Mike Hardy
L. Young
Rod Gunn
LaLa
In This May Issue... THE BUSINESS SIDE Protecting Your Brand
Radio Stations Spinning Indie Music Business Talk Radio The Power of Personality
EXCLUSIVE! TANK
Grammy awardnominated artist Tank gives MacTunes an exclusive interview about music now and then, a new album and a new TV show!
BIG SEAN’S G.O.O.D. DEED
See how Big Sean kept his huge promise to his high school alma mater!
MACTUNES TOP TEN
Check out the top ten songs voted by listeners on MacTunes Radio!
Our Sta C. ReneÊ Mangum Senior Writer & Editor
Destiny LeFlore Staff Writer & Producer
Yvette Lee Staff Writer
Sheree Jaye Staff Writer
Imari Obadele Staff Writer
Marguerite Clevidence Executive Assistant
Allen Redmond Promotions Director
Contributing Writers Dr. Victoria Brown Bob Baker
Marcus A. Clarke Founder
About MacTunes The Movement MacTunes is a media outlet that is dedicated to showcasing and educating independent artists. It is our mission to provide a global outlet for artists and entertainers to unite, network and expand their reach. Being an independent artist is being a part of a movement. MacTunes' visionary Marcus A. Clarke is a trailblazer in this movement, helping indies stay indie, therefore keeping their profits in their pockets. We are here to help push the music industry more towards individualism, real talent and proprietorship, instead of monopolization by major labels and publishers. MacTunes aims to show the general public of music fans how much they've been missing out on in the underground music world. It's time to become household names without the use of gimmicks and record deals. Real artists. Real music. Join the movement.
Voted By Listeners www.live365.com/mactunes419
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
On Fleek by Branden Vader ft. Michael Donatello California Dreamin’ - JMusiQ Groupie Love by Young Mac Bay by Young Quet Snapchat by Yonni
6. Goin Up ft Tyran Brown ft. Gene Noble 7. Friday Night by Teenear ft. Sage The Gemini 8. Green by Story Teller 9. Whip It by Solo Lucci 10. Recipe by So-Lo ft. Soul
Photos: Founder of MacTunes in New York at the World Famous Apollo Theater
The Daze of Business Talk Radio
Dr. Victoria Brown
As a college student at Eastern Michigan University, I often became intrigued by listening to talk radio. I knew talk radio was something my parents and grandparents listened to but talk radio was not on my personal bucket list of things to do. It wasn’t until I was invited to be a guest host on the campus radio show, to share my thoughts on why students do not excel academically in school as a first generation college student, that I became interested. Hey, I figured, who would be a better vocal advocate than me? Youngest of three, first generation college student, my grades were horrible, and Kanye West ft. Syleena Johnson had just dropped the hit song, “All Falls Down”, off the album The College Drop Out. Since I couldn’t “do hair” (referencing the line in the song, “#### it, I’ll just stay down here and do hair”), I decided to take the path of less resistance, making the obvious much more noticeable. That’s right, I discussed it on live radio in front of several unfamiliar listeners. Yep, I told thousands of listeners that I was not passing classes and was struggling academically because I was the first to get into a college. The radio host was as shocked as I was to admit this and feel strongly about why I was missing the mark. This admittance was embarrassing but at the same time it was liberating. I was all of a sudden “naked and not ashamed” (in my T.D. Jakes Voice). Callers began to call in immediately, and to my surprise they admitted the same thing. This opened a dialog for students to share their
thoughts and insecurities regarding being first in college with the potential to be the last. Leaving the radio station in dismay, I still could not believe that I openly admitted that. At the same time, I was astonished to know that I wasn’t the only one and so many other students in my position felt the same way. Of course this would not be my last time on radio and it absolutely wasn’t my last time of conveying transparency to a listening audience of thousands. After
being on Live Talk Radio for over 3 years as a radio personality on a business talk show in Detroit, Michigan, The Daze of Business Talk Radio was just a start of transparency of topic discussions related to business.
Now I have been in business development for over 12 years and I love every single moment of it. Those who really know me best, know that I cannot pass up an opportunity to talk about two things. The goodness of the Lord and yes… business. I consider myself an educator of those who want to learn how to take their business life to the mature level of growth and success. Before the end of my article, I am hoping to enlighten and share some insight on business development as it relates to the music industry. In order to ensure that my honest interest of helping artists with business development is achieved, here is some
Q & A. Also, just so you know ahead of time, I will be very transparent and direct with my answers as it is in my nature (former radio personality) to deliver to you My Truth in Business.
Why should artists form a business? A.) If you do not think of yourself as a business and you’re good enough in the music industry to sell records, perform at paid concerts and events etc., then there’s a good chance that someone else has already thought of you as a business and more than likely making money off
of your effort. I am most impressed with artists that I consult with that have started a business or formulated a business around their brand and stage name. Although they may lack some of the business development resources for a fully operational business, they have made an effort to put a business in place. The business is in you no matter if you incorporate your company around your brand or not. You are a business every time you pick up a microphone or perform. Ask yourself if you as an artist should be a business or are you content with letting someone else handle your business without you being a part of the transaction as a business.
B.) Access to business funding is another benefit of being a business. There are so many artists that use their personal funding to fund their recording and music projects when they need to challenge themselves to see themselves differently. That difference is seeing themselves as a business. At Jireh Business Consulting, we provide nontraditional funding options for artists that have businesses. We also specialize in helping those in business as artists with strategies to help grow your business and brand. As a new business, you may be eligible for startup funding and resources that will help
develop your company.
C.) The final benefit is related to using your business to establish credibility to your brand. If you are the hottest artist in the area, be the hottest artist in the area that is known for taking care of your business. Make sure your credibility as an artist is developed to advantage of all of the benefits of being a branded artist that has a business behind it. Now I am going to mention one thing before I go because I often see a lot of artist doing this. The one thing I have to let you know is, by all means, do not
create a company out of the thin air and name it without properly filing it with the state with proof of incorporation. Not only is it unethical, unprofessional, and plain tacky; but it gives bad reviews for local and national artists that do take on the task of properly incorporating a business or brand. Do yourself a favor if you plan to incorporate and have not yet had the opportunity to do so. Just put your business name to the side. Do not tell anyone else you are Jigga Jigga J the artist from Jigga Jigga J Productions Inc (I just made the name up so I’m not naming a real artist and do not intend to make fun of any artist with any similar names). Jigga Jigga J
needs to ensure that credibility is on lock by starting the business Jigga Jigga J Productions Inc for real and quit playing. Okay, as I exit, please know that business is a lifestyle not conversation piece. Either you are in it for the long run or leave the jogging and sprinting to the professionals. I hope this helps someone become greater. Be sure to read next issue as I discuss Business Pet Peeves with Music Artists. God bless! For more information regarding Dr. Victoria Brown at Jireh Business Consulting visit The Official Website at www.jirehbusinessconsulting.org
Dr. Brown is the President of Jireh Business Consulting (JBC), a non-profit 501 c 3 business incubator for start-ups and existing business projects and placement. JBC is instrumental in developing, managing, and partnering with programming for budding and existing entrepreneurs. Her passion to provide business development to the non-traditional business owner has increased her interest in providing information and resources for individuals in the music industry. Check out her new Podcast Show Bizlife with Dr. Victoria Brown http://www.bizlifeentertainment.com
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Two Ques tion s T h at Can H elp You Sell M o re M u s i c & M erch an d i s e QUESTIONS QUESTION #1 What products, services or artwork are your fans most enthusiastic about? QUESTION #2 What do fans buy from other artists that you could do better or create with an original twist? If you're not selling as much music merchandise as you'd like, you might be neglecting to ask these two important questions ... Question #1 What products, services or artwork are your fans most enthusiastic about? Maybe your fans are really interested in more limited-edition merchandise or hand-screened posters made by members of the band. But you keep trying to sell them cheesy looking beer koozies. Think of how your grandma goes shopping for you. She thinks you'll love that new sweater vest, but in reality, if she just asked you what you wanted, you'd be getting a leather jacket. Your t-shirts might not be selling because you're offering sweater vests instead of leather jackets. Sure, just like grandma, you had good intentions, but few people are really all that interested. The best way to find out what your fans want is to ASK THEM what they'd be willing to buy! Feedback from your fans may very well inspire fresh ideas for new merchandise you hadn't thought of before. Your goal is to offer something of value that they want - to fill a true need that your fans have.
