!!!THE 3rd ANNUAL BAY AREA RAP SUMMIT - Sunday November 5th 2k6!!!
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HIP-HOP IMPRESARIO SHINING SPOTLIGHT ON BAY AREA SCENE By Marian Liu/Mercury News
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Posted on Fri, Nov. 03, 2006email thisprint this
Climb to the top
HIP-HOP IMPRESARIO SHINING SPOTLIGHT ON BAY AREA SCENE
By Marian Liu
Mercury News
If you're an independent rapper in the Bay Area trying to get to the next level, Danny Dee is a good person to know.
Since 2005, he's been coordinating the Bay Area Rap Summit, which aims to prepare local up-and-coming hip-hop artists and producers to play on a national level.
``My whole goal of the summit is to bring the industry to the Bay,'' Danny Dee says. A lot of participants either don't hear about such events, he says, or don't have the resources to attend the bigger ones, which are usually out of town.
The Bay Area event takes place Sunday at Oakland's Wild Card Bar & Grill and will include panels about creating media buzz, distribution and what the Bay Area's hyphy scene should do next.
At the convention, Danny Dee says, participants can meet retailers, distributors, producers, booking agents, promoters and radio DJs. ``They're all in one place for you.''
Born Daniel Aguayo, Danny Dee grew up in Hayward, with life reflecting the music genre he later would work in. At age 16, he did promotions for KYLD-FM (94.9), and at 20, he worked for the now defunct KBTB-FM ``Power 92.7,'' an experimental station that focused on local hip-hop.
There he met Tommy Wheeler, a.k.a. DJ Maniakal, and formed the Dynasty Fam, a business partnership that pulled together a group of Bay Area DJs who threw parties at clubs. At that point in Danny Dee's life, being able to put friends on ``VIP'' and ``guest lists'' was enough to keep him happy.
But his dreams already were being formed years before, when his friends sneaked him into the 2000 Gavin Music Conference -- a music networking event -- in San Francisco. He then realized that hip-hop power players like Jermaine Dupri and Russell Simmons were accessible at such events.
``I always had that in the back of my mind -- that we needed to do that'' on a more local level, Danny Dee says. Over the past few years when ``the whole Bay Area movement started kicking up again . . . I wanted to be a part of this movement . . . and help bring people together.''
In April 2005, he coordinated the first Bay Area Rap Summit in San Jose, patterned -- on a much smaller scale -- after the national hip-hop conferences put on by hip-hop heavyweights such as Simmons. Danny Dee's summit included artists who were well known in the Bay Area, names like: the Federation, Mistah F.A.B., Frontline, B-Legit, Dem Hoodstarz and Sean T.
Later that year, he attended the Power Summit in the Bahamas, which brought together the most influential artists and producers in hip-hop, including Simmons, Kevin Black from Interscope Records, and artists such as Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell Williams.
``It's crazy, because I work with a lot of them now,'' says Danny Dee, who put on the second Bay Area Rap Summit in November 2005.
Traxxamillion, a San Jose producer behind many of the current hyphy hits, says Danny Dee has been working ``on the grind'' for a while now. ``In my trials coming up, I always heard his name and seen him,'' Traxxamillion says. ``He has been doing positive things for kids, and they can learn from him. When Danny puts together anything, I'm going to support it.''
And he is this weekend, along with rappers Mistah F.A.B., Balance and Dem HoodStarz.
Also, local record label representatives will be present from 30/30 Records / Sick-Wid-It Records and Thizz Entertainment, as well as representatives from labels including Swishahouse, Bad Boy Entertainment, TVT Records and Interscope Records.
``Right now, I've established myself as somebody credible and somebody you have to go through if you're in this independent scene in the Bay Area,'' Danny Dee says. ``I want to make it that way everywhere -- I just really want to be a power player.''
The Bay Area Rap Summit
Where Wild Card Bar & Grill (old Hotel Ibiza), 10 Hegenberger Road, Oakland
When Noon-7 p.m. Sunday
Tickets Presale until Saturday for $50; $60 at door; $100 VIP.
Info http://rapsummit.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Marian Liu at [email protected] or (408) 920-2740. Fax (408) 271-3786. Read her music blog at www.mercextra.com/aei.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted on Fri, Nov. 03, 2006email thisprint this
Climb to the top
HIP-HOP IMPRESARIO SHINING SPOTLIGHT ON BAY AREA SCENE
By Marian Liu
Mercury News
If you're an independent rapper in the Bay Area trying to get to the next level, Danny Dee is a good person to know.
Since 2005, he's been coordinating the Bay Area Rap Summit, which aims to prepare local up-and-coming hip-hop artists and producers to play on a national level.
``My whole goal of the summit is to bring the industry to the Bay,'' Danny Dee says. A lot of participants either don't hear about such events, he says, or don't have the resources to attend the bigger ones, which are usually out of town.
The Bay Area event takes place Sunday at Oakland's Wild Card Bar & Grill and will include panels about creating media buzz, distribution and what the Bay Area's hyphy scene should do next.
At the convention, Danny Dee says, participants can meet retailers, distributors, producers, booking agents, promoters and radio DJs. ``They're all in one place for you.''
Born Daniel Aguayo, Danny Dee grew up in Hayward, with life reflecting the music genre he later would work in. At age 16, he did promotions for KYLD-FM (94.9), and at 20, he worked for the now defunct KBTB-FM ``Power 92.7,'' an experimental station that focused on local hip-hop.
There he met Tommy Wheeler, a.k.a. DJ Maniakal, and formed the Dynasty Fam, a business partnership that pulled together a group of Bay Area DJs who threw parties at clubs. At that point in Danny Dee's life, being able to put friends on ``VIP'' and ``guest lists'' was enough to keep him happy.
