Shysti Music

Shysti Music songwriter/music producer

[shystimusic]

It's Hard To Be A Dad

It’s hard to be a dad. Especially when you grow up without one. I mean, I can’t compare my ideas about how I should be raising my boys to any of my own life experiences. My mom was a wonderful mom. She was always there for me and is still my pillar of strength and love. She showed me how to love and support my kids unconditionally. But how does a woman raise a boy to be a man? And how does a man, raised by a woman, raise his two boys to be good men? I get so scared that I am too soft and too lenient. I wake up in the middle of the night afraid that I am missing something, forgetting to teach them some profound life lesson that they will surely need at a crucial time in the future.

I try to be stern and teach them about consequences, actions and reactions. They are 14 and 15 years old now, my boys. These next few are the years when they will become men. What am I supposed to do when they mess up. I have let my hands fly a few times. Is that wrong? I mean, in real life, men have to learn that if you say the wrong thing to the wrong person, you could catch a beating. I don’t abuse them. But I don’t allow disrespect or deliberate defiance.

Tonight my 14 year old said that I should respect him. Hmmm. Maybe I reacted too quickly and didn’t think it out too great. I said, “No. Respect is to be earned and you are still a kid and you have a bad temper. Sometimes you act very immature. So why should I respect you? I love you. I protect you and raise you. I would die for you. But respect still needs to be earned if you want man to man respect.”

Was I way wrong here? The issue that led to the discussion was his temper. He gets mad easy. He’s a good kid. Doesn’t get in fights or anything, but he gets really upset and physically aggressive with his brother and even with me when we play sports or play fight. Like, its obvious he is no longer “playing” and he is now trying to inflict pain. We were talking about this tonight.

I asked him where his anger and pent up rage comes from. After all, they have never wanted for anything. They grew up in great neighborhoods. I have been an entrepreneur in the music business for all of their lives. I have always made my own schedule and been there for them in the many ways I always wished my father would have been there for me. I coached them in football and baseball and was always available to attend school field trips and functions. I used to be envious of the kid whose dad was the coach. I was jealous of the kids whose moms and dads went on field trips. They always had money for the vending machines or the souvenir shop at the end of the trip. I turned down amazing music industry jobs in New York and Los Angeles because I wanted to stay in San Diego and be close to my boys. I never thought twice about it. I wanted to be the dad I always wanted for myself. But maybe that wasn’t enough.

My 14 year old shrugged his shoulders and stared at the tv as I asked him over and over to explain to me how he felt disrespected and why he believed I should respect him more. Then, as I started to talk to him and try to tell him a few important things about my parenting philosophy, he simply stood up from the sofa and walked out of the room. I looked at my 15 year old.

“Did he just ignore me and walk out while I was talking?”

My 15 year old looked shocked. He loves his little brother so much and even defends him when he finds himself the target of his brother’s anger mismanagement. I stood up and walked to the studio in my house. That’s where he had gone. I walked in as he played Moonlight Sonata on the keyboard. He has been learning it since yesterday. I asked him why he walked out when I was talking to him. He said he didn’t realize I was talking to him. I almost smacked him right then and there. It took all of my power to keep my hands to my sides. I guess he gets the temper from me, but not the disrespect. I told him he was a disrespectful little punk. I kicked him out of my studio and he went to his room.

Am I wrong here? Who can I turn to for answers? My entire generation of friends was raised without fathers present. We are all learning on the job. I just want him to see that he has it so good. And my mistake is that after these kind of episodes, some end with a smack and some with just harsh words (like tonight), I always feel bad. Most of the time, I will go to his room and apologize. But now I am sitting here writing this instead. I feel like maybe he needs to not be bailed out by my apology this time. But it’s hard to resist. Love is what my mom taught me. Love above all things. But I need him to be a strong and accountable man. I still think he was wrong, not me. So I will let him sleep. I walked into his room and kissed him on the cheek as he slept. I hope he wakes up and knows he is loved, but that he may have been wrong for disrespecting me this time.

I want him to be tough, but also loving. I want him to know that when he is wrong, he should apologize. I want both of my boys to be good men. But I am up late sometimes wondering…am I a good enough man to teach them?

