How to Start a Rap Record Label
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LESSON 1 - A&R & Airplay
A&R (ARTIST & REPETOIRE)
The ones in charge of finding and signing new talent. They also have a hand at choosing album cuts and studio selection.AIRPLAYAirplay is very competitive. There are two ways to get airplay. One is through money and the other is through buzz. Either you pay a hired radio promoter a bunch of loot, or get buzz. Buzz can be obtained on college radio and other indie radio outlets like mixshows and late night specialties enough to generate public awareness. Buzz can also be made announcing your release date or distribution or gigs. There is one third way. Luck.LESSON 3 - BDS/Soundscan & Business Affair
BDS & SOUNDSCAN
BDS tracks your radio airplay. Registration to BDS is free (although it costs to get back data), send them your song name, label and genre of music.Their address is:8100 NW 101st Terrace Kansas City, MO 64153 ATTN: Encoding DepartmentBUSINESS AFFAIRTakes care of any financing and payroll issues.3 Pack Special
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LESSON 5 - Copyrights & Distribution
COPYRIGHTS
Fill a Form SR (sound recordings) copyright at www.copyright.gov . Sending a copy of your material to yourself might not hold up in court playa, be legit...DISTRIBUTIONDistribution companies are the ones who put your album in stores. In order to have distribution you must have a strong sales history or strong buzz through radio or promotion. You must also have a business plan and be able to have more than several albums to be distributed in the future. If you are an indie, the pressing of your album and materials will be your responsibility so most distribution companies will not take you on if you are not extremely financed.LESSON 7 - Legal Department & Marketing Departmet
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
Handles lawsuits and contractsMARKETING DEPARTMENTOrganizes the plans of the promotion, publicity and sales department on every album.We're on Social Networks too! - Myspace.com/RapManual
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LESSON 9 - Online Distribution & Packaging/Artwork
Online Distribution
– The two driving forces of online distribution of indies are www.amazon.com and www.cdbaby.com, also first and second in that respective order. Amazon.com will make your album receive a lot of traffic through little promotion but costs a bit. www.CdBaby.com is a one time fee of 35.00 and they handle the shipment, mp3 links, picture uploads and credit card transactions.Packaging & Artwork– Artwork is totally a personal taste so hire someone who fits your needs. In packaging think of your budget first then perks. Diskmakers.com and cdman.com have the exact guidelines you need to follow to have your artwork printable as well as prices on packaging and pressing of your albums.LESSON 11 - Press Kits & Promo Tour
PRESS KITS
– A press kit is a professional package representing you that is sent to all media before every album release. A press kit will contain quotes, newspaper clippings, bio, fact sheet, cover letter, photos and song lyrics. These then are put in a fancy folder and expensive envelope in hopes of impressing media heads.PROMO TOUR– A promo tour is a tour from a selection of cities where you promote yourself by gigs, retail appearances or interviews.Did you know? Famous Groups such as "Darxiide" (Darxiide.com) are sponsored by RapManual
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LESSON 13 - Quick Tips & Radio Promoters
QUICK TIPS
Be on time always
Never get sprung off your own albums
Don’t ever trust the media, only use them as a tool
Don’t trip off your really big songs
Don’t buy anything you can get for free
Don’t use outdated mailing lists and addresses
Be truthful
Be professional, look professional, talk professional
You are what you think you are
RADIO PROMOTERS
– Radio promoters make a ton of money. Major regional promoters cost a lot and somehow use your money to influence radio stations to play your songs. Independent radio promoters cost slightly less and can pitch it to college and other indie outlets. Getting in contact with these people are hard and may require an updated list of numbers due to their shadiness. They do not like working with newbies. Finally, after giving these people 20,000-200,000 they may just take your money and do nothing.
LESSON 15 - Start A Label & Types of Record Deals
START A LABEL
– To make your business legal, look in the business section of the phonebook for business license officer or treasurer. Have them mail the license to you and remember you are a wholesale company run out of a private home or facility. Non-profit means you don’t plan on money being any focus of the label. Corporation means you will personally take no loss financially. Sole proprietorship means one person is responsible financially for everything. Partnership is equal responsibility. Then go to an IRS office and apply for a Tax ID number. With this you are responsible for taxes unless you can show a loss. An accountant should be hired when you make profit.TYPES OF RECORD DEALS– Through a distribution deal or pressing and distribution deal an indie can be signed to an indie yet have a major label press and distribute the album for a cut of the profit.– A production deal is for indie producers and production companie to develop talent and offer their artist to a major label, but get a cut of profit from sales.– A major label deal is a deal through either Sony, Universal, BMG, EMI or WEA. You will be promoted with more money and very heavily and most likely sell more, but the artist will receive a very minor percent of profit. Majors are professional when it comes to advertising, financing, legal, merchandising, promoting, sales, shipping factors of an album.THERE MORE THAN THIS!
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Products books services for you the hip hop entrepreneur on how to start your own record label release your own rap records and more - How to start a rap record label - Step By Step guide on Yahoo! Video
http://www.getputon.com - Do you want to know how to start a rap record label? If you do then check out this video..... Start Your rap record label today visithttp://www.getputon.com to download our guide todayStart a rap record label - Starting an Independent Label: Rap & Hip-Hop Culture | eHow.com
Starting an Independent Label. Part of the series: Rap & Hip-Hop Culture. Starting an independent label requires deciding on the type of company you want and outfitting yourself with an entourage of marketable artists. Build your own record label
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