Get People To Buy Your Music 101: Album Packaging
Posted by WEKetchum | Filed under uncategorized
Many up-and-coming artists these days have trouble finding ways to make people buy their product. Listeners nowadays can find your music for free if they search hard enough, so artists figure they should just give away their product and appreciate any audience they get. And to a certain extent, it’s true. But artists, I have good news: people may actually buy your music if you bring something extra! But you have to be creative. Having quality lyrics and an ear for melody isn’t enough anymore.
As an example, check the video above to see the packaging of Freeway and Jake One’s upcoming album, The Stimulus Package. The folks at Rhymesayers Entertainment commissioned Brent Rollins - the creative mind between the Boyz In The Hood logo, the cover for Ego Trip’s Book of Racism, and more - and he didn’t disappoint. The CD casing simulates a wallet, “bills” with the artists’ likenesses instead of dead presidents’, and even a “credit card” with a code to download the album’s instrumentals online.
Once this video leaked, fans on various web sites and message boards clamored about its release and pre-ordered their own copies. The album wasn’t only a piece of music anymore: it’s a piece of art, and it’s an event.
Some readers may say, “I don’t have the budget for extensive packaging like that.” But remember, the issue is creativity. Above, you’ll see pictures of Detroit rapper Dante LaSalle’s “Preview” for his album Fixtape III: Back In Blue. The project hasn’t hit stores yet, but he had a release party some time back as a teaser. For $10, listeners purchase the above: 100 numbered download flyer/art hybrids with a hand painted cross on the front, and a cloth sewn to cardboard that had his logo hand-stenciled. Under the cloth is the download code & URL. The piece is genius, for multiple reasons.
- Its cross logo was incorporated in previous work from Dante, so it had his branding for listeners who were already supportive or aware of him in the past. It helps create an image that listeners are going to see over and over again, the way that artists such as 50 Cent use their logos on various projects of theirs.
- It was done in a limited run, with each piece numbered to show it’s rarity. This helps buyers feel they were part of something, and they have a piece that only 99 other people have - whereas the number of listeners who download music illegally is untrackable.
- Pointing out that it’s hand-painted shows that there was personal effort put into the project. Listeners who see hard work as tangible are more likely to support. And saying “I worked long and hard on this album” doesn’t cut it.
- Lastly, it’s just looks cool, which is sure to convince impulse buyers.
I know many people who have supported Dante by purchasing his music, attending his shows, or spreading the word about his projects solely based on his hustle and his creativity. If you pay attention and assert the same thoughtfulness to your material, the same may be able to happen to you.
Boys Don’t Always Tell You Everything before They Move In
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under uncategorized
Another post from our friends over at MyRentalPad.com
You two have decided to get a place together. That’s great news. You two will get to know each other in ways you can’t yet imagine. However, there are a few things that we (boyfriends) should share with you before we share a place.
- Shower clutter – We hate it. Why do you have all of that crap, anyway? It can’t be cheap and it fills up the entire shower. I have a bar of soap. If I have trouble finding it amongst the vials, beakers and bottles of face washes, pumices and exfoliates, there is something wrong.
Gossiping with the Girls – It’s a girl thing. I get that part. Hell, guys do all kinds of random stuff that makes little to no sense at all to women. I keep my mouth shut when it happens because if I’ve learned anything from being outnumbered by women it’s that unless I’m are agreeing to fix something, it’s best to just keep my big mouth shut. If your girlfriends are coming over and you think there is a good chance that there will be gossip, just give us a heads up. Chances are that we have been waiting for a good time to pick up the PS3 controller again.- Prickly Legs – Ok, I kinda get this, too. We don’t always shave our faces everyday and it scratches your face. However, winter is not a free pass to not shave for 5 months. Trust me, waking up from a 3 am dream about winning a Boston cream pie eating contest to what feels like getting big hug from a bear wearing a barbed-wire trench coat is not a nice feeling.
Does anyone even use MySpace anymore?
