Blogging Live From The Echo Project Festival in Atlanta, GA: Live Hiphop, Rap, R & B, Rock, & Other Genres

Yo, I stumbled upon a major music festival this weekend here in my hometown, "The A". Its the first year of The Echo Project Festival and people are having a ball. I've been here since 3pm Thursday and I'm not scheduled to leave until 2am Friday...then I'll be back at 11am!!!

DubConscious just got through playing some Reggae vibes and it was awesome. There are people here camping out until Sunday with tents and RV's. The food is good, the people are great and this outdoor festival is even set up for WiFi.

Some of the heavy hitter names in Hiphop are The Roots, Cypress Hill, The GZA and Slick Rick (performing together!!!), and special guest Common. There are also a couple of hometown acts as well like my boys Collective Efforts and Heavy Mojo. This is only a handful of the great acts that will be performing this weekend. All live music with live instruments!

I will definitely keep you posted!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com

Download 7 Free Hot Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals, and R & B Instrumentals Right Now at http://www.free-hot-rap.com/!

P.S. For more great music, check out my man Jax's new album "Sharper Images" over at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Stop Unequal Justice in America!

What Rap Artists Don't Know About Marketing Can Kill Them!

So you think you know about running a successful business and you figure that since you can rap, it would be easy for you to start and operate a record label. You get some instrumentals from some producers and you hit the studio to record some of your best work.

You have 5000 CDs pressed up and your artwork is killer so you figure you're ready to "do it big". You tell a few people about your CD and maybe someone in your family buys a couple to pass out to their friends.

Then something weird happens...

You expect people to come beat a path to your door but it doesn't happen. The CDs begin to collect dust over in the corner of the garage. The people who you thought were going to buy because they told you they would, never showed up.

Now you're depressed and feeling like the music business is a joke. You blame all of your woes on the industry because you haven't blown up yet. This is a familiar senario for many Hiphop artists. "What went wrong?", you ask yourself. Here is the answer to that question:

Most rap artist fail because of one main thing: the lack of a solid marketing plan. I would even say that most artist don't even have a business plan because if they had a business plan, they would have a marketing plan.

Marketing is not hard. It is a science. It is measurable and it is do-able. It is a key ingredient to success in any business. As a matter of fact, all business are two businesses in one. Huh? What do you mean Mello?

All businesses are in the business of providing their products or services to their target market. However all businesses must market their product or service and that is a business all to itself. Marketing begins with identifying your target market. These are the people who are most likely to buy your music. You do this by researching your market with such things as surveys.

What type of music do they like? How old are they typically? How much money do they earn? What type of clothes do they wear? W hat kinds of food do they eat? Where they hang out? What was the last Hiphop album they bought? etc.

Once you've got this information then you are ahead of most artist and you are more likely to succeed. I will be giving out more music marketing information like this because I was once in the position where I didn't know what to do concerning getting my music out to my fans. Today, technology has changed the music business and the way we gather information is much easier than it was when I first took rapping serious.

So if nothing else, please learn who your target market is because I want to reduce the learning curve most artist have when they decide to pursue music as a career.

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com

Download Free Hot Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals, and R&B Instrumentals right now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

History of Hiphop

What's up folks? I was surfing the net as I do and I came across this post on Flixya where DJ Opor breaks down some nice Hiphop history. For the next 2 or 3 days I will be posting portions of his take on the History of Hiphop. For those that want to learn more about the Kulture, here is a good way. Read on!!!

History of Hiphop: "Rap music originated as a cross-cultural product. Most of its important early practitioners-including Kool Herc, D.J. Hollywood, and Afrika Bambaataa-were either first- or second-generation Americans of Caribbean ancestry. Herc and Hollywood are both credited with introducing the Jamaican style of cutting and mixing into the musical culture of the South Bronx. By most accounts Herc was the first DJ to buy two copies of the same record for just a 15-second break (rhythmic instrumental segment) in the middle. By mixing back and forth between the two copies he was able to double, triple, or indefinitely extend the break. In so doing, Herc effectively deconstructed and reconstructed so-called found sound, using the turntable as a musical instrument."

