Greetings Coli Fam, Although I haven't started a thread in a while, and I've posted on others, I haven't been as active as usual. I know this thread has probably been made before, but as I was going through some recent threads I noticed that people were trying to figure out how to get more activity into the tunnel. Most people that commented had different ideas of what they wanted to do. Which got me thinking back to this question. What is it that you want to achieve, and how do you plan to get there if you aren't already?
Beginning with me since I posed the question.
I want to continue networking and continuing to do this as a career. In the past year, i've been in 5 different showcases, in 3 different states. I've networked and continue to network with various individuals that are both up and coming as well as established artists, and producers, to continue to build and expand relationships.
There is no secret trick to get you where you want to be, only hard work persistence and patience. One thing that was undermining a lot of people I spoke with, was what they believed the music industry to be. This Glamorous lifestyle, everyone knowing who you are, ect. You are able to do what you love and love doing it at all times 24/7. Not necessarily. Some Days, it can be nerve-racking spending all the time making beats that you feel will never see the light of day. Yet you look around, and you see all the people you look up to being successful, and living their dream. One thing people never seem to see, is the work they put in to get there, or there live's outside of music. I can tell you a few things from personal experience, it takes a lot of time.
I've been making beats since 06. So that's almost 10 years. 10 years.... nearly. Time is flying, and no matter what I do or what I achieve, I still feel at times like i've done absolutely nothing. But never in a since of giving up. The Feeling is more like, man.... I've got so much to do musically that I haven't got a chance to do yet. I'm still young, so that's an advantage of starting early. I also realize that in this industry 1 year feels like an eternity because of all the music that get's released on a daily basis. What else does it take to get to where you want to go?
Another thing that "Making it in this industry requires is a lot of money. Yes....You guessed it a lot of money. Going to Battles and showcases isn't free you know. That requires money. Depending on the showcases or battle you go to, you will be paying an entry fee. on Average $100--500 Oh and don't forget, some of these showcases are in different states so you are going to be spending a lot of money. Lets break it down.
Showcase+ Plane Tickets+ Hotel+ Food+ Transportation when you get to where the event is going to take place.
Well you get the point, it takes money and a lot of it.
What else does it take to really get in on the industry?
Networking, Networking is the most..... I repeat the most important thing to getting where you want to go [In my case] Everyone knows the story of "I know some big shot manager, ect in the industry give me your music and i'll send it over to whomever." Yea I'm sure if you've been doing music long enough you heard that one. Well that is a form of networking. Basically having contacts of people that you can help as well as they can help you. Notice the relationship goes 2 ways, this type of networking isn't a one way street. You have to be willing to help each other move forward in some way. Does it take anything else to get in?
Well It Takes Knowledge, The knowledge to know what you don't know, so that you can learn it. because if you don't know then how can you move forward it's like not having any sense of life. Without the sense to learn you cannot build and continue to move forward. I urge all of you to network with one another in some way other then just posting with and about each other on the forum, get an email get a number, get contacts. Because the people you support are going to be the same people supporting you. Oops there's -->Networking again.
In all honesty I just wanted to write this post because it seems like a lot of people at one point or another on the forum said "If only I had this" or had that" I wouldn't be in the same place." To me the forum is a place to help others and listen to others more so than just entering random battles, lets all help each other progress. Another commonality on the forum is people talking about jobs they don't like and that they wish they can do music full time, I can tell you that 80% of people doing this and are on the come up have something else going for them outside of music Do not get fooled by fantasies, Making it involves the type of sacrifice that warrants you having a job and then when you get off of the job, you have business to take care of, [rather its work or school] After your job/School if you only have 2 hrs of free time, devote the little free time you have on your craft. Have the Knowledge, to know the best way to utilize your time, and go for it. If and when you get discouraged know that it can be done, because those before you have done it and are continuing to do so.
I look forward to writing more posts like this in the future
I hope this post was able to help you in some way.
