Whassup Peeps?
There are a lot of people who subscribe to my email list just to get free rap instrumentals that come when you sign up. There are probably fewer people who are on the site to really learn about the music business AND how it works.
In my opinion, any aspiring artist who is not learning about the workings of the music business is wasting his or her time. Why do I say that? Well, its 2008, not 1978 when good emcees were extremely rare. Nowadays, most of the emcees that come on the scene are halfway decent. The artists that have longevity though are the ones that KNOW this business.
There are countless stories of 1 hit wonders in the music industry or wildly successful artists who end up broke after a few albums. I mean look at TLC when they where at their highest point. They had to file bankruptcy. MC Hammer, Teddy Riley, Peabo Bryson. The list could go on.
Just because you see an artist with an assload of jewelry and a nice assortment of high-end cars doesn't meant that they are financially sound. Don't forget, the music industry and Hollywood sleep in the bed together EVERY night. Video editing plays tricks on the eyes and ears everyday. Most new artist don't know this but its the truth. Hollywood has a way of sensationalizing everything so buyer beware.
For those that don't want to get taken to the cleaners or strong armed by CEOs like Suge Knight, you should learn all aspects of the music industry. In addition to most of the traditional "must-have", "how to" books on the biz, you should definitely check out the book "Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business" by Fredric Dannen. This book is classic because it gives you an accurate picture of what the music industry really is and how it works.
Please don't be the next artist to be living from a cardboard box because you didn't want to learn the business. That's insane to me and I just don't understand that point of view. If this is your passion, your dream, your greatest hope, your "calling" and you feel like you can make it in the biz, why not study it?
Here is your task: Do something everyday toward your career related to the music business. Do just 1 thing is all I ask and if you are as good as you think you are, more opportunities will come to you.
Untill next time, Peace!!!
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
http://www.free-hot-rap.com/
To Get 7 Free Rap Instrumentals Right Now Goto www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Free-Hot-Rap.com Changes to Website
Whassup Peeps?
It's been a long time since I blogged. Time has gone by so fast. The last time I posted a blog was back in November! I took a better position at my day job and it requires alot of my attention. Yes, I said day job. We've all heard the saying, "Don't quit your day job". We'll I've quit mine several times and got good and bad results but I can honestly say I'm okay today.
Although I haven't been blogging regularly, that doesn't mean that I haven't been working hard on what I can do to make the www.Free-Hot-Rap.com site better. I changed the site to be easier to navigate and although I still give away the 7 free rap instrumentals, selling beats is not my primary focus anymore...helping newbie emcees is.
Why am I doing this you say? We'll to be honest with you, my beat making skills are cool but everybody is doing it. In layman's terms, there is too much competition for selling music online. I know of some guys making 5 figures a month consistently but that doesn't mean selling instrumentals is right for me just because I know how make them. Trust that I AM a true emcee and my lyrical skills far exceed my production skills.
Now this doesn't mean that I won't make anymore beats. I enjoy beats like no other. I just don't have to make all of them myself to be happy with myself. Writing and spittin' lyrics for me comes easy because I've done it for over 25 years. Damn, did I say that? Yes. Over 25 years, I've been hashing out some dope lyrics. It's natural for me.
Is it natural for you?
I asked because I've noticed several people who come to the www.Free-Hot-Rap.com site are interested in songwriting. I believe these are the people who I'm supposed to help. Beats are a dime a dozen but well-written song win Grammys and songs, I can definitely teach you how to write. But its not only writing the song that's important. A true artist that wants to succeed in this business must learn it from all angles.
There is much more than just beats and lyrics (Whaddup J-Force!). The music business is as KRS-ONE put it on The Arsenio Hall Show many years ago: 10% show and 90% business.
So please stay with me as I make this journey into teaching this business to you and whom ever else reads this. I think I've found my calling.
Check out my free article on music contracts and get 7 FREE rap instrumentals right now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
It's been a long time since I blogged. Time has gone by so fast. The last time I posted a blog was back in November! I took a better position at my day job and it requires alot of my attention. Yes, I said day job. We've all heard the saying, "Don't quit your day job". We'll I've quit mine several times and got good and bad results but I can honestly say I'm okay today.
