Showing posts with label #djlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #djlife. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 17

The Business of Music

I understand why cities as a whole have a huge pitfall in the music industry. The so called "move around of people" lack professionalism and business 101! It's not just janky ass promoters, it's janky ass people period. I tell folks all the time, don't come to me until you are ready. There are levels to this... Education in every part of this business is essential. A mind is a terrible thing to waste along with money and time. I don't make promises, but I do guarantee. You get what you pay for. First and foremost, check the numbers, when they don't add up...RUN! Otherwise, I have some ocean front property to sell ya in the middle of Kansas. I would be lying if I told you there are no snakes in this business or an immediate ROI. But I do guarantee I will personally work a project that I feel has the potential to go. You will see me personally deliver. Patience is a virtue, pay attention to everything. So let me clarify... it's don't come to us until you are ready AND have your budget clear, cause ain't shit free!! #LeslieMac

Monday, August 3

Jay-Z Hidden Track ... Vinyl Only!

The last release from Jay-Z came in the form of Magna Carta Holy Grail 2013. Well Vinyl lovers, there's a new surprise here now and it's coming with an even bigger surprise...A Jay Z hidden track. 

Third Man Records have rereleased MGHG album as a part of a double vinyl set and you can hear a never before released track from the album. Hidden away in the back cover of the sleeve is a post-card flexi-disc, which features the "super secret hidden track."

According to the ThirdManStore.com website, "Once freed of its casing, this flexi disc plays a super secret hidden track. You'll just have to hear it for yourself, because we sure don't plan to ruin the mystery of it here." The double LP is selling for a reasonable price point of $20 and is currently available for purchase on The website but I'm sure the song will eventually make its way to the Internet soon enough. Since n'Rotation is all about the DJs, I'm 100% sure I'll find this wax in my DJ friends crates. 


Wednesday, July 29

Diss Records 2015...

So I've been busy working with some of the best DJs in the world and I can't seem to move past this unnecessary beef between Meek Mills and Drake. With Drake's recent drop of 'Back To Back' (Meek Diss) that puts Meek 0-2. Memes have taken rap beef to a new level and really caused the fans to clearly choose a side. I'm not dissing Drakes Diss, but I have diss records that really make this confrontation sound minor. Check out my TOP 5 DISS TRACKS and the deadly bars. 

1.) Tupac - Hit Em Up (BIGGIE & Puff Diss)
Quotable Lyrics
"First off, f*ck your b**ch and the clique you claim/ Westside when we ride, come equipped with game/ You claim to be a player, but I f**cked your wife/We bust on Bad Boys, ni**as f*ked for life" 

2. Notorious BIG - Who Shot Ya (Tupac Diss) 
Quotable Lyrics
"Who shot ya? Separate the weak from the obsolete/ Hard to creep them Brooklyn streets/ It's on ni**a, f**k all that bickering beef/ I can hear sweat trickling down your cheek"

3.) Jay Z - Takeover (Nas & Mobb Deep Diss)
Quotable Lyrics
"You said you've been in this ten, I've been in it five, smarten up Nas/ Four albums in ten years ni**a? I could divide/ That's one every two, two of them sh*ts was due/ One was 'nah', the other was Illmatic"

4.) Nas - Ether (Jay Z Diss)
Quotable Lyrics
"When these streets keep calling, heard it when I was sleep/ That this Gay-Z and C*ck-A-Fella Records wanted beef/ Started c*cking up my weapon, slowly loading up this ammo/ To explode it on a camel and his soldiers"

5.) Ice Cube - No Vaseline (N.W.A former members Diss)
Quotable Lyrics
"The Ni**as With Attitudes? Who ya'll fooling!/ Ya'll ni**as just phony/ I put that on my mama and my dead homies/ Yella boys on your team, so you're losing/ Ay yo Dre, stick to producing"

#LeslieMac

Thursday, July 23

Top 10 Mixtape Reviews 7.23.15

  1. Snow Tha Product is one of the most talked female MCs on the underground scene, and she’s definitely making noise with industry reps. “The Rest Comes Later,” is a 15-track mixtape with all new music from Snow, and will leaving you scratching your head and wondering #DaFuck is taking so long for the industry to sign this Beast!
2. If Drake isn't writing these bars, he sure is performing them with Drake-like precision. Either way, our neighbor from the north is here to stay! 18 tracks of top notch lyrics and features is all you need to over shadow the umm unexpected beef. Hmm I see Kanye, Wayne and Eminem laying down verses...#DaFuck is all the noise for #MeekMill?

3. On Verse Simmonds installment of FYF (F*ck Your Feelings 3), you here a diverse mixture from Jeremih to Fetty Wap. You won't skip a track, but if you do you'll land on something else that will pull you in even deeper. Gucci Mane, DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown also went into the studio to show some support. Yep...Download! 