Reprinted from Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog that what people say they will do in a poll (which simply reflects their intentions) can be quite different from the actions they take in the real world. The only thing that matters is how fans end up voting with their dollars. If they don't actually BUY the new thing you offer in sufficient quantities, let it go and try something else. It's all about experimentation and not being attached to an outcome. In other words, don't try to force feed your fans something they don't really want. Question #2 What do fans buy from other artists that you could do better or create with an original twist? Yes, you should also be looking at what other successful artists (as well as cool companies) are doing with their merch selections. I'm not talking about ripping off their ideas. But observing what items are working for others might inspire a spin-off idea you can uniquely make your own. One band that is always blazing new territory with merchandise sales is the Flaming Lips. Recently, Wayne Coyne and company released new songs on USB drives that were embedded in bizarre objects like Gummy Skulls and strobe light toys. Check out this Hypebot post for more examples of how the Lips push the boundaries and give their fans new merchandise options. Of course, your merch ideas don't have to include skulls. But can you take an idea like it and adapt it to your own style? Can you find interactive ways to spread the news to your fans about limited-edition merchandise? The goal here is to create conversations with your tribe of supporters and show them that their input is important. Besides, they can only wear so many sweater vests.
Action step: Post an online survey with a few t-shirt design ideas and see which one your fans like best, then print that one.
Have you asked your fans what they want, or have you been shoehorning them into grandma's sense of fashion?
Warning: Always print a short run of any new design, despite ! vote in your survey. I can tell you from experience how people
-Bob
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By Bob Baker
When you promote yourself via e-mail or with the words you use on your web site, you have a choice. You can be straight-forward and matterof-fact (also known as bland and boring). Or you can communicate with pizzazz. Case in point: My friend Gregg Hopkins plays in a band called The Melroys. He could have sent a run-of-the-mill e-mail to promote a recent show, including the rudimentary club name, address, phone number, etc. Instead, he sent this: Git yerself down to the Broadway Oyster Bar tonight where The MELROYS will present our little Rock and Roll fandango. The food is delicious, the adult beverages are cool and refreshing, the music will be swinging, and you'll fit right in with the other beautiful people there. Showtime is 9-1. See ya there! Gregg Hopkins TheMelroys.com P.S. Any person peeved by perpetual pestering such as this posting will be promptly purged from this list upon proper petition. Ya gotta admit, this short message is a fun read -- which leads one to assume that a Melroys live show will be a fun event. And that's smart marketing. (The only thing I might add is an address and phone number of the venue for those fans who might not know where it is.) So don't be afraid to show your personality. In fact, go out of your way to do something fun or different or creative any time you communicate with the public about your music. Got it? Good.
Use Hypnotic Descriptions Here's another example from a longtime musical pal, Michael Schaerer. In this recent e-mail, he does a great job of painting word pictures of the venues he plays and describing what it means to him: We'll be at Felix's starting around 9:30 Saturday night ... if it's anything like last week was, it'll be a full-fledged rock concert ... and it'll sound better than most of them too! It's really like seeing your favorite band in your living room. So intimate and powerful at the same time. Come early for a fine dinner, or eat late ... the kitchen is open 'till close, baby. You really need to come out to Felix's and see why it's so popular! Call 'em at 314-645-6565. Felix's rules. Period. On Sunday, Amy Miller and I close out my work week at the Tin Can Tavern on the south side. We play 9:00 to 11:30 or so and we like playing together so much that we usually have to be told to quit! Great new songs, and Amy just sounds like an angel ... amazing. Please attend. www.TinCanTavern.com or 314-865-3003. Last week was a great week for me. So many people came and enjoyed my music that I was overwhelmed. Thank you, really. It means everything to me. Michael www.msgstl.com
This example is so powerful for many reasons. The way Michael describes the places he plays, you can't help but want to go and experience the vibe yourself. And you know the venue owners have got to love the ringing endorsements, too. Finally, as Michael illustrates in his last sentence, always remember to thank your fans. They're the reason you're doing more than just playing music in an empty room. Without people to listen, enjoy and support you, your creative process would be a lot less satisfying. So be sure to regularly express your gratitude.
Your Comfy, Cozy Computer The challenge when promoting yourself online is this: There's only so much human warmth you can get from a computer. Anything you can do to make your online communication more warm and fuzzy will make you stand out and be more appreciated. No one does this better than Derek Sivers and CD Baby. If you've ever purchased music from cdbaby.com, you've probably received this shipping confirmation e-mail -- one of the classic "power of personality" messages you're likely to see:
Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest goldlined box that money can buy. We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day (date inserted here). I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as 'Customer of the Year'. We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!! Thank you once again, Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby the little CD store with the best new independent music Now that's powerful .. and effective! Think twice before sending your fans another e-mail message. And always remember the power of personality!
Bob Baker
Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash Your CD has been gently taken from the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself our CD Baby shelves with sterilized Online." He also publishes contamination-free gloves and placed TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine onto a satin pillow. that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion A team of 50 employees inspected your ideas and other empowering messages to CD and polished it to make sure it was music people of all kinds. Get your FREE in the best possible condition before subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting mailing. http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.
Cop It
MARRY ME, Mr. DJ! THE LIFE OF THE WIFE OF THE DJ
return. Just like us, the DJ has a life outside of entertainment.
So what’s it like to be married to a popular DJ? We wanted to know, so we sought out the wife of DJ GSlimm, popular nightclub DJ in Columbia, South Carolina. Mrs. Michelle Garrett shares her story with us.
Mr. & Mrs. Gee When we think of entertainers, we typically think about the singers, rappers, dancers and actors that we see on stage. But what about the beloved DJ? How many artists would be lost without their DJ on stage spinning for them? How many of us would walk right out of a party playing lame music or, even worse, no music at all? The DJ is a key component to the shows, parties and other forms of entertainment that we love. The DJ is so important that, many times, we hear songs all about them and how they saved our lives or made us fall in love. But what about the love life of the DJ? Does anyone take the time to realize that these spin-masters may have a spouse and children at home? When the DJ shows up to your event, there may be people at home anxiously awaiting their
What is your husband's DJ name? What do you call him?!! My!husband!goes by DJ G-Slimm. Depending on the conversation, I call him Mr. Gee, Brad, or Puddin' Pop (he's going to kill me for giving that one away...LOL)! How long have you two been married?! We've been married since August 14, 2006; so almost 5!and a half years.! When you two started dating, was he already a DJ?!! He was. !He's been deejaying professionally almost half his life. What is the extent of his DJ career? How often is he gone?
