ITS UGLY FOR INDEPENDENT ARTISTS.....

[tlocoro]

fuck cds man nobody is buying them shits anymore sad but the truth, you gotta give up the old shit and get with the new. Like that commercial they throwing cell phones into the water cus they got the new blackbery or w/e. Thats cds, skip cds in the water cus u can download them shits on the internet with one click.

You dont see ppl buying tapes anymore do you, its inevitable cds would follow.
The only people who can still sell cds are well known artists all over the world in households, r.kelly, jt, luda.. etc.

The internet is the biggest hustle. Sell your shit on itunes, you get a nice % and everybody gots ipod even 5 year olds nowadays. Like my lil sis she get money from her mom as allowance and she buys songs on itunes.

Or you could invest in a website that sells urself and make a higher % profit. Make youtube videos for free (relatively), make em grimy with quality hip hop. you can get platinum status of views on youtube. fuck majors you dont even need them. advertising is now easy as hell, easier than its ever been. Some time with photoshop can definately help push your products with quality ad and art for the whole visual aspect.

If retailers wanna get with the game its up to them to take up shop like Cduniverse or Amazon, which do exceptionally well web-based. its harder for them, theyll have to adapt to the new age, maybe get computer lobbys goin around where u can hook ur music player up and dl right at the shop yknow shit like that.

There will still be people dling for free, but you gotta make due with whats available to you. And being local, keeping it in the hood will not help at all you need world wide success to be successful.

Ed: to back up what im sayin take a look at keak da sneaks myspace. 1 song has 500,000 plays, 2 have 300,000 plays, and 2 have 100,000 plays. wikipedia says he only sold a few thousand copies. if there was a link right under it to dl im sure he would sell more than a few thousand a song right there.
^So in the end quality will come on top.

 

[DemolitionMen]

not even trying to talk shit or nothin, but yall got the worst mixtapes out there with hella gunshots and sound effects and shitty ass quality...so how are you gonna talk about quality is job #1? i understand you get the exclusives, but that's ALL that's keeping it going.

this isn't even hate, because I'd love to cop a demolition men mixtape and be able to listen to it in the car and have it not sound shittier than the radio does

just constructive criticism...take it how you want

we always appreciate constructive criticism.
as far as sfx... thats not gonna change. hate it or love it. in regards to the quality of the songs on the mixtape, you got to understand its just a mixtape. its not an official album or a compilation. its for the streets. the songs we get are from the artists so how they come is how they get put out. usually artists like to get feedback about a song before they decide to spend the time and money to have it professionally mixed and mastered. thats where we come in and thats why the mixtapes remain cheaper than an album. mixtapes are just to feed the streets bro. guarantee when we drop an official album it will be professional.

when i referred to quality being #1, i was referring to artist albums. thats where it needs to count. appreciate the feedback cuzzo.

 

[J:M]

we always appreciate constructive criticism.
as far as sfx... thats not gonna change. hate it or love it. in regards to the quality of the songs on the mixtape, you got to understand its just a mixtape. its not an official album or a compilation. its for the streets. the songs we get are from the artists so how they come is how they get put out. usually artists like to get feedback about a song before they decide to spend the time and money to have it professionally mixed and mastered. thats where we come in and thats why the mixtapes remain cheaper than an album. mixtapes are just to feed the streets bro. guarantee when we drop an official album it will be professional.

when i referred to quality being #1, i was referring to artist albums. thats where it needs to count. appreciate the feedback cuzzo.

I hear that, I've been a Demolition Men fan since CD#1 that includes the time y'alls was on the east coast and i think with a TV show or something like that. Y'alls took that NY mixtape formula and brought it here when it was slim pickings, which was a great idea. But at the end of the day, your skills have remained the same production wise, it's just the quality of the music that you get from these artists. It shows that you can only do so much with the shit that you get. Last comment, OVER-SATURATION is the worst, we been complaining about compilations with the same song on 8 CDs during the 90s. Same thing happening now but on mixtapes, actually it's been happening since 2003, LOL. FYI hate the SFX.

 

[A DOT G]

LIKE TAY SAID HUSTLAS GET MONEY SUCKAS DONT U GOTTA EXPAND UR HUSTLE MANE!! "U DONT HUSTLE U DONT EAT"!!!!

DEMOLITION MEN GOT THE MIXTAPE GAME ON LOCK OUT HERE IN THE BAY

MINES BASICALLY A ALBUM MIXED BY THE DEMOLITION MEN IM GETTIN ALL THE SONGS MIXED N MASTERED SO QUALITY GONE B TOP NOTCH!!ALL ORIGINAL SLAP.. ITS BASICALLY ON THE ARTIST HOW GOOD THE QUALITY IS CUZ AT THE END OF THE DAY THAS WHAT THEY'RE SUBMITTING... THE DJ ISNT THE ONE ACTUALLY RECORDING THE MUSIC...

