Fuck It...Quit!

As independents we all love to be in the company of success. The thrill of touching the same mic as your idol gives you the feeling of entitlement. "I'm about to show the crowd, I'm supposed to be here!" Is that success, is it the rung on the ladder that you were trying to climb?  When we are on the same playing field, we begin to think about their success, the videos, who they're sleeping with, and "Damn I want to be on Worldstar or TMZ!" 

We don't get to see the day in and out of the struggle. The baby momma drama, the lies they told that got them in trouble or the lies that got them to the position of where they are now. Yep, it's some selling of our souls involved, whether indie or mainstream. We aren’t going to be told about how many times they didn’t quit. Have you seen the video of the 2 little boys and the older little boy defines quitting to the younger? Now that's the encouragement! We need that early in our career. There’s at least 1 supporter out there who is screaming that in your ear every day. 

True failing is when you don't ever try again. If we truly learn from failure...QUIT! If the path you're going down isn't quite right, fuck it...quit! Quit going down the wrong path. Give up on the wrong ideas. Yep it's kind of backward, but we do know the definition of insanity? Well quit doing crazy shit! It’s a fact that you can win if you don’t give up. You can only win, when you implement change. Keep reading, I'm not preaching but it's a personal message we all could use. 

Remember this when you add change and quit doing that same ole thang!

Your talent is what got you here in the first place. Many times I watch talent go to the wayside. Whatever motivated you to enter the booth in the first place should be that same thing to keep you building, adjusting, and progressing your talent. Athletes can't afford to sit back in the off season, they workout. Why not you? I believe entertainers of the future are going to need a Master P mind set. Master P pushed new music all the time and stayed active in the studio. Quit making excuses or allowing distractions to interrupt your flow.

Of course life happens as you make your way to your goal, but implement life changes into your craft. It's all about the journey! Think of yourself as a blazing fire that never dims. All of the successful people that I've ever known have had to overcome incredible odds and struggles to get where they are. People who prosper understand you have to have the mindset, "I will not lose!" Surround yourself with positive and like-minded people. If you are the smartest person in the room, you need to change rooms! Eliminate the naysayers and people you know that have and will quit on their on goals. Protect yourself as if you were scared that you might get an STD from these people. 

Is there a guarantee that you will hit billboard? No! So enter the booth with the knowledge

that this is your chance to change your life. Pressure has formed many things of this world. Accept the pressure, apply to every beat, bar or scratch. You are stronger than you think. Your one goal has been achieved once you put your talents in line with others who have gone before you. The pressure should inspire your creation. Plato is accredited with saying, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Quit lallygagging in the wrong end of the pool, swim to the deep end. 

Recognizing what you need to quit doesn't require the "Intervention" team from the A&E network. You need to listen to your inner circle playlists. Truthfully you should be in their rotation. Fans quote their favorite bars and DJ drops all the time.  If you don't have that in your crew...Fuck it...Quit trying to convince them that you're next. You can't sell them any stories when don't help in the construction of your empire. Excuses cloud a lot of our decisions, excuses without warrant will keep you in that circle of failure. Quit allowing excuses to be a part of your journey. When you learn the difference between Facts and Excuses, your journey learns your intentions and direction, sort of like the WAZE GPS app helps avoids traffic, and puts you on a better course to your destination. 

Remember failure comes before success. Plenty of our greatest contributors to this world have failed. Michael Jordan was cut from his basketball team when he was high school.

Now who of you reading this don't know what a pair of J's feel like on your feet? Exactly! Did you know many singles fail in some markets, but succeed in others before your ears catch wind of it? Yep songs that make it to the radio or clubs good or bad take journeys that puts them in front of new fans and even new haters. Hits do fail!  The CD that you just wrote your contact info on...Fail. Inventors fail time and again, but they kept going, but they learned from the failure before. They put in work to fix the failures. Sometimes it's a small tweak or adjustment in your plan in order to make that big leap forward. 

