Have You Given Up Yet?

Havent given up at all. I sign to a multi million dollar label tomorrow and I move to Atlanta to record my debut sometime next year. Until then I'm getting bookings for a florida tour.
 
I'm sort of on the edge of both. If I don't start getting like 1000's of views, I might just start calling it a hobby rather than a Lifestyle.

I mean, is it so hard to give up 3 - 4 minutes of your life to check out someone's new song or "Like" their facebook page? I mean damn, everywhere I go I'm trying to PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE but it's like if people aren't gonna pay attention then what's the use? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MUSIC! I love making music. I love everything about it. But making a song and just having it sit around on your Desktop isn't the same as thousands of people listening to it.
 
Ddashog said:
I'm sort of on the edge of both. If I don't start getting like 1000's of views, I might just start calling it a hobby rather than a Lifestyle.

I mean, is it so hard to give up 3 - 4 minutes of your life to check out someone's new song or "Like" their facebook page? I mean damn, everywhere I go I'm trying to PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE but it's like if people aren't gonna pay attention then what's the use? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MUSIC! I love making music. I love everything about it. But making a song and just having it sit around on your Desktop isn't the same as thousands of people listening to it.
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i checked your stuff out. its good, but its not anything mind blowing. if you want thousands of listens, improve your product to the point where it promotes itself. that's my goal at least, improve to the point where my music is so good that people want to show it to their friends. once i get to that point, THEN i'll promote my stuff.

just keep dedicating yourself to improving at your craft, if nothing else, you'll blow your own mind with the stuff you'll be able to create after a while lol

also, something to keep in mind; just because your talented doesn't mean anything. nowadays, you need talent, a constant desire to improve and try new things, and a ****ing iron will to make it in music. keep grinding, and hopefully much success to you in the future, whether it's in music or something else
 
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F00T said:
Good thread... Nothing worth doing will you not think about quitting at least once. Joseph Campbell's map of the hero's journey is a perfect example of the road to success.
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You can apply this to literally any story/movie/successful person and it will hold up.

I only have thought about quitting, when my music income doesn't match them damn student loan payments..then I think about how easy it is to cover those if I work a little harder.

Shit got real when I turned 25 though. "Can't gamble feeding the baby on that ASCAP money." I don't have kids. The sentiment is still there though.

Musicians have to be the most resilient people out there....you grind all your life putting yourself out there for people to either say you're wack or you have something worth saying. Low self-esteem is not a virtue in this field. Probably a big reason why so many artists check out temporarily all the time through alcohol and drugs.

Most of the best ideas in the world were created when the creator was at their lowest point in life. Struggle begats greatness, if you apply yourself. Just take JK Rowling the creator of the highest-selling children's series Harry Potter: J. K. Rowling - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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I'm at 3, not sure what call I'm refusing, but I haven't met my mentor yet, and I feel the call to adventure so by process of elimination.


I always thought musicians went to drugs and alcohol to try and recapture the high times.

Do any of ya'll get depressed when you hear Good Kid M.A.A.D City? It's just so ****ing beautiful, especially Ana Wise's voice, and I want to create something like it, but I just feel so far from that possibility.

Quitting is not an option.
 
A lot of you producers need to realize that just relying on an online presence isnt going to do much for you. Get out there and work with local rappers and dominate YOUR scene. Any producer can throw songs up on the internet, but when you have your whole city rapping/singing over your beats, that speaks to people more than having a bunch of views on a website. Both grounds are very important though
 
I have not given up but my goals have changed for sure. When I first started making beats I never dreamed of leasing my beats! I only wanted to get exclusive sales. It didn't take me all that long to realize that it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. So I switched up my attitude. I also had the goal of being on major mixtape projects and albums. Honestly, if it happens, great but if not who cares? Whats the point of being on big releases if your not making money? I've only been making beats for two years and have only started promoting about two months ago but I am about to put my promotion activities into hyper drive. Truthfully if I can make 15 grand in 2013 through beats on top of the job I already have, I'll be good. I know that prob seems like a lot to expect to make right off the bat, but I am determined, willing to invest in promo, have a business plan, and the willingness to execute it. I'm not out here hoping to "make it" by 2003 super baller industry standards. I'm out here to make money to supplement my modest but comfortable living and that's what I plan to do! JEEEEA!!
 
rexl12 said:
i checked your stuff out. its good, but its not anything mind blowing. if you want thousands of listens, improve your product to the point where it promotes itself. that's my goal at least, improve to the point where my music is so good that people want to show it to their friends. once i get to that point, THEN i'll promote my stuff.