[shystimusic]

One Recipe (of many) for Securing Financing in the Music Biz

For every aspiring artist, producer, songwriter, etc., there comes a time when you decide to either keep your musical dreams as a hobby or really try for a chance at making a career for yourself in the music industry. It is important to be honest with yourself and decide which path you want to take. If you are still young and music is just a fun pastime, more power to you. If you are grown and have kids or other responsibilities, be honest and start off this new year with a bang. Go after your dreams!

The first thing you will need to do, if you actually want success, is make a plan. You will eventually need a detailed business plan, but for now, a more broad plan is all I am talking about. So, for example, if we were talking about making a cake...this is not the part where I give you the recipe...this is the part where you decide (first and foremost) whether or not you actually want a cake, what kind of cake, how long are you willing to spend making it, will you buy a box mix or make it from scratch, ...etc. You follow?

So before you get too overwhelmed with more advanced stuff...just really decide about what you want. Do you want fame or money or both? Do you want to make enough noise to get a record deal or publishing deal or do you want to stay independent and own it all yourself? In 2011, artists like Kreayshawn and Tyler The Creator (OFWGKTA) secured record deals worth over $1 million dollars each. They seemingly accomplished this with little financial investment. However, saying it that way would really discredit all that they were able to accomplish along their journey as indy artists. I only bring them up to illustrate that it can be done without a giant budget. On the other hand, an artist like Tech N9ne, has been able to have huge success while remaining independent and in control of every aspect of his career. Immortal Technique is another hugely successful indy artist. However, please understand that all these artists are exceptional examples, and not the norm at all. If you are an exception, more power to you. If you want a more concrete plan...keep reading.

So, try and decide what you want first and foremost. There are many great articles online and tons of great info available from people on Twitter. Read my previous rant to get the contacts of some key resources.

Once you have decided what kind of cake you want, then it is time to begin the designing of a plan. Obviously, the plan is going to vary depending on what kind of cake you feel like eating, but overall, I am going to share some information to help you get the base recipe started.

The most important part of the recipe is that you have to understand and accept that making it big in the music industry will cost lots of money. Whether you try to make the cake from scratch (with lots of trial and error) or you go out and buy a ready-mix box, it is going to take some effort on your part to raise money and also to LEARN the way the industry works. Even if you want to be anti-industry and independent, you have to understand how it works so you can bash it intelligently and not just be a pretender.

The cake mix in a box is a pretty hard path to take. When I say "a mix in a box", I mean hiring the right people who can do a lot of the work for you. Hiring a consultant can either make you or break you. Mainly because, in the music industry more than any other (maybe the film biz too) there are 10 frauds for every 1 REAL person. However, in lieu of spending years meeting people and learning the business yourself, it may be the best bet. A GOOD business consultant will help you create a business plan, find the right people to hire for radio, video, promo, etc. A GREAT business consultant will help you learn the business and create bonds with all the contacts you meet along the way, while you are doing all of the above. I tell my clients/associates, "Make sure you keep in touch with everyone you meet through me. They will become your contacts eventually and you won't need me anymore."

See, I am not one of those people that keeps their clients in the dark in order to keep a job. I know that the REAL value is in the contacts and the relationships and so I encourage everyone I work with to make great impressions and exchange contact info with everyone I hook them up with. I also require that everyone I work with really learns the business and makes an effort to truly understand how it all works. I say, "Please learn and watch and research so that you don't have to trust me. I don't want you to trust me. I want you to KNOW that what I am doing is correct and in your best interest...no "trust" or "faith" or "hope" involved whatsoever.

So back to the recipe. Here are the ingredients you will need:

1. Money (in two forms...SEED MONEY and BUDGET MONEY)

2. Contacts

3. Experience

4. Great Music

First, you need money. So I will explain to you how you can get that...assuming you don't already have it. How many people in your life constantly tell you that your music is dope? "Oh you are so talented." "Your music is better than what's on the radio." "You should be on MTV." "I would buy your music over this other stuff." ...etc, etc., etc.

So, there is your open door to SEED MONEY. Those people are your first tier of potential investors. Have you ever heard anyone say, "It takes money to make money?" Well, it does. In order to convince a potential investor to pour $200k into your project, you have to spend some money first. You have to have a great presentation. You can't go up to someone and rap in their face (believe me, people have done this to me) and expect them to be blown away. You need a plan and a presentation. The SEED money will help you get your presentation together. Then, if you are lucky and your plan and presentation work, you will need some good music. Sometimes, the music may be part of the presentation. However, if the investor is not a "music person" they will honestly not really care about the music at this early stage in the process. I have heard people say things like, "I couldn't tell you if it was good or not, I'm not really a music expert." That is what a smart investor would say. But you WILL need to have great music at some point because a smart investor may also say something like, "I have a friend who knows more about this stuff"...etc.."and I would love for him to hear your music before I invest in it."