4. Master P position as the General will never be challenged. His Luciano Family artists, TEC, Maine Musik, Ace B and Eastwood are well worth the listen. P drops some bars on this mixtape and a slew of other soldiers join in to complete the Money Mafia Master Piece. Download the 24 tracks and get familiar with the Fam.

5. What's in a name? Rich Homie Quan and DJ Jazz don't waste any time in answering the age old question. Quan's voice shuts down any skepticism and continues to push his "I Am Rich," brand to more households/mobile devices throughout the world. Lil Mook, Offset, and Reese step up and show out as well. 

6. Download Lil Reese's new mixtape "Supa Savage 2"! This long-awaited project is 15 tracks deep and features production by hitmakers London On Da Track, Will A Fool, Chief Keef, DJ L, and many more. If you're familiar with the 2013 "Supa Savage” release, you'll love this and keep it on blast!

7. Laced with 14 tracks, "Trapology" is the follow up to King Gucci and features guest appearances from Fetty Wap, Jadakiss, Young Dolph, Lil Reese, Snoop Dogg, Young Scooter, Riff Raff, and many more. And your ears will be blessed by the production sounds of Mike Will Made It, TM88, 808 Mafia, Southside, KE On The Track, and more.

8. Alley Boys, "Definition Of Fuck Shit 3," is finally here. His Duct Tape ENT Label mate trouble joins in on the rhyme fest along with Master P, Al-Doe, Yung Gwapa and more.  Producers Zaytoven, Will A Fool, Chefry Kitchen, Ed Keels set the tempo for this amazing product. 

9. Problem has brought back his Mollywood series. This is just part 1 of Mollywood 3, which is a two-disc mixtape. Welcome to Mollywood 2, dropped in 2012 and it's definitely overdue. The Relapse (Side A) is packed with 18 tracks, production from Problem himself, Salva, League of Starz, Authentic, Qwest and a few others. Problem is well worth the listen and the download.

10.  S/O to DJ Kurupt and his Street Corner Gangstas Summer 2K15 mixtape series. The usual mixtape suspects may be featured on here but the DJ gives his own great mix. Future Feat. Drake, Meek Mills, Rico Richie Feat. Young Thug and Chedda Da Connect have all contributed to this pot of music gumbo.

Tuesday, July 21

Top 10 Track Reviews 7.21.15

@youngthug and @mikewill #iNeedChickens is an unfinished track released by someone allegedly connected to Mike Will's camp. I'll post this because, Will and Thugga have been cooking up something for a while and I like the sample. 
http://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.31303/title.young-thug-i-need-chickens-prod-mike-will-made-it

@mitchelle @tip @bigkrit - #SpiIllinDrank is Remix produced by Lil C for Mitchelle'l. She is joined by the souths biggest representatives T.I. and Big K.R.I.T. If you don't play this at the appropriate time, shame on you...Pour Up! ;)
http://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.31302/title.mitchellel-f-t-i-big-k-r-i-t-spillin-drank-remix

@djoshkosh @fatkidsbrotha @key - #Revolution Salute to my DJs and to the ones who are making their mark releasing singles...thank you for increasing your relevance and displaying your creative taste. DJ Osh Kosh collaboration,“Revolution,” features Key! and FatKidsBrotha from the Two-9 collective Mixtape.
http://hiphopdx.com/singles/id.31301/title.dj-osh-kosh-f-fatkidsbrotha-key-revolution

@joebudden - #broke is an emotional tracked produced by the famed Louis Bell. The female lead on this track is a great compliment to Budden's smooth flow. The Slaughterhouse member and reality television star has a fourth album scheduled for release on October 9, via eOne.
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07205-joe-budden-broke

@scoopdeville @demrick @paulwallbaby - #KushCloud is the lead single off the 10-track collaboration by Demrick and Scoop DeVille. Loud Pack: Extracts, is their second project and if you're familiar with duo, I'm sure you've been feenin for something from them. Kush Cloud, features a guest spot from Paul Wall. #BOLO for this project On August 14.
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07175-scoop-deville-demrick-kush-cloud-paul-wall

@ericksermon @methodman @redman - #Clutch is that gem that every hiphop head will blast...I know I am. Erick Sermon screams Death Squad in his bars of Clutch. Sermon, not only produced this banger, but he turns to Method Man and Redman for the lead single off his forthcoming album E.S.P., due out August 28.
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07205-erick-sermon-clutch-method-man-redman

