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Archived Industry Empowerment
PROMOTIONS ADVICE BY PROMOTER, RED DAWN
There are these three basic things that myself and any other promoter look for when we accept a job to promote a product or an artist. I cannot tell you how many times people come up to me wanting their music to be promoted and they do not have one of the necessary components that I need in order to accept their project:

The first thing is the content... It must be something that the consumers must have or want. There has to be something about your product that will stand out from the rest, so the content has to be on point, or no one will want your product.

The second thing is packaging...
You have to remember that human beings are very visual people, so with that being said, keep in mind that packaging is everything. If it looks like crap, who is going to want to buy or sell it? I have actually had cats come up to me and want me to promote their product and it looked like who would have thought it...all I could say to them was keep it moving, because I will not even waste my time trying to promote garbage.

The third thing is supply and demand...
You must have enough to distribute everywhere it is needed. Don't have 100 units and expect for me to be able to move that all over the World...it doesn't work like that, that is why people need to really have a budget for promotions, because to get the word out about you or your product will cost.
These are the most important things that makes a product move quickly. Good luck!

-Red
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PROMOTIONAL LIVES
Promotion has to be the single most important factor in the marketing of yourself or your act within modern Hip-Hop. Surprising as this may sound it is more important than the actual quality of the music – far too many good acts have fallen below the radar while those with far less skills have seen their music shine. Why is this? Quite simply it is to do with self-promotion and to do this successfully you need to be 100% about your grind, constantly.
 
The old saying, “it is not what you know, it is who you know” also comes into effect here, so make sure you are constantly networking to get your profile boosted amongst those that matter. Live shows are of course a fine way to get your sound heard and the benefits of a solid live show cannot be overestimated.
 
The one problem with constant promotion is getting the balance right. Use the Internet, sure, but don’t spam people as this will count against you and see your efforts dropping into junk mail folders quicker than you could imagine. The final thing to remember right now is that you only get one chance to make a first impression, forget the ice grilling and acting tough and make yourself presentable and accessible. That is friendly, you will win far more supporters than if you act off with everyone and, as we said at the top, it is your contacts that will make or break you. Of course Grind Mode offer a resource for networking right here and we want you to use it fully as part of our personal mission to help push Hip Hop music and those who deserve a shot…
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GETTING YOUR MUSIC INTO THE HANDS OF THE RIGHT DJ...
Sure, it seems like there are a million and one DJs out there today, and chances are, you're probably right, but getting your music into the hands of the right DJ and getting radio play may be kind of hard, but it's all about networking, of course, using our promotions services--through Red Dawn Promotions, wouldn't hurt either, as we're connected to some of the HOTTEST, well-respected DJs on the planet (both locally and abroad).
Can I get my music on the radio, although I am not signed to a major?

The answer is...ANYTHING is possible, but unless you know someone that knows someone, that may be a difficult task, and getting into rotation--likely not unless the program director really is feeling you. College and Internet stations are taking over, so that would be your best route, to concentrate on that at first, because, after all, the college students and young adults would be the ones who would likely buy your album anyway.

Make noise in your sector, and then maybe someone at the bigger broadcasting station will get word back to the program director at the station.

The reason that Grind Mode Media in conjunction with Red Dawn Promotions, has plugged our services, because we actually have connections with some of the top radio & mix tape DJs, so we would do the work for you.

Know this...

