First let me define my position and history, I'm selling beats on I guess the lowest level right now so some of the major issue I'm not addressing. I'm just making money to help pay for this sh** and get a name for myself. Some more pro level person my poke hole is all this but I've been getting paid. I'm straight ghetto right now.
These are thing I think help with the presentation of the beat to a rapper
Three things I notice lately is that I sell beats more often if it has a hook, or chorus already in the song. So good writing skills come in handy. You give the artist something to vibe off of. Only a minority of rappers can visuallize a concept , a flow , and chorus all by they self. Another is I like to put an accapella on every other beat for at least one verse On those beats. Its like people feel the beat more if you got a famous voice already on it. I have to get a decent Dj to do this sometimes.
On a beat tape, don't make all the songs to long make them like 1:30, or 24 to 32 bars ,don;t know exactly why but it seems to work.
I breed a rappers enviorment, if its more than three people around I start a cipher, every time somebody see me I got folks in a circle rapping, Then I offer to record anybody who serious or got skills, after that dude hears their voice on tape they get bite by the bug and next thing you know 2weeks ,a month ,or whenever they want to get down. It like drugs, the first few sessions is free , now its charge time baby. i tell them get $100 or $200 and you'll get a CD to walk out the door with. ONce I get my mixing and recording better it will be more. Usually I only part with one or two of my own beats. I set out the green and the drink to set the mood for a good time.and record the whole thing. Just get out and in the mist, like you said and network. I deal with anybody on any budget right now. Everybody wanna rap these day, so I offer to put them on their own Cd for like a 100 or two and they love that. Save your super heat for the more serious folks. The little young drug dealers in my old neighborhood will pay you just to put they voice on cd, most time they wanna rap over some Lil John insturmenttal or whomever and I charge them for that and my beats like a combo package. Don't go crazy about your prices right now. I've haven't total figured out how to get to that next level yet. BUT KEEP A CD WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. I had a chance meeting with a big name guy who was jsut farming for beats for him and his crew and I didn't have nothing but my dick in my hand. That may have been my chance. . But I think as my music grows their will be a nautral progression. Somebody I sold a beat to may get a little name and look out.. So make good relation with all. Keep the heat going. In the meantime , learn about publishing and the legal aspect of selling music so when that serious business come along you got your head right. Copywrite your stuff so a biter at least has to put in work to twerk your music. You don't have to wait for it to come back to start selling those beats.