@horseshoegang @royceda59 - #FOE was spilled to the DFW market when Royce graced the metroplex with his presence. F.O.E (Family Over Everything), is from Horseshoe Gang, a four man rap group from Long Beach, California. This heat comes with additional fire from Royce Da 5’9 and the production style of Jonathan Elkaer and Tabu.
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07205-horseshoe-gang-family-over-everything-royce-da-59

@timeizmoney - #OnlyYou is the debut single from the duo Time Iz Money. Produced by Omito, this track sounds as if it should've been included in the 2015 cult classic movie "Dope." This feels like ‘90s hip-hop, and is featured on the groups upcoming project, Suicide Kings, scheduled for release in August.
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07205-time-iz-money-only-you

@runthejewels @boots - #Meowrly is kind of a strange but damn good single. It's actually a remix featuring and produced by BOOTS, which is the first taste of the upcoming Meow The Jewels album. El-P and Killer Mike debuted Meowrly, is made up of nothing but cat sounds...Yep! 
http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07205-meow-the-jewels-meowrly-boots

@majorlazer @tydollasign - #LeanOn is a remix from Major Lazer Lean On (Remixes) EP project. The project itself features six remixed versions. This remix version has been unleashed, featuring Ty Dolla $ign, but did not make the cut. Some say it's the best version of the song.

http://www.djbooth.net/index/mobile/track/07175-major-lazer-lean-on-remix-ty-dolla-sign

Tuesday, July 14

Track Reviews 7.14.15

@meekmill @drake - #RICO
Meek Mill's Dreams Worth More Than Money dropped a little ahead of schedule and with it came "R.I.C.O." Drake. I was kind of shocked when, "All Eyes On You" feat. Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown wasn't labeled the official single. The Nicki-Meek vibe would be perfect seeing that they just performed together on the BET awards. This is Drake's second feature of the week, he recently appeared on The Game's "100." "R.I.C.O." This is a different type of tempo for Meek Mill, but he rides the beat hard as he normally does.
Who had the better verse, Meek or Drizzy?

@iamdiddy @pharrell - #FinnaGetLoose
As Bad Boy Records turns 20, their material is as fresh as it was when Craig Mac dropped Mad Flava In Your Ear. This will be a club Banger for a long time! Real good, feel good track…This one will defiantly be a “clear the dance,” floor type track. 

@therealbanner @bigkrit - #MyUZi
Dope Production is an understatement! If you put 2 of the souths most lyrical artists on a track like this…You get the sound that makes you want to roll one and ride out through the city…

@djself #MenaceCowwabang - #iGotTheJuice
DJ Self and Menace Cowwbang put together on of those, "Turnt Up" tracks with this one! If you have to get out that funk and get to the money, look no further. Self produced this himself.  DJs are pumping out their own hits and this is one more to add to the list.

@djchose ft. #MCBeezy - #EverywhereIGo
Think It's A Game & Brook Gang Music has some HEAT with DJ Chose “Everywhere I Go” featuring MC Beezy. Not since the days of DJs such as Dr. Dre and Quik has the production pool been filled with mixmasters and beat droppers. The Breezy bars will keep you well aware of his street cred. Definitely a BANGER!

@chevywoods @dejloaf - #AllSaidAndDone
From the moment that you hear Dej Loaf lace this hook, you know its going to be another banger. Chevy Woods “30 Deep” single was only the introduction to what is now one of the hottest on the rise. 

@migos - #PipeItUp 
Sitting on the DJ conference call we all are in agreement that the Migos keep coming with the hits. Produced by Metro Boomin, “Pipe It Up" will have you on 'silent mode' if you ever questioned the Migos. 

@ieshiameshyll @snoopdogg - #Jam
"Jam," is Summer Heat for the ladies and it's a club joint that'll have your VIP section on its feet. A very smart track for DJs to spin. Oh let's not forget, Snoop. He compliments Iesha’s cool flow. 

@iamjmusiq - #CaliforniaDreamin
Produced by DFree, "California Dreamin" ain't your typical down south stripper track, it will have the ladies doing 'right-cheek-left-cheek' all night. With his West coast vibe JMusiq is sure to be one to look out for. Put n'Rotation and just watch that ass go!

@iamcalvin - #BeforeThisMomentLeaves
This is pure talent from an unrated artist. You will be moved, and not just on the dance floor. It's not often R&B breaks through the barriers, especially the soulful ballads. "Before This Moment Leaves" is that song. Be on the look out for more from this R&B crooner. 



Wednesday, June 17

Operation Push That!