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/AGCUBANO

"FEET TO THE STREET" COMIN FAST!

COMIN EARLY 09!!

 

[DemolitionMen]

Last comment, OVER-SATURATION is the worst, we been complaining about compilations with the same song on 8 CDs during the 90s. Same thing happening now but on mixtapes, actually it's been happening since 2003, LOL.

was this in reference to our mixtapes or in general? cuz i can dispute that lol

 

[DemolitionMen]

lets stick to the topic at hand though

 

[shame]

Demo. men mixtapes have always been dope to me.....and had creative concepts, intro and skit wise...they're well put togeather....IMO

There was this one a few years back that had these two italian cats aguing in the beggining "Aye Johnny" ...cracked me the fuck up...lol

You guys are expecting mixtapes to sound like albums....DJ's dont mixdown the tracks the recieve, they just scratch and blend them....

on top of that....they actaully have EXCLUSIVES....

If you wanna complain about mixtape DJ's then complain about the wack ass ones with absolutly no talent that just steal shit off the net and do some generic sounding wav. file editing to make it sound "mixed"......now that shit is corny.

 

[Justin]

I still buy CD's if the music is tight or to my liking. I am a big E-40 fan but I didn't rush out to buy his album (I don't even plan on buying it) because it's weak to me after hearing it. I only like 2 songs on that mf. Now I don't have a problem with an artist expanding or getting creative by reaching out and getting different mf's on their albums. But with features from T-Pain, Akon, Shawty Lo, I am not about to spend my money on that crap. If I want to hear T-Pain all I gotta do is turn on KMEL. Bring somebody new out that no one's has heard before. I get annoyed from Akon's voice and Shawty Lo's can't rap to save his life. So why would I support something like that? I used to rush to the store when the new E-40 came out...

I prefer mobb music, that underground music that makes my head bobb and speakers bump. Keak tha Sneak's latest album was well worth the money spent ("Her name" knocks). Turf Talk's last album was worth the money that I spent.

Independent Artists struggle because they drop weak music!

Mac Dre was independent but he was selling records because his music was tight.

As tight as San Quinn is, I've never heard a solo from him that was worth buying (maybe except for "The Hustle Continues")

Records/CD sales will increase if you'll quit making weak music.

I know he's not independent anymore but how is E-40's album selling?

GOOD POST TONY.. BUT YOU FORGOT TO MENTION NOBODY IS BUYIN CD'S FOR FUCKIN 20 BUCKS EITHER!! DROP THE PRICE INCREASE SELLS!!

 

[Justin]

NOT TO MENTION HOW CAN ARTISTS EXPECT TO PEOPLE TO BUY MUSIC WHEN MOST RAPPERS DON'T BUY EM EITHER!! I ALWAYS BUY MUSIC BUT I CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH!!

 

[tweeze]

YEAH ITS KINDA OF HARD TO GET BOOT LEG DVD OF SOME INDIE ARTIST

SO THAT MUST BE THE BEST LICK AS OF RIGIHT NOW LOL

 

[threefoe]

its been hard. its not the one with the most talent , its the one with the most hustle!

Honestly bruh I think this mentality is what's killin the game...

When cats started thinking they could be rappers just because they got hustle is when it all started going downhill IMO. The biggest component I see missing from rap music these days is TALENT! You can package and market SHIT the best outta everybody but at the end of the day its still SHIT. And in today's climate nobody's gonna buy that SHIT.

I think artist need to really start looking in the mirror and be realistic with themselves when it comes to them being talented enough to do this. There's a million rappers nowadays and 95% of em are garbage. Makin music is not for everyone just like football, hoop, track, baseball etc. isn't. Yeah you can work harder than everybody but if you don't got the talent you just don't got it...period. Now if you just doing it for the love of music and don't really expect to make it big in this game I have nothing wrong with that. But move out the way and let the cats with the talent and the love that actually have a chance come to the forefront. The game is so over saturated that its hard for the real talent to get recognized or taken seriously.

We've glorified the "formula" for success (hustle) in this game so much that we forgot about the talent aspect. In the words of the jacka "what ever happened to bein/comin dope?" Nowadays everyone thinks its easy and that all they have to do is market themselves right and they'll be star. Not even. You have to make good music. You have to make good music. I repeat you have to make good music! And by this I don't mean good music just for you and yo potnas that'll never leave yo block. I mean real quality music that people can feel everywhere...and no that doesn't mean crossing over or making music the industry deems "acceptable." I mean making music that's true to you but at the same time everyone can feel, understand and cant be denied.