History of Hiphop: "While he was cutting with two turntables, Herc would also perform with the microphone in Jamaican toasting style-joking, boasting, and using myriad in-group references. Herc's musical parties eventually gained notoriety and were often documented on cassette tapes that were recorded with the relatively new boombox, or blaster, technology. Taped duplicates of these parties rapidly made their way through the Bronx, Brooklyn, and uptown Manhattan, spawning a number of similar DJ acts. Among the new breed of DJs was Afrika Bambaataa, the first important Black Muslim in rap. (The Muslim presence would become very influential in the late 1980s.) Bambaataa often engaged in sound-system battles with Herc, similar to the so-called cutting contests in jazz a generation earlier. The sound system competitions were held at city parks, where hot-wired street lamps supplied electricity, or at local clubs. Bambaataa sometimes mixed sounds from rock-music recordings and television shows into the standard funk and disco fare that Herc and most of his followers relied upon. By using rock records, Bambaataa extended rap beyond the immediate reference points of contemporary black youth culture. By the 1990s any sound source was considered fair game and rap artists borrowed sounds from such disparate sources as Israeli folk music, bebop jazz records, and television news broadcasts."

History of Hiphop: "In 1976 Grandmaster Flash introduced the technique In 1979 the first two rap records appeared: 'King Tim III (Personality Jock),' recorded by the Fatback Band, and 'Rapper's Delight,' by Sugarhill Gang. A series of verses recited by the three members of Sugarhill Gang, 'Rapper's Delight' became a national hit, reaching number 36 on the Billboard magazine popular music charts. The spoken content, mostly braggadocio spiced with fantasy, was derived largely from a pool of material used by most of the earlier rappers. The backing track for 'Rapper's Delight' was supplied by hired studio musicians, who replicated the basic groove of the hit song 'Good Times' (1979) by the American disco group Chic. "

History of Hiphop: "Perceived as novel by many white Americans, 'Rapper's Delight' quickly inspired 'Rapture' (1980) by the new-wave band Blondie, as well as a number of other popular records. In 1982 Afrika Bambaataa's 'Planet Rock' became the first rap record to use synthesizers and an electronic drum machine. With this recording, rap artists began to create their own backing tracks rather than simply offering the work of others in a new context. A year later Bambaataa introduced the sampling capabilities of synthesizers on 'Looking for the Perfect Beat' (1983).of quick mixing, in which sound bites as short as one or two seconds are combined for a collage effect."

History of Hiphop: "Quick mixing paralleled the rapid-editing style of television advertising used at the time. Shortly after Flash introduced quick mixing, his partner Grandmaster Melle Mel composed the first extended stories in rhymed rap. Up to this point, most of the words heard over the work of disc jockeys such as Herc, Bambaataa, and Flash had been improvised phrases and expressions. In 1978 DJ Grand Wizard Theodore introduced the technique of scratching to produce rhythmic patterns."

History of Hiphop: "Sampling brought into question the ownership of sound. Some artists claimed that by sampling recordings of a prominent black artist, such as funk musician James Brown, they were challenging white corporate America and the recording industry's right to own black cultural expression. More problematic was the fact that rap artists were also challenging Brown's and other musicians' right to own, control, and be compensated for the use of their intellectual creations. By the early 1990s a system had come about whereby most artists requested permission and negotiated some form of compensation for the use of samples. Some commonly sampled performers, such as funk musician George Clinton, released compact discs (CDs) containing dozens of sound bites specifically to facilitate sampling. One effect of sampling was a newfound sense of musical history among black youth. Earlier artists such as Brown and Clinton were celebrated as cultural heroes and their older recordings were reissued and repopularized."

This ends day one. Be on the look out for tomorrow's blog with more Hiphop History!

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com

Download 7 Free Hot Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals and R & B Instrumentals Right Now from http://www.free-hot-rap.com/

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

Calling All Rap Artists: Please Fall In Love With Hiphop Again

I remember the last interview Biggie did with BET. I candidly remember him saying that he wasn't having fun anymore. It was kinda ill to hear him say that but for some reason I completely understood.

Biggie was on his second full-length album and he was on the top of the rap & pop charts. Bad Boy was dropping singles left and right yet Big wasn't happy.

The beef with Tupac had consumed him and Pac had died a few months before the interview. Big's heart was heavy and like he said, he wasn't "having fun anymore".

How many of us have reached that point?

I sure there are some current mainstream Hiphop artist our there now who has just been overwhelmed by this business of music. It's not easy and you have to pay a lot of dues to be successful in business. It's cool to be the freestyle champ but on the business side, you may suffer if you don't do all or most of what it comes with.

So Biggie was stressed out...alot!!! Rap artists and Hiphop emcees today can learn alot from what he was going through and what he was feeling at the time.

Getting bling should not be your sole objective: being successful and financial planning for the future need to be number 1 and 2 on your list because money may not alway be there. Like Big Boi said, "Can't gamble on that dope money. Might not always be sufficient."