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under uncategorized
I saw the below listed post over on another site we mange, MyApartmentPad.com, titled Facebook Vs. MySpace- My Timewasters and am curious as to your thoughts. Are these time wasters, and also, does anyone even use MySpace anymore?
I tend to have a bit of free time in my apartment after my 50 hour work week, blogging, reading, and boyfriending. This time I’m mentioning is mostly wasted on social networking sites. It’s been this way for me since high school. Though, back then it was mostly chatting on AIM and updating my dramatic and incredibly cliché Livejournal. Now, of course, we have much more sophisticated time abusing sites to tend to and mold.
Currently, Facebook is probably the worst addiction for me. I have friends status updates sent to my cell phone and I check it before I leave for work in the morning and right when I get home from work at night. Luckily, I check Facebook more than I eat because if it were the other way around, I would be 400 pounds and boyfriending would probably be out of the picture.
I digress, I have noticed throughout my years of social networking that the sites that are most favored tend to fade in and out. For a long while, I thought that updating my MySpace with a new layout at least once a day was how to keep it real on the interweb. Now it seems that Facebook has completely demolished MySpace’s reputation. You would think that with MySpace picking up a chat interface and cool (aka obnoxious) applications, plus allowing you to customize every single little thing on your profile, would make it no match for Facebook.
Yet, that is just the problem, there is just too much detail needed to make your MySpace unique and express the ‘real’ you. Facebook maintains itself to be extremely user friendly. My best example of it being user friendly: My grandma has one. Yes, grams is now kicking it on the interweb. My whole reason behind this was simply to point out my online time fillers and the fact that I feel like MySpace is getting close to kicking the bucket. Also, I recently created a Twitter account….I have no idea how to use it. Nevertheless, feel free to tweet me (if that’s how you word it, lol)!
My Twitter: http://twitter.com/BobbySchroeder
Update: Follow me! Not tweet me. (Although, I like my version better.)
New Tune Wednesday 2-03-10
Posted by WEKetchum | Filed under music
For this week’s New Tune Wednesday (since I’m running late on #MusicMondays this week, ha), I’m taking a brief break from the Michigan Hip Hop preview and getting back to the diverse range of music you’ve enjoyed so far. This week has one of Detroit’s own emcees, but it also has new offerings from Erykah Badu and a Grammy-nominated producer from Netherlands.
Erykah Badu feat. Lil Wayne & Bilal, “Jump Up In the Air”
Erykah Badu has maintained one of the most consistent careers amongst her R&B/soul peers since the late 90s, and if “Jump Up In The Air” is any indication, that’s not changing anytime soon. In what’s reportedly the first of ten different versions of the song, Badu and rarely-seen vocalist Bilal sing over tribal percussion and synths Lil Wayne sounds out of place, but only because his vocals don’t sound as cloaked as the others. Either way, the song plays great in any sound system, and it shows Badu’s penchant for picking great beats—if her new record keeps this up and pairs it with her dense lyrics, listeners are in for a treat.
Download HERE
Big Sean “Supa Dupa Lemonade”
Big Sean’s UKnowBigSean mixtape substantially helped his buzz last year. So before his Def Jam/G.O.O.D. Music debut album Finally Famous hits stores later this year, the Detroit emcee is showing his chops on the circuit he knows best. The first leak for Sean’s next tape sees him rhyming over the Gucci Mane hit “Lemonade” and making it his own. His playful punchline-tossing (“I’m unusual as shit, I’m ‘Superbad’ yo’ girl’s probably doodling my dick;” “bad bitch, chest out, no matter Mrs. Right is always getting left out”) throughout has earned the freestyle video over 84,000 views on YouTube. To see what the hype is about, watch the video HERE or CLICK HERE to download the audio.
