How to create a buzz..the producer's perspective

[trez260]

what's good yall
this question i'm bout to ask i'm sure has already been discussed. i havent really had the time to search thru the forums to get the answer. i did read Gods article on starting your independent label(good article too dawg.) my question is more so from the producer standpoint in shopping beats.

i'm from a small town, where there's not a lot things jumpin as far as hip hop, shows, etc. however we have a neighboring college town where hip hop is thriving. i intend on making a couple of trips down there this summer to hit up there shows. i'm wondering how should create a lil buzz out there...should hand out some beat demos? and if so, should they be whole songs are just snippets? or should i charge for'em. the closest major cities to me our kansas city and St. louis. but of the three cities i'm referring too, the one i plan on visiting is the closest. so i intended on starting there creating the buzz there, before heading over the KC and STL. i'm just trying to get some ideas on how to make that approach from a producer standpoint. all suggestions and advice are appreciated. peace.

 

[1d3nt1tY]

I would say try to get someone to flow on your beats, then get discs made up professionally, then get some postcards, a few thousand is good if you have the money for it and hand them out! get your girl handin em out and every person that you can muster.

Make sure that you label your stuff as sellable for the beats you want to sell off, and don't give em too much of it, or you might just get you stuff bitten by the vipers that be.

do a huge mixtape and let everything you do be heard, up to 22 tracks, but mostly the best of your best. Also, you should put up a website asap so that people who want to jock you as fans can read your bio etc...

just some ideas.

 

[young_keyz]

if your town is dead and its hard to find some artist just put up some flyers stating you looking for artist or a flyer thats telling artist looking beats for cheap. If you find people thats ok charge them a ok price and if you find somebody thats the bomb, break bread with him and try out to work a deal with him.

 

[x-squizet]

have u thought of doing an radio commercial.

 

[Maknbeats]

If you got some hott beats, of course people are going to like them, but if you got someone who can spit that is sick, the hype of your stuff would be even greater then just the hott beat.

 

[trez260]

have u thought of doing an radio commercial.

havent really thought of doing a radio commercial. mainly because there's not alot of talent here in my town, lyrically. Alot of cats out here our on that "gangsta" vibe and that aint me, so i dont really see a radio commercial being a worthy investment.

if your town is dead and its hard to find some artist just put up some flyers stating you looking for artist or a flyer thats telling artist looking beats for cheap. If you find people thats ok charge them a ok price and if you find somebody thats the bomb, break bread with him and try out to work a deal with him.

i feel that. that's an idea. i intend on charging based on there skill. i'm establishing 3 catagories to place my beats in. C list = Demos, for the beginner, i'd give away or charge next to nothing. my B list = Demos, albums, etc. for those who are season and it shows lyrically, this being the biggest catagory, i'd charge a wide wrange, just depending on the track. then the A list = major or seasoned vets, needless to say these would be the most ones i'd charge the most for.

 

[g@Vin c@$h]

I need to get a good mic.... I can kill it on a freestyle, and so can my friend man. We've been doin that shit since we were like fifteen. And wer're both 20 now. Once i get a mike ya'll are gonna hear some mad crazy ass flows man. And then to market that shit. I'm just gonna start doin shows, anywhere. For free at first, and then try to sell some cd's afterwords. Build up a little street hype and then hit up all of the radio stations in town man. Get them to play your shit. Get your friends and all the people that you've met along the way to call in and request it. See if you can get tha attention of some big wig or something. Or just try to do it all on your own.

 

[ChaseCashe]

Be cocky..go around saying you're better than everyone

 

[MarkN]

^ it worked for kanye LOL !

nah seriously i think as has been said above is probably best, plus maybe send some demos out to A&R even if nothing comes from just make so that people recognise the name, so if they do hear of you again they might think shit i know that name an go dig out the demo ! Once u've got the music down its just promotion promotion promotion ! Go to every show you can get chatting to MCs get chatting to other local producers and anyone well connected !

 

[djhappee]

no one's gonna like your music no matter how good it is...(in hip hop that is), unless it's talked about in circles. it takes hype (very much like fashion). so just make what YOU like, and shop your fans first, the rest will follow.

 

[brooklynstyle]

word djhappie, word. everybody up in this bitch is cocky. They always say some shit about your beats. But anyway, u gotta keep pushing.

 

[fastlance]

Be cocky..go around saying you're better than everyone

come on now jay

 

[Teknition]

if u need any help getting exposure..holla at me, I got a couple of connects

 

[AMG]

Where I'm at we have local radio stations that support local artist, so maybe you try college radio!

 

[berserk]

i'm going the mixtape route... i think that's how it should be done... you need patience tho... put out your own mixtapes... find a reliable good cover maker (me)... sell em in the streets... send off mixtapes as demos... put on remixes... your rappers... anything... that's one way to go...

 

[Shonsteez]

Word. Patience is key.

 

[StraDivaRius]

Yeah man patience is everything...... on you got to get out there...people are not going to hear about you if you post on the net and let your friends hear your beats(no diss).....Best thing you do is go to shows, open mics, studios, radio stations...everything where they could be someone that could help you.......#1 rule always keep a couple demos on you at all time...man you never know who you going to see....so many times have i got good hook ups from just having them on me.....You got to let people know you produce....word to mouth is really effective it works for you when you are not out there...how many people do you know talk shit about who they know and so on....you need to be in that spot where people talk about you and tell story....

It`s a long process but that way you are able to do the beginners mistakes when its not really important or when there isnt a lot of dough on the line.....

My two cents
Peace
Strada

 

[lowkee642]

Here is what im doing (it may give you some ideas). i put together a cd of 30 of beats. there are some remixes and vocal tags on all of the instrumentals so people cant lift them off the cd. I made good looking cd lables (very imporatnt) that had all my contact info on them. burn a batch of cd's up and pass them out. make sure they get in the right hands(hip-hop heads, rappers, etc)