Advice
"The Song Is Greater Than the Beat": A Guest Editorial by ACE Harris
Fresh off a placement on 'Tha Carter V,' Harris opens up about patience and balancing the worlds of production and A&R.
“Win Over the People”: An Important Lesson for Opening Acts
“We want to expand our demographic.”
A$AP Rocky Shares Valuable Investment Advice
“Statistically, a rapper’s career lasts two to four years. I’m three years past that mark..."
J. Cole Admits "Twitter A&Rs" Hurt His Feelings
"Yeah, it hurt me. I was like, 'Damn, why they say that? Maybe they right?'"
Mike Dean on Travis Scott: "He's Still Finding Himself as an Artist"
No artist can afford to stop growing, even after they’ve struck gold.
To Be Seen Is to Be Heard: Visibility Is No Longer an Option
Today, it takes more than just great songs to be heard. It takes imagination, collaboration, and great presentation.
5 Inexpensive Buys to Supercharge Studio Productivity
You don't have to break the bank to reach maximum capacity.
Def Jam EVP Steven Victor on Modern A&R: "Numbers Could be Deceiving"
"I’m not giving a deal just because they have numbers to support it.”
J. Cole's Advice to Swizz Beatz for How to Best Reach the Kids
Swizz Beatz is for the children, but not without a little help from J. Cole.
6LACK on Being Signed to Flo Rida: "I Never Got Paid, Ever. I Never Saw a Check"
“And I did a ton of shows with them. I never got paid for any show."
How My First Loss Became My Greatest Lesson: A Guest Editorial by Lloyd
The veteran R&B singer pinpoints the most valuable mistake of his career.
Drake "In My Feelings" Producer Waited Five Years to Land Beat Placement
“Keke, do you love me?” indeed.
A-Trak Delivers Much-Needed Advice for Artists Caught Up in the Numbers Game
"Numbers are given way too much importance, there's insane pressure and it's extremely unhealthy."
How G Herbo Blew His First $100k From Music in Four Months
"I bought a lot of clothes and a lot of lean, cars, guns and shit."
The Crucial Lesson French Montana Learned From Diddy About Real Rap Success
"You got to become that person who can take five years off and come back."
"Long-Term Bags Only": Russ Shares Valuable Investment Advice
"For a genre that’s so infatuated with wealth, y’all be doing short-term shit…"
How a Terrifying $500 Investment Turned Into a Six-Figure Beat-Selling Business
Three major takeaways to rewired the way you think about money.
Royce da 5'9" Thinks About Dr. Dre's Financial Advice to Him Every Day
"He just kept saying it over and over again..."
Danny Brown: "Never Spend $70k on Samples for an Album That No One Buys"
Brown reveals that the decision to spend $70,000 to clear samples for 2016's 'Atrocity Exhibition' put him in debt.
Every Rapper Needs to Hear Will Smith Tell the Career-Altering Story About the First $1K He Made From Rapping
"It was crazy. And I knew that I was never ever going to do anything that would stop somebody from handing me 10 $100 bills..."
Zaytoven Reveals He Continued Barbershop Work After First Six-Figure Payday Because of Fear of Failure
Creativity rewards patience, for sure, but it’s also important to know when to pull the trigger.
Why Online Music Producers Must Provide Rappers with Better Customer Service
"Spend less time sharing memes clowning broke rappers that beg for free beats and more time highlighting the rappers that DO invest with and in you."