But his dreams already were being formed years before, when his friends sneaked him into the 2000 Gavin Music Conference -- a music networking event -- in San Francisco. He then realized that hip-hop power players like Jermaine Dupri and Russell Simmons were accessible at such events.
``I always had that in the back of my mind -- that we needed to do that'' on a more local level, Danny Dee says. Over the past few years when ``the whole Bay Area movement started kicking up again . . . I wanted to be a part of this movement . . . and help bring people together.''
In April 2005, he coordinated the first Bay Area Rap Summit in San Jose, patterned -- on a much smaller scale -- after the national hip-hop conferences put on by hip-hop heavyweights such as Simmons. Danny Dee's summit included artists who were well known in the Bay Area, names like: the Federation, Mistah F.A.B., Frontline, B-Legit, Dem Hoodstarz and Sean T.
Later that year, he attended the Power Summit in the Bahamas, which brought together the most influential artists and producers in hip-hop, including Simmons, Kevin Black from Interscope Records, and artists such as Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Busta Rhymes and Pharrell Williams.
``It's crazy, because I work with a lot of them now,'' says Danny Dee, who put on the second Bay Area Rap Summit in November 2005.
Traxxamillion, a San Jose producer behind many of the current hyphy hits, says Danny Dee has been working ``on the grind'' for a while now. ``In my trials coming up, I always heard his name and seen him,'' Traxxamillion says. ``He has been doing positive things for kids, and they can learn from him. When Danny puts together anything, I'm going to support it.''
And he is this weekend, along with rappers Mistah F.A.B., Balance and Dem HoodStarz.
Also, local record label representatives will be present from 30/30 Records / Sick-Wid-It Records and Thizz Entertainment, as well as representatives from labels including Swishahouse, Bad Boy Entertainment, TVT Records and Interscope Records.
``Right now, I've established myself as somebody credible and somebody you have to go through if you're in this independent scene in the Bay Area,'' Danny Dee says. ``I want to make it that way everywhere -- I just really want to be a power player.''
The Bay Area Rap Summit
Where Wild Card Bar & Grill (old Hotel Ibiza), 10 Hegenberger Road, Oakland
When Noon-7 p.m. Sunday
Tickets Presale until Saturday for $50; $60 at door; $100 VIP.
Info http://rapsummit.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Marian Liu at [email protected] or (408) 920-2740. Fax (408) 271-3786. Read her music blog at www.mercextra.com/aei.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Bay Area Rap Summit featuring Mistah F.A.B., Balance, Dem Hoodstarz, etc in Oakland
Marian Liu, 11:52 AM in Concerts, Marian Liu, Music
This year's Bay Area Rap Summit brought together many of the key Bay Area hip-hop players, like Mistah F.A.B., Dem Hoodstarz, Sean Kennedy and Balance. And although attendance was less than last year, the speakers passed on some important facts on how to get into the game.
Some important facts from the summit:
As an independent artist, unless you have some bangin' connections, it's going to cost you around:
- $15G to make your own video
- $30G for radio and promotion
In order to get your music out there, it goes back to the fundamental fact: "Drop big songs," said DJ Vlad, named top DJ of 2004 by MTV.
And beyond songs, one needs to work on their charisma, points out Will Bronson, Co-Owner of SMC Recordings, a local record label who works closely with Universal. "We need stars," said Bronson. "My bad, where's F.A.B.?"
F.A.B. was the star of the evening, first rapping his local hit "Ghost Ride It" on stage, before going onto a beautiful freestyle flow about the state of hyphy. At the last panel, he also took the mic, preaching to the crowd about the importance of artists giving back to their fans, the kids. Sean Kennedy, owner of Moses Music, also got up to say some words about reaching out.
Finally, beyond the promotion, the big songs, the star power, the last thing artists have to do is work on publicity. Balance said you have work up a resume of stories, first talking to the local papers in your area. Writers like writing about you if you have been written about already, he said. (Good point, I thought.)
So, hit me up if you know of artists you want me to write about or have things to add about the current state of local hip-hop. I'll also have more footage from the summit up
Bay Area Rap Summit featuring Mistah F.A.B., Balance, Dem Hoodstarz, etc in Oakland
Marian Liu, 11:52 AM in Concerts, Marian Liu, Music
This year's Bay Area Rap Summit brought together many of the key Bay Area hip-hop players, like Mistah F.A.B., Dem Hoodstarz, Sean Kennedy and Balance. And although attendance was less than last year, the speakers passed on some important facts on how to get into the game.
Some important facts from the summit:
As an independent artist, unless you have some bangin' connections, it's going to cost you around:
- $15G to make your own video
- $30G for radio and promotion
In order to get your music out there, it goes back to the fundamental fact: "Drop big songs," said DJ Vlad, named top DJ of 2004 by MTV.
And beyond songs, one needs to work on their charisma, points out Will Bronson, Co-Owner of SMC Recordings, a local record label who works closely with Universal. "We need stars," said Bronson. "My bad, where's F.A.B.?"
F.A.B. was the star of the evening, first rapping his local hit "Ghost Ride It" on stage, before going onto a beautiful freestyle flow about the state of hyphy. At the last panel, he also took the mic, preaching to the crowd about the importance of artists giving back to their fans, the kids. Sean Kennedy, owner of Moses Music, also got up to say some words about reaching out.
Finally, beyond the promotion, the big songs, the star power, the last thing artists have to do is work on publicity. Balance said you have work up a resume of stories, first talking to the local papers in your area. Writers like writing about you if you have been written about already, he said. (Good point, I thought.)
So, hit me up if you know of artists you want me to write about or have things to add about the current state of local hip-hop. I'll also have more footage from the summit up