It was a great weekend for music lovers in Dallas. 97.9 The Beat brought its annual Dub Car Show to the Dallas Convention Center. There were 2 performance stages and of course the cars. This was the perfect opportunity to promote brands. From mainstream to the indie artist, the convention center was full of promotional products. BUT without question, music is mostly distributed through the World Wide Web and it’s pretty crowded out there. Big radio events are a great place for artist to touch the fans. In the digital era, artists need to have a strong World Wide Web presence. I have a list of proven sites that help you not only get that digital buzz growing, but connect you to fans globally. 



If you're not familiar with Instagram's @Music handle, you should follow it. IGs @music profile along with the Soundsapp which is powered by #Music, discovering new music will never be the same. Soundsapp lets music lovers and curators to share music from Soundcloud, Spotify, iTunes and even from your personal library on your phone. The app is also accessible through your mobile device keyboard making it easy to send music through text. 




But what about the DJs? The people who really connect the music to the fans. Well there's several distribution outlets that supplies music to the DJ, but there's one that prides itself on being the number 1 in global distribution and that's VirDiKO. The Virtual Distribution Kompany services DJs with music and increases the artist’s video visibility based on your distribution needs. VirDiKO's social media presence also gives artists music distribution a boost. Not only do they inform DJs through Twitter and Instagram accounts, they allow music listeners the chance to check out that new song before they hand over that 5 spot. 


And joining the party is iGotContent. iGotContent is a portal that works hand in hand with all the services and profiles previously listed. iGotContent is strictly a sharing service that post to the big 3 social media networks and Vine. They take submissions (iGotContent@gmail.com), but you'll have to stand out to get on their radar. 



The list of service providers and social media profiles are great platforms for artist projects and a great place for the fans to stay in the loop of their favorite artist. So take some time and hear something you've heard before and discover something you've never heard before.

#LeslieMac

Tuesday, May 12

The Plug!!

With the approach of one of our most anticipated issues, I find myself in edit mode. With that being said, I'm going to give a big shoutout to all the DJ features from the past issues of Mprinted Online and n'Rotation Magazine issues. To the artist who is trying to get to the DJ everyone is talking about, here's the inside scoop. Artists ask me all the time, "What's the deal with n'Rotation?" We're about networking. Not the type of networking where you just lay your CDs and post cards down and hope that a true music lover will pick it up or go and search the net for your social media pages. We like to keep the momentum that's started by DJ mixers and tastemakers like VirDiKO or as my friends over at Southern Fried Marketing like to say #ConnectTheDots. Feel free to visit all of our past magazines on Issuu. Our upcoming issue will be available on on all mobile devices and through 4 smartphone apps. Oh did I mention it's free. So let's just call this blog entry, "The Plug!"


Our first DJ issue "Go DJ," was released 5 years ago. DJs: Merk, Wylout, Spark, Kaiser Soze, Radio Raheem, EEAAZZEE, Big Juice, Raj Smoove, and Jeff da Illest discussed the politics of their music career and we talked about a little known YouTube sensation Black Jesus. Most of all the interviews put a new voice to the DJ. 



Between the Go DJ issue and the "Fem DJ Revolution," Mprinted Online continued with promoting independent entertainment and entertainers. Our all female issue featured the She DJs: Teaze, Night Nurse, Sheka Booker, Nikki Nicole, Passion, Dirty Rae, and C-Wade. Also featured was the versatile style of DJ TNA. This issue wasn't only about the lady's on the 1s & 2s but, we dedicated the issue to breast cancer survivors and domestic violence awareness month. These ladies are not only talented, they shared their stories of inequality, and the triumphs over the stereotypes. We set out to shoot down the myths of female DJ skills. 


The Hard on The Yard issue was technically our second DJ gridiron classic. The HBCUs and their respective DJs showed how they truly were the gateway to the fun part of going off to get an education. Most of our College DJs hooked up the turntables at least 4 nights a week. Some of our future leaders in the world have had the privilege of partying with DJs: Marvel, Nae D, Newport, Blazin, Star, Touch Basis, Weather Man, Loose Kid, and Swagga. The good thing about the "Hard On ThenYard" issue is, it goes down every year. 


At the end of the year we wanted to focus on the DJ families better known as Coalitions. We were fortunate to sit with some of the who's who in DJ Coalitions. We sat with DJs: Empress Journee, 3-2-1, WhutItDew, Shark, DRocc, the son of legendary DJ Jam Master J; TJ Mizell, Chill Will, 7Thirty, OO Kee, Mother Mayhem, Miami Myztro, RoRo, Wayne In Dis Thang, ReRe, Erika B, Nasty, Reckonize, Swiper, the creator of VirDiKO Global Music Promotions Big Daddie The DJ, Timeko T.,MMG’s A Bay Bay, and on the cover Black Bottle Boy & Maybach Music Group’s Kayotik. If you want to know where you music focus should be, this is a great issue to start with. 