At the same time, don't get so far fome the Kulture that you forget why you loved it in the first place. Money is good but there a alot more things that are better. Holla at cha...

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com

Download 7 free Rap, Hiphop, and R & B Instrumentals Right Now at http://www.free-hot-rap/.

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

To Much News: Reissued Hiphop Albums and Mychael Bell Walks Out Of Jena's Jail Today!

Today was a great day. I got so much good news. The first BIG news is the release of Mychael Bell from prison in Jena, LA. This case is so foul and biased it ridiculous. Whatever the insane reason was for the District Attorney trying Mychael as an adult doesn't even matter right now. He's home. The battle is far from over though.

He is still being tried as a juvenille which is krazy because he's already served 10 months for a high school fight. I don't even want to get into that part of it right now. That's another blog or podcast in the near future.

Welcome home Mycheal!

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New Releases from Prophetix!

Real quick because I'm getting sleepy (what a productive day this was). Prophetix has some new joints coming out. 2 projects as a matter of fact that I can speak on:

1. Da Unfold EP - Rerelease
2. High Risk - Instrumentals

I'll keep you posted on some exact dates.

Let's Make It Happen!!!


Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist

Download 7 Free Hot Rap, Hiphop, and R&B Instrumentals Right Now at http://www.free-hot-rap.com/

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

Does Expressing Hiphop Ever Go Out of Style?

I guess I should have titled this blog "Do You Ever Get Too Old To Express Hiphop?" I have heard several people attempt to put an age limit to being Hiphop or expressing the Hiphop Kulture. I even know several people who have bought into this way of thinking. Well, of course you know I have my opinion about this train of thought.

What makes a person Hiphop is not because they can rap, deejay, or bomb a fly piece on a train. Its not how many records are sold, shows are performed, how much time is spent in the studio, and that list could go on. Hiphip is much more than that. I read an article yesterday that I didn't have a chance to post a comment about. I could tell the reader had no idea what they were speaking of concerning Hiphop. Don't worry, they will be getting a reply soon.

The writer expressed their disgust that rap music had become the most popular genre of music. They said some pretty ill things about the music and Kulture but how many other people feel like this? I'm sure many more do.

As a person who's lived the Hiphop Kulture since "Rapper's Delight", I believe I have the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to speak about it and correct those who are in error. Those who want to debate me, let's do it. And I don't have a problems standing up for what I know, believe in, and AM!

With age comes wisdom (usually) and I'm wise enough to know that no matter how old I may be by the calendar, it doesn't change the FACT that I AM Hiphop.

Now in addition to being Hiphop, I am also a businessman, with Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. The rap music industry has taught me to be a businessman. Actually, I finished my degree just a couple of years ago so that I could be a better businessman and operate my businesses like businesses. So I am a Hiphop businessman. Or should I say, Hiphop produced a businessman, and a damn good one too!

So for those who've abandoned Hiphop because of their various reasons, I can't trip on you. They're your reasons. Peace and have a good one! I know what Hiphop has done for me and I know that it's not a fad. Fads don't last 30+ years. Most things don't last 30+ years for that matter.

I my world, expressing Hiphop never goes out of style because it is the style. In words of my boy Eddie Meeks, Gyeah!!!

You can get at me at mello@free-hot-rap.com.

Let's Make It Happen!


Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist


Download 7 Free Hot Rap, Hiphop, and R&B Instrumentals Right Now at http://www.free-hot-rap.com/!


P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

Should Hiphop Emcees Produce Their Own Rap Instrumentals

Okay, this question came to me earlier today based on a conversation I had with DJ Pocket this weekend. We were having a discussion about doing what you're good at (focusing) versus being able to do several things whether it be producing music, or emceeing, or whatever. For me, here are the facts: I am an Emcee FIRST and a producer second.

I like rocking over other peoples beats. That's never been an issue for me. Sometimes though, I like to hear the musical sounds manifested in real life that are in my head and that's ususally when I create my own beats.

I like to produce my own music but the thing is, there are producers like Pocket, Jon Doe, Ejay Jetson, ID 4Windz, Locksmith and a bunch of others that are better producers than me, hands down.

These guys produce hot rap instrumentals like I like to write: daily. Writing is easy for me. Producing music is easy for them. But does that mean that they shouldn't write lyrics or visa versa? I don't think so, why? Because this is still Hiphop. Peace, Unity, Love, and Having Fun.

