized bells and handclaps peppered over engulfing bass lines.
"The music industry is easy," said Hernandez. "The hardest part is getting people's attention."
The group -- the ever-changing lineup currently includes Mena, Antidote, Suga Bear and Mackaholic -- doesn't sugarcoat its latest effort.
"THC" is a follow-up to "Underground Mailroad," Mena's 1999 solo album that sold 6,000 copies.
The "THC" cover -- bushels of marijuana plants under lamps with "THC," the chemical term for marijuana, spelled out in lime green -- makes it clear where the group's coming from.
"Weed brings people together," Mena said. "People who smoke bud are going to buy the album."
The group's marketing formula -- promoting its albums in the liner notes, making sure record stores are stocked and selling copies through a Web site (dojaclik.com) -- is working.
When "THC" was released, it outsold the "Barbershop" soundtrack and recordings by Nelly and Pink at Tower.
Another indicator of success? A burned copy of Doja's latest album was being sold recently by a vendor at an east Stockton open air mall.
"We're worth being bootlegged," said Mena. "Imitation is the best form of flattery. I don't see anyone bootlegging Garth Brooks."
When Doja Clik was formed, "it was all word of mouth," Mena said.
The group's debut, "Hard on Da Grind," featured Stockton rappers Wizard Wun and Nasty Tre and sold 10,000 copies with no promotion.
In 1997, with more financial backing, the group released "Speed Kills." It featured Bay Area artist JT the Bigga Figga and Merced rapper Young Droop. The album sold 20,000 copies, said Mena.
"That's ghetto gold," he said.
Independent rappers who promote and distribute their own albums earn a bigger percentage of the profits from CD sales than rappers signed to major record labels, Mena and Hernandez said.
They wouldn't comment on exact percentages, but said the group keeps well over 50 percent of CD sales.
A rap artist signed to a major label gets between 8 and 13 percent of a CD's sales price, according to Wendy Day, whose New York City-based Rap Coalition helps rappers manage their finances.
They crashing planes into the World Trade
It's a shame, war games
(expletive) ain't playing, no delaying
Get your gats and pack your straps, get ready for the spraying
Tell your momma to start praying
-- "Mayday" by Young Ren
Although Doja Clik's themes include partying, the music industry, envy, social issues and national dilemmas, no subject is rapped about more than marijuana.
It was something the group members had in common when they got together, said Mena.
"Me and my homies had the same pastime," he said, adding the group was named after a potent variety of marijuana.
Mena and Hernandez are comfortable with their street notoriety. They want more.
"We're on the verge of blowing up," said Mena. "We just needed to learn the (music) business a bit more." *]