The Life of The Wife of The DJ Pretty much every weekend he's booked.! He's the regular Friday night DJ at one of the local clubs here in Columbia and he, often, goes in on Saturdays to!assist.! He's, also, a back-up DJ on Thursday nights and is called in usually 1-2 times a month if not more.! ! He does private parties, banquets, weddings, reunions, galas, etc... every so often he'll have something booked on Saturday afternoons/evenings.! He's about to start doing his online show again on Thursday evenings where he deejays live for about 4 hours.! So he's got a very busy schedule when you factor in his "regular" 9-5 and family responsibilities. How hard was it to accept that he would be gone as regularly as he is? Have you ever asked him to stop?!! We're former military so I was initiated early on!in our relationship with his multiple deployments.! I've gotten so used to him being inaccessible Thursday - Saturday night that at times it can get irritating when he IS home because it throws off our routine.! I haven't asked him to stop.! This is something that he's been doing forever.! It's truly a part of who he is as a person and that was part of the total package when I agreed to be Mrs. Gee.! I'll be honest, there are times when I get frustrated because of schedule conflicts and overall busy schedules, but he's great at putting everything else to the side when he sees me getting to that point. How do your children feel about him being a DJ?! They love it.! We have our times when we get silly and have our own Garrettfamily jam sessions.! My!3 year old has been
sneaking!on his turntables since he was old enough to start walking.!!We've got videos of him!scratching that are absolutely adorable! How do you all make time for each other with having busy schedules? How do you keep the love connection alive?
Sunday evenings are sacred for family time.! Once a month, we try to go out and just have us time.! Usually, one or the other will call and ask for a lunch date.! With 3 kids in the house (and one of them being under 6 months old), it is very difficult to get everyone out for dinner or to have date night, but our lunches are 'our time" to just be us - not Mommy and Daddy, but Brad and Michelle.! Hands down, my husband is one of my best friends.! We laugh and joke around a lot with one another.! If something is bothering me, he's usually the first person I go to for advice or just to vent.! We're both committed to our marriage.! Before we got married we decided this was definitely going to be a 'til death do us part union and that helps put things into perspective.! We've had our ups and downs, but at the end of the day we're still Mr. and Mrs. Gee. What advice would you give to a woman that is in love with an entertainer but is unsure if she can handle the lifestyle of one?
The Life of The Wife of The DJ evenings my husband is in his "man cave" mixing or researching new music.! That's his time and I respect that.! I have my own interests that keep me occupied.! If a woman needs a partner that is constantly around for companionship and doesn't have interests outside of the relationship, then dating an entertainer probably is not in her best interest. What is one thing you believe entertainers should do to keep their mate happy at home regardless of their hectic schedule?! Understand the sacrifices that we make!so you can pursue your passion and be willing to compromise!when necessary.! The worst thing anyone can do in a relationship is take their partner for granted and not appreciate what they bring to the table.!!Most wives are!at home!balancing their careers, kids, friends,!extended families, extracurricular activities, etc.! A simple thank you and a hug and kiss go a long way.!! How can people get in touch with your husband for his DJ services? [See the information below.]
Run as fast as you can...LOL Seriously, you have to realize that!this is their passion.! My husband lives and breathes his music.! It's been a part of him all his life.! It's like that for most entertainers in the music industry.! Asking them to slow down or to stop is like asking them to cut off their right arm.! You have to have selfconfidence and trust in your relationship to deal with him being gone most weekends or at parties.!Like any craft, they have to continuously perfect it.! So many
Internet Radio Spinning Indie Music As an artist, your primary goal is to get your music heard. Let us help you do that by getting you in touch with some of the most popular Internet radio stations that support independent artists. Expand your reach by getting your music heard globally on these radio stations.
MacTunes Radio
Blaze Indie L.A Blaze Indie LA is the first independent radio station in Greater Los Angeles that plays urban independent music 24/7. They host both an FM radio show as well as an Internet station available for artists to use as a platform for exposure. Thousands of artists have been played and interviewed on their stations. To listen live, visit their website at www.urbanindieradio.com. In order to submit music, use the ‘Radio Submit’ link at the top of the website homepage. Their terms, conditions and processing fee are spelled out to show artists exactly how their station can heavily rotate your music. Blaze Indie LA is a licensed station, reporting to ACAP, BMI, SESAC and SoundExchange for you to be able to receive royalties.
Our very own MacTunes Radio has been considered the home of the indies since 2010. We spin nothing but independent music from the genres of Hip Hop, R&B, Pop, Soul, and even Electronic Dance Music. We will also be bringing back our Gospel Sundays. You can hear MacTunes Radio online at http://www.live365.com/stations/mactunes419 or download the Live365 free app for Apple and Android devices and search for MacTunes. To submit your music, simply send it to mtradiorequest@gmail.com for review. Our Live365 platform is global and reports to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and SoundExchange for those registered to receive royalties. Our station also reports to DRT for tracking. Visit our website at www.mactunes.org to learn more about how you can be a featured artist.
G-Legacy Radio
Phenom Radio
G-Legacy Radio was created for independent music creators from various genres, streaming out of Sheffield, Alabama. GLegacy has its own independent app that can be downloaded free on Apple and Android devices. In order to submit to G-Legacy Radio, they require that you complete the registration form on their website (www.glegacyproductions.com) and have a completely mixed and mastered song that is converted to mp3. Send the mp3 and graphic design artwork related to the song to g.legacyrecordingstudio@yahoo.com. Their station does report to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and SoundExchange for royalty purposes.
Phenomenal Radio deems itself the voice of the indie and the most versatile Hip Hop radio station in the world. Hosting their platform from live365.com, they play nonstop Urban, Hip Hop/ Rap and R&B music from the underground. They have been spinning indies for years. Listen live at http://www.live365.com/ stations/phenomradio. To submit your music, simply send your Twitter name with your mp3 and make sure the file is named appropriately with the artist and song name. Go to their website at www.phenomradio.com and visit the ‘Submit Music’ page to get the submission email. Like MacTunes Radio, the Live365 platform is global and reports to ASCAP, BMI, SESAC and SoundExchange for those registered to receive royalties.
Oh So Radio
Oh So Radio is an Internet radio station broadcasting from Southfield, Michigan. They give both industry and independent artists an opportunity to showcase their music and diversity. Streaming 24 hours a day with various segments to keep you entertained, they can be heard by visiting their website at www.ohsoradio.com. To submit music, visit their website’s Connect page and complete the requested information.
The
LIFE OF A ! ! MOMAGER
Written by C. Reneé Mangum
I
THE MOMS BEHIND THE SCENES
Featuring Danie Twymon and Denise Johnson
! n the entertainment world, fans rarely see what goes on behind the scenes, particularly in the business world of their beloved stars. What they fail to realize is that most celebrities do very little of their own “dirty work;” they have others negotiate on their behalf to land them big roles and recording contracts. One of the most important people in a celebrity’s career is their manager. The personal manager has the most interaction with the artist throughout their career. They are involved in planning, coordinating and organizing the career of the artist. They are involved in counseling and advising the artist on all matters related to their musical careers. The personal manager should research the music industry and know all about record labels, publishing companies, producers, booking agents, promoters, publicists, stylists, photographers, recording engineers, graphic designers, video directors, music licensees, etc., and how they integrate themselves into the overall career plan. In any relationship, business or personal, problems can arise; this happens especially with the person you see the most. So, what is life like as an artist manager when your client is also your child? How wonderful does it feel to be the primary person responsible for the mega success that your child receives? How awkward is it when you are the boss at home and the child becomes the boss at work?