Now at a minimum, as I told you before, I strive to write everyday. It's that serious with me. I've been doing good so far. I might not make any instrumentals for days but I know who is making them. I'm listening to a DJ Pocket joint right now as a matter of fact. Number #9 in his catalog at http://www.free-hot-rap.com/.

So what do you think? Emcees have always produced. Producers have always emceed. Once again this is Hiphop. Hiphoppas, let's continue to express ourself how we do. Like Russell Simmons says, "Do You".

As always, what are your thoughts? Post them here or at mello@free-hot-rap.com.

Let's Make It Happen!



Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Hot Rap, Hiphop, & R&B Instrumentals Right Now at http://www.free-hot-rap.com/.

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

Should Hiphop & R&B Music Be Classified in the Same Billboard Category

Today I found out that my main website, http://www.free-hot-rap.com/, ranks #7 and #8 for my search term (aka keywords), "free R&B instrumentals" in the Google search engine. This is dope as I told you all that I'm striving for #1. Okay on to today's topic...

There has been a long standing debate as to whether R&B and Rap/Hiphop should be on the same chart in Billboard Magazine. The theory is both genres are lumped together as "urban" music so that's what makes them fit on the same chart.

I am one of the voices that begs to differ. Although some the actual instrumental music parts of the genres may be the same due to popularity of Hiphop and the ease of making rap beats, they are hugely different.

Rap music involves rapping. R&B involves singing and a totally different song structure. Both genres may appeal to the same market but they are different types of music. I heard a R&B artist being interviewed on the radio recently and he mentioned his disdain for the combination of both genres on the same chart. He said realistically, how could he compete with artists like Jay-Z in the charts when they do 2 totally different styles of music.

How real is that?

I am a Hiphop emcee. I don't make the same type of music a Jagged Edge and Beyonce so why put me in a catagory with them because the same people that like my music also like their music? I like Justin Timberlake's music but just because Timbaland made some hot beats for him should I look to find his album in the Rap section of the music store. NO!!!

So as I always do, I ask you what do you think. Should Hiphop & R&B music be classified in the same Billboard category? Hit me at mello@free-hot-rap.com or post your comment here on The Hot Instrumentalist blog. I don't think they should but I'm just one voice.

Let's Make It Happen!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Hot Rap, Hiphop, & R&B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.

P.S. Check out my main man, legendary Hiphop artist, Jax and his Hot new album "Sharper Images" at http://www.seriousknockent.com/.

"Sharper Images" by Jax

Free The Jena 6!!!

A Story of Hiphop Perseverence: Percee P Drops His Debut Rap Album

Yo, I just wanted to drop some jewels on you this evening. For those that don't already know, Hiphop IS a beautiful Kulture. I was wondering what I should blog about today and I came across the TUNETOURIST. There was an interesting commentary on the re-issue of the Wild Style movie soundtrack. It will be the 25th Anniversary this year of the movie and soundtrack which is a must-have movie for any true Hiphoppas collection.

The next article really caught my eye though. It was about the new debut album by Hiphop legend Percee P. Many people have heard of Percee P from his work with various artists but a full-length album has never been released. The author of the article even took some shots at Percee but he managed to redeem himself toward the end.

TUNETOURIST: "It’s a long story but somehow Percee managed to play his part in both the late 80s and mid-90s hip hop boom periods and this album, appropriately titled “Perseverance”, manages to summarise much of the best of both. Stones Throw’s special weapon, Madlib, steps up to produce and sounds great delivering a more straight-up set than his recent jazz and beatstrumental excursions, making this one of the strongest artist albums the label has released in a while."

Basically, the author originally took a shot at Percee saying the album is long overdue by 10 years. Well that may be true but being a Hiphoppa is not just about putting out albums. That's part of what we do but that ain't all emcees do and Percee is an EMCEE.

There are too many politics to list about the inner workings of the music business but I will state this truth: Before the rap deal, had to come the rapper and the rap. Hiphop doesn't care how many albums you put out. Some of the dopest cats haven't even put out an album yet and may not even plan to.

Although I did do a show with Percee P on the bill a few years ago, I don't know him personally but I do know that what he is doing personifies Hiphop and is a 100% total expression of it. What type of drive do you have if you are in front of Fat Beats in Manhattan daily, pushing your goods for years? That's that kind of drive he has. Most people would have given up.

So hats off to you Percee P for staying true to Hiphop and congrats on your debut album!

Let's talk! You can post a comment here or send me an email to mello@free-hot-rap.com.

