MUSIC FOR FREE?

For anyone interested in music, but especially artists, the topic of free music is almost always going to come up throughout your career. Since the days of Napster artists have been trying to defend the rights of their music, and companies have spent time trying to find ways to get music for free. The internet can be seen as a very important thing both positively and negatively for the music industry. It has basically eliminated actual CD's and the stores that provide them. Not only that, it has given people the impression that they should get music for free, and music sales have dropped dramatically.

This is all stuff I'm sure you have heard before, but I want people to really think about it. Musicians are now making the majority of their money off of ring tones and tours, and barely anything off the actual music they create. If you just think about that, it's pretty strange. Musicians are now more than ever just "entertainers" as opposed to artists. It's weird when you make your name by creating music and writing lyrics but you get paid for performing not for the rights to the thing you created. I can't really think of another industry like that, but I know there are not many business's or products that work that way.

The reason I decided to post about this is because as of a few days ago thanks to Google, China will now be receiving free music. That's right, they never have to pay for music again. That is crazy because as a musician, that means the window for making money off music is closing dramatically. I believe that hurts the hip hop industry more than anything. Hip Hop music is by far the most available genre of music online for free, and it is also the least popular form of music live. Bars usually don't book indie rap artists as often as they do rock acts. This means that as music becomes completely free, if you are not performing, indie artists will be unable to make anything off their talent. That's some scary shit to think about.

What you guys think about this issue?


peep some articles on it: Fox News

Seattle Times

BudgetBallerz.com

The first time I really started rapping was around the end of eighth grade when I was on a school trip down to Washington D.C., and in the back of the bus me and my friend Chris "Digits" Lamar freestyled the whole trip. He was the first person that I really did music with. We started making songs and formed a little group called the Klip Artists. As you probably know, we eventually went our separate ways when I continued to pursue music and he went on to other things. Regardless he was always one of the most motivated people I've ever met. and determined to succeed. The reason I mention this story is because Digits has continued to be an Enterprenuer and recently him and another friend from high school of mine (Nakware Howard) came up with one of their best ideas to date: BudgetBallerz.com

The concept of Budget Ballerz is simple; basically a site dedicated to the normal person who cannot afford to rock the fairly expensive Ed Hardy and Gucci products. The site focuses on a budget of 50 dollars or less, and carries almost any product you can think of within that price range, along with the links to the sites to find what you are looking for. So for those tryna ball on a budget, this is a site worth checking out. The great thing about this site is that it is still in the early stages and is making imporvements daily. There are new updates every day and the site has been gaining in success rapidly. If that doesn't get you there, I will be recording a song for Budget Ballerz some time late spring for the site, so atleast visit the site, get a feel for it so when I post the song you know what I'm talking about!

visit: BudgetBallerz.com

Listen to 'Em: Iconn

Iconn is a rapper outta Jacksonville, Florida who got one hell of a grind. This dude is great at networking and has made his presence on the internet known. A while back I recorded "There Go Them Dudes" with him, a track which came out pretty dope. Anyone who is a fan of DZK should check Iconn out because he has a similar "take the beat hostage" type of attitude on the mic, and doesn't take any prisoners when he's finished. Recently he has been hittin' the bar scene in the Jacksonville area ripping up shows and spreading his music throughout Florida. Check dude out he got swag.


Must Listen to: Patron, There Go Them Dudes, Monster

Iconn's Myspace