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this issue The Power of the Internet P. 1
Soul of Success P. 2
Beatzilla Listening Party P. 3
Meet Jo Blaq P. 4
Letter from the Editor:
WeatBeatzillaencourage
thediscoveryofhiddental
ent,onethroughourmission
statementandtwoourlogo.
Ourmissionisto,discover
thehidden,encouragethe
uncertain,developtheun
trained,andempowerthe
powerlessamongartists.
Ourlogoembodiesagry
phon;aneaglepartlioncre
atedtoprotectthehidden.
Ourjourneyindiscovering
goodmusicwontbeeasy;it
willtaketime,understand
ing,andafreshoutlookon
theeverevolvingmusicin
dustry.
Butweareambitious,fullof
heart,andopentothechal
lenge.
PeacebetoBrooklyn!
AshleySmith
12I s s ue
T 1 7 Jan. 12
MONTHLY
NEWS FOR
THE BEATZILLA
IN YOU! GGGrrriiiffffffiiinnn GGGaaazzzeeetttttteee
AllThingsIndie:DiscovertheHiddenThePoweroftheInternetDiscoveringIndieTalentByCarolynFraser,VPofPublicRelationsTheinternetisameccaforeverytypeofmusicartist,especiallyforindieartists.Thereisaplethoraofmusiclistening,networking,magazine,andpromotionalwebsitesforanyseekerwantingtoreceiveexposureorbeintheknowmusicwise.ArtistscanblowupjustbydisplayingtheirtalentonamusicnetworkingsitelikeMySpace.AskCassie,JanelleMonae,SouljaBoy,andSeanKingston.AlloftheseartistsweresignedtomajorlabelsafterbeingdiscoveredontheWorldWideWeb.Theinternetisreadilyaccessibletoindies,wheretheycansecurebookings,promotions,productionassistanceandevenamanagerallwithaclickoftheirmouse.However,discoveryonthenetwonthappenwithoutsomeseriouseffort.Bepreparedtopostmusicandpresskitsonmusicnetworkingsites,besuretokeepprofileinformationuptodate,andsubmityourmusictoonlinemusiceditorsforreviewonaregularbasis.Ifdiscoveryorsigningtoalabeldoesnthappen,dontwritethenetoff.Theinternetisoneofthebestplacestostarttomakeanameforoneselfwithmarketingandpromotionalstrategies.
FightingtobeSeenIndieslabelsbandtogetherByAshleySmith,ArtandEditorialInternThereareagrowingnumberofindependentlabelsemergingeveryday.Manyareovershadowedbythedominanceofmajorlabels.Howdoindiesfightback?OnestrategyisMerlin,agroupheadedbyAustraliaslargestindependentmusicdistributor,CharlesCaldas.Thisgrouphasgatheredtogetherarecord1200indielabelswhosecollectivestrengthmakesnavigatingthroughthecompetitiveseaofthemusicindustrymoremanageable.CaldashasalsomadeadealwithSNOCAPwhichisrunbyShawnFanning,formerlyofNapster.ThedealprovidesindieartistsaneasierwaytoselltheirmusiconMyspaceortocreatetheirownonline.Withartistsfocusnowleaningtowardbuildingafanbasethanthethreatofpiracy,SNOCAPalsoprovidesallbackenddistributionandpaymentprocessingsystemswithoutthelimitationofDRMs(digitalrightsmanagement).Merlinisntyourtypicaltraditionallabel.Withtheirfocusonactingasalicensingauthoritythatnegotiatesrightstheyaremakingtheirwaytobecomingoneofthemajorplayersintheworldofmusictoday.
This Weeks Internet Hot Spots
Understanding the True Cost of Greatness
We asked Beatzillas CEO about the keys to achieving greatness.
Beatzilla founder D. Rashaan
Gilmore shares how to turn
visionsof greatness into your
veryownreality.Greatnesscost.And,formost
peoplethecostiswaytoo
steep.Mostofuswantulti
matesuccessinourrelation
ships,businessesandlives
overall.However,sofeware
willingtodowhatittakesto
makeithappen.
Ironically,thoughgreatness
costs,youcantbuyit!Great
nessisobtainedonlythrough
visionandperseverance.No
thingelsereallymatters.
Ionceheardthewordvision
describedastheabilitytosee
theendofathing.Ilikethat.
Itmeansknowingwhatyou
wanttoaccomplishbefore
yousetouttodoit.
Perseveranceismorethan
justendurance;italsoin
volvesunrelentingdetermina
tiontogetsomethingdone
eveninthefaceofdifficult
odd.Canyousee(orenvision)
thefinaloutcomeofallyour
effortstoachievegreatness?
