Promoting Bay Area Music to an international Audience

[DUB-U]

Hello I am kinda new here and I haven't posted much yet but I thought I would introduce myself with something I have been working on.

I have been making efforts to promote and educate people internationally about bay area rap/hip hop and street music and culture in general.

One of my efforts has resulted in this:

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1923258,00.html

A short article in one of Englands large newspapers.
I realize he got a few details wrong --regardless it promotes the bays music to a broader audience.

I believe an important part of promoting bay area music is to communicate not only the music but the meaning of the culture and the language so articles like this are important in communicating that. Which, I believe also ultimately increase sales of the music.


Also my efforts have resulted in some british dj's beginning to play and buy hyphy music more and I have seen a sincere curiosity and hunger from quite a few people concerning bay area music in other countries.

I believe there is a large market out there for bay area no cal street music. I am wondering what everyones opinion is on this?
What are some things that can be done to promote the bay areas culture and music with limited funds and a computer to people outside the bay?

How can this translate into bread for artists and their teams. What can be done to maintain ownership over product and to hustle from the trunk over the net? Is there a central source of info for information about bay area music and where to buy it that is easy to search and read?

These are just some of my thoughts and questions.

I hope these thoughts and questions cause people to think and to propel people into action as well.

Also this kinda of info would be helpful to me in
continuing to convince people all over the world that the bay area has great music and culture and that they should be buying it and listening to it.

 

[DJ Rob Fernandes]

I have been making efforts to promote and educate people internationally about bay area rap/hip hop and street music and culture in general.

Welcome to the party fam... I stay in the UK now and have been pushing Bay music to the fullest for years. There's quite a few people (a couple on here) who know about it and are the UK ambassadors for all that's good about it.

It's difficult to tell people about cats they've never heard, but it starts and finishes with word of mouth... I've got over 1,500 Bay Area and Northern Cali CD's in the UK myself and am always putting people onto the music.

And don't get it twisted, Bay music been out here, I been checkin since E-40 went Federal like 12 or 13 years ago, if you go digging in second hand music stores you'll see Bay CD's since the early 90's that made it over here.

One of my efforts has resulted in this:

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/features/story/0,,1923258,00.html

A short article in one of Englands large newspapers.
I realize he got a few details wrong --regardless it promotes the bays music to a broader audience.

Yep I saw this, and HHC had a eight page full spread feature on the Hyphy movement a few months ago too, plus I think one of the HHC columnists is on here sometimes and spreads love to a few of the Yay artists.

All promotion is good and props on getting that paper to peep game (even if Guardian readers aren't really going to fit the demographic) but I think there's a suspicion of this kinda 'let's see what we have over here' attitude.

The danger is that we're putting people onto a craze that will come and go, we're simplifying what the Bay Area is about into something that will sell like a fad, and that de-values and dis-respects a strong musical history.

I would rather talk about a music scene that has been going independently for many years through many dope artists. I don't really want to pimp Bay music to people who only really feeling one 'cool' theme in the music.

Also my efforts have resulted in some british dj's beginning to play and buy hyphy music more and I have seen a sincere curiosity and hunger from quite a few people concerning bay area music in other countries.

Fo sho fo sho... I'm curious myself what you did because I've not seen any real depth of interest in UK deejays. It pops up now and again on 1xtra shows but with their remit I wouldn't expect anything less.

The DJ pools I belong to have yet to push a hyphy track, and there's already too much urban music out there like saturation for imported Norcal music to gain enough momentum to build any kind of serious interest here.

It's not really happening anywhere here that will make a difference and break down some doors. And none of the music is properly distributed in the UK, so it's like a vicious circle. What did 40's last album sell in the UK??

I believe there is a large market out there for bay area no cal street music. I am wondering what everyones opinion is on this?

We can tell anyone that this music is the shit, but in the end it'll be just the loyal overseas fans that will hold it down, I honestly believe it would take a Hyphy or bay single hittin the pop charts as a novelty to get some shine here.

