Wale: I Just Want To Make Music & Give It To Fans For Free... They'll Support Me
from the new-way dept
This is from a few weeks back, but I'm catching up on some older posts. We've been talking lately about how fans will support artists they like, and focusing on connecting with those fans by being open, human and awesome is a better strategy than freaking out about piracy.There are lots of artists who recognize this basic formula. For example, hip hop star Wale was recently asked about things like SOPA, and he explained that he doesn't get too involved in those things, but he just wants to make music and give it to his fans for free, knowing that they'll support him when it comes time to buy:
I just know that I want to continue to make music and give it to the people for free and then if it’s good enough when it’s time for it to be sold they’ll go out and support it. I’m a fan of the mode that it is now...Of course, he's signed to Universal Music, which kinda limits his ability to give out his music for free. They don't like that kind of thing. But it again raises questions about the claims of labels that they represent the best interests of artists. It seems like some artists have a better handle on what's best for themselves...
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Personal - the anti-label
Someone needs to solve this dilemma.
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Re: Personal - the anti-label
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Re: Personal - the anti-label
Isn't that what Topspin does?
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Re: Personal - the anti-label
Seriously. I mean, I can see someone being a rabid fan and avidly supporting their favorite singer or group or author. I can even see some enthusiasm for the next one down on the list. But the tenth? The twentieth?
I can think of maybe two or three authors I'd be willing to see in person. Once.
At least on Amazon or iTunes every artist whose music I buy gets a cut of the proceedings. Same for books.
But how many "fans" does Wale need to make even a modest living off of donations and t-shirts? And how long will that support last?
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Re: Re: Personal - the anti-label
I'll tell you this, I would have spent a hell of a lot more money on media if I could pay artists straight up.
And where are you coming up with the idea of a limit on how many sites I'd be willing to seek? All you need is to release something new and I'll be at your site getting it and considering paying.
The question might as well be, how many albums would you buy? Five? Ten? The answer is: as many as I like.
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Then why do they keep signing contract after contract with the major labels?
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Negativland is a great example
However, their fan base (including myself) wouldn't stand for that, and rallied. The fans themselves raised the amount needed to produce another album and gave it to the band. (It's called "Free"), saving them from actual dissolution.
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Wale's a pretty big deal. For someone who pretends to be "in" the music industry, to dismiss an artist as big as Wale is pretty telling. You're not only obsolete with business models, you're obsolete in music too.
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You really do not like him-her very much.
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No he isn't.
He'll be completely forgotten in a few years.
You consistently demonstrate you have no clue about the difference between real music and fads.
Not that I would expect a dork like you to know about such things.
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He'll be completely forgotten in a few years.
Yesterday you didn't even know who he is?
You consistently demonstrate you have no clue about the difference between real music and fads.
How obnoxiously elitist of you. Trust me, the acts you work, those are fads. That's why you've admitted that they had to get day jobs.
The music business itself is about fads. Some acts last, some don't, but it's pretty obnoxious for you to complete dismiss a star because you don't happen to like his music.
Whether or not Wale is a fad and whether or not he's gone from the scene in a few years, it doesn't change the fact that he's a star today and what he says matters.
You? Who the fuck are you? Some nobody who works with failed bands and then blames those of us giving you better advice.
You're a has been, mocking the up and comers. Nothing sadder than that.
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CwF + RtB
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Yes, it does - when you sell the rights to something to one group, you can't also give it away for free without their permission.
Sort of obvious.
Perhaps he realized without a label deal, he would forever be "almost famous"
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Everyone signed to a label is forever famous, right?
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When Wale releases a free mixtape he's able to do so with enough web presence to make it trend world wide. That's better promotion that anything UMG can pay for. When he releases a song and puts it on youtube, his fans go pay for it in return.
The only ones who seem to be out of the loop is the RIAA and David Benjamin.
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"Fame? It's an empty purse. Count it, go broke. Eat it, go hungry. Seek it, go mad."
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Fame is the outcome of becoming well known. It's the result of reaching more and more people, and to connect to them with your work. Being the best damn rapper in the world for 3 people isn't as fulfilling as being the best damn rapper for many, and a pretty good rapper for a bunch more.
Fame is also another way of saying "has enough money / clout / exposure to do more things" which is exactly what any artist wants - the ability to do what they like.
I think most realize that being the best indie rapper or the best unknown freestylist isn't quite where they need to be in order to be able to do this for a very, very long time.
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Not that it makes much of a difference, but MMG (headed by Rick Ross) uses the internet quite extensively to release free music, especially to "rogue" sites.. MMG even thanks seized domains on their official label released album credits.
Crazy huh.
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Because other genres will soon follow and then it's then it's game over for gatekeepers. That's why.
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Simple solution for him
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They both had strange accents so I said "Hello Are you two girls from Scotland?"
One of them screamed "Its WALES you f***ing idiot!"
So I immediately apologized and said "Sorry are you two whales from Scotland?
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Beethoven
"There ought to be but one large art warehouse in the world, to which the artist could carry his art-works, and from which he could carry away whatever he needed. As it is, one must be half a tradesman."
This is interesting. Beethoven envisioned a place where one could trade/exchange art as a "huge warehouse." Today, we have it -- it's called the 'internet' -- but unfortunately it's under constant threat by hostile forces.
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Re: Beethoven
You know, things like food, clothing, and so on. Inconsequential stuff to some, I'm sure, but necessary for most of us to live.
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