Bear in mind that as it stands, I have 800 Instagram followers and 300 twitter followers, so my keys to success are what I feel will push me to the next level.
1. Ask for Advice
I always ask for advice from any and every musician I know coz not all answers are the same and not everyone cares to give an answer. For example I asked my boi Raheem Kemet - who is the most famous musician I know personally - about his distribution deal with Sony, I first learnt that there are many different types of deals including a 360 and a distribution only deal. Another notable distribution deal that worked out well is Casspers distribution deal with Oskido's Kalawa Jazme.
2. Humility
This goes without saying and is reinforced by the first point "asking for advice". However hip hop is made for the inflated ego and narcissistic, these personalities are clearly observed in the lyrics of popular artists, for example I have more money than you, my car is bigger and Dr Dre puts it nicely in Forgot About Dre "What's the difference between me and you, About 5 bank accounts, 3 ounces and 2 vehicles".
One needs to be humble in person and the persona on stage can be anything else, your attitude will be known by people that run in the same circles and it will keep on spreading. A metaphysical as it sounds good vibes and good energies are real and they matter. People react to the tone at which you communicate with them, weather its body language and/or your verbal communication.
Like Speedsta I will not work with people that don’t have the right energy, if for example you are already asking for money when I call you for a feature or you act like you doing me a favor.
3. Be Unique
Have a story to tell, when you travel abroad most people will ask you about your country, if you only know information about the country you are travelling to, you are useless to those people. People are interested in your story not a remake of someone else's story.
4. Persistence
Together with consistency, you will hear this allot in self-help books and this is because how true it is. Once you have figured out your unique angle, you need to stick to it and because its new, you need to also get it out there, let people see it every day if not every week.
5. Team Work
Have a team behind you, teamwork makes the dream work and a man is not an island, plus more clichés. This is true you need to find people that can lift the weight of your shoulder so you can focus on writing music. Having a team around you also legitimizes you, it shows that more people believe in your sound and its not just you stuck in your room uploading music to SoundCloud and Spotify.
6. Friends and Family
Besides your team, everyone needs to know that you make music, you never know who might plug you. Also if you are good these are the people that will market you organically, marketing coming from other people further legitimizes you especially if they're going to talk about your work without you being there. Also you knowing that you have the support
7. Get Online
Musicians especially the purists have the belief that social media is a virus that plagues the creative process. To a certain extent social media has become a greater focus for musicians than actually making music. I believe tha social media can have a positive effect on a musician. Social media forces you to be constantly publishing great content and friends or the public can rate it allowing you to have a free feedback system.
Also there are so many different interest groups on the internet, from gothic and underground to pop and bubble gum type music lover and creators. There is a space and a following for everyone, also if you believe that your sound is the real deal then expose it to the world and enlighten us.
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