Selling my first Hip-Hop Album/EP

Jude_2010

I've been working on this for about a year now (took that long because im stilll in school, 17, with my Leaving this year)

In all there are 14 tracks on it and i'm getting it printed with artwork. etc
i'm looking to sell 200 copies at €5 each, 100 copies minimum and I'm sure i can scratch about 100 sales at school (hopefully)

I was wondering if you guys had any ideas on how to sell the remaining 100. I was thinking setting up a stall in town, or outside a shopping centre, and ask people passing buy if they'd like a listen and try to convince them to buy a copy. Is that a good idea?
And by the way I wanted to use the money raised to buy a DSLR camera for music videos and hopefully upgrade my pc for video editing too .

If you have any suggestions please let me know
Thanks.

Here's a track from the album. Its called Money & Fame and its a collaboration with artists from the states:
http://soundcloud.com/yjentertainment/money-fame-dirty-w-prahphet

Love Hate:
http://soundcloud.com/yjentertainment/love-hate

rcaz

Jude_2010 wrote: »

I was wondering if you guys had any ideas on how to sell the remaining 100. I was thinking setting up a stall in town, or outside a shopping centre, and ask people passing buy if they'd like a listen and try to convince them to buy a copy. Is that a good idea?

That's kinda like what a lot of people did/still do in hip hop anyway, except instead of setting up a stall, hang around outside gigs similar to your own stuff (so that if they like the gig they're queueing for, they might like your stuff too), with an iPod or something and good headphones to play people a track, say they can buy the album off you if they like it. If they turn you down, have a shorter version without a proper cover you can give for free - you mightn't make that much money now, but you can definitely get them to remember your name.

Doing it a shopping centre mightn't work so well, but if people are out for a night of music, and you can distract them from being bored in a queue with more, good music, then they might fancy buying. How many people going into a shopping centre are likely to be into your hiphop, compared to people who are going to see a hip hop gig? :P

I really like that tune too, good luck with everything!

Jude_2010

El Pr0n wrote: »

That's kinda like what a lot of people did/still do in hip hop anyway, except instead of setting up a stall, hang around outside gigs similar to your own stuff (so that if they like the gig they're queueing for, they might like your stuff too), with an iPod or something and good headphones to play people a track, say they can buy the album off you if they like it. If they turn you down, have a shorter version without a proper cover you can give for free - you mightn't make that much money now, but you can definitely get them to remember your name.

Doing it a shopping centre mightn't work so well, but if people are out for a night of music, and you can distract them from being bored in a queue with more, good music, then they might fancy buying. How many people going into a shopping centre are likely to be into your hiphop, compared to people who are going to see a hip hop gig? :P

I really like that tune too, good luck with everything!

haha true true,
never really thought of that . i know a few DJs who could play my songs at venues and i might hand them a couple CDs to sell if people like what they hear

rcaz

Jude_2010 wrote: »

haha true true,
never really thought of that . i know a few DJs who could play my songs at venues and i might hand them a couple CDs to sell if people like what they hear

I'd say, don't focus too much on selling stuff, focus on getting it heard and liked. If there's money to be made, it'll come, but try put the focus on making music people like and making people like your music.

SAHMOM

Sorry I haven't clicked on link..but I will .
Ask some of your local venues could you play...try getting a fee but even offer to play for free. Then at the end of your gig sell your tracks to who was there.......or set up an account with Itunes and sell it there. You don't need a promo team...just get all you know to post the itunes link on FB ,MySpace, linkin, soundcloud etc....post vids and clips on youtube.

Best of luck with it cos its hard to get started in the music industry:o

SAHMOM

Jude_2010 wrote: »

haha true true,
never really thought of that . i know a few DJs who could play my songs at venues and i might hand them a couple CDs to sell if people like what they hear

......
I know a few DJs that might be able to turn it into a Trance/Techno tune :pac:

krd

El Pr0n wrote: »

I'd say, don't focus too much on selling stuff, focus on getting it heard and liked. If there's money to be made, it'll come, but try put the focus on making music people like and making people like your music.

You know I think that may not be the right way to go. People don't really value what they get for free. If you give out CDs for free - people won't respect them (the free CDs that come with magazines and newspapers - most of the time people just bin them). If they pay 5 quid for one, they will.

If Jude just wants to sell 200, he should go for that. It's a good exercise in learning how to hustle. And 200 is not an unrealistic target. The music is a really good attempt for a 17 year-old. He should try everything - have the brass neck to walk into tower records and see if they'll take some. And maybe his next album will be much better, and he'll have learned how to hustle a few thousand copies.

People like Jay Z and 50cent, did it by themselves.

