TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA,YOU WILL SEE THE RESULTS

People who take an advantage of social media to promote their music usually get what they want,their dreams come true. Technology is everchanging,you don`t pay even a cent to get fame. Social media is there to make you popular. Yes we need publicists to make our music known by our fans but we don`t have to only rely on them while there`s another way of making this happen. The following is the list of social networks that you can use to get your music to the audience:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Blogs
• Vlogs
• Youtube



Picture above: A globe showing a list of social media
source:www.preventconnect.org.za

 Facebook enables you to share information with your fans,for instance you can tell them when your album will be released,what can people do to get it,where are you perfoming,when. Same applies with twitter and and blogs. The difference between vlogs,youtube and the above mentioned social networks is that,youtube and vlogs enable you to upload videos,actually they are video sharing sites. If you upload your videos on these video sharing sites as an up-coming artist,you are increasing chances of being seen by a lot of commercial artists who may want to collaborate with you on their songs.

  The Following are some TIPS on how to post links from your youtube videos 

Description box - This is the spot where you add text and infomation about your video. If you put a link there, making sure the “http://” part is included, it will automatically be formatted into a clickable link. You could add a direct link to your CD Baby page where the song in the video is available for purchase

Annotations - These are the little bubbles or lines of text that show up in the actual viewing pane of videos. Annotations are a somewhat new feature on YouTube, and something that should be used tactfully to make sure they are not annoying. You can link to other videos, channels, playlists, etc. You can ask people to subscribe. Also, you can add text to your annotations encouraging people to click the link in the description box.
Technology makes things easier,so take this advantage make your name known. 

ARTISTS HAVE TO ADAPT TO NEW TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES BROUGHT BY MUSIC INDUSTRY

Picture above: New device for djing
www.derektarpey.com

Artists that adapt to the new changes brought by the music industry usually survive. Technology is amazingly changing in the music industry,thus artists have to adapt to those changes. Music tools that were used in the early 90s are no longer used these days. People won`t be interested in going to the clubs where the old devices for DJing are still used. People always want to be surprised with some deferent things,things that are not familiar to them. Last week Friday I was watching the new SABC 1 show which replaced Live, Live AMP. They were interviewing a DJ who goes by the name of Incredible (DJ Incredible),who brought a new djing device design on the show. When I was looking at that device I was like ``wow this is amazing''. He is no longer using the old deck that you used to mix with in 2008. This one is a touch screen,it looks like an ipad but it`s big and it`s been available for two years now.

Picture above: old device for djing
www.musicradar.com

This device consists of the following features:

• A transparent screen which allows the audience to watch as you swipe,twist and tap to keep the beats bumping
• Trobbing neon buttons
• Sliders
• knobs

This is a kind of device that needs more practice. I mean you can`t go to the night club to DJ with something you are not perfect in. This one is kind of complicated but it`s got the ability to make you a famous and a dope dj. Public Relations Practitioners for the music companies need to figure out,what technological changes have been brought in the music industry so that the producers and artists can adapt to those changes. Public Relations made me believe that organisations and people who adapt to the new changes usually survive and succeed.

CSI DOES FIT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY!

Picture above:Cup made to show love for PR

Have you ever thought of helping people who are doing music in your community without expecting any benefits from them? Helping people without expecting any benefits is termed altruism. How many people are doing that in your community? Public Relations is a very broad field that fits everywhere, even in the music industry. Corporate Social Investment  is one of the most important programmes in Public Relations,which is based on pure altruism. I`m proud of my community,they did a very good thing. They have established a recording company which will help all the community musicians record their music for free. It doesn`t matter what kind of music you are doing,they just help you record the song and then you take your disk to one of the radio stations around there. I think their objetive for doing that is trying to promote the level of music in that community. One of the things that make me happy is that they get more support from the community which will keeps them motivated. They say ``together we can devided we fall'', which means if the community keeps on supporting them,they will move to another level. It then came to my mind that Public Relations Practice is of much more importance when it comes to building communities.