There are many cases in the A-List celebrity world where the artist’s manager is in fact their own mother. Moms are no longer strictly cheerleaders on the sideline; these businesswomen are coaching the game. Jonetta Patton led her son Usher Raymond to stardom; Sonja Norwood is responsible for the success of her children Brandy and Ray J; Tina Douglas is attributed to the success of her daughter Ashanti; Joyce Hawkins launched the career of her son Chris Brown; Teresa Caldwell put her son Shad Moss (Bow Wow) in the spotlight; Debra Antney is still looking over her son Juaquin Malphurs’ (Wacka Flocka) career; The late Dr. Donda West was responsible for her mega Hip Hop star son Kanye West. Moms have played a monumental role in the lives and careers of some of the fan favorites that we hear about today. But one can only imagine what the journey must be like.
There are plenty of bumps in the road for a mom trying to take her baby to fame. MacTunes Magazine writer C. Reneé had the opportunity to speak with a couple of Detroit’s rising star’s moms who manage their children’s careers. Let’s read what Hip Hop princess Lady Te’s mom, Danie Twymon, and R&B/Soul diva Erica Paige’s mom, Denise Johnson, had to say about managing their daughters’ careers.
Managing Lady Te... Female Hip Hop emcee Terra ‘Lady Te’ Twymon is known as the Princess of the D. She is also known for shutting down stages effortlessly, including the stage of 106&Park. Having stats like over 4 million plays on MySpace, over 130,000 views on Worldstarhiphop.com, many performances and three studio albums under her belt, one can imagine that it would be hard to keep up with the phenomenon’s career. That is why it’s best left in the hands of the woman who has been holding it down for Lady Te’s career since the beginning. Danie Twymon, affectionately known as De, started managing Lady Te’s career when Terra was just nine years old. Throughout the years, De has tackled many trials alongside Lady Te, considering the rap game is a predominately male market. At times, it was difficult to network and remain ethical when it came down to decisions concerning her little girl in this tough market; but she did what she had to do to help her daughter’s career. Initially, most people did not know that Terra was her daughter, because she wanted to portray the utmost professionalism as a manager. There were doubters who would say, “Oh, that’s just her mother,” who were eventually silenced by the evident fact that De was much more than that. She proved herself as a manager and that she knew what she was doing, even when most events consisted of all males and Lady Te. She has earned her respect amongst most and still showing the world that she is highly capable of taking her daughter’s career to new heights. The naysayers were not the only challenge she faced though. Being her own daughter’s manager posed problems of its own. They have been times when an issue erupted between her and her teenage daughter at home before leaving for a show. De learned how to quickly change hats from mom to manager in these situations. “When it’s time for business, my first priority is manager at that point. Any friction will show in her performance. It’s my job to make sure that she is fine and her mood is right,” De explained. It took some time to learn how to shift gears in the midst of mommy/daughter issues. At this point, no matter what happens beforehand, by showtime everyone is happy. As a mother, De believes that if she were not Lady Te’s manager, he relationship with her would be the same. “She is like my best friend,” De stated. Their relationship in life and in business is and has always been strong; if any change, the traveling brought them even closer. It is not only there relationship that is tight, but the whole family. “Her dad is just as busy as I am in her career, just more silent.” De believes it
Managing Lady Te... is important for an artist to have their family counterparts active in their career, if the family is involved for the right reasons. As long as the family has the best interest of the artist in mind and not just the money, it’s a blessing to have family around in such a tough business. For any mothers considering managing their child’s career, De’s advice is this: “You gotta believe in the product and don’t stop at anything.” If you believe in the product, you can sell the product. And even though there have been plenty of no’s along the way, she stops at nothing to make Lady Te’s dream a reality. “When I see my her perform and see the people’s response, that’s enough to keep me going.”
Managing Erica Paige... Female R&B/Soul singer and Blacktree Music artist Erica Paige has the type of voice that will always stand against the test of time. It’s a bold, timeless voice that comes from the pipes of a stunning young woman and has been doing so since the age of four. Starting out as a young girl who loved to sing and did so in school plays and choir, now a chart-topping vocalist recently signed to a prominent label in Atlanta; through it all, her mother Denise Johnson has been by her side the entire time. Denise describes her journey with Erica as interesting, enjoyable, and nothing short of entertaining. It’s a bonus that she absolutely loves Erica’s sound and music. “Even if I was not her mom or manager, I think I would still just enjoy her music!” She likes being able to work with her daughter, always be there for her, and learn more about the business as time progresses. She likes the idea that anyone wanting to get to her daughter has to go through her because she knows she has Erica’s best interest at heart in every possible way. Denise is a very confident and aggressive manager, doing everything possible to make sure Erica Paige gets any opportunity available. Denise has also dealt with her share or naysayers and other obstacles. She has had people tell her that Erica Paige needs a REAL manager, not just her mom. “I have the experience,” Denise says, “but people look at me as just her mom until they get to know me.” People will soon come to realize that Denise is in
Managing Erica Paige... it for the long haul and will surely surprise people with her abilities to move Erica’s career. At first, things were rocky and uncomfortable in the manager role. Since then, they have worked out the kinks in their professional relationship and even make jokes about their prior mistakes. They’ve gotten beyond the issues and learned how to separate the business from family. “She was confused and rebellious because I was mom. But like an old shoe, we’re comfortable now,” Denise joked. The professional journey has definitely brought Denise and Erica closer because of the differences they experienced early on. Now this powerhouse mother/daughter team is taking the industry by storm, even internationally. Like De, Denise believes that keeping family around is important as long as the family is thinking in terms of what’s best for the artist, not what’s best for their own pockets. For any mothers considering managing their child’s career, Denise’s advice is this: “Have business meetings. Not like mother and daughter, but business partners.” She suggests having an organized agenda as if you were doing business with someone that is not related to you. Outline your meetings and cover topics. Don’t get into the habit of going in the “oh I meant to tell you” circle. Doing this will hinder your business and cause you to miss things and opportunities. Stay organized.
Protecting Your Brand
Written by C. ReneĂŠ Mangum
Your brand consists of everything that you put out in the public eye that helps your desired audience form its perception about your business or yourself. It’s you, your company, your logo, your website, your social media presence, your reputation and so much more. Developing a well-respected brand is key to success, whether you are producing music, film, TV, or providing services in any of these fields. This is why protecting your brand is so crucial. Here are several ways to make sure that your brand stays protected.
Protect your logo
trademarks and service marks, but the
If your band has an official logo that is
two are slightly different. A service
intended for your web presence,
mark will protect your stage name.
merchandise, etc, you need to protect it by registering for a trademark. Also, if
It’s important to register your name
you intend to start a business, such as a
because if you don’t, someone else can
production company or a record label,
come along and register it and then sue
your company name needs to be
you if you continue using it as well.
protected as well. A trademark protects a
Popular artists who have been sued for
word, phrase, symbol or design (or a
this very instance are Soulja Boy and DJ
combination of these) that identifies and
Drama. Even if you made the name more
A copyright is a form of legal protection
popular, it doesn’t mean you get to keep
granted by US federal law to protect
distinguishes the goods or services of one person or company from those of others.
it if someone else registers it. You would
creators of tangible “original works of
have to change the name that you’ve
authorship” for both published and
branded as your own.
unpublished works. These works include literary, musical, and artistic works.