Nicolay, The NicolayAway EP
Dutch producer Nicolay’s music garnered more attention than ever before in 2009, when “Daykeeper”—the single from The Foreign Exchange, the duo of him and North Carolina singer/rapper Phonte—garnered a Grammy nomination. Nicolay didn’t take home the trophy, he’s made dope music before and he’ll continue to afterward. The NicolayAway EP, a tribute done by Quality Time Online, should get listeners acquainted. It features a set of remixes, live performances and original songs that showcases his soulful, serene sound. If you like these vibes, pick up The Foreign Exchange’s album Leave It All Behind, and Nicolay’s solo projects like Here and City Lights 1.5.
Download HERE
Superbowl Snacks that won’t Fumble your Health
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, uncategorized
Oh yes, it’s that time of year again- GAME TIME! I love superbowl weekend, especially since this year I live in Miami and it just so happens to be here:) But nonetheless I would still much rather watch the game in the comfort of a couch, good friends, cold drinks, and yes, the SNACKS!!!! So to give a few helpful ideas for you, I will be doing a series of superbowl snack recipes this week so that you don’t pack on the pounds.
The first recipe is my favorite-
SPINICH- ARTICHOKE DIP
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (16-ounce) can lima beans, drained
- 1 cup light miracle whip (w/ olive oil is the better choice)
- 4 ounces tub-style fat-free cream cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
- 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced green or purple onions
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 8 ingredients (through mustard) in a food processor, and process until smooth (about 15-20 seconds).
3. Add remaining ingredients; pulse 6 or 7 times, then process until mixture is consistent all the way (about 10 seconds). Transfer the mixture evenly to a 1-quart casserole dish, or dipping bowl smoothing top.
4. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly at the edges. Remove from oven; cool for 10 minutes. Touchdown indeed:)
Like MJ used to say, Just Beet it….
Posted by Monica | Filed under Health Care Reform, drinks, fitness, food, life, uncategorized
I have heard this mentioned by a few nutritionists and recently looked into the discovery that
drinking/eating beets before a workout has been found to intensify your H2O and stamina.
After checking into this, I decided to try it out and see the results. I have only been doing it for a week, and don’t necessarily feel a difference right away although I feel more awake and alert.Let me explain why this new study is so interesting and so many people are looking into it like myself. The results of various studies,( such as the one found on ehow.com) showed that by taking about 500ml a day of beet juice resulted in an increase in the stamina of given individuals by as much as 16 percent while working out. This results in LESS muscular fatigue which in turn allows a longer workout with better performance without taking sucralose -induced energy drinks woohoo!!!
The best and cheapest way to get beetroot juice is to either grow the beets in your own garden, or buy organic beets at a supermarket or farmer’s market, and juice them yourself. So check it out and see for yourself before heading to the store and grabbing a redbull:)
A Little Sex Please
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under uncategorized
From an undisclosed resident 
I have been contemplating whether to write about a rather interesting but quite annoying experience that I have been having in my apartment lately, but then I thought “You know, some of our readers may be experiencing the same thing.” If this is the case, I am glad I’m not alone (don’t mean to be rude…).
As of about two weeks ago, I haven’t getting very good sleep. Not because I am an insomniac or have so much stress that my head can’t stop spinning. Nope, it’s simply because, well, my neighbors have been getting their romp sessions on late at night at an alarmingly loud level. Seriously, it’s weird and kind of scares me.
Not only are my neighbor’s adventures loud, but they sound as if though a rooster is being murdered and the farmer is slamming his sledgehammer into the walls trying to break through. You think I’m kidding, right? How are people even possible of that? And why on earth would you want to sound like that?
It didn’t bother me so much the first night. I actually thought it was quite funny. But this has now happened five times in two weeks and frankly, I just want to sleep! I have begun to wonder if these not-so-considerate neighbors are making this much noise on purpose. Perhaps they think it’s funny. Well, guess what? It’s not.
I started looking on the internet for ways to politely approach them about this issue without it being too awkward. I have contemplated whether I should stick a note under their door or knock on it to directly confront them. I’m just not sure the best way to go around this. Please, if you have any suggestions, provide me some insight!
