October 31, 2008

Marketing Ideas from the Best in the World

No one has even come close to giving me more direction in the field of marketing than Tom Peters & Seth Godin.

As Latino Hip-Hop artist's we are our own businesses. For many of us we do it all ourselves; from managing our budgets, and delving deep within ourselves during the creative process to deciding on how to best market our investment and labor of love.

The ideas, speeches, and books of these two marketers have changed my world and I hope they have the same impact on you!



Tom Peters on Innovation:






Seth Godin on Social Networking:




Wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis Dieguez
latinohiphop.org
cristopolis.com
202.730.5012

October 29, 2008

How To Make A Music Video

It has been said that video killed the radio star.

Although musical short films have been in existence since the 1920's it was not until the 1980's that the term 'music video' began to become popularized. The biggest single factor in music videos going mainstream was undoubtedly the birth of MTV on August 1, 1981.

Now three decades later, music videos have become a cultural mainstay and a must have for musicians. So how do you make a music video?

To help get you started, I recommend that you watch the videos below, and read the article here and the one here. These articles and videos contain valuable information that will jumpstart the process for you. But remember your own creativity is your greatest asset, so get out there and create!









Wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis Dieguez
latinohiphop.org
cristopolis.com
202.730.5012

October 5, 2008

Why Hip-Hop Should 'DIY'

DIY or Do-It-Yourself is an artistic movement that transcends genres and mediums, which has become a state of mind increasingly adopted by creative types from around the world. The DIY acronym was first used by Punk Bands in the late 70's, which out of the necessity to overcome a music industry that would not support their counter-culture began to organize themselves, creating their own record companies, concerts, and print media. This became known as the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) ethic. Now, nearly three decades later the DIY attitude has grown stronger than ever, embracing all forms of creative expression, in particular music, film and books.

A great resource for DIY information is the DIY Reporter which holds yearly DIY Conventions and Festivals around the nation.


How Do I ‘DIY’

1) Create a product to sell.
In our society, money is necessary for survival therefore artists need to find ways to generate income. Ideally, the first step in this process would be for artists to set up a legal entity (a company) to house their intellectual property. In order to reap the full protection and tax benefits of a company it is advisable to create a Corporation (Inc.) or Limited Liability Company (LLC). There are many online resources that will walk you through each step of this process and allow you to create your company without ever leaving your internet connection, my favorite being the Company Corporation. Next, your product needs to be prepared for sale. The creation of music whether it’s song writing, production or engineering is a very personal process and should be left to the discretion of the artist. I personally do a lot of my own recording on Logic Pro and for those based in D.C. I highly recommend the engineering of DJ Boom at Listen Vision. The presentation of your album should not be taken lightly, it is the one factor that can immediately let people know that you are serious, and even without ever having previously heard your music may entice someone to purchase it. A great resource for CD replication is Disc Makers, they will provide a top of the line, ready for retail album at reasonable rates in two weeks, start to finish.

2) Somewhere to sell your product.
Now that you have something to sell, you need somewhere to sell it. You will without a doubt sell your products at live performances but it is very necessary to create an online presence for yourself so people from all over the world can learn about you and yes, purchase your product. CDBaby was the first and is still the best at providing an online store. They give artists a place to sell their music online and still return 91% of the profits to the artist, they will sell your album and also help you place it on digital download sites like iTunes and Rhapsody. I also highly recommend that you create your own website. The process of creating your own website is three part; 1) purchasing a domain name 2) hosting the website 3) finding a design (template) that you manage or having someone design your website. GoDaddy is an excellent company for the first step of researching available domain names and purchasing and managing your address through them. The best company that I have found for hosting and allowing you to manage your own flash website without needing to have any knowledge of web design is Dynamod, I highly recommend their service.