Who knows, maybe FAB can pull it off with something from the new Yellow Bus album but after over a decade importing Bay music, I am realistic enough to recognise that only major label artists REALLY sell out here. Serious...

What are some things that can be done to promote the bay areas culture and music with limited funds and a computer to people outside the bay?

How can this translate into bread for artists and their teams. What can be done to maintain ownership over product and to hustle from the trunk over the net? Is there a central source of info for information about bay area music and where to buy it that is easy to search and read?

The internet has always been the best and most cost-effective vehicle for promotion. Y'all can take a few Bay CD's into independent stores (the chains won't stock it) like I have, but who is going to buy what they don't know.

A sick review of The Jack Artist in HHC will create a small buzz but the best you will get is some cats buying it off a US retailer, really without money and distribution behind it, nothing can sell here in a way that makes a difference.

The central source of information has and will always be communities like this, but this is for established fans, why else would anyone hop on here? Northern Ridaz has been the best promo you can find on the net, but who knows it?

I tried to make a difference a couple of years ago by putting out free mixes (see my sig) back to back Bay tracks promoting as many artists as possible, even with little old school Bay music history lessons thrown in there.

I paid and hosted the downloads and shot that link to as many people as I could, I know a lot of UK people downloaded it, some liked it, some didn't, but the ones that did, what are they going to do? You can't buy the CD's here.

And that's what's really.. I'm not a music distributor. I'm not a label. I actually buy 2-3 copies of really dope Bay CD's and try and parlay some of them in the UK but that's not big business. I have boxes of sealed Bay CD's at my spot.

It needs big business distribution and then let's see what will happen. They'll make a difference and FAB's signing for Atlantic and 40 on BME could be the start. Labels with track records of putting the music out there properly.

Anything we can do, I'm down for it, but it would just be as a fan trying to make some noise on top and it's hard for a fan to get heard, cause everyone is a fan of something. Holla at me by PM if you have some serious ideas.

The internet is the place to start, but it needs some momentum. You can say all you want on the internet but if no one is looking then it's no use. I tried to do something with hyphy.co.uk but someone already got it and did nothing.

Wait for the labels to pay to get Bay music out here and then you have the momentum to do something to push it on. Until then we're just scratching the surface and making no lasting impression.

And that's not being negative fam, believe me, the questions you're asking I been considering for years, and this is where I'm at.

Also this kinda of info would be helpful to me in
continuing to convince people all over the world that the bay area has great music and culture and that they should be buying it and listening to it.

Of course mayne, it's all love but fans need to recognise when they're doin' too much. Just because we like it, no one else has to. Money talks and it's down to labels to recognise the Bay as a source of good music and put it on.

Get at me and lets see what we can do in the meantime to keep it movin...

 

[SacTownRadio]

Yeah we've been pushin Northern Cali Rap Music WorldWide for 7 years now!! We ship prize packs out worldwide, you wouldn't believe all the countries that tune in...not just europe, but Russia, China, and central america!! Keep doin it international!!!!

 

[Bart fka KhameNei]

Yea, we doin our thang in Poland too. Trying to convince people that Bay rap is the shit.

 

[Hylite]

Thats was up pimpin keep doin wat u doin n tell Dem the bay is the AREA, good music/culture & WELCOME TO SICCNESS YEEEEEEEEE

 

[MONEY TREE]

Well whatever is figured out on this topic, count us in. Money Tree Ent. will do whatever it takes. We will be in Amsterdam in mid Nov. Promoting and networking. We made a trip a couple of years ago and it went real well. So we look forward to doing it again.

 

[DUB-U]

Yeah man Its good to see the responses to this. At this point I am processing all u guys have said cuz I am working on several fronts with this. So i just want to keep this topic alive.

Go big for the bay

 

[da HYPHY pinoy]

koo mayne keep up the good work

 

[THACRITIC408]

HOLLA

 

[smooflikebutta]

thas a good look for the movement