BUILDING HYPE (written 7/1/2000)

By, Wendy Day from Rap Coalition

According to SoundScan, in 1998 there were 477 independent rap records released (none went
Gold or Platinum). n 1999, there were 997 rap records released !" independent la!els. Again,
none went Gold or Platinum. #h"$ %ow come when &minem released his Slim Shady EP in
'etroit, he onl" sold a (ew thousand copies, !ut when 're added a (ew more trac)s and re*
released the al!um two "ears later, it sold almost 4 million copies +ust in the ,S$ &m-s (irst al!um
through A(termath.nterscope, Slim Shady, in (act sold a total o( 88,/// in 'etroit as o( 0ul" 1,
1///. 2et those 88,/// people didn-t !u" his sel(*released 3ersion o( the al!um which was 7
songs, (and the same 7 songs appeared on the nterscope release, !" the wa"). So the 4uestion
is, what do ma+or la!els !ring to the ta!le that these small independents do not$ And more
importantl", how can we, as indie la!els, learn (rom that and appl" it to what we do$ 5he answer
is 6h"pe6 and, well, a !igger machine (which also accounts (or their high (ailure rate as well).

6%"pe6 is something most smaller la!els (orget a!out, "et h"ping up a release is not so di((icult or
costl". t ta)es per(ect timing and planning, and a (ew well placed connections willing to help. A
connected pu!licist is worth his or her weight in gold, !ecause getting pu!lications to write and
tal) a!out "our release is )e". ( "our goal, as a la!el, is to release "our pro+ect locall" and then
get a ma+or la!el to step in and pic) "our pro+ect up and ta)e it national, "ou need to limit "our
h"pe to "our small regional co3erage area, !ecause once a national pu!lication, li)e The Source,
XXL, or m" (a3orite, Murder Dog, writes a!out "ou, it-s going to !e near impossi!le (or the la!el
pic)ing up "our pro+ect to get the maga7ine to write a!out "ou again a (ew short months later. So
onl" e8haust this a3enue i( "ou reall" ha3e to (li)e the maga7ine calls "ou and declares their
allegiance to the success o( "our pro+ect, which is dou!t(ul). A ma+or la!el will not pic) up a
pro+ect the" (eel has alread" e8hausted the mar)etplace. ,ni3ersal pic)ed up 9il 5ro"-s al!um
!ecause the" (elt the (ledgling la!el who had released the record prior did not saturate nearl" all
the possi!ilities. 5heir thin)ing pro3ed to !e on point, as 9il 5ro"-s al!um went on to sell another
1 million units at ,ni3ersal.

Street teams are another wa" to h"pe up the pro+ect. Pro3ided the music is good, it is +ust a
matter o( letting people )now the al!um is a3aila!le in stores (oh and "ou must get it into the
stores (irst). 5his is what street teams pro3ide: awareness. ;" handing out (l"ers, stic)ers,
posters, 5*Shirts, snippet tapes** whate3er "ou can a((ord, the streets !ecome aware o( the
pro+ect. <nce one person chec)s out the music, the" will either tell people the" )now that it-s 6the
!om!6 or that 6it-s wac).6 Positi3e word o( mouth is crucial in ur!an music= >ore people !u" ?'s
and cassettes !ased on what the"@3e heard others sa" a!out it than the" do !ased on radio or
3ideo pla". Smarter !udgets will also allow the use o( ca!le ad3ertising locall" (local spot ads
during Aap ?it" are smart !u"s, and the cost is relati3el" minimal**(or e8ample a ca!le ad in
%ouston during Aap ?it" on ;&5 is a!out BC/) and !ill!oards locall". Priorit" Aecords is a!out to
release ?*>urder-s new al!um (separate (rom Do 9imit, !elie3e) in August and the" hired a
compan" in 9A called AP; which set*up ca!le ads and !ill!oards (or ?*>urder in his )e" mar)ets
(AP; onl" wor)s with ma+or la!els and properl" (inanced independents so chose D<5 to gi3e
out their phone num!er in this article as normall" would...).

<nce the pro+ect hits and !egins to sell, distri!utors will approach "ou. Aeal distri!ution
companies loo) (or three things:
1) 'o "ou ha3e good music and talented artists$
1) Are "ou properl" (inanced so "ou won-t run out o( mone" hal( wa" through the pro+ect$ 'o "ou
)now what "ou are doing and ha3e a good plan, as well$
E) Pipeline: Are "ou a real record la!el with more than one pro+ect to release$ 2ou get paid more
regularl" !ased upon "our (low o( pro+ects through the pipeline. 'istri!utors hold "our mone" in
escrow, which the" call 6reser3es,6 and "ou will get paid as the distri!utor is guaranteed more
pro+ects to recoup -returns- mone" (rom.

