Cashing In On The New Music Business Model

SLUGZZ a rapper from North Carolina... and his independent rap label are making big moves in accordance with the new music business model.
By: Urban Masta Magazine
 
Dec. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- Just five years ago making a mark in the rap game took some talent, but more money and connections. When SLUGZZ signed to and independent rap label in Atlanta Georgia called UpSouth Entertainment, Inc. the lay of the land...if you will...was totally different. The label giants held the key to the entry door. Sure anyone could make an album with inexpensive tools like fruity loops or protools. The question was once the album was complete...now how do you get it to the consumer? “You have to have sold thousands of copies independently before you can even approach a major”...this is what was told to Tony Shannon the label’s CEO. Radio was even more of a challenge because the program directors wouldn’t even talk to you if you were not signed to a major. The internet has changed the rules of the game. With a music myspace page an independent can expose their music and gain fans from any desk top. No need to spend half a million on a music video...any digital camera can capture a video of the song and be loaded up to youtube in seconds. Just ask anyone 25 years old or younger how they get their music and you will hear them say “I just down load the single to my ipod." Record retail has been suffering greatly over the last decade to both the internet and illegal bootlegging. So how has SLUGZZ and his label done through these changes? “The tables have turned in our favor” says Tony Shannon. "Just three years ago we could not make a mark with the album. Now we have distribution to all the online retailers including iTunes and Amazon. Jango...a full online radio station is spinning our song thousands of times a week." The best part about the new model is that the artist no longer has to share their profits with the major label...the profits go straight in their pockets. Even getting on shows is easier now with companies like Afton who go out and set up shows directly with their local venue owners and sells tickets online...they even share ticket sale profits with the independent label. “It’s so good to have avenues to go down that don’t require the risk of thousands of dollars” says Tony...In the future we are going to see artist selling millions of downloads and building huge fan bases with a simple high speed internet connection. SLUGZZ’s album “Cral Thru Da Hood” is currently selling in iTunes and playing to over 7 million online radio listeners each month.

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UpSouth Entertainment, Inc. is an independent Hip Hop record label based in Atlanta Georgia. UpSouth is the result of Tony Shannon’s dream to see young southern rap artist reach the world through great music.
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Source:Urban Masta Magazine
Email:***@yahoo.com Email Verified
Zip:90001
Tags:Rap, Hip-hop, Music Download, Jango, Itunes, Amazon, Afton
Industry:Business, Entertainment, Marketing
Location:Los Angeles - California - United States
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