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Hot Rap, Hiphop, & R&B Instrumentals Right Now @ www.Free-Hot-Rap.com

Free the Jena 6!!!

From Free-Hot-Rap.com: Rap Instrumental Competition is Fierce on The Web!

What's up folks? I just wanted to thank you for stopping by www.Free-Hot-Rap.com. We are moving closer to the number #1 spot on Google for the keywords, "free rap instrumentals" and "free hiphop instrumentals".

There is alot of competition on the web for rap instrumentals. What I can say about my site is that we understand business and marketing and we can help you get instant Hiphop credibility to your songs. Do you really understand what that means?

This means that not only are we committed to helping you add instant credibility to your career but we are committed to being the number #1 supplier of Hot Rap, Hiphop, and R&B Instrumentals on the Internet...period!

So to prove to you that we are striving for the number #1 spot, here are the webstats results for my most popular keywords as of 9/20/07:

For www.Free-Hot-Rap.com (main site)
Keywords in bold

Free Rap Instrumentals - 2,650,000 listings
Google Ranking: #29!!!!
Yahoo Ranking: #27!!!

Free Hiphop Instrumentals - 2,620,000 listings
Google: #30!!!
Yahoo: # #200

Hiphop Instrumentals - 3,080,000 listings
Google: #132
Yahoo: #331

Rap Instrumentals - 3,480,000 listings
Google: #69
Yahoo: #123

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For http://hotinstrumentals.blogspot.com
Keywords in Bold

Free Rap Instrumentals - 2,650,000 listings
Google: #112

Free Hiphop Instrumentals - 2,620,000 listings
Google: #46

Hiphop Instrumentals - 3,080,000 listings
Google: #121

Rap Instrumentals - 3,480,000 listings
Google: #97

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Why am I telling you these figures? It's because I want you to have only the best and I want to be the best. Second place is the first loser and who wants to follow a loser??? If you are serious about your rap career, then you deserve to get hot music from someone who's been where you are trying to go.

Do I have all the answers? No! I would be a fool to say something like that so I want you to realize that I am the truth. This is business and that's were most of my competition, whether it be producers or emcees fall short: they fail to treat this like a business and the best way to survive and thrive in this rap business is know what your target market wants and give it to them.

Then, and only then, is it truly a Win-Win situation.

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On another separate note, the march for the Jena 6 is going down right now in Jena, LA. I've had my radio on all day tuned in to Grown Folks Radio at 102.5 FM in Atlanta, GA. I also have on my black today as well as those that are closest to me. We need equal justice in this country and I must represent the truth because I have no choice. I'd like to thank Micheal Baisden, Rev. Al Sharpton, Warren Balentine, and Steve Harvey for bringing this crucial infomation to the forefront.

What are you going to do right now? What if this was one of your kids, friends, family, classmates, etc.?

As always, you can post your comment here or email me at mello@free-hot-rap.com.

Peace!

Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Rap, Hiphop, & R&B Instrumentals at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!

Will The Real Hiphop Stand Up?

Aight, usually I like to talk about creating Rap music especially instrumentals because I enjoy being Hiphop and expressing it. Today's blog is gonna be a bit different. There is alot of disturbing news in the media lately and its all madness.

The media has always overlooked certain types of stories because they didn't have "sex appeal". It's amazing how stories like the Jena 6, Genarlo Wilson, the Maryland college noose story, the kidnapping, torture, rape, and attempted murder of woman in West Virginia, and countless other stories never get told in the mainstream media. These stories all involve different types of injustices.

We have to be able to spread the word ourselves and we have the vehicles to do it. Our young people are under attack. Our older people are under attack. We have the ability to speak truth to power peacefully. It has been proven. Let's use it.

I had many emotions about the news that I heard today. God bless the victims of the earth quake today as well. Things seem to be out of sync but ACTUALLY it is Divine Order. Things will begin to move faster so please, let's be ready.

What do YOU stand for? That's the question I ask and many great men before me. Right is right and wrong is wrong! What are you going to do about it? My core audience is primarily hardcore Hiphop. Hiphoppas what are you going to do about it?

For the Jena 6, we can support by going to Jena, Louisiana and/or at least wearing black on September 20th, 2007 to show support.

What if these children were YOUR children, or brothers, or friends?

You can learn more about the Jena 6 situation at http://www.minglecity.com/.

You can get at me at mello@free-hot-rap.com.

Peace,

Mello Melanin
Download 7 FREE Rap, Hiphop and R&B Instrumentals @ http://www.free-hot-rap.com/.

Get at me...