Was having a discussion with another long time member of illmuzik a couple of months ago, (Stresswon). He has become disillusioned with the artists these days, nobody supports each other any more.
This has serious repercussions for the future of the art-form, because if nobody is willing to help others to get ahead, how the fuck do they expect anybody to help them. The community aspect seems to have disappeared from hip hop. Its not just hip hop either, the whole music industry has become a shadow of its former self. Social media has become a cancer on society, we now have short term gratification, no long term artists, just flash in the pan one hit wonders, or pop acts used, abused and portrayed as true.
As somebody who has invested more than half of my life to making hip hop, I say to the younguns on the come up, of which I have heard some very very talented artists, you have some very strong competition, you have to look at a career in music realistically. You could have a number one hit, but because of the way royalties work, if you didnt write the music or the lyrics, then you will earn fuck all really. There really isnt a full time career in music that will pay all the bills unless you are very very lucky. Or very well connected.
This gets to the next point, connections and networking. The life of a producer can be a very lonely existence, which is at odds with the need to network and communicate ideas with others. Its through networking that every single one of my opportunites has happened. I remixed Dj JS'1s album many years back, I sent him a copy. He was so impressed he put me onto Sheisty Heights, I got a song placed on their album. Most of my work now, (dancehall and bashment) and mixing is a result of real world networking and using my connections from school.
I have made many mistakes over the years which have all ultimately contributed to me not being more successful, which I lay at my own feet, I dont blame anybody but myself, we all make those mistakes, and we should take them on the chin and learn from them.
This post is going a little off from what I wanted to say, but artists need to work together more, stop being so selfish, try to build a community in your area, find like minded individuals and work as a team, because between making songs and learning the craft, it doesnt leave much time to do everything else yourself. Be smart, work as a team, talk to people, get out of your bubble.
This has serious repercussions for the future of the art-form, because if nobody is willing to help others to get ahead, how the fuck do they expect anybody to help them. The community aspect seems to have disappeared from hip hop. Its not just hip hop either, the whole music industry has become a shadow of its former self. Social media has become a cancer on society, we now have short term gratification, no long term artists, just flash in the pan one hit wonders, or pop acts used, abused and portrayed as true.
As somebody who has invested more than half of my life to making hip hop, I say to the younguns on the come up, of which I have heard some very very talented artists, you have some very strong competition, you have to look at a career in music realistically. You could have a number one hit, but because of the way royalties work, if you didnt write the music or the lyrics, then you will earn fuck all really. There really isnt a full time career in music that will pay all the bills unless you are very very lucky. Or very well connected.
This gets to the next point, connections and networking. The life of a producer can be a very lonely existence, which is at odds with the need to network and communicate ideas with others. Its through networking that every single one of my opportunites has happened. I remixed Dj JS'1s album many years back, I sent him a copy. He was so impressed he put me onto Sheisty Heights, I got a song placed on their album. Most of my work now, (dancehall and bashment) and mixing is a result of real world networking and using my connections from school.
I have made many mistakes over the years which have all ultimately contributed to me not being more successful, which I lay at my own feet, I dont blame anybody but myself, we all make those mistakes, and we should take them on the chin and learn from them.
This post is going a little off from what I wanted to say, but artists need to work together more, stop being so selfish, try to build a community in your area, find like minded individuals and work as a team, because between making songs and learning the craft, it doesnt leave much time to do everything else yourself. Be smart, work as a team, talk to people, get out of your bubble.