As far as the "Mixtape Issue," it's packed with the Best of the Best Mixtapes DJs in the world and a DJ Live Set by Erykah Badu, but for the purposes of this issue, you will see DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown DJ to a packed house. ATTENTION ARTISTS… THE WORD OF THE DAY IS, PLUG! This is definitely the one to read. The "Mixtape Issue," is our way of changing our standard. This issue not only discusses the careers of these DJs, we address the movement of Hip-Hop music and the power that music possesses to calm the communities facing injustice. 


Thanks to all of the DJs and the artists who have given me the opportunity to get into their lives. Remember always #SaluteTheDJs!


#LeslieMac

Tuesday, May 5

I Need It In My Life…I Want It In My Life!

Hats off to "94.5 The Boom DFW" and the @INCrowdLife. The break we needed this weekend came with a strong dose of Hip-Hop. Two of our most notable features in the Mixtape issue of n'Rotation The DJ Magazine really gave impactful views and performances about the state of the culture. 

The hot weather on Saturday didn't slow down the attendance for “94.5 The Boom DFW’s” outside concert at Fair Park. This was a blend of classics from Soul R&B, Zydeco, and Hip-Hop genres. The station itself spins classic Hip-Hop, or should I say the DJs Menace, Mo Dave and Quick Mixx Rick, make the Best nonstop Mixtape for your day. Scarface, Bun B, Mystikal, and Juvenile took the crowd on a trip full of memories. The memory that stuck out most to me was the grind of the independent artists that were in attendance. There was no independent artist performance, but I saw record sales with no promotions. Those were the
days…when the markets were not so saturated with all the noise. The presentation and packaging was on point. Now I've seen great presentations before, but the actual material was lackluster. The support was the highlight of the day. The lazy artist relies only on Twitter and Instagram post filled with #Hashtags. The street grind is the most satisfying part of your career. Some of the artist I talk to want to credit others success to luck and not hard work. The one thing that I know about "LUCK," is Luck is a byproduct of hard work and determination, or if you're fortunate enough to find a four leaf clover (keep it close) :P  By the end of the day I saw the artist that was selling his CDs from the cardboard box, crush the now empty box and throw it away. Successful day!


Now that was my Saturday. Sunday…this was the day the staff at n'Rotation was looking forward to. The Mixtape issue is already packed with the world’s top 100 mixtape DJs: an entertainment giant that took his mixtape brand and turn it into a global success, one of Campus Kingz DJs versatile member, and a DJ who's brand carries the stamp of "Definition Of Party." Shoutout to Dre (IG: Drizzle_INC) and all the great people with @INCrowdLife and their #IncSunday’s event. The magazines #LiveSet feature was the headlining act for #SundayFunday. The eclectic style of DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown was highly anticipated. She literally rolled on to the stage with some type of 2 wheeled skate
apprentice attached to her feet. The Gas Monkey Live venue was completely packed and the roar of the crowd overpowered our cameras microphone. Ok I'll end the suspense...DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown is none other than Erykah Badu. She took to the 1s & 2s and started the live mixtape with the bass driven mix of Das Efx "We Want Effects." Now DJ LDLB(Lo Down Loretta Brown) occasionally stepped to the side and allowed Erykah Badu to take the mic and sing a few bars of her hit with Common, "Love of My Life” and the notorious “Window Seat.” You will see this full set in the upcoming issue of the magazine.

This was a weekend of Hip Hop that I needed in my life and wanted in my life!

#LeslieMac
  





Tuesday, April 7

AS REAL AS IT GETS!

Macattack, tupac, friendsThere's no way to sugar coat this, I have to dare you to promote your career. I view a lot of friends and fan pages and 1 thing that I'm finding is there's not a real strong connection between the two.

If 10% of your friends have not liked your fan page...that's a problem. Too often I see posts about, "what I'm eating," and "look at how we do it" all over a artist profile wall. When I search for an artist fan page, there's less than 10% of fan engagement. If you promised all of your friends a free download of your single or even your whole album, would 10% of your “friend base" get the download? Would 10% of them share the link?

I was recently out visiting some DJs and as we talked about the "Needle To The Record" documentary, they took immediate action and began to promote and share the link to support it. That's love #SaluteTheDJ! The likes on your pics from the night before should be accompanied with a SHARE! The "average" Facebook user has about 200- 338 friends,
though the median number is quite a bit lower: 200. But entertainers have lists topping 500. That’s a lot of virtual friends and Facebook lets you add friends until you hit the peak of 5000. That's about the size of a small U.S. City. According to Robin Dunbar, an Oxford University Anthropologist that studies social networks, says "any group larger than 150 starts to strain the mental capacity of the human brain." Some of us are overdoing it. 

