Rap Tips

Starting a record label is hard enough, so trying to get it to be a rap record label might be tougher. Music producers have a very difficult job even though it seems glamourous. The best part of owning your own record label is that you get to make music and you get a commission out of other performers who make music as well, usually through the use of your recording equipment. You’ll need a comprehensive list of equipment needed overall but you can usually get away with just starting off with some good music production software.

After you get your software down and are ready to record a rap track then you just need to find artists to be on your label. This can be pretty easy if you know where to look. You basically need to hit up all the night clubs and underground freestyle battles. Post ads if that doesnt work, and finally look on social networking sites there are always artists looking to get picked up or given a chance. If they dont have tracks on their page then that means they need to spend some time recording, a great sales point when you write them. Even an artist who isnt that great can be with the right coaching… let’s take lil’ Wayne’s rap for example. He doesnt really say much but they sync his voice up to the music and give him some catchy hooks and everyone is dancing to it. He didnt make any cd’s for years, if you think that he started out with cash money over ten years ago and he’s just now become popular.

If you need to coach your artists it’s best to read something like this Ultimate Guide to Writing,Recording, and Promoting Rap Music. It basically breaks it down for you so you can just give them steps to being the best.

Getting airplay for your new rap record label clients can be very competitive. Basically there’s two ways to get airplay. One is through money and the other is through buzz. Either you pay a hired radio promoter a bunch of loot, or get buzz. You can get some local buzz on college radio and other indie radio outlets like mix-shows and late night specialties enough to generate public awareness.  Buzz can also be made announcing your release date or distribution or gigs. There is one third way. Luck. Keep bugging local radio stations. Make sure you are sending out nice looking press releases about the artists you are representing, with clean cd’s. Don’t send out a cd without a case, or a good picture. By good picture I mean at least spring for some nice prints at kinko’s , don’t just print them from your computer.  The best way to get your rap music noticed is to make it noticeable.

Fill a Form SR (sound recordings) copyright at www.copyright.gov . This way you make sure your rap music doesnt get copied by some backstreet boy band.