I remember, a few years back when Glen Hansard was between record deals, and The Frames had released an album by themselves. Glen had a box of CDs in a few different pubs, that the pubs sold, and he went around checking on them and collecting the money himself.

rcaz

krd wrote: »

You know I think that may not be the right way to go. People don't really value what they get for free. If you give out CDs for free - people won't respect them (the free CDs that come with magazines and newspapers - most of the time people just bin them). If they pay 5 quid for one, they will.

If Jude just wants to sell 200, he should go for that. It's a good exercise in learning how to hustle. And 200 is not an unrealistic target. The music is a really good attempt for a 17 year-old. He should try everything - have the brass neck to walk into tower records and see if they'll take some. And maybe his next album will be much better, and he'll have learned how to hustle a few thousand copies.

People like Jay Z and 50cent, did it by themselves.

I remember, a few years back when Glen Hansard was between record deals, and The Frames had released an album by themselves. Glen had a box of CDs in a few different pubs, that the pubs sold, and he went around checking on them and collecting the money himself.

Yeah I get you... But also, aren't people unlikely to part with money for music unless it's stuff by 'established' people?

Getting it played in clubs would be a good start for sure.

krd

El Pr0n wrote: »

Yeah I get you... But also, aren't people unlikely to part with money for music unless it's stuff by 'established' people?

People actually buy CDs for lot of different reasons. They buy it for the artwork. To have something physical. They buy it because of the person selling it to them.

People buy CDs at gigs as mementos.

He's trying to sell 200. There's a whole gnarly scene of people in Ireland - in jobs earning 35 to 40 thousand and upwards, who spend thousands recording albums that they can't even get 20 people to listen to.

He's only 17. Maybe he should set himself up with a small PA and perform outside shopping centres, or even on Grafton street, and sell his CDs that way. A bit of performing might help him improve his act.

Rodrigo y Gabriela, started out on Grafton Street selling their CDs.

You kind of have to get out there. There's so much music spam on the internet nobody even bothers listening to the stuff most of the time. Putting yourself on facebook, myspace, or any of that other crap will do nothing for you.

Jagle

jude, i presume thats you on the last verse of money and fame, mentioning being 16 almost 17. its not bad, one thing tho, the accent? you american?

Jude_2010

Jagle wrote: »

jude, i presume thats you on the last verse of money and fame, mentioning being 16 almost 17. its not bad, one thing tho, the accent? you american?

Yup thats me .. it was actually recorded a month before i turned 17
and no I'm Nigerian, been living here gor about 11 years now.
And what about the accent :S did it sound too fake, i honestly wasn't trying to put it on haha that's just how i rap

Jagle

Jude_2010 wrote: »

Yup thats me .. it was actually recorded a month before i turned 17
and no I'm Nigerian, been living here gor about 11 years now.
And what about the accent :S did it sound too fake, i honestly wasn't trying to put it on haha that's just how i rap

cool, good stuff for a young kid, but now im even more confused.
your from nigeria, living here for 11 years, so a nigerian, living in ireland, yet you rap like an american wanna be??

just curious to know is it a thing you do on purpose, are you ashamed, or are you used to hearing american accents in the rap you listen to and so emulate that?

Mr. Rager

Man that track is really good, really sounds like Drake in the chorus

Jagle

fjsanchez wrote: »

Man that track is really good, really sounds like Drake in the chorus

so if it sounds like drake it must be good?:rolleyes:

Mr. Rager

Jagle wrote: »

so if it sounds like drake it must be good?:rolleyes:

No didn't mean it like that, I'm guessing you can see I'm a Drake fan with my sig and location Wasn't the reason I liked the song though, I thought it all sounded rather polished.

BTW Jude, I listened to a few of your other tunes and it sounds like you too are a Drake fan, for example in Love Hate you use Drake's line in his song Thank Me Later, "you got the resolutions, we just got reservations"

Jagle

no i cant see your sig, and wouldnt of figured your a drake fan from your location.

its fine, just when it comes to rap drake is the spice girls of rap, lets be fair now, bad flow, terrible lyrics, and after the sh!t he was talking about the girl and the tattoo on her forehead, just made himself sound like a tool imo

Jude_2010

Jagle wrote: »

cool, good stuff for a young kid, but now im even more confused.
your from nigeria, living here for 11 years, so a nigerian, living in ireland, yet you rap like an american wanna be??

just curious to know is it a thing you do on purpose, are you ashamed, or are you used to hearing american accents in the rap you listen to and so emulate that?

haha well i came here aged 5/6 and lost my Nigerian accent over the years. I just listen to a lot of rap and hip hop so when i started recording i found out it comfortable rapping like that. i would class it more as a type of flow than accent to be honest :P

Jagle

Jude_2010 wrote: »

i would class it more as a type of flow than accent to be honest :P

well dont, cos you clearly have no idea on the difference.
flow = is defined as "the rhythms and rhymes"
accent = how you sound, and youve an american one

to me you sound like an american, wasnt sure which of the 3 boys on the track were you until the line about age.