Some DJs at radio stations do get certain time slots where they can play what they would like to, so the best bet is to become familiar with your local DJ...these are more the turntable DJs than the air personality who do the talking.  Start your creative juices flowing...and if you want it bad enough, you'll make it happen...meditate, pray, believe and you will achieve what you set out to do...
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DJ SPECIAL
DJs can be a notoriously guarded bunch when it comes to any tricks and tips that they may have to get the party going - and unless you know anyone else (with more skills than yourself) it could be hard to pick up some decent advice. Of course this changed with the introduction of the many DJ related videos and books that are now available, but while these covered lots of aspects of the DJing game, they can overlook some of the more basic tips that make your job easier.
Beat mixing and scratching take time and are not necessarily the easiest things to explain in writing, however there are some things that you can take up straight away that are often pretty simple. So I had a word with a few fellow DJs to see what they knew…

While DJ Rondevu advocated the use of tape through the holes of your vinyl to tighten them up DJ Elev8 elaborated, saying, “A lot of records have bigger holes than others, leaving a small amount of play between the record and spindle. This may cause your needle to skip. To help prevent that, get some scotch tape, and fit it through the hole of the record. Next, attach it to each side of the record. Now place the record back on the spindle. If there's still some play, repeat this process with another piece of tape.” Even with tape this can cause a ‘thrumming’ noise if, for example the record is slightly warped as well as the needle picking up bass vibrations as it moves within the groove when moving back and forth. To reduce this simply cut the bass EQ on your mixer - simple as anything but a surprisingly large amount of DJs don’t do this. If you don’t have time to tape up your records - or just cannot be bothered - then a packet of rolling papers are a good alternative as one placed over the spindle with the record pushed down on top makes an easy one-hit substitute. Of course if the record hole is too small just get a sharp knife and spin it in the hole - but be careful not to overdo it.

Elev8 also hit upon record warping with the following tips, “First you may try to find an outdoor equipment store or a store that sells space station paraphernalia such as freeze-dried ice cream and stuff like that. These stores often carry ‘space blankets’, which keep the user cold when it's hot or hot when it's cold. These blankets look similar to tin foil, and come folded up in a pocket-sized plastic bag. By lining your crates with this, it will help keep your records from warping. A cheap and less effective way would be to line your crates with some aluminum foil. This should only be used when storing records because when you're actively digging in a crate, the foil will get ripped and wind up more trouble than it's worth.” I have previously used desperate measures to ‘unwarp’ records like leaving them in the sun and then flattening them under heavy objects - not recommended - although it is always a worry when spinning outdoors to see your rare-as-f*ck vinyl bowling up as you are playing it…

Of course the advent of Butter Rugs and so forth have lessened the need to use plastic inner sleeves under your slip mats for quicker scratches, but this is always an alternative if you don’t have such scratch friendly mats. While most DJs lick their fingers to moisten them before scratching you could try using a sponge as a more socially pleasant alternative during group practice sessions. Elev8 once again came through to recommend the type of office sponges used to wet envelopes and stamps.

I may drop a few more tips and tricks on you in coming weeks and of course if any DJs who want to share the knowledge of their personal tips then let me know. Lastly I need to say PLEASE make sure you learn how to set up your decks properly - it would save me a hell of a lot of time when playing if I didn’t have to sort out your weights and tone-arm height every time I played!

Take it easy - Slim
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WHO ARE THE BIG 5 MAJOR RECORD LABELS & SOME OF THEIR SUBSIDIARIES?
A lot of people often times say that they want a deal with a major record label, so we have done the work of compiling the listing of the most influential ones in the game, though we would say do not weigh out the Independent labels that are rapidly gaining their props. 

We will put a listing of those at a later date. Plenty more resources to come on www.grindmodeconnect.com, and this is your starting point for finding out their requirements. Please keep in mind that these listings may change, because things do change rapidly in the music industry.


Universal Music Group
Subsidiaries include:
Def JamInterscope/Geffen
Island Records
Motown Records
http://www.universalmusic.com/

Sony Music Entertainment
Subsidiaries include:
Columbia
Epic
Legacy Recordings
http://www.sonymusic.com/

EMI Group
Subsidiaries include:
Capitol Records
Virgin Records
http://www.sonymusic.com/

Warner Brothers Music
Subsidiaries include:
Atlantic Recordings
Reprise
Warner Brothers records
http://www.sonymusic.com/

BMG Entertainment
Subsidiaries include:
Arista Records
RCA
www.bmg.com
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