All the brilliant minds of IllMuzik...

[drex]

We need a new model for monetizing the artform.
We need to embrace new digital technologies.
We need to discourage theft by making costs more reasonable and products more valuable.
We need to make it attractive enough that the riaa and whoever else gets behind it nd makes it happen.
Can we do it?
Can it be done?
Is somebody already doing this?

Opinions?

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Be more specific, which artform are you talking about, the end result, or production?

 

[drex]

Aint it all the same?
Producers make sample material makes new albums get sampled.
It all gets sold and stolen, right?

 

[lion-ucs]

you can leave the RIAA out of it. They're failing and they know it, which is why they're trying to destroy the internet as it is today.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

Aint it all the same?
Producers make sample material makes new albums get sampled.
It all gets sold and stolen, right?

No, not really, you have to choose one fight to address at a time. Is your beef with theft? Theft of beats in the production industry? Sample/copyright fights? Artist monetization? Album downloads?

 

[dacalion]

I have my doubts just because of the way things are. We've 'evolved' into the state that we're currently in AND our economy actually supports it. I feel like it will ultimately depend on the demand for the artform by the next generation or two.

Music, in general, played a major part in our lives when the economy was much better and I doubt that anything will change until the we get back into that comfort zone, I fear that even if that ever happens, we'll still be faced with the task of proving that we still desire it.

I don't see anything happening that would remotely suggest we're on the right path. It's almost like we're stuck in the same place that we were 10 yrs ago and nobody cares. We've lost some very vital tools and they haven't been replaced imo.

Personally I would luv to see things turn around but I don't see any solid efforts.

 

[UNORTHODOX]

What tools are you referring to?

What would constitute a great effort?

 

[drex]

So a lot has happened since my last post...
This is in response to leave the riaa out of it.


today they still have power.
Th old model is sluggish and redundant...
But made up of some big ass companies
I'd guess that most reluctance to change would come from giant businesses scared to lose money that they're losing anyway...
Hey, I'm not an economist or nuthin, but I know we should change this old system...

 

[dacalion]

This is kinda off subject but then again it's addressing an issue at home (illmuzik). For years, I've wondered why we all work as separate entities. What if we worked together? What if we combined and formed a few teams as side projects? The way I see it...we all have skills but we also have certain areas that our skill level is better than others. I really believe that we could make some serious noise if we united our forces.

In the real world, there are combined efforts that are successful, they don't have 1 person doing it all, wouldn't it be smart for us to do the same thing? We've even got a in-house record label to represent. We could develop our own brand with everything coming from one spot. We've got a few dope MC's that seem to be willing to work with others. We've got some dope producers that are looking for exposure. We've got cats that know the insides and outs about building a brand and what it takes to get out there and do big things. We've got cats that have connections. We've got cats that are great at Mixing and Mastering...I mean think about it, what are the odds of doing it as an individual versus doing as a combined effort?

Just a thought...I'd say we put atleast 3 teams together and really put an effort into this. Each team should focus on their project but offer advice and help to the other teams. Then drop our projects on illrecords and get them out there to see how they do. Someone should monitor and track which does the best and build off of it's ingredients.

We have all the tools right in front of us. We've seen how far individual efforts go, let's see what a few combined efforts can do.

JMO.

 

[Fade]

+1 for Dac.

This is exactly what we need. Let's back track a bit first:

SITE

Before we get into the music aspect of teaming up, what about IllMuzik the site? It's basically a one-man show but if instead I had a team of people helping daily then imagine how much damage we could do! One person to proofread articles, a few for writing, someone for marketing, and others for things like advertising, promotion, handling the label artists, etc. The possibilities would be endless.

That's why it irritates me when people throw out ideas or tell me I should do this and that with the site, yet these same people don't contribute. There's some of you guys that have skills that could definitely be useful to me but I understand not all of you would necessarily be interested in helping out because you have other stuff going on, that's fine. But the bottom line is that there's skills from at least a handful of you that can be very useful in making IllMuzik explode. This would be great because even though I'm keeping the site alive, it's very tough to keep improving it by myself.

MUSIC

For the music aspect, it's like Dacalion said. We all make beats, some of us are better at sampling, some better at composing, others are great at mixing, promotion, or just plain ol' ideas. Why don't we all form together? Having teams of 3 is okay but why not we ALL team up? We would be IllMuzik the Destroyer of Everyone! No one could touch us because we have an abundance of talent here, we just need to team up and work together.