Although I haven't been blogging regularly, that doesn't mean that I haven't been working hard on what I can do to make the www.Free-Hot-Rap.com site better. I changed the site to be easier to navigate and although I still give away the 7 free rap instrumentals, selling beats is not my primary focus anymore...helping newbie emcees is.
Why am I doing this you say? We'll to be honest with you, my beat making skills are cool but everybody is doing it. In layman's terms, there is too much competition for selling music online. I know of some guys making 5 figures a month consistently but that doesn't mean selling instrumentals is right for me just because I know how make them. Trust that I AM a true emcee and my lyrical skills far exceed my production skills.
Now this doesn't mean that I won't make anymore beats. I enjoy beats like no other. I just don't have to make all of them myself to be happy with myself. Writing and spittin' lyrics for me comes easy because I've done it for over 25 years. Damn, did I say that? Yes. Over 25 years, I've been hashing out some dope lyrics. It's natural for me.
Is it natural for you?
I asked because I've noticed several people who come to the www.Free-Hot-Rap.com site are interested in songwriting. I believe these are the people who I'm supposed to help. Beats are a dime a dozen but well-written song win Grammys and songs, I can definitely teach you how to write. But its not only writing the song that's important. A true artist that wants to succeed in this business must learn it from all angles.
There is much more than just beats and lyrics (Whaddup J-Force!). The music business is as KRS-ONE put it on The Arsenio Hall Show many years ago: 10% show and 90% business.
So please stay with me as I make this journey into teaching this business to you and whom ever else reads this. I think I've found my calling.
Check out my free article on music contracts and get 7 FREE rap instrumentals right now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Friday, November 30, 2007
Attention Rappers: How To Beat Writer's Block
Lately, I've been dealing with the challenge of just finishing ONE song. Yep, you heard it right: One song. I mean this is not just a one day thing or a one week thing. This has been going on for a little while.
A friend of mine asked me to write a song for a group that he's working with because they needed material. I accepted the challenge not having written a whole song for anybody before because I figured it would be a good way to branch out further into songwriting. I mean I've written verses for people to spit but never a whole song and being that its for a younger audience makes it more challenging.
The real challenge that I'm having involves simply staying focused on getting it done. I've come up with several song topics but actually writting about them has been difficult. 2007 has been a very strange year for me. I can't say its a bad one but its definitely not one of my most favorable years.
I not a big fan of excuses but it seems as if I've been cheering them on lately with this latest project.
So here is what I am proposing to do and if you think it will help you then by all means join me.
First, I need to seriously look at my "Why" for doing this project. Why am I doing this? Is it for fame and glory? Is it because I like to write? Or maybe its because I see dollar signs and a pot of gold at the end of the writing rainbow. What ever my "Why" is I need to clearly have that in the forefront of my mind if that is my goal and then the second step is to...
I heard some stats a while ago that said that people who have clear, specific goals with a deadline are usually more inclined to achieve them. I believe that figure was about a 97% achievement ratio. What's absolutely krazy is that I ususally write my goals down but with this project, I slipped. I'm only human.
Once I've got my goal for this project written down and my "Why" for doing it firmly etched in my brain. The next step is to break that main goal into smaller goals or milestones. How else do you eat an elephant but one bite at a time?
Okay, so now I got a reason and some written goals and milestones to look forward to. Here is the next and one of the most critical ingredients:
A friend of mine asked me to write a song for a group that he's working with because they needed material. I accepted the challenge not having written a whole song for anybody before because I figured it would be a good way to branch out further into songwriting. I mean I've written verses for people to spit but never a whole song and being that its for a younger audience makes it more challenging.
The real challenge that I'm having involves simply staying focused on getting it done. I've come up with several song topics but actually writting about them has been difficult. 2007 has been a very strange year for me. I can't say its a bad one but its definitely not one of my most favorable years.
I not a big fan of excuses but it seems as if I've been cheering them on lately with this latest project.
So here is what I am proposing to do and if you think it will help you then by all means join me.
First, I need to seriously look at my "Why" for doing this project. Why am I doing this? Is it for fame and glory? Is it because I like to write? Or maybe its because I see dollar signs and a pot of gold at the end of the writing rainbow. What ever my "Why" is I need to clearly have that in the forefront of my mind if that is my goal and then the second step is to...
WRITE IT DOWN!!!