I think cats need to start playing there position again also. Meaning the marketing gurus market, the hustlas hustle and the artists make good music. Just because you a D boy, hustla, boss, pimp, playa, baller, athlete etc.. don't mean you can rap! The days of cats using the "formula" of being the best hustla, or having the best gimmick without having talent, and still being successful are OVER. Consumers are tired of that shit and the numbers prove it. GOOD MUSIC...literally, a team AND a mean hustle is what I think will bring the game back. My 2 cents.

 

[Rich]

good post threefoe, i agree

 

[Doxx]

Well put, threefoe.

In the words of Mac Dre...

How else have you seen the Bay Area rap scene change as far as more artists and different areas comin’ up?
Yeah, everybody rappin’ now. When I left, people was just buyin’ tapes. Now everybody makin’ tapes.


Do you see that as good?
Naw, I don’t see that as good because some of that stuff be bullshit and it be cloudin’ up the industry. If somebody go to a record store and they got a hundred tapes up there and you might overlook somethin’ that’s good because you might see somethin’ that has a good album cover on it and think that’s the bomb and you really lookin’ over the bomb. I think people who don’t know how to rap should try somethin’ else. And if you friends with somebody that’s tryin’ to rap and they don’t know how to rap, tell ‘em man, “You don’t know how to rap! Give it up!”

 

[threefoe]

Well put, threefoe.

In the words of Mac Dre...

How else have you seen the Bay Area rap scene change as far as more artists and different areas comin’ up?
Yeah, everybody rappin’ now. When I left, people was just buyin’ tapes. Now everybody makin’ tapes.


Do you see that as good?
Naw, I don’t see that as good because some of that stuff be bullshit and it be cloudin’ up the industry. If somebody go to a record store and they got a hundred tapes up there and you might overlook somethin’ that’s good because you might see somethin’ that has a good album cover on it and think that’s the bomb and you really lookin’ over the bomb. I think people who don’t know how to rap should try somethin’ else. And if you friends with somebody that’s tryin’ to rap and they don’t know how to rap, tell ‘em man, “You don’t know how to rap! Give it up!”

This may be realist shit Dre ever said. Good post.

 

[siccness-user]

you have to make good music and hustle right,

the problem is that some artists are too emotional to hear the truth and instead treat the business from an emotional perspective
that's why you could never "make sense" in these forums,

"its because people dont support local artists"
"its because other city's just aint feeling us"

"its because people like listening to bullshit, my shit is hot. that's why its not selling"

if a song is good... anyone should be able to enjoy it

lets be honest here, are artists running a business?, (it's called music business for a reason)

or are they running charity? talkin about buy my albums and support me, pay my bills

its just the way it goes, the shit is wack, no one buys it. no one wants to throw money away on a cd thats only gonna piss them off

btw sales are down, but i heard lil wayne's album sold more than some of 2pac's, back in the day
not independent but you get the idea

 

[MALKI]

im sorry but i gotta post this ahaha




real shit though. everyone step it up and u will eat. people aint selling like they used to but the good artists is still getting they money and u gotta think about more avenues than just cd sales. i know an independent artist and she feed her kids, they living comfortable all off her music. it aint just cd sales though - thats just one avenue for an artist to hit you gotta hit the game from all angles.

it all depends what your goals are though - just start with a small goal and once you reach that set another small goal and sooner or later 5 or 6 small goals will equal a big goal and you will have did something.

 

[Rich]

of course Lil Wayne's gonna sell more than pac ever did back then. pac never had national appeal.

Anyways, the economy might take out the smaller budget artists sadly.

 

[beNz_NorCal]

im sorry but i gotta post this ahaha




real shit though. everyone step it up and u will eat. people aint selling like they used to but the good artists is still getting they money and u gotta think about more avenues than just cd sales. i know an independent artist and she feed her kids, they living comfortable all off her music. it aint just cd sales though - thats just one avenue for an artist to hit you gotta hit the game from all angles.

it all depends what your goals are though - just start with a small goal and once you reach that set another small goal and sooner or later 5 or 6 small goals will equal a big goal and you will have did something.

hahaha Dre a fool

 

[Daddy Rich]

of course Lil Wayne's gonna sell more than pac ever did back then. pac never had national appeal.

Anyways, the economy might take out the smaller budget artists sadly.

wayne aint even close to what pac sold all eyez on me sold over 8 million wayne is not doin those numbers and me agains the world and his other projects did anywhere from 3-5 million a piece just in the states pz

 

[threefoe]

of course Lil Wayne's gonna sell more than pac ever did back then. pac never had national appeal.

This is a joke right?

Pac had more national appeal and sold more records than anybody in rap history. What the hell are you talkin bout?