In case you guys haven't figured it out yet, that's been my sole purpose of IllMuzik - to help other beatmakers/producers have a home and get better at their craft. I know today everyone is out for themselves, it's always "hey check my beats" but they don't leave feedback themselves. Sites like Facebook don't help because it just encourages everyone to talk about themselves and not give a shit about anyone else.

Here in Montreal, the hip hop scene has never been great and the reason is because nobody really helps one another. They're all out for self. Years ago in the 90's, Toronto was the big hip hop city in Canada because all those guys knew each other and would help and feed off one another. Montreal did none of that. I don't want us to be like that.

Really think about it - we have TONS of talent here yet we're all doing our own thing. That's cool, but why not hook up together and form like Voltron? It makes total sense to me! I don't see why we shouldn't.

At this point I think the only way IllMuzik or any of us will really succeed is to come together. "Strength in numbers" - don't forget that.

 

[JustRipe]

This is kinda off subject but then again it's addressing an issue at home (illmuzik). For years, I've wondered why we all work as separate entities. What if we worked together? What if we combined and formed a few teams as side projects? The way I see it...we all have skills but we also have certain areas that our skill level is better than others. I really believe that we could make some serious noise if we united our forces.

In the real world, there are combined efforts that are successful, they don't have 1 person doing it all, wouldn't it be smart for us to do the same thing? We've even got a in-house record label to represent. We could develop our own brand with everything coming from one spot. We've got a few dope MC's that seem to be willing to work with others. We've got some dope producers that are looking for exposure. We've got cats that know the insides and outs about building a brand and what it takes to get out there and do big things. We've got cats that have connections. We've got cats that are great at Mixing and Mastering...I mean think about it, what are the odds of doing it as an individual versus doing as a combined effort?

Just a thought...I'd say we put atleast 3 teams together and really put an effort into this. Each team should focus on their project but offer advice and help to the other teams. Then drop our projects on illrecords and get them out there to see how they do. Someone should monitor and track which does the best and build off of it's ingredients.

We have all the tools right in front of us. We've seen how far individual efforts go, let's see what a few combined efforts can do.

JMO.

that would be so dope, would probably give alot of people a motive to push themselves too, could have little friendly competitions between the teams even, but people would have to be willing to put as much effort ito it as they would for theyre own personal projects... but i like what fade said too, just having everyone as one, the first mega group or something, like an army, noone would be unsatisfied because they can donate some of theyre skill to someone who needs it, and that person in turn can help with a skill that they have, ensuring everything made is as dope as everyone on here could make it.

 

[Medl4]

Yeah, what Fade said.

 

[2GooD Productions]

I have been saying what fade and dac have said from when I first became a member here. But after a while I realised that it just wasnt going to happen.
I dont know if its the nature of hip hop heads in general, or society or whatever the reason is. It just seems everyone is out for self.
There is so much talent on this site alone, be it music production, mixing and mastering, graphic design to distribution. Most of the bases are covered.
I understand people have shit going on in their lives besides the music and shit, I know that more than most the way shit has gone for me the past year, but while we keep struggling alone we probably could have made waves years ago, if only for a bit of sacrifice for the common good.
I think maybe people dont want to put the work in without some sort of payment for their time and effort, nobody wants to do anything for nothing. And maybe a bit of organisation and a record of who has done what and in what size each persons cut is, could go some way to provide a bit of security to those that do put in the time. But as soon as that happens I can guarantee that the politics involved with the money side of things will cause instant trouble, with egos being hurt and pride dented. I know this will happen it always does once money becomes involved.
I tried to put a balanced argument, arguing a bit for both sides.
But thats just the way I see it.

 

[drex]

To the death...
I'm in anywhere I can be of service
Beats, promotion, rhymes, blogs...
http://soundcloud.com/molotov-the-industry

Btw, anybody have any videos that need airplay?

 

[Fade]

2good is right. Of course money will fuck things up but besides that, in the meantime, why don't we gather up as many members as we can to help out? Everyone today is all about self, trust me, I know that shit.

 

[nobodyelse]

(Insert sarcastic statement here)

I'm in, where do we start?

 

[drex]

Assessment
Inventory
Goal development
Assignments
?

Where are our management heads?

 

[Fade]

Ok well whoever is down, reply and me or Dacalion will send you a PM soon, we gotta brainstorm! But in the meantime, you guys think of stuff. Odbarq, that's a good start.

 

[dacalion]

I'm in, where do we start?

noted...you'll hear from either Fade or myself.

 

[thedreampolice]

You guys know I am down, just don't overwhelm me I have a bunch on my plate! But HMU if you need anything!