Google+ Q Dot: 3 Things that are Rapper kryptonite.

Monday, November 3, 2014

3 Things that are Rapper kryptonite.

So a lot of you know I got my bachelor's in Music Business this summer and am getting my Master's in Internet Marketing. Through that i've been able to put together some really good studies and this one I think is probably most beneficial to my fellow rapper friends.
If you're wondering why no one is really catching on, here's why.

1. You don't really know who your audience is.
Sure, you made a song for the ladies and a song for the club because as many of y'all say "I NEED something for the _____". Then the next step is to think that whoever you made that particular song for is your core audience. I'm here to tell you that your core audience has nothing to do with the music you make, it's what you represent.

2. Even when you do know who your audience is, you try to get another one.
Wrong wrong wrong! The 1-hit wonder graveyards are filled with careers of guys who came out one way and by single #2 tried something altogether too different. So you identified your brand and your audience and you have a core but then you somehow try to switch things up. For what?! Now - don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with trying to engage another group but you never desert your core fans. Take Drake for example, when he first started out he was a rapper's rapper delivering mixtape after mixtape of mind blowing bar after mind blowing bar. As his career path took a turn for the Top-40 he tailored his sound to a more commercial angle with a focus on the ladies. Hate on him if you may, but it seems the minute you say Drake has gone soft he reminds his early fans why they loved him in the first place.

3. It's not what you think but your consistency sucks.
You can drop a mixtape a week for the next year and still be inconsistent. How? You have no definitive sound and no definitive brand so you hop on every trendy sound that comes out. The only thing consistent is how you DON'T bring anything different to the table. One thing that seems rather obvious but is painfully not is that fans of the creative value authenticity over everything and in rap, there's a million soundclick producers ready to give you some free or cheap trap beats which is great! The problem is, no one will ever say these words but if they disregard your music what they're really saying is "if I want authentic trap - I know where to find it and it aint here."

All in all, your authentic self is the best brand you can be. When you can identify with who that is and build your persona - your 2 or 3 qualities that are authentically you that make you relatable - everything will follow.

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