I’m sure that all of you are tired of hearing Donald Sterling’s name and all of the finger pointing in social media. So I’ll give that a break this week and instead address a pressing issue: the quality of music you submit to blogs. All too often, I see artists send their music and receive no love from the media for a multitude of reasons. So here are a few pointers. 1. Know your audience: If you create ignorant Rap (can’t lie that I don’t indulge in the Ferrari Boyz here and there), send it to the writers at certain blogs that eat that stuff up for breakfast. 2. Have a good team around you: That doesn’t mean you have three bros who will get you a cigarillo from the corner store at any given moment. That means they’re honest at criticizing your music and your moves. Keep the ones that tell you your stuff is whack, when it’ whack. Lose everybody else. 3. Make music that no one else is: If I can compare your sound to five other artists, you’re doing it wrong. There are far too few hours in the day to waste on copycats. 4. Presentation still matters: Mix and master your music properly. Have quality artwork. And rap like you. Fakers can be spotted a mile away by bloggers. 5. Make timeless music: We all know about the short attention span of the masses today. If I’m not going to listen to your song next week, why am I going to listen to it now?
I hope some of that sinks in. You know the drill: Sound off on our Twitter (@TheSource). If you can do better yourself, submit a track or video to SYLR@thesource.com.
*Yves – “Blur”
The Queens native by way of Houston is getting ready to kick off his EP series this year. Let’s just hope he remembers all of it by the end of 2014.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/147092335″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*Raury – “Sunshine”
The Alanta artist shows his versatility after “God’s Whisper,” and takes on a darker sound to express his love.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/146426673″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*Cane – “Get Down” (Prod. Statik Selektah)
DMV’s Cane has been unrelenting in his recent releases and this Statik beat is no exception.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/146346784″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*SeT (feat. Terrell Morris) – “WatchaMaCallIt” (Prod. MMac)
These two Toronto emcees prove that Canada has talent that doesn’t come in a lint conscience form.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/147172510″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*Swisha T – “Trapped”
This morbid track watches the slow decline of a man subject to a drug addiction that gets the best of him. Be sure to listen to the end of this one.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/147296133″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*Ray LaCrooks – “Up All Night (All Day)”
You’d probably suffer from the same kind of insomnia if you lived on the same block as Ray.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/146468659″ params=”color=ff0000&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_artwork=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]
*Taylor Bennett (feat. King L) – “New Chevy”
Girls take forever to get ready. We all know this. At least Taylor has a new Chevy to wait in.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/146291373″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
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Bryan Hahn (@notupstate)