There is no Overnight Success! Many years of work went into every success before it ever came to your attention. Yes, I say Fuck It...Quit giving into those things that don't work for the greater good of your success. 

Agree? Beg to differ?  Leave your thoughts and share this knowledge!  

#LeslieMac

A Change Gonna Come!

There's a serious need for a Bullshit Regulatory Commission on music. DJs control the night and they have a reputation to uphold and that's 1 reason that new track of yours isn't getting a spin when you walk it in the club. 

Let's explore the word ‘Ritual.’ A Ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. 

Now with that little bit of knowledge we can explore this "change". What is a DJ if he can't scratch, what is an MC if he can't rap? Those lyrics were directed at the future. Now we have "Push Button" DJs and songs are being pumped out of the studios faster than I

can listen and write my reviews on Fluence. Now, I will never knock talent or the attempt there of, but I will call attention to quality! So to answer the second question, a MC that can't rap is someone who hinders the movement. These MCs have unintentionally created the politics of the industry. Politics have their own place but in Hip-Hop? NO! What do we say to that? In the words of Hip-Hop legend Chuck D, "Fight The Power."

As the records, CDs, or even the colorful graphics display on your installed DJ program

have a revolution, the industry must have a Re-Evolution. An indie artist is born faster than

mothers delivering a baby through natural child birth. "There's a song and a remix in your inbox," is what just displayed on my computers desktop as I type. There’s passion in the production of these songs, however there's a lot of bad quality projects that are being put out. These projects hinder the good music from gaining its momentum to move from emails to ears. But that's a blog to be discussed at a later day. 

ATTENTION ASPIRED MUSIC ENTERTAINERS

Quality is priority #1! You absolutely, positively cannot cut corners on this part AT ALL. 

1. Get to a studio, with a booth and a engineer… get the sound A-1! 

2. Everyone with PhotoShop thinks they can do graphics, so not the case. Find that 1 graphic artist that really does know how to give you that quality...keep going to them. If it doesn't look good, what are we going to expect from the music?

3. Seek out a lot of good, consistent business relationships. DJs, promoters, Bloggers, fan engagement, and most of all treat your projects and talents as if they're the love of your life. 

This brings me back to Ritual… Imagine having to set the mood or tone for 100s even

1000s of people who want to hang out after work or after a long week or after monumental occasion. Well that's what DJs are tasked with when the club doors open. When fansstream mixtapes to their devices they're looking for that mood changer and motivation. Consider the daily and weekly Ritual of the DJ. Don't think you're going to just walk in and drop off some music and hear your song in the middle of the DJs set! Create a Ritual for your music and then you may fit into the DJs moment. 

I want to end with two finds that I have discovered. 

1. Next 

Next combines Instagram, Tinder, Twitter and Facebook all into one app and lets the artists, DJs, and Music fans discover new music without the garbage that can litter the information highway. Hence one way to regulate the bullshit in music. If you're not delivering a good Listening experience, they will swipe to the left. You have 30-seconds to preview your skills. New fans can view full-length videos and full profiles. No ads and it's free! Next boasts that it's app is, “A real, dedicated music community for mobile.” This is the app that requires you to look good and sound good. You have 30 seconds...GO!

2. Bandcamp 

I'm going to start with a fact....Bandcamp has paid $100 Million to Independent Artists and labels. This direct to fan (DTF) music sales platform, has been the new version of "out the trunk" since its launch in 2008. While the industry reports record sales declining, Bandcamp reports the opposite. In a interview with Billboard Co-founder Ethan Diamond stated, “Bandcamp  has increased 30% in sales last year and now average $3.5 million per month in record sales." That "works out to about 16,000 records a day...One every five seconds, twenty-four-seven." Oh by the way, it's free to join Bandcamp. The site is planning on some major add-ons, so it behooves you to get that project right or the consumers will continue with the 'boo' action. 

If you're looking for a start, submit your music to me at Fluence for immediate feedback. Be a part of the change or end up sounding like the artist that says, “ …I’m just trying to get my music played."  

#LeslieMac