Whatdoesitlookandfeel
like?Whatemotionsrun
throughyou?Behonest,areyoureallyde
terminedtoovercomethe
challengesblockingyourway
rightnow?Ifnot,youcan
beginbyreaffirmingyour
commitmenttoyourvision
andrefusingtoquit.
Whilenoteveryoneisborn
great,everyoneabsolutely
canbegreat.Findyourinner
greatnessanddontletgo.
Visionis
theability
toseetheend
ofathing.
Mr.Borgart:M.O.B.ByDaRonnVPofArtistDevelopmentFirstthingsfirst,whatisM.O.B.youask?Letmeexplain.M.O.B.isananagramforMoneyoverBusiness.Whythistopic?I'lltellyouwhy.M.O.B.isprobablythenumberonekillerofanartistscareer.Mostartistssearchtheirentirecareerlookingtobesavedbysomerecord,publishing,ordistributiondeal.Theyrethenpersuadedtotakeanadvanceinsteadofnegotiatingbackendmoney(wherethelabelreceivesitsresidualsfrom).Let'sexplorethisabitmore.Amajorlabelapproachesyouwitha5yearexclusivedealanda$300,000budget.Whatdoesitcosttheartistyouask?Thedistributionandpackagingcostsactuallycomesoutoftheartistsroyaltyrate.Nottomentionthecostofmarketingandpromotionaltoolsfortheproject.Sofromthefirstminuteyousign,you'reindebt.Howdoyoustayontopofthegame?Beaconnoisseurofyourprofession.Stopgoingafterthebaitandwaitforthefish.Itsmoreoftenthatyouwillhavetheopportunitytonegotiateyourdealmoreefficiently.Hereare3wayshow:1.)Becomeknowledgeableaboutthebusiness.2.)Seekadvicefromaprofessionalsourcethathasyourbestinterestinmind.3.)HavesomeLEVERAGEviarecordsales(consignment,handtohandorlogged).
1.UnsignedEntertainment
www.unsigned.com
Thiswebsitefeaturesemerging
artistsfromavarietyofmusic
genres,wherefanscancreate
theirownprofilestoengagewith
artistsoftheirpreference.
3.GetSigned
www.getsigned.com
GetSignedisspecificallyde signedformusiciansandindustry
professionals.Musicvideosof
featuredindieartistsarealso
streamedfromthesite.
2.bandBUZZ
www.bandbuzz.com
bandBUZZprofilesbothindie
andcommercialartists.Songs
arestreamedfromthewebsite,
whileratingiftheartistand
theirmusicisthebuzz.4.Nextcat
www.nextcat.com
Itsallaboutwhoyouknow!
Asanetworkingcommunity
Nextcatprovidesamarketplaceof
opportunitiesforbothestablished
andemergingtalent.
TheGiftofSound
Sunday,December21st,2008teamBeatzillaheatedupthecoldestnightoftheyearwiththeirfirstholidaypartyTheGiftofSound.TheeventalsoservedasBeatzillalisteningparty3.Hot103JamzDJandpartystarterSeanTylerhostedtheentertainingevent.PerformancesincludedstudentsofthePaseoAcademyTheloniousMonkInstituteofJazzProgram,leadsingerofSoulsPoemSonyaAndersBlackwell,LeeLangston,saxophonistCNote,ErrolDixonandjazzsingerLisaHenry.ProducerandpianistJarvisRhoneaccompaniedmostacts.Asthepartycametoaclose,producerofhitssuchasChrisBrownsForeverandRihannasDisturbia,BrianKennedy,madeasurpriseappearance.Acrowdquicklygatheredaroundhimashebrokeitdownonthekeyboard.ClickheretolistentoBrianKennedyandTWizsremixtoBeyoncesIfIwereaboy.
SpecialQ&AwithRisingArtist
ErrolDixon
Q:IheardyouwereoncesignedtoR.Kellyslabel.Howdidthatcomeabout?
A:AtthetimeIwasinanR&BgroupoffourcalledTalent.ItallstartedwhenmytwinbrotherBishop(alsoamember)wasatanR.Kellyconcert.HewasthenapproachedbyafriendwhoknewKellyscousin,Blaqwhowaslookingforagroup.LongstoryshortweleftavoicemailwithBlaqofussinging.Helovedit.WethensangforR.Kellyoverthephone.