If you want to file for trademark
In some cases, even if names are too
Examples of works that can be
similar, you could get sued. This
copyrighted would include things such as
happened in the case of the rap duo The
a book, movie and, of course, your
New Boyz, who was sued by a Gospel
music.
group called the Newsboys. A copyright grants the owner the
protection for your brand name or logo, you can first do a search to ensure that no
Protect your stage name, one of the most
exclusive right to display, reproduce, and
other company is using that same logo.
important pieces of your brand.
distribute the work. Your copyright
Once you are ready, you can fill out a
endures for the entire lifetime of the
trademark application online with the US
original author, plus 70 years following
Patent and Trademark Office. The
the author’s death. Once a copyright is
application fee is between $275-$325, if
filed, you are the sole owner of your
you file online using TEAS, the
work and can sue anyone who attempts to
Trademark Electronic Application
use it without your permission.
System. This is different from a trademark because it is protecting the goods and
Protect your stage name
services themselves; trademarks protect
Many of you have probably heard the
the things that identify the source of the
term “trademark,” but are you familiar with the term “service mark?” The term “trademark” is often used to refer to both
Protect your music
goods or services.
Some artists take the gamble of not
First of all, understand that if someone is
make sure that all the media sources out
protecting their work. But if you are
saying completely false things about you
there can see what it is you’re doing in a
serious about making a living from your
that have affected your reputation and
positive light. This is where is helps to
craft, it needs to be protected. Obtaining
career, you do have rights. There is such
have a well-connected publicist who can
copyright protection is a very simple
thing as defamation of character. Under
always make sure your image is being
process and can be primarily done online.
common law, to constitute defamation, a
portrayed in a way that benefits your
For more info on copyrights, go back
claim must generally be false and have
career. Create your own media
through the last few issues of MacTunes
been made to someone other than the
opportunities and make your voice heard
Magazine to read copyright information
person defamed. Some common law
on social media sites as well. Active
more extensively.
jurisdictions also distinguish between
social media pages can help fight off any
spoken defamation, called slander, and
naysayers and keep your fans engaged
Protect your reputation
defamation in other media such as printed
and close to you.
In this day and age of social media,
words or images, called libel. Another one of the best ways to ensure
people talk about who they want to, when they want to and how they want to. Some
When dealing with the occasional rumor,
that your reputation and image is what
things may seem out of the person’s
going to court may not be necessary
you want it to be is to post an electronic
control. However, there is a way to
when you can generally take matters into
press kit on your website. If a reputable
combat “the haters” who may try to
your own hands. That doesn’t mean
media source wants to reference who you
tarnish your name.
attack the haters, it means strike back in a
are, the first place they will look is
way that overshadows their rumors.
generally your website. If your press kit
Create a positive buzz about yourself and
is there, it keeps the media from having to search elsewhere for great photos and bio snippets of you. Here’s what you should include in your press kit:
YOUR BIO Make sure your bio is easily locatable!on your site and it can be easily cut-and-pasted (not in a PDF format that someone can’t easily grab).
Your bio should NOT just be a “who, what, when, where, why” or a list of business accolades. Invest in having a
bio written that brings out your signature
vertical and horizontal photos so editors
about you or pieces you were quoted in,
story. This should be a compelling and
working on a tight format won’t have to
include them on your press kit page. I
relatable story that evokes an emotional
resize anything.
would not suggest that you link out to
response from the reader.
articles (the sites you are linking to may A tip here is to create an easy-to-see link
take them down or go dead, so make sure
And here’s a word of advice. Post a long
that says “click here for a hi res / low
you include the articles archived on your
form, 250 word, 100 word and a Tweet
res!jpg.”! That way, busy editors can get
site).
sized bio and you have pre-delivered
what they need easily.! When the!photos
every possible type of bio request that
are downloaded, make sure they are
Protecting your brand overall is the most
may come your way (no one will ever ask
properly named so that editors can find
important piece of the puzzle in your
you to edit your bio down again or worse,
them in folders and on messy desktops.
career. If your branding techniques fail,
edit it for you and forget the most important parts.
YOUR PHOTOS – MAKE THEM
you will either be a negative household Also, if you have an official logo, be sure
name or no household name at all. In
to include hi res and lo res files here as
either case, your career sinks. So do
well.
what’s necessary to protect your
EASY TO FIND AND DOWNLOAD
investment, protect yourself, protect your INCLUDE PRESS CLIPS
Thumbnails are great for quick and easy loading but are detrimental!for use in
What you say about you is one thing…
print. You should always have a few
However, what others say about you is
downloadable!photo options on your site
trusted in a different way.! So, if you have
in at least 300 dpi / jpg format. Also post
press or blog posts that were written
brand.
Big Sean’s G.O.O.D. Deed Written by Sheree Jaye
“Blessings on Blessings on Blessings” that’s what the students and staff at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School are saying after Big Sean blessed his alma mater with a brand new recording studio. According to several sources, Big Sean’s Good Samaritan points are “Waaaaay Up” after the Detroit Native teamed up with Adidas Originals and created a state-of-the-art facility, dubbing it “The Sean Anderson studio of Infinite Possibilities.” Big Sean had promised to build the studio for the school, if the junior class could promise to raise their ACT scores. Obviously, the students upheld their end of the bargain and so did Big Sean. The studio is not only a result of positive ACT scores, but it is a direct result of the efforts of the Sean Anderson Foundation, an organization created by the rapper to assist with education, health, safety and the well-being of Detroit youth and other disadvantaged youth in like areas. Big Sean was invited back to the school to speak to the children and view the finished product of the studio. The school held an assembly, welcoming the G.O.O.D music artist back with open arms. During his speech, as reported by MTV, Big Sean accredited both the city of Detroit and Cass Technical High School
as two main factors that have made him who he is today. After leaving the kids with some encouraging words about following their dreams, no matter what they are, he wrapped up the visit by telling the teens how he plans to continue to visit Cass Tech in the future. Once inside the studio, in bold black, white and gray letters the phrase “Close your eyes” is painted on one wall. On the other reads another phrase, “Dream about it”. A quote to remind all those who step foot in the studio that anything is possible and it starts with a dream. According to The Source magazine, the studio is about 784 square feet of space and was converted from an old classroom housing some quality music equipment. Once inside, one is greeted by a recording booth, microphones, drums, keyboards, guitars and more, readily available to the students of Cass Tech who wants to explore their creative abilities. The studio also contains several computers and digital equipment to assist with the production and engineering side of music making. The studio is not all about just making songs, but Bid Sean believes that the possibilities are endless. “They can learn so much from engineering, to recording, to just creating.”
In an interview with MTV, Big Sean voiced his opinion about how education is changing and children are no longer learning the traditional way. He hopes that the studio is a jumpstart to the new way that the youth learn today. “A lot of these kids, they’re out of the traditional way of learning. We try and misdiagnose them with things like ADD or this and that, and sometimes it may be the case, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes, they’re addicted to their phones because that’s how they’re learning now. Things are changing. This is a step forward in that direction.”- Big Sean, MTV News Big Sean is truly showing the music industry what it means to not forget about where you come from. He shouts out the city of Detroit every chance he gets and his alma mater gets nothing but love from him. The artists these days could take a few words of advice from Big Sean and maybe do the same for the children in their hometown. It’s such a great thing to see that not all rappers are promoting illicit behavior and foul language, but are creating avenues or shall I say studios of Infinite Possibilities! Way to Go Big Sean!