With 5000 possible friends on Facebook, you should have at the least 500 fans. The same goes for retweets and IG likes. I'm just being honest. It doesn’t really matter how many friends you accept into your online communities, the number of people you will actually interact with will linger around the 200-338. Look at it like having 30 pairs of Jordan's in your closet. You probably have 15 pairs that you call your favorites. Those 15 pairs most likely see daylight twice a month. With that in mind, too many friends, is like having too many pairs of shoes, and that can clutter up your life, check out your news feed NOW...I'll be right here. Now imagine what irrelevant information comes to your friends newsfeed. SMH!

If you're busy putting in work hitting the “like”  button and adding comments, you miss the
opportunity interact with a valuable network, for instance your social media groups whether it be FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or INSTAGRAM. If that's not enough of an issue, Facebook has begun to put an end to the posting of shows, events and entertainment content unless you you go through your FAN PAGES or PAID PROMOTED ADS. So the promotion of your Fan Page should seem more appealing. And not to add, turn-up promoting your YouTube channel. Your YouTube page is a sure way to get paid. 




So here's an idea...post the link to your FAN PAGE and the next time you want to tell
Facebook what's on your mind. Do this for a week and do it often. Promote your Twitter handle, drive traffic to where you talk about your career. Instead of checking in on your personal page, tell friends to go to your fan page and see what you got into the night before. Yep… I'm still against buying followers, but if you have them, then be sure you promote, promote, promote. Seriously… push that brand of yours. DJs do it best, they promote their brand diligently! The DJ is the heart of it all. So go like a few DJ pages. Interact with them, but DON’T spam them!! You the artist can change the current status of your career. I dare you to promote your page! THIS IS AS REAL AS IT GETS!

Support and share our "Needle To The Record" campaign and remember to submit me your music via Fluence!


#LeslieMac

Tuesday, February 17

On Your Grind... Here's A Piece Of Advice!

There's many ways to get your music out there. Just putting your music up on Facebook, YouTube, or an internet radio will help you get a few new fans, but this is what I call a slow dance and can be repetitive and eventually fade to black. This is normally a one time interaction with these new fans. These platforms may keep your current fans up to date and give you direct interaction with them, but when it comes to actually growing your fan base these methods are lazy and are not really engaging you with your new audience. 


If you want to get more fans I suggest a couple of things. There's no 100% guarantee to growing a fan base online but I'm sure any advice should be welcomed. But before you even think about following this advice, get the material right before it hits anyone's iPod or inbox. No matter how many of these strategies you use, if the quality isn’t there, there's a good chance you’ll be dissed more than reposted or retweeted. 


1. The No Brainer
Sharing your music with anyone and everyone is not the end all solution. You want to get your music in front of the audience that is already listening to it. 

Some artist will fight this idea but...get to the hood, to the open mics, R-n-B showcases and any place that opens its door to independent artistry. There’s a little work to this step that hardly ever gets done. I know this because it involves communication and a strong relationship with a music blog and other media outlets. Pick up that 10 pound phone and CALL a DJ, a blogger, radio personality and anyone who is in direct contact with the public and has their own network of promotional outlets. Music bloggers and media influencers share their music experiences, you have a much better chance with this media than the crowd who is directly in front of you. 


2. Don't do that...Do something like this! 
The ears and eyes that you need to hear your material does not check the random hundreds of emails they receive every other hour. The influential industry people and music connoisseurs like DJs and bloggers are constantly being pitched "Hot New Music" all day long. If you want to be successful, you need to be more personal and not the "Check out my new Banger." Do your research, make it a personal message. Send your music to people who would actually be interested in hearing it. I can’t stress enough…do your research.


3. Friends Do Let Friends Perform 
This business is a really personal industry and I've seen first hand that opportunities will  
come from the connections you make. With that being said, 
you can't buy ‘friends’, you can't buy a genuine following. If I see a artist with tens of thousands of Twitter followers or YouTube views or even thousands of Facebook Fan Page Likes, I have to question why they're not hitting in every market around them and even beyond. Don't get caught looking like a fake. Establish a network that's effective, not defective. 



Short and sweet. Get your music tight, get "Real" connections. And most of all don't believe if you buy likes and followers that it will bring you the shows and exposure you're looking for.

#LeslieMac


Tuesday, February 3

WTF is Goin' On In Da Club?

Ok… I've said this before so this time I'm going to write it down. As I was visiting a club over the weekend, I watched artists commit some of the worst music sins known in the industry. These things will continue to drive the wedge in between Artist and DJ.