Btw, if the number $200k I threw out above seems high to you...please stop reading my blog right now and leave to another place on the internet. JK. But really, that is a VERY LOW AND CONSERVATIVE figure for a budget to make an impact in the industry. Most industry insiders agree that it takes in the range of $350k to really give it a good shot. I have accomplished a lot in the $200k range...at least enough to get more $$ and keep it all going.

10 years ago in the music biz, a band or artist who was being courted by A&R reps could ask for a Demo Deal, and receive a demo budget. You could get say $10k to get yourself into a good studio and cut a few songs in a professional manner. This is obviously before everyone thought they were producers themselves. Everyone thinks they are a producer now because they have "home studios." I have a studio in my home, but it is not a "home studio"...it is a studio in my home. Feel me? Buying an MBox or whatever else is out there on the cheap, does not give you a studio. I am not knocking these tools, just trying to make sure people realize that there is another level in the game and you need money, experience and a whole lot of talent to reach it. Too many people nowadays believe that because they have a camera in their phone, iMovie and access to YouTube, they have the "potential" to get signed. Believe it or not, it still takes talent to make a good video. It takes talent, money and business sense to market a video online and on TV. Spamming people on Twitter is NOT marketing, it's just annoying.

So...my point is...SEED Money. In lieu of a demo deal and demo budget, you have to come up with some front money to help you get the real MONEY. You need small money to help you find bigger MONEY. If you have a few thousand yourself, more power to you. That's great. You obviously get it and have taken the time to save or set aside a small budget to invest into your business. If you don't have a penny to your name, this is where you need to hit up your closest fans/family/friends for SEED money. Make it a loan if you want, but I suggest you try and make it an investment. Gather up a few thousand and get your business going. Make it professional and make it a business transaction, not a family favor. Write a proposal or hire someone to write one for you. Explain that this is SEED financing for a bigger goal. The ROI (Return On Investment) will not depend on whether or not you become the next Jay Z, rather, just on whether or not you secure the next level of financing. So it is not such a long shot. It is a well-calculated plan and it is a recipe I have followed many, many times in my career. I have helped a lot of artists get their businesses going with these kinds of plans.

Here it is in list form:

1. You need, say, $5k-$10k to make a good presentation for a potential investor/label.

2. Your uncle/aunt/friend can loan it to you or, preferably, invest it into your career.

3. The ROI for your SEED investor will be based on your success with securing the bigger MONEY.

4. When you secure your first $30k or $50k or even $200k, you will pay back the SEED investor plus add in a generous ROI. That is their incentive, besides just helping you out because they BELIEVE in you so much.

If you don't have anyone in your life right now who believes in you enough to help you out with a small investment or loan for SEED money, maybe you should RE-THINK starting your own business. Really. I'm not trying to be mean, but for any other business in any other industry, you would see that what I'm saying makes complete sense. Making it in the music business is not for everyone. You have to be a special person. You have to have a personality that attracts attention, inspires and impresses people. You have to be amiable and as personable as possible in order to sell yourself. If you can't sell yourself, how do you expect a label to sell you? If your friends and family won't invest in you, why would you expect a label (run by strangers) to invest in you?

Anyway, let's assume you are able to secure some SEED money. Next, you will need a great Offering Memorandum. This consists of an Executive Summary and a Business Plan. This is the proper way to ask for the big MONEY. You will need to spend some of your SEED money on this part. You will need to hire someone to write and prepare this part for you. Unless you are a good writer and can research this enough to trust your own skills in making the attempt. If that is the case, again, more power to you. If you are not able to do this yourself, you can hire someone like me. As a hired business consultant, I would prepare this process for you. I would line up contacts to commit (with commitment letters) to your project, contingent upon the raising of the necessary funding. I would include impressive names and detailed info about radio, video, marketing and promotions. I would outline every aspect of the budget and explain how the money would be used. This is where contacts and experience come into play and if you don't have those yourself, you need to hire someone else who does. I am not saying you need to hire me, but you DO need to hire someone who can get it done correctly.