3) Let the public know about your product.
In order for people to listen (and purchase) your music they need to know about it. Marketing, promotions and publicity are the cornerstone (along with hard work) of any successful business, without it, even the greatest song in the world would be lost to obscurity. There are many mediums through which you can let the world know about you, but there are three free resources that are great for promotions that I would like to refer you to; MySpace, YouTube and Email Lists. The popularity of Myspace has made it phenomenal for networking and making your music, shows and ideas available to a community of people that are highly receptive. YouTube is also an online community based site, which allows its users to upload short videos, giving it's users a virtual Television Channel through which they can promote their music. Email lists take more work to gather but once people sign up for you list, whether through your website or in person at a show or networking event, you have a direct line to them which can be a powerful tool in promoting your performances and to yes, purchase your product. There are a few pay services, Vertical Response and Constant Contact in particular, which allow you to create custom newsletters to reach your mailing list. These services can be very helpful in understanding your fans because not only do they give your mailings a professional look but they also have functions that allow you to track how many people actually open and read your email/newsletter.


The ‘DIY’ Challenge

Aritsts will need to ask themselves the difficult and introspective question of what it is that they are truly searching for through their artistic expression, to make a living off of it, to be famous, a little of both?

Hip-hop artists have the blessing of being part of a technological revolution, which enables them to become self-reliant, in a way that has never been seen at any other point in history. Life during this revolutionary era forces us to ask ourselves deeper questions, in relation to our motives and the intentions of our art. In the past the only avenue for multi-media entertainment was through major companies that controlled the distribution channels, but today there are many alternatives to this. When focusing on Hip-hop music and the surrounding business, it becomes necessary to ask oneself, what is it that I am trying to accomplish and at what cost. The reason that this is necessary is because it is more difficult if not nearly impossible to get where you are going, if you do not know where that is. Many Hip-hop artists want to get signed to a major label, others want to create their own label, what do these things mean?

The DIY mentality does not stand opposed to any path, instead it affirms that 'no matter what path you choose or stumble upon, the only person responsible at the end of the day is you'. The DIY ethic is a paradigm shift in the way we view ourselves and our role in our own careers. It is both empowering and intoxicating. I ask that you reflect on how you can use some of the resources that I have mentioned in this blog for your career, but first you must answer the personal question of what it is that you want out of your career.

Wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis Dieguez
latinohiphop.org
cristopolis.com
202.730.5012

October 2, 2008

Where to Find Great Graphic Design

Image, for better or for worse plays a disproportianate role within the entertainment industry. This is why we frequently like songs only after we've seen the music video. This is also why while walking down a store aisle we stop to pick up a magizine or DVD......due to sheer intrigue. Whether we end up paying for the item or not the image on the cover has lured us in to at a minumum pay attention.

In modern times every image that makes it on to a commodity is worked on by a graphic design artist. I would like to share with you the best company I have found and the one that I have been using for over the past 2 years for graphic design work; MEDIA 644.

Their great designs are only matched by their professionalism, low prices and quick turn around time.

MEDIA 644 can be reached by phone at 703.463.9357 or by email at contact@media644.com

Featured below are a few designs that MEDIA 644 has done for me and my wife, Heather Renee, just this year;












Wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis Dieguez
latinohiphop.org
cristopolis.com
202.730.5012

October 1, 2008

Reggaeton Vs. Hip-Hop [DJ Boom Remix]


CRISTOPOLIS
Quantcast

'Reggaeton Vs. Hip-Hop' Remix Contest Winner .....



First and foremost thank you to everyone who has participated in this contest and to all those who have been following it.

With no further a do (drum roll please), the winner of the "Reggaeton Vs. Hip-Hop" Remix contest is DJ Boom from Listen Vision recording studio!

The grand prize for this contest was a Serato Scratch Live, and on top of receiving the prize the remix will also be included on the upcoming album release of "Reggaeton Vs. Hip-Hop".

The runner-up in the competition was Sabio Mero, who produced an incredible version of the song that will also be featured on the upcoming album.

Again, I thank you all for participating and for following the competition.

Wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis Dieguez
latinohiphop.org
cristopolis.com
202.730.5012