the sean anderson studio of infinite possibilities inside of Cass Tech High School in Detroit, Michigan
A first glance inside of the sean anderson studio of infinite possibilities inside of Cass Tech High School in Detroit, Michigan
Recording equipment inside of the sean anderson studio of infinite possibilities inside of Cass Tech High School in Detroit, Michigan
@TheRealTank
Tank
Realness Personified Written by C. Reneé Mangum “R&B music is a game changer; it’s a lifesaver. It’s saved relationships, it’s saved marriages, it’s saved friendships… because of the words and the emotions connected to it. If we lose that… we lose a lot.” There is so much truth in these words, spoken by one of the most influential R&B artists of our day, Tank. Bringing us real R&B at its finest with hits over the years like “Maybe I Deserve,” “Please Don’t Go” and “Emergency,” Grammy award-nominated artist Tank is one of the most distinguishable gentlemen to have set foot in the realm of rhythm and blues music. He is true to the classic and soulful essence of the greats such as Marvin Gaye and Al Green, but he brings a sexy redefinition to modern R&B. MacTunes’ writer C. Reneé caught up with
Tank to delve into the life of the debonair, multi-talented entertainer. Since the beginning of his career as a background singer and songwriter, he has always been an influential artist with his voice and lyrics. He credits his Gospel roots for this ability. “There are a lot of cool singers, but there’s nothing attached to it, just a note, a melody,” Tank explains. “Where I come from in the church, you have to sing with conviction.” For Tank, singing with an understanding of what you’re singing about is what makes the message more conceivable. It’s not just in the words but in the emotions of the singer.
Music is a driving force in Tank’s life, as a singer, songwriter, musician and producer. He admits that he definitely spends most of his time singing. “I sing everywhere. I sing on the plane. I sing in the bathroom [chuckles],” he joked. “It doesn’t matter, I just sing. I just walk around shaking my head all day,” referring to the #ShakeMyHeadChallenge he has fueled on Instagram for singers who shake their heads while singing to enhance their vocal chops. While singing may be what he is most known for, he has also been a very influential and successful songwriter, musician and producer. His credits include contributions to hits such as Aaliyah’s “Come Over,” Ruben Studdard’s “Change
TANK EXCLUSIVE
Me” and Omarion’s “O.” He has also contributed hits for other artists, including Monica, Joe, Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland, Keyshia Cole, Jamie Foxx and many more.
With all of the success he’s had with songwriting, we asked for any advice he could lend to those aspiring to be songwriters as well. His response was, “I always tell people to just write your life to stay relevant. You never stop living. Something new happens everyday. So you
never lack inspiration and there’s truth and honesty in your records.” He also encourages writers to understand melodically what’s happening with the music and understand the current trends and pop culture vocabulary. But overall, understand how you can apply your life to
TANK EXCLUSIVE
the record so that it’s relatable.
other.” In the music industry, when money and negotiations take places, it can get Tank acknowledged that the songwriting ugly. However, because they are great of today’s trendy R&B has certainly friends, they are able to put their egos, evolved, so it’s tough to say what pride and own personal value aside in direction R&B is headed. Withmainstream order to make the group a valuable entity. music portraying such negative depictions TGT released an album entitled “Three of life, singers and songwriters are not as Kings” under Atlantic Records in 2013, allowed to shine through with emotional, with hit singles such as “Please Don’t Go thought provoking, love music. (The TGT Remix)” and “Sex Never Felt Mainstream calls for “calling women bad Better.” Tank explained that, because of names… drugs, alcohol and naked individual responsibilities, they weren’t women. We don’t really get to do the real able to do as much as they would’ve liked R&B songs like we used to. We had better to do initially. However, “we are working moments.” Tank recalls the moments now to maximize the three of us being when we had emotional and inspiration together. So there is definitely more to music from Babyface and Michael come.” Jackson. His thoughts are, with the fastpaced movement in music trends, the Understanding that someone gave him an industry seems to be taking an unfortunate opportunity to fulfill his dreams as an turn toward a space where artists can’t artist, he felt it necessary to do the same. have as many moments. “I hate to say that He created his production company called R&B music doesn’t have a place Song Dynasty, in an effort to give back. anymore, but it looks like it’s headed that His desire is to pour out his knowledge way.” and understanding of music and its culture through new artists. One of his newly In an effort to revive real R&B, Tank signed acts is the phenomenal R&B group joined forces with the incredibly talented 12Til. The group is consists of Quinn recording artists Ginuwine and Tyrese to Derry, Bryan Harrison, and Duntea Davis, create the super group TGT (Tyrese/ three childhood friends from Texas whose Ginuwine/Tank). With a trio of three magical harmonies have been flooding tremendously successful artists under YouTube since 2012 and whose videos different labels attempting to merge into a have garnered over 9 million views group, issues were bound to arise with collectively. “When I saw them on labels, schedules, and the like. “The only YouTube, I said, man, we gotta help them. way it was really able to happen is We have to,” Tank said as he reflected on because we know each other really well, their introduction. He felt it was important we’re actually friends and care about each for them to understand the traditional
values of what they’re apart of. To the surprise of Tank and Song Dynasty partner J. Valentine, these boys know more than they thought. “Three church boys rooted in respect and in love… it was an easy fit.” They worked together for about a week when Tank decided to sign them to Song Dynasty. Since then, 12Til has released their self-titled EP. Tank is gearing up to give us more musical greatness with his new album entitled “Sex Love & Pain 2,” set to be released August 2015. “Sex Love & Pain was on the edge of R&B. People were shocked by it. It had all the elements you go through in a relationship, the sex, the love and the pain,” Tank explained. He goes on to tell us that he wrote his life, just as he said previously that all songwriters should do. He recorded it and it worked. However, his last record company won’t release “Sex Love & Pain” to the public anymore. People reach out on social media constantly looking for a link to this album, but can’t find it. So Tank feels that it’s time to revisit this concept of sex, love and pain. The first SLP album had a tremendous effect of people, both artists and consumers. Chris Brown was listening to it before every show. Trey Songz was listening when he was figuring out his album. So Tank knew he had to do it one more time. “It’s time again to push the line of R&B but remind them of what it’s really about.” Along with new music, Tank is also Photo | TVOne.com
TANK EXCLUSIVE
Photo | TVOne.com
coming back to filming. Most fans have seen Tank on the big screen in movies such as Preacher’s Kid alongside his costar and fellow recording artist Letoya Luckett. Beginning on August 5, 2015, Tank can be seen in the new TV series Born Again Virgin, airing on Wednesdays at 10/9c on TVOne. “Jenna (Danielle Nicolet), a 34 year-old up-and-coming blogger, decides to become celibate when she finds her body count is starting to trump her age. Using her blog as encouragement for her newly adapted sex diet and also as a sounding board for her girlfriends' often amusing "sexcapades," Jenna is determined to make the blog a success and transform her friends in the process,” as written by TVOne.tv. Tank
plays a character by the name of Donovan, who is, as Tank describes, “a lawyer/man candy/motivation in the wrong way [chuckles].” He goes on to say, “I come at the wrong time. She took an oath and made a commitment to herself that she’s gonna be a better individual. Then I knock on the door and she’s like ‘Oh God, how am I gonna do this with him next door?!’” Tank describes Born Again Virgin as a great story about a woman who is determined to regain control of her life and sexuality. He feels the story line concerning his character is great because it’s more than being about physical attraction, but a journey of becoming friends and helping each other, meaning there is more at stake if the two decide to
be together. Tank was excited to be apart of this project by TVOne, especially since TVOne is committed to putting out quality stories and good TV. Be sure to tune in to Born Again Virgin on August 5th! Tank’s talent and versatility will continue to give us great content and performances, in the studio, on stage and on our viewing screens. For the real R&B lovers out there, it is imperative that you support projects like his upcoming “Sex Love & Pain 2” album and the newly released “12Til” EP. In order for great musicians to keep producing great quality music, we music fans must do our part by supporting. Go out and get these musical collections to keep real R&B music alive!