Picture above:CID Entertainment logo



If other communities can do that as well,I assure you, South African music as a whole would be taken to another level. Another important thing that artists have to consider is trying to promote each other. Featuring an undergroung artist when you are a commercial artist is one of the things that can promote South African music. If you are on top of the mountain,try to lift those who are still strugling in climbing it. People from America work together to promote their music,I think that`s one of the reasons why they have a good music production quality. For instance there`s a CSI music company which is called CID Entertainment there. That company provides services to the music festivals or any other music related events. If we can have companies like that,our music would be lifted,so what`s your say on this?

PROMOTING MUSIC WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

Picture above:Nathan Hoy,former VP and COO in the
 Artist Services Division at Live Nation

Before we go any further,let me ask you this,how many times did you see musicians` posts about their upcoming albums,singles,perfomances etc? May be you don`t even count,well let me get into business. It`s very amazing the way technology grows in this world we`re living in. Here I`ve got a list of social networks which artists rely on mostly or which Public Relations Practitioners rely on mostly to promote the music of the artists that they are working for. Remember it is usually the job of a Public Relations Practitioner to post all the activities that the company wishes to post on social networks. Just imagine how would the music business go if there was no social media,this all comes together with social networks. The following is the list of the social networks that are mostly used by Public Relations Practitioners in their music companies: 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• Blogs

Allow me to say the above are the top 4 social networks which  artists rely on for publicity. Artists also take advantage of social networks like Youtube to upload their videos because that is an amazing social network which allows the sharing of videos. A Public Relations Practitioner has to familiarise him or herself with the social media to make sure that their artists get as much publicity as they wish. I`d love and be proud to see people who develop and execute strategic and creative marketing plans for top clients,emerging musicians and award winning artists in South Africa. I`m talking about people like Nathan Hoy,former Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in the Artist Services Division at Live Nation. Hoy helped artists create,manage and monetize their relationship with their fans through marketing,merchandise,creative services,fan clubs,digital products and digital distribution during touring and album cycles.If you take a closer look at these activities,it`s the activities that a Public Relations Practitioner is responsible for.

WHO`S THE KING AND WHO`S NOT IN THIS GAME



Picture above:Jay Z,Rick Ross and Dre
www.sparksforyourlife.com



Rick Ross`s new album God Forgives, I Don`t which features Nas, Dr Dre, Jay Z, Andre 3000 and John Legend is so interesting because it has led to some debates by the fans. Some say Ross wasn`t thinking straight when he was doing this album,they say he unintentionally caused a conflict between artists. This will also open some debates amongst many hip hop artists. If you haven`t listened to the album,take your time and listen to it attentively and also look at the artists that have been featured and their relationships at each other. I can see what these fans are talking about now although I`m not Rick Ross`s fan but I have listened to the album and also checked the artists that have been featured in that album. Most of us know that Rick Ross and Lil Wayne are friends but then on the other hand Lil Wayne and Jay Z don`t get along,okey fine think about this. Dr Dre and Eminem are always together,you can`t break thair friendship but it happened that Rick Ross featured Eminem`s best friend. Remember I once wrote a blog about Eminem and Rick Ross beef (fight).



Picture above:Nas who`s always been known as a king
www.nahright.com



 ``Eminem you`re a monkey and everyone knows that you`re a f*ckin` monkey,if you want a beef I`m ready for that,I aint scared of ya''. Those were Rick Ross`s words that started a fight.

Moving on right along,in this Rick Ross`s album there`s a track entitled ``Three kings'' which features Dr Dre and Jay Z which means they say they are the kings of this game. What about Lil Weezy who always claim to be the king? that`s my question for now. Remember that 2Pac,B.I.G and Nas were known as the three kings of hip hop,but two of them dead,2Pac and B.I.G so Nas is the only guy who`s still alive,why isn`t he included in the track? Don`t you think this Rick Ross`s album will cause a conflict between these artists? Does this say ``A friend of my enemy is my enemy'' apply here,because Ross has collaborated with artists that do not get along with his friends. Some say Rick Ross claims to be a king but he will never be,so what`s your say on this? 