As I was searching for answers, I came across many news stories about people actually getting in trouble with the law for their loud sexcapades. I think this is hilarious! People actually getting into legal trouble for having crazy pleasure.
In 2007, a woman from the UK was given an anti-social behavior order that banned her from making loud noises during sex after her neighbor and several others complained about the behavior (which sounded as if people were being hurt). To top it off, she has admitted to violating her ban three times. If you want to read full details, go here for the news story.
Have you ever had to deal with neighbors who have unbearably noisy sex? Share your stories and the solutions you’ve found to work on getting some peace and quiet!
Honey Mustard Chicken Burgers-so fast and so yummy:)
Posted by Monica | Filed under fitness, food, music, people, uncategorized
These days everyone is crunched for time, and that leads to one of the main reasons people don’t take the time to eat properly -which in turn stunts their progress with their fitness goals. This is one recipe that I have found to be my best friend, it’s so simple to make and takes about 10-15 minutes to make! Here is what you’ll need:
1 ripe avocado, sliced 1/2 cup quick dry oats 1 tablespoon of honey mustard 1 large Vidalia onion, sliced 2packets ground chicken meat salt ,garlic, and pepper to taste 4 wheat hamburger buns 4 slices of Swiss cheese
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until browned and caramelized; set aside.
- Season the chicken meat with salt , garlic, and pepper. Add in the oats and honey mustard. Place on grill, and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 7 minutes on each side.
- For toasted buns either place on a skillet w/ olive oil or place in the toaster on medium
- Add swiss cheese to the cooked chicken burger and let melt-turn heat off.
- Add chicken burger to the bun,add the caramelized onion, and top w/ sliced avocado.
Enjoy!
Local Folks; Mike Posner: A record deal with a major label
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Troy MI, Urbane, UrbaneApts
The good folks over at 944 have a great feature on a young local music guy, titled The Unreal Deal. Landing a record deal with a major label would send almost any young artist into a frenzy. But not Mike Posner.
Posner is one of those extraordinary people who seems to have it all. He graduated from Groves High School in Birmingham, Mich., with a 4.4 GPA; got into Duke University, where he’s studying business; and now, at 21, he’s juggling a demanding course load in his senior year while traveling the country playing hip-hop shows.
His passion for creating music started at age 13, when he’d use his parents’ computer to make beats. He later taught himself the keyboard, and before long, he was composing lyrics.
Once in college, it didn’t matter what he was doing — songs would be streaming in his head like a radio left on in the next room. Which brings Posner to today, and his relentless drive to create the sweetest ear candy listeners have ever heard … from his house off-campus … in between studying.
When Posner released his freshman mixtape, A Matter of Time, all the majors lined up. He eventually chose J Records so he could retain the most creative control. Although now he has the opportunity to record at large, impressive studios, he still prefers his home. “The fact is, I can walk in to my label and play something that I did in a big studio, and then play them something I did in my basement, and nobody has any idea which is which,” he says.
But when he does go into the studio, he has a few tricks to help him feel comfortable. “I wear basketball shorts and hotel slippers.”
Posner released his sophomore mixtape, One Foot Out the Door, in October of 2009. Now, fans all over the world are getting familiar with the artist and experiencing the Posner Power. Fans can download his latest venture for free on his Web site, Mikeposner.com, or they can take a quick listen by visiting his myspace page, myspace.com/mikeposner. But be warned: Trying to listen to it only once is like trying to have only one M&M. It ain’t gonna happen.
With tantalizing remixes of “Evil Woman” and “Traveling Man,” Posner somehow manages to take chart-toppers and make them even better. But he doesn’t plan on making remixed songs his schtick: “Those are just my freebies,” he says. “I do pride myself in taking challenging covers and flipping them to make them mine. But the songs that really shut it down at my concerts are my originals.”
All of Posner’s originals have that dimply-smile pop appeal, but he’s a hip-hop artist to the core. He grew up in Southfield, Mich., listening to De La Soul, Mos Def and Wu-Tang Clan, and fans can hear these influences in both mixtapes. He also works closely with Detroit’s Big Sean, who’s helping to define Posner’s sound even more with features on “Cooler Than Me,” “Smoke and Drive” and “Speed of Sound.”