Read on to see how Tank did in The Hot Seat!
TANK EXCLUSIVE
Hot Seat with TANK Check out how cover artist Tank answers these fun hot seat questions from fans...
What is your favorite color? Blue. What is your favorite movie? Wow, I’ve got so many favorite movies man… so many… I’m gonna go with all of the Matrix movies. When it comes to snacks, do you prefer sweet or salty? Sweet.
Homebody or party animal? I’m gonna have to go with party animal, sorry [chuckles]. Boxers or Briefs? Boxer briefs. Old school or new school music? Definitely old school. Which do you prefer more, singing or songwriting? I prefer more singing.
Meet Rod Gunn Founder/Owner/Operator of G-Legacy Recording Studio & Productions Written by C. ReneĂŠ Mangum
G-Legacy Productions is comprised of a fully functioning, high quality recording studio, a production company and a globally recognized Internet radio station spinning independent music. MacTunes had the opportunity to catch up with G-Legacy’s founder and owner, Rod Gunn. Back in 1998, this Kappa man sat in his dorm room at Alabama A&M University, thinking of a master plan. He was trying to figure out what he could do that didn’t feel like a job, something he would enjoy but make the kind of income he expected to make in his career. He came up with the idea to get into the business side of the music industry and became a manager of a local group. The industry suited him
well, so he kept progressing, learning how to do production. Thus sparked the idea of G-Legacy Productions. He opened the production company and studio to offer the same high quality production given in major studios but for independent prices. He soon realized that many indie artists had their own studios in their homes. Even though he offers a higher quality than the average studio, artists needed something more than production. They needed exposure and a platform to reach the world. So he decided to launch G-Legacy Radio, an Internet radio station, in order to be global and not limited to just northern Alabama.
Rod has been in production for many years and was willing to share with us some of his expert tips and advice to pass along to independent artists and producers. He started with some of the biggest mistakes independent artists make it the studio. One of which is not be prepared with your music. Many artists think studio prices can be expensive; however, if the artist does not need to use their studio time to warm up, practice and learn their song, their studio time can be much more productive. He advises artists to get prepared at home so that you can afford the time you actually need for production alone and get it done in a professional studio. If you are paying by the hour, you cannot take an hour preparing the song composition. You
have to be ready to record as soon as you get into the booth. Another huge mistake Rod feels artists make is having an unwarranted ego. Big egos can kill your career before it even gets started. You need to be humble, approachable and coachable. Showing love to fans and colleagues alike is what will advance you to the next level by making others want to support your craft. Being coachable also applies to producers who are learning the ropes. Whatever program you choose to use as a producer, know that program well in order to manipulate it to get the desired result. Being coachable will allow more seasoned producers like himself to help you grow and expand in your technique. He also credits YouTube as being a great resource to learn from.
Download the G-Legacy app for Apple or Android.
Production of a song is a huge factor in whether or not your music will be selected for radio play. In order to be put into rotation on G-Legacy Radio, your song needs to be hot. On Rod’s scale, what make a song hot are the beat, production and sound quality, your delivery and how relatable the song is. The beat is watch catches the ear first, so it needs to be on point. From there, he listens to the lyrics and the artist’s voice. He pays attention to what your saying and how it sounds. Next, quality is going to be evaluated. There needs to be a good mix and master on the song. You can have a good song, but if the sound quality is poor, it’s incomplete in Rod’s eyes. And lastly, people need to be able to relate to your message. He compares it to a comedian telling a joke. “You get more laughs when people can relate. The same goes for music.”
“The goal for G-Legacy as a whole is to provide an avenue and platform for indie artists to achieve their goals and live out their dreams,” Gunn explained. He also intends to partner up with other companies and organizations that bring other avenues, to help G-Legacy become a one-stop shop for entertainment careers. He intends to be all-inclusive for comedians, filmmakers, fashion and graphic designers, and musicians. If you are looking to link up with a knowledgeable and reputable production company and Internet radio station, G-Legacy is who you need to be contacting sooner than later.
L. Young More Than An Internet Sensation @lyoungaka
@thereallyoung
@lyoungonline
Written by C. Reneé Mangum
On social media, people are always sharing entertaining videos they run across while browsing. A trendy video that surfaced was that of a man using a picture collage app to record himself singing, harmonizing with himself in each portion of the collage. That man’s YouTube page has reached over 2 million views. That man is L. Young. MacTunes had the opportunity to catch up with L. to talk about his booming Internet fame and his climb in the industry. What we found out is that he is much more than an Internet sensation. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, L. Young began singing at a young age, making his voice heard in his church’s adult choir at only 5 years old. It was at roughly 9 years old that he saw how amazing music could be. He sang for a school talent show. Before the show, he had a reputation with the students and teachers as a troublemaker and got bad grades. “I wasn’t dumb, I was just bored,” L. Young explained. After he sang, everyone wanted to be his best friend. Even the principal took him under her wing. He instantly saw the effect that music could have on people and decided he would be a professional musician. Being that L. Young grew up in a musical era when being unique was the “it” thing to do, L. Young had no problem developing his own style and finding his voice. He aspired to have that distinguishing factor in the same way that the greats had. When Al Green came on the radio, you knew immediately that it was Al Green, because he had his own sound. “Nowadays, artists are looking to sound like whoever is hot. For me, that was the thing NOT to do,” L. stated. “That helped me find my niche and find what makes me unique.” Through his unique style, L. Young has been establishing himself as an artist and songwriter. He is credited for his writing on Jessy J’s “Hot Sauce” album, KeKe Wyatt’s “Who Knew” and her “Unbelievable” project. L. Young is also credited for his production work of B2K’s song “Babygirl,” from “The Barbershop Soundtrack.” When we asked how it felt to hear his song in a hit movie, he replied, “(laughs) it was crazy! To hear it in the theater is a bit different than hearing it on the radio. It’s bigger and wider. I wanted to stand up and tell everybody that was my song (laughs)!”
He admits that getting movie placements for songs can be a tough side of the business to get into, but once you’re in there, it’s quite steady. His start came through a relationship he built with someone who pitched songs to TV shows. He was a hired singer for one of the songs and the producer had hit a road block with it. L. Young gave his input on how they could complete the song and the producer became interested in him.
Once he began writing songs for movies and TV, he had to show and prove that he could be consistent and dependable. Because he has done so, he continues to build relationships and producers consistently come to him for network music to use. They also like to reuse songs that the networks already have for various shows. He explains how he still gets checks from a song written over 4 months ago that has been used on shows like One Life To Live and 20/20.