Jude_2010

Jagle wrote: »

Jude_2010 wrote: »

i would class it more as a type of flow than accent to be honest :P

well dont, cos you clearly have no uidea on the difference.
flow = is defined as "the rhythms and rhymes"
accent = how you sound, and youve an american one

to me you sound like an american, wasnt sure which of the 3 boys on the track were you until the line about age.

Okay lol i get you .
Thanks for the feedback

Jude_2010

fjsanchez wrote: »

BTW Jude, I listened to a few of your other tunes and it sounds like you too are a Drake fan, for example in Love Hate you use Drake's line in his song Thank Me Later, "you got the resolutions, we just got reservations"

yeah i am indeed. A big fan of J. Cole and Big Sean as well, i love the way he's able to sing and rap and his style is just unique.

Mr. Rager

Jagle wrote: »

no i cant see your sig, and wouldnt of figured your a drake fan from your location.

its fine, just when it comes to rap drake is the spice girls of rap, lets be fair now, bad flow, terrible lyrics, and after the sh!t he was talking about the girl and the tattoo on her forehead, just made himself sound like a tool imo

TBF calling Drake "the spice girls of rap" is a bit unjust when there are people like Flo Rida and Akon claiming to be "rappers". Fair enough, his music and the themes are very different to other rappers, some mightn't relate to him, and it's all your opinion.

And by the way, even I cringed when he was talking about hurting that guy who tatooed "Drake" into that girl's forehead

krd

Jude_2010 wrote: »

haha well i came here aged 5/6 and lost my Nigerian accent over the years. I just listen to a lot of rap and hip hop so when i started recording i found out it comfortable rapping like that. i would class it more as a type of flow than accent to be honest :P

Straight outta Clondalkin, crazy mother****er named Jude

You're really young. And for your age, your production is really good.

But what you really need to do is develop your own voice. Play with accents - find what works....Make what you do sound unmistakably you. And it's the same with your rhymes - find something that really works for you, and makes your voice jump out. With accent, you'll find what will work and what won't - you're a black dude, with Nigerian heritage, growing up in Dublin - your voice is going to sound pretty unique.

You're really young, and I bet you come from a good family, that goes to church, and keeps well away from trouble........So it's not like you've been out in Dublin gangland, slinging rocks and executing mother****ahs.

Forget about sounding like anyone else - you should sound like you, and it's not worth your while sounding like anyone else. You could be a hard ass, you could be funny, or you could be a lover. You have to be a poet and make it sound truthful (by becoming a good liar, if necessary)

Jude, you've got to find your own thing. Just keep working at it. You're doing really well.

Jude_2010

here's a sample CD i got printed
https://picasaweb.google.com/102744890010138805703/Anonymous

*NOTE*
Anonymous was spelled wrong hahah thank got it was just a sample. I've since got it fixed and ready to place my order for by first batch of 50

Jude_2010

krd wrote: »

Straight outta Clondalkin, crazy mother****er named Jude
You're really young, and I bet you come from a good family, that goes to church, and keeps well away from trouble........So it's not like you've been out in Dublin gangland, slinging rocks and executing mother****ahs.

Forget about sounding like anyone else - you should sound like you, and it's not worth your while sounding like anyone else. You could be a hard ass, you could be funny, or you could be a lover. You have to be a poet and make it sound truthful (by becoming a good liar, if necessary)

Jude, you've got to find your own thing. Just keep working at it. You're doing really well.

hahah you have me summarised and thanks for the advice, will do

krd

Jude_2010 wrote: »

here's a sample CD i got printed
https://picasaweb.google.com/102744890010138805703/Anonymous

*NOTE*
Anonymous was spelled wrong hahah thank got it was just a sample. I've since got it fixed and ready to place my order for by first batch of 50

That's classy looking.

But there's no photo of you in it - you could put something on the back....You with some girls .......drinking champagne and relaxing......

mada999

i'm not really into that genre of music, but that songs sounds like it could be on radio...good stuff

dasdog

Some of the best tunes I've ever heard posted here.

Jude_2010

dasdog wrote: »

Some of the best tunes I've ever heard posted here.

Thanks a lot, hopefully they'll sell (Y)