You can't just say in a proper Offering Memo, "we will hire someone to work radio, video, etc." If you want to secure financing, you have to be specific and have a specific plan of action, including names and bios of people and companies you intend to hire and work with, once you get the MONEY. You have to make the investor feel comfortable about the investment. Encourage the investor to look up and research the companies themselves. It should all be positive feedback. There is no hustle here...just good business and experience. And again, if you don't have the resume yourself to accomplish this, hire someone who does. Use your SEED money...that's what it's for...to get you to the next level.

Your Business Plan should be an exciting and fact-filled masterpiece. You have to use stats and figures to outline potential income streams and projected revenue. Give specific examples of how you expect to make money from your music. List the various income streams from ancillary products and site examples of REAL occurrences in the business where people are making money from those ideas. There are NO GUARANTEES. Investors understand this. People who have investment portfolios have won some and lost some. An investor told me once,

"I lost over $200k in the stock market last year. If I had invested that money with you then, at least I would have had some fun along the way."

He was referring to the fact that he attended a few concerts and video shoots for the artist he invested in with me. The money he lost in the stock market...he never knew exactly where it went. On the project he invested in with me, he actually saw and experienced a lot of the action. He really appreciated that.

I did some production work many years ago for a record label owned by a famous ex L.A. Laker. I won't name him here, but he blew over $2million on the label in one year...all in the wrong places. I wasn't a consultant for the label, just a hired-hand producer, so it wasn't my fault. I actually tried to steer him in the right direction a few times on GP, but he had too many "yes men" in his ear giving him bad advice. I bring that up because people need to understand that it takes ALL of the ingredients and a recipe for HOW and WHEN to use them in order to succeed...to make a great cake. You can't throw eggs, milk, flour and icing into the oven and expect a cake to come out. I have worked with people who had the money, but no contacts or experience. I have worked with people who had tons of experience, but no money or current contacts. Lots of industry journeymen know a great deal about the biz, but have no relevant contacts in the present-day industry. Make sure you understand who you are hiring and make sure their resume is current.

Again, it takes all of the ingredients (Money, Contacts, Experience and Great Music) to have success in this business. You can't bake a cake if you are missing one of the key elements. And please, I don't need any expert bakers to correct me on that...lol...it is just an illustration. You know what I mean.

I hope this latest rant sheds some light on how to secure some financing. It is not easy, but it is very possible and accessible for anyone who makes a real effort. It will obviously take a more detailed and personalized plan for each individual case, but I hope you get a clearer picture of ONE way to start to build your company. This is a proven method. Use $5k to make $30k and $30k to make $100k and so on. At some point, it will start to turn into REAL concrete income and either spawn a record deal or a self-sufficient independent company. And I hope that is your goal...success...not pretend props or accolades, but REAL, tangible success!

I am here, as always, as a resource. Feel free to ask questions. Use me. Use the other people online as well (especially on Twitter), who are constantly offering FREE advice and suggestions. Anyone who is truly in the music industry and is making a living in this business knows that there is value in information. However, I am not confined to getting value from information. Let me clarify...I don't NEED to SELL info. I see more value in giving info away. The more educated people get about the business, the more VALUE they will see in what someone like me can do for them. Anyone who is learning and growing their business in the proper fashion will eventually see the REAL VALUE in what someone like me can offer. It is NOT about the "secret" recipe. It is about the diligent implementation of a REAL plan. I will be compensated 100 times over if people really start to see how it all works and a new and improved attitude toward chasing a career in music is born. I am confident about that and that is why I take the time to share ideas and recipes. I hope my blogs help at least one person. That will be one more person on the REAL side of the business and one less person bringing our industry down with losing plans and failed attempts.

Follow me on twitter @shystimusic. I write and produce Hip-Hop, R&B, Dance, Electro, Pop and Dubstep music. I consult for indy labels and artists in every aspect of the business, from securing financing (writing/preparing Offering Memorandums) to writing and implementing budgets and marketing strategies, radio promo, video promo and more. I also own and operate a boutique music publishing company with many current MS contacts and blanket deals. Hit me anytime.

[shystimusic]

How Labels "Recoup" from Artists

Whenever I encounter people who are new to the music industry and I try to explain to them the basics of the economic factors involved, they are always surprised and disappointed. A lot of people throw around cliche's and say that record execs are shady and call them sharks and other colorful adjectives. However, most people do not really know the extent of the greed and the details of how the labels really never lose and the artist rarely ever wins.