These days, Posner’s iPod is shuffling more electronic music than anything else. As a first-time listener, prepare to be audio-blindsided by electro keyboard runs and even a sample of the New Age artist Enya. You’ll get all this, with the velvety-smooth falsetto of Timberlake and the production skills of Timbaland. He’s a master of the unexpected, but what listeners can expect is to become addicted, and fast.
Tags: Detroit Hip Hop, Groves High School in Birmingham, Mich, Mike Posner
Vodka Vodka Anyone?
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI, Apartments Troy MI
Save the date for metro Detroit’s newest winter party, Vodka Vodka. Metro Times presents their first-ever Vodka Vodka event!
Where?
Royal Oak Farmer’s Market
Fri., Jan. 29, 2010 at 7 p.m
A portion of the ticket sales and a silent auction will help raise funds for Forgotten Harvest of Royal Oak.
Who Is Going to be There?
Participating vodkas at the time of this release include Svedka Vodka, Vodka 360, Finlandia Vodka, Valentine Vodka, Traverse City Vodka, Grey Goose Vodka, Three Olives Vodka, Zodiac Vodka and Effen Vodka. Vitamin Water and Red Bull will also sponsor. Local restaurants will serve Vodka-infused cuisine, including Bastone, Memphis Smoke, Toast, D’Amato’s, Inn Season, Great Lakes Coffee and Party Cakes of Berkley. Paxahau Event Productions will provide live entertainment.
How Much?
Ticket prices include food and drink samples, making Vodka Vodka one of metro Detroit’s most affordable upscale events. Tickets will be $25 in advance and $30 at the door and this event is expected to reach capacity.
Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to fight hunger and waste. Forgotten Harvest “rescued” more than 12.5 million pounds of food last year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from more than 400 sources, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors and other Health Department-approved sources. This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered free-of-charge to 155 emergency food providers in the Metro Detroit area.
Metro Times is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2010 and Vodka Vodka is their first big event of the year. Metro Times is Michigan’s largest weekly alternative newspaper for news, nightlife, arts, culture, music, film, food, fashion and more. Over 700,000 loyal readers pick up Metro Times every week to find out who to see, what to do, and where to go.
Tags: Metro Times, stuff to do, Vodka Vodka
#MusicMondays - Michigan Hip-Hop 2010 Preview (Part 2)
Posted by WEKetchum | Filed under uncategorized
In week two of Urbane’s Michigan Hip Hop Preview for 2010, established stars are covered in the same way that tomorrow’s mainstays are. Whether you’ve heard their music or not, pay attention: they’ll be names to recognize by the end of the year.
1.) Eminem, Relapse 2
Eminem took a five-year break after his album Encore, so 2009 and 2010 see him rewarding fans for their patience. He used last year’s Relapse to work exclusively with Dr. Dre to exorcize demons from his years as a drug addict, but its sequel is a different story. According to this interview with friend/producer Mr. Porter, Relapse 2 will feature Eminem working in brand new conditions: sobriety, and with producers outside of Dre and Mark and Jeff Bass. Em has confirmed that Just Blaze (T.I.’s “Live Your Life,” Kanye West’s “Touch The Sky”) will likely have four or five beats on the album, and rumors are swirling about him possibly signing Slaughterhouse, a rap supergroup that includes his former rhyme partner Royce Da 5’9”. If Relapse 2 lives up to the hype, Eminem may have the most surprising album of his career.