I heard some stats a while ago that said that people who have clear, specific goals with a deadline are usually more inclined to achieve them. I believe that figure was about a 97% achievement ratio. What's absolutely krazy is that I ususally write my goals down but with this project, I slipped. I'm only human.
Once I've got my goal for this project written down and my "Why" for doing it firmly etched in my brain. The next step is to break that main goal into smaller goals or milestones. How else do you eat an elephant but one bite at a time?
Okay, so now I got a reason and some written goals and milestones to look forward to. Here is the next and one of the most critical ingredients:
Action!!!
All this planning is cool but nothing happens without action. And while action is great, it helps to have a map of where you're going. That's what all the planning and goal setting was about in the first place. So you begin to take steps toward the first milestone.
For me that involves having at least 2 songs completed before the end of next week that I can submit to the group's manager for review. To do that I must schedule some time out of my busy life to sit with the pen, the pad and some fire beats to write to...let's say about 30 to 45 minutes a day. I can afford to do that even if it means getting up a bit earlier in the morning...without hitting the snooze button.
Today is Friday evening going into Saturday morning so by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest, I should be reviewing my progress to see how far I am from completing the 2 songs. This is a good half-way point to access where I am and if something is truely holding me back, what is it?
Okay so here are the steps again:
- Figure out your "Why" for writing the song. Why are you writing the song?
- Write down realistic goals for completing the song?
- Set milestones to help measure your progress
- Action, Action, & more Action!!! Nothing beats action.
- Track you progress to make sure you're on schedule to complete your song.
- Finish the song.
With these 6 simple steps, anyone who chooses to use them should be able to knock out plenty of songs in a short period of time.
I'll let you know how this works out for me and please keep me posted how it works out for you.
Holla...
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals, and R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Old Skool Music Versus New Skool Music
I've been listening to The Steve Harvey Morning Show (http://www.steveharvey.com/) for the past few days and one of his listeners wrote in that Steve and his crew should play more current music on his show. Well this listener was 20-years old so the crew just tore her down debating the value of the current music.
Before you get upset, it was all in fun and the first thing Steve did was play "In Da Club" by 50-Cent. That joint still rocks parties. Dr. Dre still gets props on that one fa sho! Steve came back later and played "Flashlight" by Parliment. I keep that 'Tear The Roof Off' CD close by because we all know how George Clinton gets down.
I didn't get to hear too much more yesterday but this morning they continued the debate. They threw on "Rock, Skate, Roll, Bounce" and I'm sure people were in their cars on the way to work going nuts. I know I was AMPED!!!
Before you get upset, it was all in fun and the first thing Steve did was play "In Da Club" by 50-Cent. That joint still rocks parties. Dr. Dre still gets props on that one fa sho! Steve came back later and played "Flashlight" by Parliment. I keep that 'Tear The Roof Off' CD close by because we all know how George Clinton gets down.
I didn't get to hear too much more yesterday but this morning they continued the debate. They threw on "Rock, Skate, Roll, Bounce" and I'm sure people were in their cars on the way to work going nuts. I know I was AMPED!!!
One of the points that Steve brought up was the long standing debate of live instruments versus digital instrumentals. I agree with him about the feeling that live music gives the listener. I was in the band growing up so I know what it does and I love to hear live music played in most venues.
In the letter, Steve's listener stated that he should play songs like Soulja Boy. He indicated that he heard Soulja Boy's song but could not get into it. Maybe the age difference is a problem as well. Also, most of the new music is not created by live bands and the tracks are very repetitive with very little change-ups.
For me, I like both skools of music: old and new. Although, I absolutely dig live music, I've worked with live musicians before and it can be a headache trying to get everybody together just to do one thing. BUT, I've had the same problem with Hiphop groups as well. Outside of that, either music will do me fine.
On the new skool tip, take an artist like Kanye West. His music is nuts and many old skool types dig his music as well. He blends instruments with digital tracks and so does Alicia Keys (who has worked with Kanye). Not only can she sing, but she plays the piano and well as produces. I think some artists just have an old soul and they just know what makes music good because all music ain't all good.
Let me know what you think about this debate.
Holla...
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com
P.S. Download 7 FREE Rap Instrumentals, Free Hiphop Instrumentals, and Free R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!
