Giving away a few Beats....

[Ruimixx]

I'm finally networking with some local mc's who are hungry and very talented. I know for a fact they have no money. LOL! On top of that the have been straight with me from day 1. Since I'm really new to the game with nothing to hang my hat on, I feel like giving them some free beats, so I can get some production credits and overall experience working with emcees. I know this is a sticky thing, (free beats) but is this ever ok to do something like this. I'm ok with giving them away cause I need to get something out there. Plus, I look at it like interning. Paying dues and what not. The contractual thing at this early stage really confuses the shit out of me, and I don't want to turn these dudes away. They're the only ones interested in my work at this point anyway. What do you all think?

 

[bigdmakintrax]

Dude, DO IT....I been doing this for a minute, do you know how many people sitting on their work will never ever do a single song and just pray that they somehow get on a project or some label picks them up.....the real of this is that...there WAY too many producers in this right now, to just put all of your hopes in one method ( ie, waiting for an A&R to call you, hope that someone hears your demo, hope that even if you get someone to select your track that could write a check that it actually gets used on the final project...you have at the same time have a business mind about this whole thing call street music and promotion....if you don't ever want to be involved in the street level aspect of hip hop, roll up your sleeve and get in the trenches with the artists and rappers....how will you ever be discovered for being a producer? and working on projects and finishing them...if you never have a camp or never pushed a single or been on a mixtape....its just not reality to think outside of this footwork that's required i have preached this ever since day one stepping onto Illmuzik..its about getting work done with artists and learning the aspect of being a salesmen and marketer, what better way than to get started locally as an indie producer...IT's what I did!!!! and won't stop....RUimixx by all means man do you, do this and get your music out there it really is about the music but then it really is not all about the music if you wanna be an indie producer that gets work on a regular...I know a lot of people that either cannot work with artists, do not know how to work with an artist and don't know how to maneuver in the street level aspects of the hip hop indie game and wish they could have some people to work with to complete their art....this only amplifies your promotion and also locally you can actually lock your area down by getting behind the local artists and labels....trust me you are doing the right thing but always have contracts with your people even if you are not charging them, at least have them sign even a simple agreement if you can't get your hands on contracts....GOOD LUCK and thanks for asking about this!

 

[Nuff B]

when ur new thats best as long as u get something out of it its all a grind

 

[RigorMortis]

word do it, and by the way why are you thinking on the selling beats point of view you could turn this into your advantage, let them know you want to work on a mixtape or compilation album of artists on your beats, the beats are for free but they will be put on a little cd by you to promote your and their shit, plus they will help sell it cos they are on it?

so get to work

like d said let them sign an agreement or something!

 

[Ruimixx]

Damn, I feel good about this. I REALLY appreciate the feedback everyone! I'm gonna go for it and see what happens, and thanks BigD I needed to hear what you said. On my first track I did with one artist he shouted out my name in the first verse, and that was dope! I'm going to do some research for contracts for my situation and go from there. Once shit gets done, I'll make sure ya'll get to hear it.

RigorMortis - I don't know why the "selling of beats" kinda jumped in my head. I knew that I was going to give some beats, get some promotion and experience out of this, but I just wanted to see what ya'll think about it.

Thanks again.


Peace

 

[Relic]

Definately do it, its the only way to get started and will be good experience.
Congrads
Big D right on!

 

[RigorMortis]

btw i am not against selling beats although i am not selling beats myself, but it was more like, instead of seeing it as you working for them, you could turn it around and let them work for you/with you. Plus it is a good opportunity to learn. Best of luck bro! Keep building!

 

[Ruimixx]

btw i am not against selling beats although i am not selling beats myself, but it was more like, instead of seeing it as you working for them, you could turn it around and let them work for you/with you. Plus it is a good opportunity to learn. Best of luck bro! Keep building!

Oh yeah man, I know what your saying. It's just that you hit on something that was going through my head...for a sec. LOL! Thanks bro.

 

[Bobby Ffitch]

do it for sure. but one piece of advice:

make sure they know that giving them free beats is a one time thing. let them know they are going to have to pay for things in the future. otherwise it can be hard to get money from them.

 

[mp3]

I look at it this way, I want one of two things off a beat that i give a nigga. 1. money or 2. buzz. I prefer buzz but that's just me. Now the question is, you ain't gettin no money, so you damn well better get some buzz, right???

But it costs money to get CDs pressed up, and to promote the CD. They ain't got no money to pay you, so how they plannin on paying for that? So what kinda buzz you gon get? And forget that burnin CDs and printing labels on the computer shit unless you wanna sit there and feed the CD drive all night to do 100 CDs.

So the real question is do they have the hustle, and are they gonna grind it out? Cause you can make shit pop without no money. But if they coming out the gate tryna bypass paying for beats then they gonna bypass paying for studio time and they gonna bypass paying for CDs and they gonna bypass paying for promotion, and they ain't gonna put up no dough to rent the rec center and put on a show... So basically the only buzz you gonna get is with their homeboys because they the only cats thats gonna hear the shit.