As always, there are exceptions. But if you count the artists playing on the radio (in heavy rotation) and on television...there is only a small percentage of artists (from the entire industry) who are actually making big money. And those are either long-established artists who paid their dues, literally, over their first few albums or new artists who are still being ripped off by the labels. I use the term "ripped off" reluctantly because there is not a lot going on that wasn't in the artist's contract to begin with. I am not defending the machine here, but I hate when people say that a car dealer ripped them off, or whatever, because there are so many tools on the internet now to find what cars are worth and see their title history. So if you get fooled, that is your fault. Buying a car is a serious matter. Prepare yourself properly before going in.

Now, for so many people who say they have been dreaming about a record deal all their lives, there doesn't seem to be too many who are actually "preparing" themselves for when it actually happens. There are a few terms every aspiring record label artist must know. 

1. Cross-collateralization. Investopedia defines cross-collateralization as the act of using an asset that is currently being used as collateral for a loan, as collateral for a second loan. If the debtor was unable make either loan's scheduled repayments in time, the affected lender(s) can eventually force the liquidation of the asset and use the proceeds for repayment. In a record deal, labels will use this as a weapon. If you have 3 albums in the system and only one is selling through, the sales earnings from that one will be held against the losses from the other two. Virtually, anything you earn while under contract can be seized against future earnings from anything else you do under that same contract.

2. Recoup. So a lot of people know what this means, but just for the sake of discussion, I will type out the definition here. Sometimes, re-learning something in a different part of your life puts it in a new perspective. Merriam-Webster defines "recoup" as 1: to get an equivalent for (as losses) or make up for, reimburse, compensate <recoup a person for losses> 2: regain <an attempt to recoup his fortune> intransitive verb: to make good or make up for something lost. The funny part about that is...the label never really loses. 

Here is a simple explanation about how recoupment works. What I am about to explain has been worked and re-worked into contracts for decades, and re-written and re-worded to death, with the goal of making it hard to understand. Contracts use phrases like, "notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary..." to confuse people. Many people have heard about famous artists going broke. They sold millions of albums and so we assume that they must have grossly mismanaged the tens of millions of dollars they earned from those sales. The sad truth is, they probably never saw a penny directly from album sales. I am going to keep the numbers rounded off to keep the math simple.

Let's say an artist is making $1 from every album sold. That is actually a realistic number, give or take a few cents, depending on the contract. Now, the label deal states that every penny spent on the project is recoupable, including, but not limited to, any advances paid to artist, productions costs, travel, marketing, promotions, radio promotions, video production, video promotions, ...etc. So let's say the label spends a total of $2 million dollars on the project. This is also a realistic number. Remember, every penny will be charged against you so watch it all as close as possible. Don't run up the bills, they are all coming back against you in the end.

Anyway, so the label spent $2 million. The album sells 500,000 units. The wholesale price is $8. Again, these are conservative numbers and I am just trying to keep the math simple for the sake of explaining this robbery. So what did the label gross? If you said $4 million, you are a genius and you are one step closer to understanding this mess. So, at $1 per unit, the artist earns a total of $500,000, right? The label recoups their $2 million spent, pays the artist his/her $500,000 and profits $1.5 million. Does that sound fair? Everyone wins, right? The artist makes half a million dollars and the label almost doubles their money. Well...the reason it sounds so fair is because that IS NOT how it works. 

What really happens is this: The label gets the $4 million in the bank. The label's policy on recoupment is that the recoupable funds are only taken from the artist's share. So, the label recoups the $2 million spent, makes a $2 million net profit and sends the artist a statement that says the artist is in debt to the label still for -$1.5 million. Did you catch that? It's like a damn magic trick isn't it. It feels like that con where someone asks for a $10 bill for 9 singles and then cons the cashier for a $20 bill, giving them back their $10 and one more single to make it $20. If you don't know that one...don't even try your luck with a contract when it comes to millions of dollars. I am not promoting being a con-artist, just making a hyperbolic comparison. 

So, the artist sold 500,000 units (GOLD) and ends up in the hole with a statement for negative -($1.5 million) owed to the label. If he wants a GOLD Plaque to commemorate the scene of the crime, they will charge him for that too. The label never loses. The artist never wins. And yes, I know, there are exceptions. But again, the artists who eventually make such a financial impact that they are able to write their own deals...got ripped off at first too. They just happened to be able to withstand the robbery long enough to still be standing when it ended. And then, they fought back with their demands and their own bigger pieces of the pie. However, even when the artist starts winning...the label still wins as well.