Beginning with me since I posed the question.
I want to continue networking and continuing to do this as a career. In the past year, i've been in 5 different showcases, in 3 different states. I've networked and continue to network with various individuals that are both up and coming as well as established artists, and producers, to continue to build and expand relationships.
There is no secret trick to get you where you want to be, only hard work persistence and patience. One thing that was undermining a lot of people I spoke with, was what they believed the music industry to be. This Glamorous lifestyle, everyone knowing who you are, ect. You are able to do what you love and love doing it at all times 24/7. Not necessarily. Some Days, it can be nerve-racking spending all the time making beats that you feel will never see the light of day. Yet you look around, and you see all the people you look up to being successful, and living their dream. One thing people never seem to see, is the work they put in to get there, or there live's outside of music. I can tell you a few things from personal experience, it takes a lot of time.
I've been making beats since 06. So that's almost 10 years. 10 years.... nearly. Time is flying, and no matter what I do or what I achieve, I still feel at times like i've done absolutely nothing. But never in a since of giving up. The Feeling is more like, man.... I've got so much to do musically that I haven't got a chance to do yet. I'm still young, so that's an advantage of starting early. I also realize that in this industry 1 year feels like an eternity because of all the music that get's released on a daily basis. What else does it take to get to where you want to go?
Another thing that "Making it in this industry requires is a lot of money. Yes....You guessed it a lot of money. Going to Battles and showcases isn't free you know. That requires money. Depending on the showcases or battle you go to, you will be paying an entry fee. on Average $100--500 Oh and don't forget, some of these showcases are in different states so you are going to be spending a lot of money. Lets break it down.
Showcase+ Plane Tickets+ Hotel+ Food+ Transportation when you get to where the event is going to take place.
Well you get the point, it takes money and a lot of it.
What else does it take to really get in on the industry?
Networking, Networking is the most..... I repeat the most important thing to getting where you want to go [In my case] Everyone knows the story of "I know some big shot manager, ect in the industry give me your music and i'll send it over to whomever." Yea I'm sure if you've been doing music long enough you heard that one. Well that is a form of networking. Basically having contacts of people that you can help as well as they can help you. Notice the relationship goes 2 ways, this type of networking isn't a one way street. You have to be willing to help each other move forward in some way. Does it take anything else to get in?
Well It Takes Knowledge, The knowledge to know what you don't know, so that you can learn it. because if you don't know then how can you move forward it's like not having any sense of life. Without the sense to learn you cannot build and continue to move forward. I urge all of you to network with one another in some way other then just posting with and about each other on the forum, get an email get a number, get contacts. Because the people you support are going to be the same people supporting you. Oops there's -->Networking again.
In all honesty I just wanted to write this post because it seems like a lot of people at one point or another on the forum said "If only I had this" or had that" I wouldn't be in the same place." To me the forum is a place to help others and listen to others more so than just entering random battles, lets all help each other progress. Another commonality on the forum is people talking about jobs they don't like and that they wish they can do music full time, I can tell you that 80% of people doing this and are on the come up have something else going for them outside of music Do not get fooled by fantasies, Making it involves the type of sacrifice that warrants you having a job and then when you get off of the job, you have business to take care of, [rather its work or school] After your job/School if you only have 2 hrs of free time, devote the little free time you have on your craft. Have the Knowledge, to know the best way to utilize your time, and go for it. If and when you get discouraged know that it can be done, because those before you have done it and are continuing to do so.
I look forward to writing more posts like this in the future
I hope this post was able to help you in some way.
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. I have always liked producing a little more than rapping, but I miss being a performer and while I'm not a terrible singer, it's not my forte sadly, so emceeing wins by default. I remember being in this whole "Real Hip Hop" mindset when it came to music, but towards 2009/10, I began to feel incredibly stale, I was deliberately cutting myself off from how things were evolving and what I could incorporate into my recordings - even the stuff I would initially think of as wack.