I say give them three beats for free. that's a demo. If they sit on that material and don't try to do anything with it then tell them that you charge something crazy like $500 a beat to chase them off.

But then again if you're new to the game and you ain't got nothing to hang your hat on then you might as well go for it. I just don't wanna see niggas make the same mistakes I did. I got 3 years (2001-2004) of time and work invested in some cats that I pretty much knew halfway in, they wasn't finna do shit. that was a costly mistake, because it pretty much set me back four years and I really just got on my grind starting last year. We did at least 150 tracks, I gave them beats and recorded them niggas and everything in my crib for free, they was my niggas from elementary school but I spoiled them niggas and I was the only one who would put up money to get CDs and flyers and shit pressed up. that shit damn near made me wanna give up

 

[Ruimixx]

I look at it this way, I want one of two things off a beat that i give a nigga. 1. money or 2. buzz. I prefer buzz but that's just me. Now the question is, you ain't gettin no money, so you damn well better get some buzz, right???

But it costs money to get CDs pressed up, and to promote the CD. They ain't got no money to pay you, so how they plannin on paying for that? So what kinda buzz you gon get? And forget that burnin CDs and printing labels on the computer shit unless you wanna sit there and feed the CD drive all night to do 100 CDs.

So the real question is do they have the hustle, and are they gonna grind it out? Cause you can make shit pop without no money. But if they coming out the gate tryna bypass paying for beats then they gonna bypass paying for studio time and they gonna bypass paying for CDs and they gonna bypass paying for promotion, and they ain't gonna put up no dough to rent the rec center and put on a show... So basically the only buzz you gonna get is with their homeboys because they the only cats thats gonna hear the shit.

I say give them three beats for free. that's a demo. If they sit on that material and don't try to do anything with it then tell them that you charge something crazy like $500 a beat to chase them off.

But then again if you're new to the game and you ain't got nothing to hang your hat on then you might as well go for it. I just don't wanna see niggas make the same mistakes I did. I got 3 years (2001-2004) of time and work invested in some cats that I pretty much knew halfway in, they wasn't finna do shit. that was a costly mistake, because it pretty much set me back four years and I really just got on my grind starting last year. We did at least 150 tracks, I gave them beats and recorded them niggas and everything in my crib for free, they was my niggas from elementary school but I spoiled them niggas and I was the only one who would put up money to get CDs and flyers and shit pressed up. that shit damn near made me wanna give up

Word, I hear you mp3. I'm really doing just a few tracks for the experience of working with some emcees. That's the only way I even hooked up with them cause they're hungry and not afraid to hustle. One guy is a really fast writer and a ill lyricist. and this other group I just started talking to are doing shows at local colleges and got a gig in Ohio. Which I think is great man, they're young. When I was their age I wasn't doing shit! LOL! I can't invest too much for free anyway or my fam will kick my ass. Thanks for the caution. I'mma take it slow.

 

[Nuff B]

thats some real shit

 

[diskrete]

yo ruimixx, have u looked at the contracts that have been posted up here on illmuzuik?

 

[Ruimixx]

yo ruimixx, have u looked at the contracts that have been posted up here on illmuzuik?

Yeah, but those motherfuckers are too complicated for my country ass. LOL!!! I'm gonna try and create a simple one, and see if this dude I work with (whose going to law school) will check it out for me. Prolly gotta buy him lunch, but hey that's how it goes. <grin>

 

[YaGurlShorty]

i was thinkin the same thing...give away a couple of free beats,that could help for more artist to try and hook up with ya...

 

[buffalony]

But wait.

Put those tracks on a CD. Put CD in a self addressed envelope. Address it to you at your address from you at your address. Mail it to yourself. Dont open it when you get it. Just store it away some where. Then Drop those tracks for em. If something you made blows up. Then talk to a lawyer and discuss the situation further.

 

[mp3]

Put those tracks on a CD. Put CD in a self addressed envelope. Address it to you at your address from you at your address. Mail it to yourself. Dont open it when you get it. Just store it away some where. Then Drop those tracks for em. If something you made blows up. Then talk to a lawyer and discuss the situation further.

Nah, just get a $30 money order and send them to the copyright office. a lil more expensive but much better protection.

besides I did that before and forgot which tracks I put on the CD... and of course I couldn't open it...

 

[buffalony]

""besides I did that before and forgot which tracks I put on the CD... and of course I couldn't open it...""



me too.

 

[Ash Holmz]

give them shits away man .. get the buzzzzzzzz ...

 

[dahkter]

Yeah bro,
You got a nice style, spread the love, get your beats out there, hustle, make it happen bro.
You got a chance to work with some dope MCs. It's 2006, you don't need to press CD's. Upload that shit on myspace, see how people feel it, and keep on making bangers.
My two,
EZ
Dahkter