Here is the math again:

Label spends $2 million

Album sells 500,000 units at $8 per unit wholesale (500K x $8 = $4 million)

Artist's deal gives him $1 per unit. (500K x $1 = $500,000)

Recoup is from artist's share only, not from total gross

$2 million spent - $500,000 artist share = -($1.5 million)

Label makes $4 million gross and $2 million net

Label still claims artist owes them $1.5 million and that amount will be recouped in one way or another, cross-collateralization from other projects, albums, singles, ...etc.

I have started a few businesses in my life. Sometimes I have taken on partners and investors. Sometimes I have worked out deals where the first X amount of dollars coming into the business will be used to recoup the investment. So if someone invests $100k, then the first $100k we make will repay the initial principal and we will share in the earnings after that point. That is fair. What labels do is a con. If things continued as above, the artist could potentially release 3 similarly popular albums and the math would be ridiculous.

Label spends $6 million

Albums sell a total of 1.5 million units at $8 per unit wholesale

(1.5m x $8 = $12 million)

Artist's deal gives him $1 per unit. (1.5m x $1 = $1,500,000)

Recoup is from artist's share only, not from total gross

$6 million spent - $1,500,000 artist share = -($4.5 million)

Label makes $12 million gross and $6 million net from the combined 3 albums

Label still claims artist owes them $4.5 million and that amount will be recouped in one way or another, cross-collateralization from the artist's great, great grand kids...just joking.

So...the moral of the story here is this...READ AND LEARN AND BE PREPARED. BY BEING PREPARED, I MEAN:

1. KNOW THE VARIOUS INCOME STREAMS WHERE YOU CAN MAKE MONEY THAT THE LABEL CANNOT TOUCH

2. UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE OF THE INDUSTRY YOU ARE IN (OR TRYING TO BE IN)

3. GET YOUR STAGE SHOW TIGHT SO YOU CAN TOUR AND MAKE MONEY RIGHT AWAY, CAPITALIZING ON THE LABEL'S PROMO EFFORTS. AFTERALL, YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT IN THE LONGRUN ANYWAY

4. START YOUR OWN LABEL AND CREATE YOUR OWN BRAND FOR NEW ARTISTS AND/OR YOUR OWN FUTURE PROJECTS AFTER YOUR DEAL IS EXPIRED note: If you do #4, watch and learn from the label and make friends of all the radio, promo, video, marketing people you are meeting...they can all become your contacts and assets later.

Get at me. @shystimusic on twitter. 

[shystimusic]

[shystimusic]

One True Act of Patriotism

[shystimusic]

[shystimusic]

Too Many People "Playing Record Label"

This is really starting to get annoying. There are so many supposed aspiring artists, labels, producers in the un-industry right now. And by "un" I don't mean "Underground", I mean "un" as in "Opposite of; contrary to." And I'm tired of having to watch them play "record label" the way people used to play house when they were kids...totally and utterly make-believe.

The advent of new technologies and media is awesome. Don't get me wrong, but it is also allowing for more and more no-talent, no-drive, no-budget-having pretenders to take up space in the universe. Anyone can have a page on twitter, tumblr, myspace, facebook, reverbnation, soundcloud, ...etc. Anyone can download a music software program to use from home (for free if they're even a bit resourceful). I understand all that and I appreciate it. However, my complaint starts when people make a mockery of the music industry by giving themselves titles that people used to have to earn. Having a cool name and a logo does NOT make you a record company. Having a software program or fruity loops does NOT make you a producer.

I am proud to call myself a Music Producer. I am proud to call myself a Songwriter. In some circles, those titles still hold weight. I earned them through years of hard work, dedication, spending money and most importantly, actually accomplishing goals and MAKING MONEY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, with major and indy artists, established record companies, film, television, radio and more.

Along the way, by default, I had to learn many things. Besides learning how to use SSL boards and 2-inch tape machines (back in the day) and all the top tier music software, gear and hardware, I also learned to use Excel, Photoshop, Powerpoint, Flash, HTML, ...etc. Those are necessary tools of business, music or otherwise. I learned how to write Offering Memorandums, Executive Summaries, Business Plans, Grant Proposals, contracts of all kinds, cue sheets, split sheets, bios, Marketing Plans, Promotions Campaigns and more. I learned how to register music with Mediabase and BDS (easy things to do btw) and, furthermore, how to access those sites and track and report spins and record progress. I learned all these things working for myself and working for various labels throughout my life. I know there will be people reading this who are saying to themselves, "Ummmm, that's not very impressive. Those are simple things." And that brings me to my point.

