Overcoming the Negative Stigma of Hip-Hop
Freedom of speech through music has been a universally beloved medium of expression to spread messages of joy, pain, and social awareness for hundreds of years. And although controversial lyrics have surrounded all genres while the political correctness of society continues to change, hip-hop music in particular has suffered from a negative stigma for quite some time. While hip-hop originated as a more celebratory art form, widespread across New York City block parties throug
Start Getting Press: Top 5 Niche Blogs for Rising Hip-Hop Artists
The pay-for-posts practice is, unfortunately, spreading beyond the mainstream into the once-diplomatic indie music blogosphere, and a lot of hip-hop sites appear to have succumbed to the lucrative, but regressive, setup. These five hip-hop blogs, however, still thrive on discovering new artists, producers, and DJs, many times through user submissions. Most artists want to see their names alongside the big shots, of course, and that's totally fair. But, you've got to build up
5 Strategies to Get Your Music Featured on Blogs
In 2016, it's no secret that the internet is the number one dispatcher of all news in music. We follow blogs that share content we care about. As musicians, it's our job to form relationships with blogs and bloggers in order to get our music out to the public. The problem is that you're competing with a swarm of other indie bands as well as PR professionals. Here are five strategies that will help you cut through the noise! 1. Research content creators If you want your music
3 Creative Album Release Strategies for Artists at Any Level
Photo by Aurelien Guichard Today, with all the new technology and different ways to reach your fans, there are more ways to release your music than you can count. As cool as it may be to have all these options, it’s sometimes hard to decide which release strategy is best for you and your music career. After all, not everyone can successfully release a secret album like Beyoncé – it requires a certain fanbase size and dedication. All these options, however, mean that you can r
5 Things Rising Hip-Hop Artists Need to Know for 2016
1. Keep an close eye on the evolving streaming landscape SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Audiomack, Google Play. The number of available streaming platforms makes it easier than ever before for fans to access music. Some options are free, while others require monthly fees for extra cool privileges (no ads, mobile use, etc.). The evolution of the streaming landscape is a topic that's covered on music and tech websites just about every day. And while we would all like
How to Build an Incredibly Effective Home Studio for Under $800
With consumer-grade recording gear becoming more and more affordable, almost every musician out there either has, or knows someone who has, a home studio of some sort. These setups are a great place to do some pre-production work for a studio session, work out songwriting ideas, edit audio for YouTube or other social media posts, and are overall an excellent asset to the modern musician. The Voice Memos app on your smartphone can only go so far as a recording device, and havi
