4 Tips for how to make it as underground rappers

I am about to give you some pointers on how to take your rap career to the next level. I will not begin with a long winded intro; I will simply begin by saying this. If you want to make more money off of your music and have a larger fan base, then read this very carefully. This information is not to be taken lightly; not if  you intend on having a long and successful career. So without further delay, here are the tips I have for you!

Tip #1: Rap about things that matter!

The market we have in rap right now is very difficult to follow. It seems as if this "trap" style music is the hottest thing in the country right now; but remember that it really is just for right now. If you haven't noticed the rate in which rappers come and go, pay closer attention. Everyday there is a new rapper popping up and that is because there is no reason to stick with one rapper for a long period of time; everybody is rapping about the same thing and over pretty much the same beat.

Pay close attention to the rappers that actually have been here longer than these guys. They all rap about something that is of a deeper topic than "movin dope" or "trappin out the bando." They are giving you a dose of what life is really like, hence they last longer; and labels are willing to keep them on board. This is because the topics they choose to address are issues that really matter.

Tip #2: Use exclusive beats!

The one thing that I have noticed time and time again is a rapper downloading some free beats or leasing some beats because they can get more bang for their buck. Lease beats are like prostitutes, you will not spend the rest of your life with one, and every other rapper can use them. What you need is something that belongs to you; and has never been used by anyone else. Find a producer that has cheap exclusive beats for sale and pick a beat from the catalog that fits you. Buy that beat and make yourself a hit, or buy multiple beats and create a full project (EP, LP or Album).

Yes this is a slight bit more expensive but seriously, your album does not have to be released tomorrow. Take your time working on the project. Some of the best rappers in the world only drop one album per year; and that is because they let the budget do its best work. Besides, I know of producers that sell exclusive beats for the same price that some other producers lease beats for; and only sell beats to one artist.

Tip #3: Stay away from free mixtape sites!

Yes I said it, stay away from the free mixtape sites if you want to make serious money. I personally believe that if you are going to succeed in this music industry right off the back, you need to sell your music. Yes some artists have been successful giving their music away, but look at how much time they wasted in the process and how much money they could have made as well. If they sold as many copies as they gave away they would not need a record deal; honestly they may be millionaires right now.

I personally had a $65,000 year when I released my first album; and that is honestly without performances. Just mentioning that for those of you who think it is impossible to sell enough records to make it. You can also get yourself pumping by releasing hot singles. If the single is dope you will sell records; maybe not a ton on your first single; but remember like I said buy cheap exclusive beats online and you will do just fine.

Tip #4: Hire a professional publicist and music promoter!

This is a very big topic; you have to take this one very seriously. You are not a professional promoter; nor do you have the connections necessary to take a project to the next level. So you need to hire a some sort of hip hop music promotion service that can help you take your music to the next level. Publicity is key, so you need a publicist as well; one that can get you some interviews and get you listed in some magazines.

Working as a publicist at Forbes Music Inc. I cannot begin tell you how important it is, but I will tell you right now that there are no ways of getting around it. Bill Gates once said "If I only had $2 left to my name, I would spend $1 of it on publicity." Public relations is the driving force of all things successful. A good publicist or publicity firm is going to give you the edge you need.

Conclusion

I will end right here because nobody likes a long winded article; but I will write some more in the future to help you out. I try to do so every chance I get; but for now I stop here. Thank you for reading and good luck with your music career. If you need any advice give me a call at (504)329-0884 and I would be happy to speak with you. Yes, I did just drop my number online because that is what real people do.

PEACE, D'ron Forbes