the thing about selling anything, is supply and demand.
I would suggest maybe starting locally? What is the hip hop scene like in Nebraska?
The problem with selling any music right now is the fact that supply easily outstrips demand. Its good that you have a budget, maybe you should speak to distributors and retailers. Approach them directly, tell them your budget and see what they can do for you. If you can offer some sort of percentage of sales that at least gives them an incentive to make sales and help you. I would say dont just give them a payment with no percentage because then they have gotten all they will get and then have no incentive to help you sell more. The trend ive seen for the past few years is many many so called companies offering to make you the next big thing, but it really is them just satisfying the demand for "dreams" to be made. Be careful, play it smart, and try not to be taken in by the many sharks out there offering false promises.
Ive heard so many false promises over the last few years that I really lost a lot of faith in the whole industry. My problem though was a lack of budget, you at least have that, but dont throw that good money away, only invest carefully with proven methods.
What makes it harder is the fact that the whole industry is in flux and is still trying to figure out new ways to use the internet to its advantage, but still many major labels are struggling to find their feet in this new marketplace and business model. This is the reason I say start locally. If there is no real scene in Nebraska then maybe try to talk to people in New York or LA or other big urban centres, where there is still a pretty big hip hop scene. You could try college radio stations and other local radio stations get some airplay and publicity cheaply, build the buzz then approach larger stations.
Im not sure if there is much call for the boom bap style of hip hop anymore, as much as us older heads love it, most of the media/trend led kids dont. Im not saying dumb down because that defeats the whole object of making music in the first place, or changing to suit the trends, which stifles your creativity and isnt what you want to do(or maybe it is Im just assuming here) unless you are in it as a business and not an artform.
Artists stay broke and business people make money, thats just a fact of life IMO.
I think you have to weigh up the balance, and maybe have some mainstream style tracks in there just as bait for the youngsters to get onto the real "meat and potatoes" when they cop the album. Just like any business you have to think long and hard about who your target market is and how to reach them. maybe getting an industry directory and phoning around and asking questions from the people making money right now is the way to go. Just some ideas, nothing really too helpful there, but thats my 2 cents.
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