Don’t crowd the DJ, don’t interrupt (artists that means you too)and let them work! Should you be an aspiring artist, DO NOT approach the DJ during their set. They already have their playlist mapped for the evening. That is their “mes in plaus” or game plan for their show. If anything, the DJ will remember you as “the MF that has no respect” as they throw your CD in the trash. Want respect, then give respect… Be cognoscente and approach them AFTER their set. (Before hand they are in the zone)

Ask for feedback (be it good or bad) make sure it’s the genre of music that appeals to their sets. After all, the main objective is to get your music out to be heard…the more ears that listen the better. Just because one doesn’t care for it doesn’t mean it’s bad, they just can’t work with it. Respect and thank them for their feedback and keep grinding. You will get a lot more “no’s than yes’s,” but this doesn’t mean the DJ won’t cooperate. They have a right to choose what they play, just like you choose what to perform. Don’t get it twisted…DJs love to break records, it just has to fit their flow and ultimately their crowd.

Be different, be you…Don’t bite off someone else. There can only be one Drake, Jay-Z, or Biggie. Take it from Dr. Seuss - “why blend in when you were born to stand out!”
The conflict between artist and DJ can be resolved: build that rapport, respect each other and the art of music. So in the meantime and in between time, keep grinding and break some records.
You never know when our paths might cross, BOLO. 



#LeslieMac

Tuesday, January 27

I'm Not From Here, But I Like That Shit!

I read a blog a couple of days ago by @_brandoc. In his blog he compared the success of Houston hip hop to the DFW music scene. "Dallas Trolls..." is how the beginning of the title starts and from there his title suggest lets beef ,"...Say Their Hip-Hop Is better Than Houston's". I'm not debating who's the best and who has came from indie to mainstream, but I am saying it's good music throughout both cities. I travel to cities across the country and I hear hot music in some of the smallest music markets. Seriously why is this an article taken up the blogosphere? 

I'm sure somewhere in Alabama a hit is being downloaded shared or streamed to Mississippians, Georgians, and Tennesseans. But that's work ethic and that's the talent that should be focused on. Who puts it out to the street and clubs the hardest. I haven't heard a dis record between cities in umm almost 2 decades. So I'm like WTF is this about? Competition is in everything no doubt but ‘Damn Gina!’ I can list off plenty of songs artist and DJs that can rock crowds no matter where they play. 

Recently, I was in Lake Tahoe and heard Hip-Hop from 3 metropolitan cities embraced by fans from Vegas, the Bay, and L.A. Hmmm the west coast isn't set tripping, but supporting. Heard some music that I felt and some I didn't, but the DJ never lost his crowd when he transitioned from mainstream to indie. I'm not from there but, loved the music I was listening to. 

Here's a thought...what if cities embraced and/or respected each other's music talents. Ok not all of it, but there's power in numbers! Egos should be left at home or put down on paper and that's about it. Being in the trenches of Hip-Hop music only exposes you to the sounds of @SlimPolk @eclipsemuzik and the production in the DFW rivals those from throughout the country. I'm not defending any city or market; I'm trying to wrap my head around the purpose of creating an unnecessary music beef that doesn't sell music, hell… it should up lift what talent the city puts out. I digress because I praise the culture and try to bridge the gaps between mainstream and indie material. 

I still think it's a way to regain control over the music machine, but who's better, doesn't belong on the talent end but on the end of the artists team. Man, this rant took away from what we do best at #MacAttack…Promote New Music! 


#LeslieMac

Tuesday, January 20

Revolutionary...Scary!

Three weeks in, and this year is full of indie and mainstream releases. My inbox has reached a new level of being full. Please keep sending your material to alesliemacevent@gmail.com, and know that we are always listening. In the next week you will see a new #MacAttack with an in depth look into the DJs, producers, and artists who make our lists every week. Thanks to the collaborative efforts with @n_rotation The DJ Magazine, we are happy to bring you more than just music, we talk to every feature!

Now this portion of the blog may shake up a few of you. But truth be told the fun days of Hip-Hop are long gone or at the least the fun music is swept into the virtual trash can. 

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five "The Message" was groundbreaking and insightful to the struggle of inner city living, but now it's not how to "overcome", it's about how to "get over" and that's by any means necessary. Let me pause and state that this is about the revolution of music and nothing else! Todays “Message” isn’t far off course of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, but its aimed at the destructive nature of society. NWA talked about the streets of Compton and the music no doubt mirrored neighborhoods across the country. Promoting violence was never the intention of the group who began the “Straight Outta Compton” track with, “You’re now about to witness the Strength of Street Knowledge”. Somewhere in the days of Slick Rick & Eric B and Rakim the industry decided to focus on the downward spiral of the community and not the fun party tracks of Heavy D or Kwame’. Now, I'm a huge fan of Jeezy, T.I., The Game and Kendrick Lamar, and truly believe there's a place for them on our mobile devices and bumping them through our Beats headphones. People we can’t keep letting mindless entertainment control the outlook of the culture. Being in love with the “Coco”…Not one of Hip-Hops greatest contributions, but it finds its way into the clubs and radio... SMH! 