P.S.S Rest in peace to my uncle, Willie James Towns and Kanye's mom, Donda West
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Hiphop History Month: My Earliest Hiphop Memories
My fellow Hiphoppas,
In my last blog, mentioned that November was Hiphop History Month. It's amazing how far the Hiphop Kulture has come since I fell in love with it back in the 70's. Back then, I was absorbing to do everything I could that had to do with Hiphop. I love rapping, breaking deejaying, and graffitti. I had my crew back down in ATL and we were a fanatics of the culture.
You could catch us in the neighborhood everyday with some cardboard, some fresh gear, a boombox, and a whole bunch of energy ready to get at it. Being Hiphop meant being cool and smooth and different. I remember talent shows at Samuel L. Jones Boys Club in the heart of Decatur where campers my age would win pop lockin' off of "It's Like That" by Run-DMC.
I can even remember being 13 and going on a cruise to Mexico and just being Hiphop to the fullest. I'm pretty sure I introduced a lot of passengers to Hiphop during that cruise. I was a breakin' machine by that point. I was eat, sleeping, and breathing Hiphop.
Today I am still like that young boy. I still get excited about this Kulture. I live, eat, and breathe it everyday.
Are you still true to Hiphop?
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com
Download 7 FREE Rap Instrumentals, FREE Hiphop Instrumentals, and FREE R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.
In my last blog, mentioned that November was Hiphop History Month. It's amazing how far the Hiphop Kulture has come since I fell in love with it back in the 70's. Back then, I was absorbing to do everything I could that had to do with Hiphop. I love rapping, breaking deejaying, and graffitti. I had my crew back down in ATL and we were a fanatics of the culture.
You could catch us in the neighborhood everyday with some cardboard, some fresh gear, a boombox, and a whole bunch of energy ready to get at it. Being Hiphop meant being cool and smooth and different. I remember talent shows at Samuel L. Jones Boys Club in the heart of Decatur where campers my age would win pop lockin' off of "It's Like That" by Run-DMC.
I can even remember being 13 and going on a cruise to Mexico and just being Hiphop to the fullest. I'm pretty sure I introduced a lot of passengers to Hiphop during that cruise. I was a breakin' machine by that point. I was eat, sleeping, and breathing Hiphop.
Today I am still like that young boy. I still get excited about this Kulture. I live, eat, and breathe it everyday.
Are you still true to Hiphop?
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
mello@free-hot-rap.com
Download 7 FREE Rap Instrumentals, FREE Hiphop Instrumentals, and FREE R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
November is Hiphop History Month
Whassup folks? To all my Hiphoppas out there, Happy Hiphop History Month and many more.
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Hot Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals, and R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!
Let's Make It Happen!!!
Mello Melanin, The Hot Instrumentalist
Download 7 Free Hot Rap Instrumentals, Hiphop Instrumentals, and R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com!
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Hot Instrumentalist Has a Dave Chapelle Moment
Whoa! It's been 19 days since I posted a blog. I don't know what happened. I was so unmotivated to do anything but I know I needed to continue forward. I call it a Dave Chapelle moment because I just walked away from show business for while. So much crazy shit was happening that I just blanked out.
See I have basically been successful all of my life, meaning that I tend to move toward my goals steadily. As I put in one of my previous blogs (my last one in fact), sometimes this will happen to us where we get discouraged but we have to keep it moving.
Well, I think I have been revitalized!
I have some new information that I will be sharing with you that will help you along in your career. These things have helped me out tremendously and I'm sure they can help you out if you are looking to get more exposure and sales.
Until then, I'll holla...
Let's Make It Happen
Mello Melanin
mello@free-hot-rap.com
Download 7 FREE Hot Rap Instrumentals, Free Hiphop Instrumentals, and Free R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com
See I have basically been successful all of my life, meaning that I tend to move toward my goals steadily. As I put in one of my previous blogs (my last one in fact), sometimes this will happen to us where we get discouraged but we have to keep it moving.
Well, I think I have been revitalized!
I have some new information that I will be sharing with you that will help you along in your career. These things have helped me out tremendously and I'm sure they can help you out if you are looking to get more exposure and sales.
Until then, I'll holla...
Let's Make It Happen
Mello Melanin
mello@free-hot-rap.com
Download 7 FREE Hot Rap Instrumentals, Free Hiphop Instrumentals, and Free R & B Instrumentals Right Now at www.Free-Hot-Rap.com
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