just keep dedicating yourself to improving at your craft, if nothing else, you'll blow your own mind with the stuff you'll be able to create after a while lol

also, something to keep in mind; just because your talented doesn't mean anything. nowadays, you need talent, a constant desire to improve and try new things, and a ****ing iron will to make it in music. keep grinding, and hopefully much success to you in the future, whether it's in music or something else
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I disagree with this. Is Gangam style mind-blowingly good? Is Meek Mill? Self-promotion is an art, yes, it's about hustling and working hard, but it's also about savvy and finesse. Jay Z isn't one of the most popular guys in the world for no reason, he figured out how to get people on his side way before Reasonable Doubt. There are so many mind-blowingly awesome things that never get heard or seen because there isn't the promotional genius to back it up. Would we ever know about Jesus if it weren't for Saint Paul?

The one thing I'm starting to finally learn is that the marketing and product are in different universes. NEVER EVER go into a beat thinking about how to market it. Make whatever beat you make and then when it's done, apply the marketing genius.


I've said this before, but stop wasting your precious time trying to get Twitter followers or Facebook Likes. Get real user engagement, get your beat played at basketball game or something like that. Doesn't matter if its Bronxville Middle School, that's more listens and feedback than 1000 'likes' will get you.

Social Media Is Bullshit
 
theonlybman said:
I disagree with this. Is Gangam style mind-blowingly good? Is Meek Mill? Self-promotion is an art, yes, it's about hustling and working hard, but it's also about savvy and finesse. Jay Z isn't one of the most popular guys in the world for no reason, he figured out how to get people on his side way before Reasonable Doubt. There are so many mind-blowingly awesome things that never get heard or seen because there isn't the promotional genius to back it up. Would we ever know about Jesus if it weren't for Saint Paul?

The one thing I'm starting to finally learn is that the marketing and product are in different universes. NEVER EVER go into a beat thinking about how to market it. Make whatever beat you make and then when it's done, apply the marketing genius.


I've said this before, but stop wasting your precious time trying to get Twitter followers or Facebook Likes. Get real user engagement, get your beat played at basketball game or something like that. Doesn't matter if its Bronxville Middle School, that's more listens and feedback than 1000 'likes' will get you.

Social Media Is Bullshit
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with Psy and Meek, i see how hard they grind (thru promo), and i see the work they put out, and it seems like promo is more of a focus then any sort of improvement in the music. then there're the Flatbush Zombies, who got a HUGE buzz thru their new, independant video for Thug Waffles (idk what that was, luck or otherwise. i like the song but there're alot of good songs on youtube that get no shine). there are guys like Black Milk who are doing well thru just busting ass, working hard, and putting out quality stuff constantly. then there r ppl like Riff Raff, who are selling a personality and an image, not just music.

i see all these different ways artists enter the game, i think that's where savvy plays into it. i think watching the market, seeing what the new trends in music are (like this new EDM trapstyle stuff coming out in the US, or the UK Garage revival out in Britain), and learning to use these things to your advantage are major parts of becoming successful. or just becoming the best. idk how much self promotion, savvy or finesse J Dilla had, but he was so good at what he did, and brought such a unique sound that people followed him and artists hit him up for beats
 
I'm learning piano right now. I learn a little bit when I was younger but didn't care much for it so it faded from my memory. Then I pretty much been on some self taught shit. So I can take my time and come up with shit.......but the problem that bothered me all these years is actually "knowing what the hell I am doing and doing it fluently like I was on the sax". So I'm pretty much starting from lesson 1 like in band class so I can get a full understanding. I want to meet some beatmaking ass dude in person right.......like he be on some "yeah I make beats using fruity loops....they say I'm the next to blow". And my old ass be like "that's great man...we should jam sometime...I'll bring my keyboard over". He sits clicking a mouse pulling up Lex kits and shit in room full of people. I act all in to the shit and wowed (yet thinking to myself yeah I heard this beat plenty of times....one of those ole fruity loop ass dudes).

Then I bust his MFing ass like


Then I stop and be like "OH MAN..I FORGOT..I GOTS TO GO YALL.....check me out at www. whatever .com". Bust his ass again on the webpage with some trap shit.
 
as20gp said:
Seems like every time i come back here, its less people really talking about the moves theyre making and what theyre doing.

So what are YOU doing. Not what these other successful producers are doing, but what are you doing to follow your dreams.

or have you given up and just transformed into full time hobbyist?
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To be honest, this is a great question.

and on the real, I am not doing anything right now. I'm stagnate, as much as I hate to admit it. I have burst of creative urges but they die out quick, and I hate that I don't know how to push my urges and not let my urges push me.
 
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