2.) Slum Village, Villa Manifesto
Slum Village has enjoyed a career as one of the most distinguishable hip-hop acts from Detroit, but with the two of its pivotal members dying within five years of each other, they’ve persevered through their share of suffering as well. But after this year’s Villa Manifesto, the group will have virtually gone full circle: charismatic emcee Baatin returned to the group and recorded the album before dying several months ago, and Illa J, the younger brother of founding member J Dilla, also contributed to the album. Combine these nostalgic elements with beats from new collaborators like Madlib and Hi-Tek, and you have another group that’s staying rooted in the past while continuing to move forward. To get a taste of what the album may have to offer, visit the group’s MySpace page to check selected songs from to their Villa Manifesto EP, which is available for purchase at digital outlets. Download the EP’s single “Dope Man” from MichiganHipHop.com, and get an idea for the group’s storied career with their Remember The Classics mixtape.
3.) Crown Royale
Ann Arbor’s Buff1 (left) has made some noteworthy moves since moving out to Los Angeles a couple years ago, and one of those was connecting with Rhettmatic (right), an award-winning DJ/producer known for his co-founding of World Famous Beat Junkies. The duo plans to push an album this year under the name Crown Royale, and Buff1’s nimble, enunciated flow and Rhett’s engaging soundbeds make a perfect match. For a sample of their chemistry, check Buff1’s Rhettmatic-helmed It’s A 1derful Life mixtape (click here), which features two new songs from the duo, “Photographs” and “We Gotcha.”
4.) The Left, Gas Mask
Amongst the slew of young and old emcees whose projects are already anticipated, Gas Mask LP will shock hip-hop fans as one of the best albums of the year. The Left is compiled of Detroit rapper Journalist 103, producer Apollo Brown, and DJ Soko. Apollo Brown uses pounding percussion and emotive samples to anchor the songs, Journalist 103 uses vividly blunt lyrics from top to bottom, and guest appearances from some of Detroit’s most respected emcees (Paradime, Finale, Guilty Simpson and others) consistently hit their marks. The trio hasn’t dropped any singles yet, but listeners can preview the instrumentals on the group’s MySpace page.
5.) Finale (Untitled), Finale & Oddisee (Untitled)
Finale’s proper solo debut, Pipe Dream And A Promise, made rounds in many “Top Albums Of 2009” lists with the Detroit emcee’s measured flow and fiercely honest lyrics. This year, Finale plans to add to the momentum with two more projects: one of them is his next solo project. But the project that I’m most excited about is an album helmed by Washington D.C. producer Oddisee (Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Little Brother), who also enjoyed a successful 2009 with his group Diamond District’s critically-acclaimed In The Ruff LP. Oddisee announced a May 25, 2010 release for the latter project, with Finale’s next solo hitting the streets on a subsequent date.
The duo’s collaborations - “A Pipe Dream And A Promise” and “Don’t Sleep (Remix),” which also features Invincible - are on their paid projects, but there’s plenty of free material between the two of them. A clean version of the aforementioned In The Ruff is available for free download, and Oddisee has also dropped free EPs for the past three seasons - Odd Summer, Odd Autumn, and as of last week, Odd Winter - with soundbeds that reflect the weather and moods of the appropriate months. Another favorite is A Rosenberg Oddisee, which features cameos from the likes of Saigon, Buckshot and others. All of Oddisee’s free projects are available on his BandCamp page. Finale’s T.I.M.E. mixtape and A Pipe Dream And A Promise are worth every penny, but preview them for free with T.I.M.E. and Pipe Dream megamixes by DJ Most, and search “Finale” on MichiganHipHop.com for a bevy of song downloads, freestyles, and videos.
Downtown Royal Oak: City Officials, Lets Catch Up
Posted by Eric Brown | Filed under Apartments Birmingham MI, Apartments Clawson MI, Apartments Ferndale MI
Will our City get creative with their thinking, and allow expanded patio seating into the street parking spaces? According to a post by Frank Versagi, discussions of a one year experiment to allow Rock on Third to expand an outdoor patio into the street parking, similar to Dick O’Dows in Birmingham are on the table.
This would be great for the city, and expand outdoor dining and should be a slam dunk. Let’s hope it passes, and the city officials don’t screw this up.
Tags: Bars in Royal Oak, Royal Oak City Commissioners, Royal Oak City Council
