For Those Who Can't Sleep On Hip Hop

New Distribution Avenues for Indie Filmmakers

February 27, 2010


There’s an interesting article in The New York Times about the film industry, and how the need for new distribution channels is imperative, specifically for indie filmmakers. They discuss how the creators of a movie called One Too Many Mornings are offering their film on DVD, download, combo packs of both, and even the actual film rights for sale all on their website. This is the impressive aspect of where indie content creators are right now- they have the opportunity to deliver content directly to their audience, regardless of how large or small that audience happens to be.

There was a time that indie creators of content had to wait for the gatekeepers’ (studios, distributors, key critics, major executives, etc.) approval, today, that’s not the case. The only limitations, in regards to whether or not DIY artists make their material available, are those they impose upon themselves. Ultimately, indie creators, whether they’re musicians, artists, auteurs, or authors, have to understand that for the most part, the standards for success were set by major media companies. This doesn’t mean that one doesn’t reach for the sky, but goals have to be realistic and connected to a strategy.

Today, independent artists of all walks are proving that the tools for producing, promoting, and distributing content are readily available.

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Anvil: Rocking Hard for 30 years- An inspiration for all artists

February 20, 2010

Anvil is a heavy metal band that has been rocking hard on the underground for 30 years. “The Story of Anvil” is one of the most inspiring music-based documentaries of all time. Regardless of the type of artist or music professional that you are, Anvil’s dedication to their art, as well as their story, offers something for anyone looking to succeed in music. Here’s some of their interview with Insomniac Magazine. – Israel Vasquetelle

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The First Hip Hop Mash Up: The Clash

February 19, 2010

The Clash: London Calling
In 1981, two years after the first rap records hit the airwaves, The Clash, a punk band from England released a single called “The Magnificent Seven.” The track was a hybrid of rap, funk, and punk. The song contained political and social undertones. The Fat Back Band, The Sugarhill Gang, Spoonie Gee, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and Jimmy Spicer all dropped records in 1979. Musically, the only thing that distinguished The Clash’s track from those first rap records was that The Clash played live instruments. The Clash was inspired by those early groups to make a record that knew no genre boundaries. I would dare to argue that the conscious nature of the lyrics, diversity in instrumentation, and delivery makes “Magnificent Seven” a bonafide early Hip Hop song. Interestingly enough, this record was released approximately a year before the iconic track “The Message,” by Grand Master Flash.

Why is it that a punk band from the UK understood what Hip Hop was years before it was globally accepted as a legitimate genre, yet decades later those claiming to be Hip Hop don’t have a clue about its founding tenets: originality, positivity, and creativity? Today, record labels, artists, and audiences pigeonhole Hip Hop into being a specific sound, having limited subject matter to be delivered by artists with a narrow overall focus, style, fashion, vocabulary, and attitude.

Today’s so-called Hip Hop artists should go back and listen and learn from The Clash’s bold approach to diversifying their sound. Unfortunately, most aspiring Hip Hop artists could probably not identify a Grandmaster Flash song, and more than likely have no idea who Jimmy Spicer is. Luckily for punk music, The Clash did.

As a side, The Clash also made another track that embraced rap. It was appropriately entitled “Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice).” Both songs appeared on their “Sandinista” album.

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Julian Lennon Discusses His New Company, Career and the Music Industry

February 14, 2010

Insomniac Magazine recently participated in an interview with Julian Lennon to discuss his new release and a brand new company called theRevolution LLC. Lennon and music industry professionals Michael Birch (sold Bebo to AOL for $850 million) and Todd Meaghe (created the first 50/50 artist music store) started the company as a new approach to releasing music and working with artists. The company scouts talent, and then helps set up these artists with their own businesses. The company assists the artists with a variety of business endeavors including: finance, development, digital and physical distribution, promotion, and other important aspects of their careers.

In this first segment, Julian talks about this new approach to the music industry.

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Kevin Keith: Hip Hop Radio and TV Trailblazer

February 12, 2010

Major media outlets such as BET, Hot 97, and the now defunct Vibe Magazine are known to the masses as primo places to access Hip Hop. However, those who are more selective about their Hip Hop media consumption understand that those outlets barely scratch the surface. To knowledge-wealthy individuals who have followed Hip Hop media in New York City for the last two decades, Kevin Keith is known as a trailblazer.

Kevin Keith of Damented Mindz

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