n the South and >id*#est, most independent la!els utili7e Southwest #holesale and Select*<*
%its to distri!ute product. ;e(ore doing deals with an"one, "ou should tal) to la!els currentl"
utili7ing the distri!utors "ou are considering using, and get (eed!ac) on how thorough their
distri!ution is, how eas" or di((icult the" are wor) with, and how the" pa". 2ou should also tal) to
record stores in the areas where "ou want to sell records and as) them what the" thin) o(
distri!utors and who the"-d recommend. 'istri!utors want onl" one thing: to sell records. ( "our
product sells easil" o(( the shel3es, "ou ha3e a win*win situation. ( "our product sits on their
shel3es and doesn-t sell, "ou ha3e "our worst nightmare. And that is the distri!utor-s <D92
responsi!ilit": to get "our record into the stores. t-s 2<,A +o! to get consumers into the stores to
!u" it. 'istri!utors are D<5 !an)s and do D<5 ha3e to ad3ance an" (unds (A&' 'istri!ution
rarel" ad3ances mone", (or e8ample) to "ou to carr" "our product, so i( "our (inances are not
straight, don-t e3en attempt to do this. 'o it right, or don-t do it at all. ;est ad3ice could e3er
gi3e "ou in this column i( "ou don-t ha3e the proper (inancing$ Get a +o!. n 1999, there were
997 rap records released !" independent la!els. %ow man" did "ou !u"$= %ow man" did "ou
e3en )now a!out$=

<n a happ" note, there were 4uite a (ew independent rap records on the SoundScan.;ill!oard
5op 1// Aap Al!um Sales ?hart the wee) wrote this article (0ul" 1, 1///). For e8ample: Slum
Gillage was HEC on the ;ill!oard Aap Al!um chart and had a total o( 11,4/C SoundScan sales in 1
wee)s. 5he 2ing 2ang 5wins (H44) ha3e sold 4E,47C al!ums (o(( that one !la7ing single) in 8
wee)s. >r Ser3*<n (HI/) his (irst wee) did E,CI1 units while 5wista-s 9egit ;allin- (H I4) sold
E,E84 the same wee) !ringing his total up to 79,I81 sold in E1 wee)s. Spice 1 (HI7 this wee))
has sold a total o( 1I,1C9 in I wee)s while 2oung J"o7 (H74) sold 1/,197 units in 4 wee)s. And
m" Poster ;o" o( 'o For Sel(, South Par) >e8ican (H7I) has sold 111,88E in E1 wee)s. ?ali
Agents (H88) sold 4,//1 in 1 wee)sK 'el the Fun)" %omosapien (H91) sold 41,884 in 11 wee)sK
and #oss Dess (H1//) has sold a total o( 7,48/ units.

5his series will continue in e3er" issue o( >urder 'og and will contain in(ormation on pressing,
street teams, distri!ution, (oreign licensing, o3erseas distri!ution, artist de3elopment, (low o(
product, retail and radio, artist imaging and more. &ach issue will also answer two speci(ic
4uestions sent in !" our readers. Although 4uestions can not !e answered indi3iduall", the"
should !e directed to Aap ?oalition at 111 &ast 14th Street, HEE9, Dew 2or), D2 1///E or
power!ro)aLaol.com. And remem!er, i( "ou don-t own "our own shit, "ou-re +ust a sharecropper.

And than)s to ;rother 9"nch %ung (or telling me that rapcointelpro in e3er" issue o( >urder 'og
is essential to Siccmade...and that the column is mandator" reading at his compan". -m so
happ" "ou loo) (orward the articles, 9"nch (old articles can !e (ound at www.rapcointelpro.com)==

Peace to >"sti)al who gained his (reedom (rom Do 9imit "esterda". %e is once again a 0i3e
Aecording artist. And F9? to >arlon #illiams.

M. >" partner and are currentl" loc)ed down. 5he timing was !ad, we were in the process o(
releasing a (inished ?' !" one o( our artists, Sol. #e tried to get distri!ution !e(ore we came
inside, !ut it all comes down to us hitting the streets oursel3es and slanging ?'s in the Nhood in
PA, <%, and #G. #e ha3e three other artists !ut since two o( the three heads o( the compan"
are loc)ed down, that lea3es +ust one person and our artists to run the compan" with limited
(inances. %ow do we get this pro+ect o(( the ground$ Sean Thompson in Elkton, OH