Meanwhile the core Hip-Hop artistry has been getting replaced by pop culture music that infuses rap talent with the catchy club tunes that don’t relate to Hip-Hop or its roots. Last year Billboard made a historical milestone. After 55 years of keeping track of what we listen to, it showed us that Hip-Hop and its culture has met its fate on the chart. There were NO black artists on top of the Hot 100 chart. And yes, the jury is still out on Macklemore claiming the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Not to mention that 1 album sold platinum last year…Taylor Swift. Revolution of Hip-Hop music is scary. This only proves that the market, the “public market” that is, is asking for the happy rap; which is not from its native origins. They want rap but not from the street poets or the righteous thinkers. 



For these facts and these facts alone, independent artists should be embraced and supported, provided the content is worth it. 

#LeslieMac

Tuesday, January 13

Take This Shit Personal!

I am going to start off with a disclaimer...What works for them, might not work for you. I endorse many different music services, and there is no 100% guarantee from any of these companies that your project will go platinum 😃. However, when it comes to results, I believe in these brands that I'm going to talk about. With that being said, you should really take what I'm about to say to you personal! 

First, stop spending your money in the wrong places. You will hear me say that on many occasions. Whether you are an artist or DJ, you should have had a New Year's resolution to do your music career right in 2015. I strongly suggest you start with a budget, ain’t nothing wrong with having the cost in front of you. The timeline for each project should start with a budget. Once it's in place, then comes execution. Every project is different so I can't outline any steps or plans. When you get your budget laid out these are some of my recommendations (some paid and some not). 

n’Rotation/CrateKeepers
n'Rotation is one of digital publications out that serves as a bridge between Artist and DJ and the Public and DJ. There's no fee for DJs that are featured in the magazine. If you're an Artist I highly recommend that you set n'Rotation on your top ‘TO-DO list’. It's readership has 1000s of unique first time readers every month and has been called the "Who's Who On the 1s & 2s". The CrateKeepers section of the magazine spreads the DJ/artists project across many social media platforms and their affiliates in their DDN (Digital Distribution Network). http://bit.ly/nRotationDJ Follow @n_rotation
CD Baby 
I like CD Baby, because they want you to get paid. I send all of my clients and projects thru them. When your fans buy music at CD Baby, it's like they're buying it directly from you. The staff is mostly made up of musicians, writers, filmmakers, painters, and dancers. So you know that they know what it's like to be hungry and be in entertainment. CD Baby is a global leader in independent music distribution and has paid out over $250 million to the artists that they distribute. So if you didn't know  iTunes...try CD Baby. Follow @cdbaby
Certified Mixtapez
Simply put, Certified Mixtapez is the best kept secret when it comes to streaming mixtapes. Yes I said streaming! Oh and it's free to upload! So tell your fans they can Stream and Download Mixtapes, create unlimited playlist streams of your favorite albums, and create ringtones from tracks. The app is available for Windows, iOS and Android. No excuse for anyone to say, "I haven't heard your new stuff". Follow @CertifiedMTapez 
VirDiKO
VirDiKO, Stands for and is a Virtual Distribution “KO”mpany. This is one of the best music promotion and distribution company’s on the web. Your project gets to Professional DJ's & Entertainment Industry Professionals around the world. Be in store for the professional treatment of your project. All I can is that I vouch for the very words from its website..."VirDIKO is committed to providing the highest quality service in the safest & most dependable manner available! DJs · HIPHOP · PRODUCER · ROCK · R & B · JAZZ · MODELS · REGGAE · DANCE · & More. At VirDIKO #WeWORK!!" Follow @Virdiko
Mp3Waxx.com
Our MP3Waxx contacts consist of all major music industry contacts including 65,000 DJs worldwide–radio DJs, music directors, program directors, club, satellite, mixtape, internet DJs. That's what you call getting to the business. I've watched them grow and have had great responses from the projects that I've done PR for. They deal with a nothing but the best in the industry.  Follow @MP3Waxx

With digital distribution and streaming becoming the normalcy of our industry, you need to take this shit personal!, embrace the idea of a budget and I strongly suggest you dig into each site that you register with. Find a niche in the group of sites you choose from or that 1 site that connects to a group of services that you need. Don't spread yourself thin throughout the World Wide Web. Spreading yourself thin, makes your project diluted and pretty damn weak! Take this shit personal!


#LeslieMac