Maggie Tra - My Music Is Dope, But Now What!?!: The Strategies for Success in the Music Industry Mixtape

My Music Is Dope,
But Now What!?!

The Strategies for Success in the Music Industry Mixtape

Copyright

Copyright 2018 by Maggie Tra and Carlton Boyd

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review. For permissions contact:

Edited by Nancy Smith

Visit the authors websites at www.stimulateyoursoul.com and www.thecabportal.com

Dedication

To all the legendary artists and producers throughout the years whose creativity has inspired us, as well as those whose time to shine has yet to come.

Tracklist

Track 1: Forward (Intro)

From Margaret Tra:

So, youve landed your hands onto our book. I am sure you have several questions, and we truly hope we have given enough answers for you to be able to push your music out there with the right platforms and to the right people. Please note, this is just the beginning. The fact that youre willing to read more about strategies for the success of your music brand is the first step toward something great.

I should probably begin with how I started in the music industry. I created Stimulate Your Soul blog over 7 years ago, but I like to say, I unintentionally entered the music industry. I say this because back then, I was just interviewing people I admired, but in reality, I found myself networking and interviewing artists with the blog over the years. I was building up stock in my future because with these contacts, I ended up establishing my own public relations company Stimulated Media, working with my idols, such as The Pharcyde, Big Daddy Kane, Brother Ali, Devin the Dude, R.A the Rugged Man and many more international acts. Quite a big musical accident, hey? I also represent a lot of local and smaller artists, because there is nothing else that makes me happier than being able to show them their music is worthy and can be heard on the airwaves too.

Within time, it became a gift of mine. It actually put a smile on my face knowing these artists were able to successfully promote their music with my help. They did all the work of course, with creating the product, but there is so much more to do afterwards that most artists forget. Its really something I was getting asked about on a daily basis, which is why I decided to write this book with Carlton.

I do hope that you take away some useful information in this book, as we have poured our hearts into it, and I am sure other publicists are going to kill me because I have basically given away all our secrets. But thats the thing about my jobI want to be able to provide artists with the tools to do it. The rest is up to them.

Whether youre an established artist or just a beginner, youll be able to find something in this book for you. The journey never ends in the music industry, and once you realize that, then half the work is already done. If all else fails and you get tired of reading this book, know this: You are worthy, you are talented, and you have to let the world know this. If you cant, then get someone else to do it for you so you can focus purely on the music. It takes a team to build an empire, so dont be afraid to ask for help. I guess you already have asked for help by purchasing this book, and we are now part of your empire. So, chill-out, relax and feel free to hit me up afterwards if you have any other questions.

From Carlton Boyd:

The seed was planted in our minds to write this book collaboratively due to our desire to help artists, such as yourself, to navigate their way to success in the music industry. Of course, not every artists path to success is the same, nor is their definition of success the same. For example, Artist 1 may release one very poorly mixed song on Soundcloud, it catches fire and a year later, they are signed to a major record label, opening for J. Cole on a North American tour. Artist 2 may drop out of college and use their school loan money to buy beats and studio time, and one year later, they have not gained mainstream attention but they become a highly regarded indie favorite and start their own DIY record label. One casual observer may say that Artist 1 is more successful than Artist 2 because they are on tour with a very popular platinum-selling rapper and signed to a major record label. Id like to think that if both artists are truly creating the music they want and their fan bases are supportive and growing with them, then both Artist 1 and Artist 2 are successful.

This is where our book comes into play for you. Our goal is to provide essential information to help you be successful as an artist on your own terms. I am the creator of The CAB Portal artist/producer development and strategic music submission platform and co-founder of BeGreat Media Group, the parent company of music, culture, and lifestyle brand Dopecausewesaid, and the DCWS Podcast Network. I was a rap and RnB music producer for almost ten years working with several artists locally in my hometown of Raleigh, as well as across the United States, and I have served as an artist manager and a branding advisor for several artists.

All the artists I have worked with over the years have had similar characteristics. They were each talented, confident, and driven. These positive traits are necessary for any artist to be successful in todays music industry. But these same artists had negative traits, too, that could have led to self-sabotage, including stubbornness, impatience, and an inflated ego.

Dont get me wrong. It is very important that you as an artist believe you are the best at your craft and that the music you are creating is unlike anything else out on the street. But, do not let your ego and confidence in your talent blind you to the fact that it takes several main ingredients, including an incredible work ethic and luck, to have sustained success in the music industry, and thats the goal, right? You want to be a star not just for one summer, but for five summers straight like Drake, right?

If you have dope music, patience, a supportive team, and a focused goal, you are definitely on the right track. Hopefully, the information Margaret and I are sharing with you in this book will assist you along your way to becoming a platinum-selling artist, with sold-out shows in every city you step foot in. Who knows, we might be wearing sneakers with your name on them one day!

But even if you never achieve those types of heights, if anything you read in this book helps you to create the music you want, to establish a supportive fan base and to generate revenue from it, we have done our job by writing this book.

Track 2: Are You Really Ready to Drop That New Song?

A successful career in the music industry as a singer or rapper requires a lot of hard work (and luck). There is a lot more involved than just writing a new song, going to the studio to record it, and then putting in on Soundcloud, Spotify or other music streaming services for the world to hear and download. Like a potential investor who thoroughly researches the stock market before jumping into the world of stocks and bonds and potentially risking their life savings, an artist with the dream of world-tour performances, winning a Grammy and being featured on the XXL Freshman 20 will invest in themselves with time, sweat, and money, and they will take a calculated risk with a 50+% likelihood of failure. Before devoting too much of these assets, which in some cases cant be replaced (i.e., time) into your aspirations of stardom and financial freedom, it is important that you first answer one question: Is my music good enough?