IS THE LANGUAGE A PROBLEM IN THE HIP HOP MUSIC?



Picture above: American artist,Nas and SA artist HHP



First of all let me define what hip hop is. Hip hop is the subculture originated by African Americans in New York City, specifically in Bronx. This culture was established in 1970s. In its broader sense HIP HOP is characterized by four elements, rapping, DJ`ing, dancing and graffiti, but then now I would like to focus on the music element which is rapping. The word rap is an abreviation for Rhythm And Poetry. I think the word describes itself, it`s clear to everyone that this is the mix of Rhythm either a drum or a beat box with a poem. Now let me go back to the fray. Many people think that the language you use when rapping matters, truely speaking hip hop music can`t be based on on the language you`re rapping in, that doesn`t matter at all what only matters is what you`re saying behind the microphone. Does it make a sense or you`re just rapping because your friend said ``man let`s do this''. As long as you expess what you feel inside, you can use whatever language you want to use to communicate your views. Remember what is important is the message content, but at times it depends on which audience you want to focus on. Just because the language that was used when this was started is English, it doesn`t necessarily mean you should use English even if the content of your music fosuses mostly on illiterate people.



Above:Vernacular rapper,Prokid on the mic



There`s a lot of artists out there who use their language to convey messages through hip hop music, I`m talking of artists like Immortal Technique,Jin and many more (NB these are American artists). In South Africa I can mention the likes of:

•  Prokid, from Soweto
•  Red Button, from Soweto
•  Hip Hop Pantsula from North West

Fortunately I remembered and mentioned HHP as a HIP HOP artist that is using his language in his rap. Remmber HHP is the first hip hop artist to collaborate with an American Hip Hop artist, Nasir Jones better known as Nas. You know what? I`m proud of HHP,ask me why. Just because  he collaborated with an American RAP legend, he never abandoned his Tswana. Even the title of the track is called keledimo which means I`m a legend in Tswana. Can anyone tell me that`s nothing but a lie when I say a language is not a problem in Hip Hop Music? 

DOES THE MUSIC CONTENT HAVE TO DO WITH AN ARTIST`S SELLING?

Picture above: Rapper, Nas who has just released his album

Let me start this by first looking at this other guy`s music. We have seen hip hop stars coming and going. I`m talking of 50 cent, Puff Daddy, Mos Def and many more but there is this hiphop legend who has been in the game since the early 90`s,who could it be without Nasir Jones better known as Nas. Nas released another album last month Life is good which features Rick Ross,Marry J Blidge and Anthony Hamilton. This was his last album under Def Jam. I think this guy is here to change the game like it`s 80s again. You will never here Nas talking about having money,girls and all staffs like that,he overthinks his lyrics that is why people will never forget his music. He is talking about things that are happening daily and he is motivational in his lyrics.

I always tell these up coming artists that they must pay more attention in their music content. This is South Africa not America, thus you can`t expect to sell many copies if you have this swagger thing. It is so sad because they are killing hip hop,their music doesn`t make sense at all but they are the first people to go to complain to SABC about their music not played. How could you expect SABC to play music that contains vulgar language. SABC is not just a community broadcaster but a national broadcaster. Nas is a very good example when it comes to looking at the content of music, as a result many people love his music,but even here in South Africa I`ve got a list of some conscious artists:



Above: One of SA`s most spitting lyricists,Proverb



• Proverb
• Kabomo
• Mawethu
• Tumi and The Volume

These are the artists whom you can listen to. They do not just write but they know their target audience. When you are doing music you have to know who`s going to listen to your songs,will the majority enjoy my songs? These are the questions that you have to ask yourself. Now from a public relations perspective,this is the reason why music industries have public relations practitioners. Public relations practitioners are responsible for generating publicity for an artist so how will a PRP generate publicity while you as an artist don`t even know your target audience,that is people whom your music is targeted to. You may be against me when I say music content has a lot to do with an artist`s selling but then I want your view on this.