A. #ow. 'amn, homie=== Sadl", this happens all the time since the streets are so close to the
music !usiness, "a )now$ Aunning a la!el is hard enough, !ut running a nation (rom
incarceration (than) "ou ?u!e) is ne8t to impossi!le. 5he two things "ou needed to ha3e in place
!e(ore "ou went inside were: proper (inancing and the ideal person to run the compan". -3e !een
meeting with a gu" in Dew 2or) who +ust caught a Federal !id (or a gun charge, lea3ing no one to
run the compan" and a !unch o( tight (inished al!ums. %is (unds were depleted !" legal (ees
(ighting the charge. ,n(ortunatel", he didn-t set up his !usiness !e(ore he went in, to run
smoothl" while he was awa" so that when he got out he-d ha3e an empire alread" in place. t-s
not too late, !ut "ou ma" not li)e the answer !ecause it-s going to in3ol3e a lot o( trust on "our
part since "ou are out o( the da" to da" picture. 2ou need to (ind someone to run "our la!el who
has the e8perience and dedication to do so properl". &8perience: meaning the" )now how to do
it and ha3e done it !e(ore. 'edication: meaning the" understand "our 3ision and agree with it.
%ope(ull", that third partner is the one. <nce "ou ha3e someone in place, the" can get (inancing
(rom outside sources, associates "ou-d !e willing to ha3e in3est in "our shit, or someplace li)e the
Small ;usiness Association. 5hen the" must !uild "our compan" (rom the ground up with "ou
appro3ing e3er" step o( the wa" (i( "ou trust their a!ilit" and their 3ision, this could !e done with
minimal input (rom "ou). 5he onl" other choice "ou ha3e is to (ind a connected, e8perienced
entertainment attorne" to shop "ou a deal at a la!el in D2 or ?A which will drasticall" reduce "our
share (meaning: "ou won-t ma)e an" mone") !ut "our artists will ha3e 3ia!le careers and when
"ou get out the" will hope(ull" remem!er what "ou tried to do (or them when no one else !elie3ed
in them !ut "ou, and support whate3er new pro+ects "ou are putting out. 0ust F2, 5wista-s
partner in his 9egit ;allin- &ntertainment was the gu" who !elie3ed in him !ac) in the da" when
he was still 5ongue 5wista, did a stretch o( Fed time, and now toda" he-s a partner in 5wista-s new
compan".
Q. How come you work with some labels and not others? What is your criteria to work with a label?
-Eddie Laster, Atlanta GA
A. Anyone with "eole skills" can ne!otiate a deal. Anyone with connections in the industry can ne!otiate
a !ood deal. Anyone who studies !ood and bad contracts "esecially as lon! as # ha$e%, understands the
music industry, and knows what will sell and won&t sell can ne!otiate a !reat deal. #&m $ery 'ortunate that #
ossess all o' the skills abo$e. # run an or!ani(ation ")a *oalition% that hels artists, so that&s my number
one riority. +y number two riority is a label that has the ability to chan!e the status ,uo in the industry,
not to -ust be another uet shuckin! and -i$in! to make money 'or a lar!er multi-billion dollar
cororation--ethics, morals, stren!th, honesty, and loyalty are key traits # look 'or. When # sot a label that
has otential, treats the artists "and eole around them% well, and understands the imortance o'
ownershi, # take notice. .hat&s what !ets my interest. .o kee my interest, the label has to e/ist 'or more
reasons than -ust makin! money. .o me, money ain&t shit. A label doesn&t necessarily e$en ha$e to be
roerly 'inanced to attract my attention. #&m not -ust tryin! to build owerhouses, #&m tryin! to build
emires. 001 o' the eole who run labels say they aren&t -ust about the money, but they are lyin! to
themsel$es. When they make mo$es solely 'or 'inancial !ain, no matter whom they take ad$anta!e o', they
are only about the money whether they want to belie$e it or not "some e$en -usti'y it by 'eelin! they are
sacri'icin! in e/chan!e 'or that wealth%. 2n'ortunately, this takes awhile to ee out, and illustrates a
ersonality trait # $eer away 'rom.
3ecause there are so many labels out there sellin! units, and because distributors "such as 2ni$ersal, 3+G,
4ony, etc% and lar!er labels re'er si!nin! labels with a track record "lessens their risk%, almost e$ery label #
ha$e worked with has a track record o' sales. )i!ht now, e$ery ro-ect on my desk has sold a minimum o'
56,666 to 76,666 units, and most ha$e ut out more than one record success'ully "ro$es to a ma-or
distributor that the label is not a "one hit wonder"%. 3ut in addition to those 4ound4can units sold, #&m
lookin! at the label and their lon! term lan, how they treat their artists, their loyalty, morals and ethics,
etc. # -ust recently stoed workin! with a label because 001 o' what the owner told me turned out to be
bullshit. He oed !ood !ame, wasn&t a'raid o' hard work, and e$en understood the imortance o' ownin!
his own shit. He -ust rarely did what he said he was !oin! to do--his word -ust wasn&t bond, and he didn&t
seem to understand the imortance o' this trait. #ma!ine what would haen A8.E) the money came.
+oney ma!ni'ies eole&s worst ,ualities. 4o someone who&s disloyal, sel'ish, and !reedy becomes 966
times worse when the real money roles in.
Workin! with an u and comin! label is :E); time intensi$e, esecially one run by someone who has not
sent anytime in the industry. 4o # am :E); 'ussy about the eole # choose to hel. # e$en once heled a
small label that said they belie$e in )a *oalition and e$erythin! # stand 'or, yet had no trouble suckin! me
dry 'inancially so # wasn&t able to contribute to )a *oalition. .hey le't me stuck with u!ly tra$el
e/enses, hone bills, and utility bills 'rom helin! them set u their label 'or 5 months--'or 'ree. And then
had the ner$e to bee' with me when # le't. .o add insult to in-ury, they e$en comlained that # was still
helin! another label "that had done nothin! but show me lo$e and suort 'or my comany while # was
helin! them% that # had introduced them to, and they had tried to suck that label dry too. And the worst
art is that this label doesn&t e$en understand why # le't--they are so accustomed to their sel'-centered
ways. .hey will most likely e/erience henomenal success, but they&ll ha$e to do it alone because #&m not
down.