HighlightsfromBeatzillasHolidayParty
EYEONIT:DarkwastheNightTheresnothingbetterthan
artistsgivingbackwhilemak
inggreatmusic.Allprofits
fromthehighlyanticipated
indierockalbumDarkwas
theNight(withatotalof32
tracks)willgotosupportthe
RedHotAIDSOrganization.
Thisalbummarkstheinter
nationalcharity's20thmusic
compilation.Theorganiza
tionutilizesmusicasavehi
cletoraisebothmoneyand
awareness.
ThereleasedateforDarkas
theNightissetforFebruary
16th(worldwide)andFebru
ary17th(inNorthAmerica).
Artistsfeaturedinclude:
ArcadeFire
Feist
CatPower
IntheBoothStaffPicks
CarolynsPick
AkonRightNow(Na,na,na)
QuentinsPickBrandy
PianoMan
ChrisPickJohnLegendft.Brandy
Quickly
CheckThisOutGrammyNominated
ProducerBrianKennedy
ClickonPicturetoWatch
BeatzillaHolidayPartySurprise
ItwasnteventwoweeksbeforehesentaplaneandsignedustohislabelRockland.Q:WhydidyouleaveTalent?A:Iwasalwaysontheroadandnevergottimetoseemyfamily.Itmadesenseformetoleave.Q:Didyoustoppursingmusicforawhileafteryoucameback?
A:Notatall.IvebeendoingbackgroundvocalsforalotofgospelartistslikeFredHammondandtheClarksisters.CurrentlythoughIminagospelgroupoffive.Wehaventtieddownanameyet,butweareintheprocessofauditioningforbandmembersandlookingtogetsigned.Imalsoworkingwitharapper(namedisclosed)doingvocals.Q:Whendidyoufindyourpassionthroughmusic?
A:Ivebeensingingactuallysincetheageoffive.Myfathersalsoapastorsoitsinstilledinme.Formemusicislikebreathing.
In2009,BeatzillaUnpluggedwelcomesabrandnewcycleoflisteningparties.Thisgrowingseriesshowcasesbreakoutartistsseekingtobeheard.IfyouhaveaprojectandwouldliketobeconsideredforBeatzillaUnpluggedcontactusatunplugged@beatzilla.com.
Whosnextinthe
BeatzillaUnpluggedlisteningpartyseries?Checkouttheadonpage4formoredetails.
ComingtoaCityNearYou
Masterminds2009CashforCreativity
JanuaryandFebruary
ThePitchwillhandoutmoneytoartist,
innovators,andentrepreneurswhoare
changingKCsmetrocreativeandcultural
landscape.Theywillwritechecksforat
least$1000tosomeoneineachofthefol
lowingcategories:Visualandperforming
arts,fashion/design,andallaroundcrea
tiveaccomplishment.
BalancasStop,DropandRoll
EveryFriday
Ifyouwanttoenjoysomeofthebestin
dependentartiststhatKansasCityandthe
nationhastooffer,Balancasistheplace
tobeonFridaynight.Theywillbespin
ning:Electro,INDIE,soul,andpunk.
RedWhiteandBlueCollarWestportFleaMarketSaturday,January17th
Lettheexcitementbegin!Inlessthan
tendaysSenatorBarackObamawill
beswornintopresidency.TheJackson
CountyDemocraticCommitteeiscele
bratingbyhostingtheblacktieevent
Red,WhiteandBlueCollarattheparty
roominWestportsFleaMarket.Tickets
startat$15.
BBKingandBuddyGuyValentinesDayConcertSaturday,February14th
ComingtothehistoricMidlandTheater
indowntownKansasCity;comeenjoya
nightofclassicblueswiththelegendary
BBKing.Ticketsareonsalenow.
FashionRocks:MissIndependentEveryindependentwoman
needsastylethatreflectsher
driveandstrength.Checkout
thesecurrenttrendsalong
withasoundtracktoputyou
intheperfectmoodtoex
pressyourselfthisseason.
Clickthepicturebelow
toseefulllayout.
BeatzillaTop3:HiddenArtists1.CorinneVielle
2.MikeAnt
3.THICKE
Unplugged Beatzilla Presents
PhotoCredit:JaniBrysonPhotoArtistrySunday,January25th
7pm at Harpers on the Vine RSVP TODAY!!!
Meet Jo Blaq NAME: JO BLAQ
TITLE: PRODUCER, SINGER, SONGWRITER
AGE: 25
GENRE: POP / ROCK
LABEL/PUBLISHER: BUG MUSIC
HHOOTT NNEEWW SSIINNGGLLEE:: HHOOLLLLYYWWOOOODD
CCLLIICCKK HHEERREE TTOO LLIISSTTEENN!!