It is not rocket science. The music business is NOT some enormous enigma. It is a business like any other business. It has its key differences of course that make it extraordinary, but in the most basic aspects...it is still a business. And as a business, it contains rules and norms. I am not talking about the creative side here. Creatively, I am an artist and I would never try to assign rules or parameters to music. However, the business, by nature, does have its own set of standards and practices. In order to have success, you must learn what these standards and practices are and you must either run your business according to them or choose to go against the grain and set new trends. I am not saying be a part of the machine, but you must understand the machine in order to join it or find ways around it. All of that is beautiful. I love the music business. 

What is not beautiful is lazy, un-inspiring, complaint-filled wannabe's taking over the internet and social media with their half-ass musical attempts. Stop playing record label. Stop saying people are "hating" on you because your "career" is not going anywhere. Your city is not hating on you. Radio is not "hating" on you. You just don't understand that you are really not playing the game. You are watching from the stands and asking why no one is passing you the ball. You want in the game? Good. Congratulations...so does everyone else. "Wanting" it is not good enough. You have to be ready and willing to sacrifice and fight for a chance to play. It will take time and money and lots of hard work. Here is my advice...Go play something else. Especially when it comes to Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is sacred to some of us. Some of us have given our blood, sweat, tears and money to Hip-Hop for over 30 years. So forgive me if I sound like I am taking this onslaught of wack music personally. I actually am.

I know I am no authority on what is hot and what is not. There are so many different genres even just within Hip-Hop music that it would be too hard to find a unanimous definition of dope. I get that. But what I don't appreciate is seeing so many "record labels" and so-called "artists" all over youtube claiming to be the next big thing and using titles that were once reserved for serious people. If you make beats, cool, but that doesn't make you a producer. Anyone can rap. Rhyming is taught in schools ever since kindergarten. Being an emcee requires skill and talent. Work on your delivery, tone and song concepts before calling yourself a Hip-Hop artist. Maybe you are just a rapper...be honest. If you came up with a name for you and your people and your music...cool, you have a club of hobbyists, NOT a record COMPANY. Unless you are creating a REAL business with REAL money and a REAL plan, you are only "playing record label."

I can't think of any other industry where people "pretend" and "act like they know" as much as they do in the music industry. Guys play basketball at the park. You may find one or two delusional guys who think they are on their way to the NBA from there, but the reality is...most people playing in those pick-up games understand and accept it as their hobby. Adult baseball leagues playing on Sundays do not expect to see big time MLB scouts on a regular basis. I understand there are exceptions, but honestly, most people play for fun and don't "pretend" it is their path to a million dollar signing bonus.

There is a path to real success in the music business. People like Wendy Day (follow @RapCoaliton on twitter), Paul Porter (@RapRehab and @IndustryEars) and Jesse Jess (@UrbanThreshold) tweet daily with useful information. I see people re-tweet and thank them for their knowledge, but how many really listen? Wendy Day recently wrote an amazing book called, “How To Get A Record Deal,” Paul Porter launched a website this year called raprehab.com and Jesse Jess launched newmusicbiz.net. 

I wonder if the industry will start to change based on this easy access to information. The easy access to recording tools caused a negative change, in my opinion. This free access to tons of music business information should bring the un-industry to a place of clearer understanding. Maybe our understanding of the business will catch up to our understanding of how to create music. I hope it will drive the talented and dedicated people in the right direction and drive the un-industry into a deep, dark abyss. I learned so much the hard way, through trial and error. If you are paying attention and following the right people on twitter (and reading the articles on their links carefully), you could save a lot of time and money. I named 3 good follows in my rant. I know there are many more.

Much love to all the REAL aspiring artists, labels, producers, songwriters out there. And much love to the REAL people still left in the REAL music industry. For whatever its worth...I can be a resource, a weapon to use in your fight. I am launching a webinar style show soon and it will be FREE. Just a place to video blog and interact, answer questions and get some cool guests to add their two cents. I plan to do my part and give back and teach the REAL up-and-comers. I am down to network with positive people...always!  I am here. Get at me. @shystimusic on Twitter.