RICH HOMIE QUAN
Last easter weekend I had a chance to interview @richhomiequan it was
a pivotal time in his career. He was coming to Orlando for an Easter
Sunday concert and we interviewed him on 91.5 WPRK the night before the
concert.
His mixtape, "Still Going In", was out and the buzz in Atlanta was
huge for Rich Homie. The concert was a major success and he took off the
rest of 2013 tours, BET Awards Show apperances, major features.
Rich Homie's story is remarkable on several levels. He was released
from prison in 2011 and made a vow to never go back. He left the streets
and took his craft seriously. His rise, independently, is amazing. He
showed that having a good team and a better work ethic and remarkable
music was the formula for an independent artist to break through.
Rich Homie Quan downplays the comparisons to Future. He seems to be
focused on working and making good music. His mixtapes have been a great
mix of street music and music dedicated to the ladies. Far from
commercial but having commercial appeal, its easy to see why Rich Homie
Quan is the future of hip hop right now.
Last easter sunday Rich Homie Quan was in Orlando there is no telling
where is career will be by Easter Sunday 2014. He is slated to be
featured on several singles with major artists this year, and the
streets are waiting for his album. Not just the streets in his native
Georgia but the streets worldwide. the difference between @richhomiequan
and a lot of artists is that he is doing it and getting well paid to do
it!
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Confessions of an A&R
The Name Game
Any artist that is worth their weight has heard it "You are great,
but you have an Indie feel." What exactly does that mean from a
professional in the industry? In simple terms, it means you need to
diversify. I will be the first to admit that I love my trap music, but
it is not a universal language. Little Sally in Oklahoma is not going to
be allowed to buy music with the titles of words she can't say in
church. And since it is a fact that teenage girls are the major
purchasers of music, it would be smart to consider that in both the
title and content of your music.
Now this editorial is in now way designed to step on any toes, but
the truth is if your name is something I would equate to a hoodrat or
hoodlum, you may want to clean it up. Throw people off your trail, make
them want to hear your music by using creative names and unique titling.
There are so many examples of this, but one that comes to mind is Jamie
Foxx. Choosing a name that allowed him to cross gender and color meant
he often got selected to perform, where other did not. Another great
example of this is "Hannah Montana" by Migos. It's a name that is so
familiar to their potential audience that it has no choice but to get
clicks, even if it's just to see what the song is all about. This does
not mean you have to be unauthentic, but consider your "BUYING" audience
when you are attempting to break thru. And thats a confession, from an
A&R.
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Politicking & PR
Get in the Game
When you look at the success of an artist like Rich Homie Quan in
2013, he really makes it look easy. However, its way more difficult than
you can possibly imagine. It takes a great team, a structured plan, and
a clear vision to make the type of impact Rich Homie had in 2013. There
are usually multiple avenues one can take to to get to the end result,
but one thing that has not changed is that DJ's are still the key to
breaking records. It may seem old fashioned, but it is effective.
Mainstream artists aren't getting played because fans call the station
to request the song. It ames the work of a full PR campaign to get the
type of results Rich Homie saw.
Behind every artist, there is a plan. This plan is structured to
involve many different individuals who are all capable of making it
happen. This also means finding a way to bring in the mainstream
audience. While is a difficult concept to digest on many levels, it is
what works. Digital Downloads and advancing technology have changed the
way we get things done from a PR perspective, but a knowledgeable
professional can guide any artist thru this ever changing industry game.
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For advertising or features, contact DominiqueRebel at Dominique@Dominiquerebel.com
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ABOUT WIRED RADIO:
Founded in 2007, Wired Radio is a radio show embedded in the Orlando
Community providing artists and businesses an opportunity to engage
their ever growing and expanding national audience. Primarily engaged in
the Hip Hop and Rhythm and Blues genres, Wired Radio is a platform for
music, culture, and thought in the urban community.
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