In order to truly build relationships as needed, L. Young had to make a transition from Louisville, Kentucky, to Los Angeles, California. “If you want to be in the industry and you want to work, you need to move to where it’s happening,” L. stated. He suggests that urban artists need to be in LA, New York or Atlanta. Pop and Country artists can also try to find success in Nashville. This doesn’t mean the artists need to stay there forever but long enough to build and cultivate relationships. Like the music placements, some things happen by being in the right place at the right time if you are willing to be bold and go for what you want. This was also the case for L. Young in terms of YouTube success. When asked what made him start doing video collages of him harmonizing by himself, he replied, “Sometimes I think about that, and I can’t really remember. I don’t know if it was divine inspiration or just boredom.” He saw someone online do a very short clip of something comical, using a picture collage app, and it made him wonder if he could do the same. He figured out what app it was, played around with it, and created his first video. He got a decent reaction from some Facebook friends, so he did another one and worked at bettering his timing. People liked it but he decided to leave it alone for a while. One day, he was watching Lean On Me and wondered how people would respond if he did a collage of him singing the school alma mater like the boys did in the movie. So he recorded it, uploaded it and it exploded all over the Internet. “You never know what’s gonna be that thing that propels you or gets you attention,” L. Young reflected. Since creating his videos, his YouTube page has exploded as he continued to upload more harmonies. Other artists have started doing these type of videos as well, making him like a pioneer in this creative wave. With all of L. Young’s successes, it truly makes us wonder why he hasn’t been signed to a major record label. But it’s
quite possibly because he doesn’t want to be right now. “Being independent is a goal right now, but making money is too (laughs),” L. explained. He would love to remain an independent artist and move into bigger financial numbers, similar to what the majors are making, but keep most of the money. He sees a label like “a lending institution with a stamp. They have relationships and a machine in place that can help artists create a successful career. But they can also destroy your career and destroy your artistic integrity. I want to keep my artistic integrity and be my own voice more than anything else right now.” He does admit that if a label offered for him to utilize their machine while allowing him to truly be himself, he is not completely opposed to a deal. But with relish, he explained that there is nothing like being indie, making your own music, not answering to many different people trying to tell you what’s hot and what’s not, and no one holding up your projects so that someone else’s project can be released. In terms of L. Young’s latest project ReVerb, it is his fourth album and the one that makes him most proud. He was able to time his time and think this project through. The album started with his single “Love Is A Verb” and grew from there. It reached number 20 on billboard charts and is playing all over the world. “It’s something I’ve never
accomplished before, to ride down the street and hear my song playing on the radio… not only in my car, but the car next to me.” L. Young’s music can be summed up to one word: Love. It is extremely important to L. to help shape what society thinks of the concept of love. “It’s so important,” he explains. “Music, the arts in general, have the ability to shape and mold cultures.” He describes music as not just a reflection, but also a force that can push and move certain things. He went on to describe how during the dark ages, the arts captured the essence of the people and what they were going through. The music, writings and paintings showed how they shifted to a different ways of thinking, which brought them out of their despair. He feels that music should be doing the same in our society, especially the black community. Music can shape how a culture feels and thinks. “We need to get back to what it means to be a family, what it means to love a woman the way she should be loved, to work at love, to not give up on love and throw each other away and treat each other badly,” L. explained. He is hoping that, through his music, other singers and writers will look at his perspective of love and continue to make real love songs when their time comes as well.
L. is very proud of his management team, Top Notch Music, for pushing his project ReVerb the way they have. As an artist, he doesn’t feel the need to sign to a label at the moment, but he definitely acknowledges the importance of having a team. “You need people to make sure you’re in the studio, in the gym, at events for networking. It may be different people; it may be one person. But you need a team that believes in your music and not just there for the money.” He told us how he met his manager Marvin Mack completely by accident, again being in the right place at the right time doing what needs to be done. Marvin was representing his artist Noel Gourdin who was to perform at a venue where L. Young’s band was working. He took care of Noel’s needs and made sure he was all set for his show. Marvin was impressed by the lack of ego L. had toward another artist. L. Young went on to perform his set and wowed Marvin. From there, a relationship grew and he has been working with Marvin Mack and Top Notch Music ever since. Currently, L. Young is in the studio working on a new album and just released his new single “Don’t Tell Me To Stop.” You can catch him at live shows all over the country and overseas. Promoters, this is an artist you want on your show. Check out L. Young and his music at www.lyoungmusic.com.
Mike Hardy
From Athlete to Music Sensation...
You Mad or Nah? Born and raised in New Jersey with his parents Michael and Donna, 20 year old Mike Hardy gives the most credit to his mother, whom he describes as his biggest supporter. "My mom kept me out of a lot of trouble, because where I was raised at was a bad area," said Hardy. "If it wasn't for her, ain't no telling where I would be." Hardy's parents made sure that he stayed on the right track by getting him involved with sports at an early age. During middle and high school, Hardy played both football and basketball, but it was football that brought him the most success. During high school, Hardy was a star halfback and was a top recruiting choice for Villanova University. All that changed when during his senior year in high school, he injured his ankle. "When I fell and I tried to get up, I couldn't and I fell right back down. After that, I knew it was a wrap," said Hardy.
Written by Yvette Lee
After having his dreams of being a college athlete crushed, Hardy decided to pursue his other passion, music. Hardy began buying full rights to beats and recording songs. Prior to releasing the full song, he began releasing snippets on social media sites like Vine and Instagram in order to gain attention. By the time the songs were released on iTunes, the numbers were huge (crediting his female fan base for the popularity of his music). Hardy used TuneCore to help get his music distributed to major platforms and get paid. If you've ever heard the phrase, "You Mad or Nah," you have Mike Hardy to thank. Although Hardy did not create the phrase, he was the first to make a full song based around it. Google the phrase and his video is the first thing that pops up. Surprisingly Hardy says that despite the songs popularity and
over 1.5 million youtube views, he's not a fan of the song. "I released the song as sort of a test of 'ratchetness', to see if it would work, and it worked. I have so many other songs that are way better than You Mad or Nah," Hardy says. As a lover of the ladies, Hardy says that he wants to be known for making music that is dedicated to the women. "A lot of females don't get the recognition for the things that they do for us, so I want to have songs dedicated to them and let them know that they aren't overlooked," he says. In the future, Hardy says that he would like to collaborate with Drake and Chris Brown. Hardy's current single "Shotgun Shawty" is a song about a ride or die woman that always stands by her man. It is currently available on iTunes.
MacTunes writer Yvette Lee gets up close and personal with Mike Hardy. See his responses on the next page!
UPCLOSE&PERSONAL Written by Yvette Lee
with Mike Hardy
Yay or Nay Gossip Blogs:! ! ! ! Kardashian Family: ! ! ! Sugar Daddies: ! ! ! ! Lights on when you're getting busy: ! Skinny jeans on men: ! ! ! Fake Butts and Breasts: ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! !
Nay Yay Yay Naaaaaay Yay Yay
Questions... Who’d You Rather... Brandy or Beyonce: Brandy Gabrielle Union or Taraji P. Henson: Who?
Is oral sex a requirement for a relationship? No Do you believe in love at first site? Yeah Have you ever had a threesome? Explain threesome (After I explain what a threeesome is, he laughs and then answers) Yes Do you listen to music when you're getting busy? Nah
Meet LaLa!
Social Media’s New It Girl!
@LaLaSizaHands89 With over 200,000 followers on Vine
fluent Spanish (which was also her
and Instagram respectively, if you don't
As the originator of the Skinny Bxtch
major). She works full time at an
know her name, you've definitely seen
Nation movement, LaLa admits that she
insurance agency, which is the setting
one of her posts. On social media she's
was teased in school for her weight.
for some of her most hilarious videos.
known as @LaLaSizaHands89 but her
Today she uses those taunts that she
When asked how she's able to make
"Best Friends" (aka followers/
endured and applies them to a self
videos at work, LaLa says that she has a
supporters) affectionately call her LaLa.
empowerment movement for people of
very cool boss that is hardly ever there.
Starting out about 2 years ago, LaLa
all sizes. "I get messages from people of
Her boss does know what she does and
began posting videos as a fun way of
all sizes that tell me that I have helped
is supportive of her entertainment
expression. She would add various
them love the skin that they're in."
endeavors. She travels around the
hashtags and encourage people to
country every weekend making
watch. Fast forward to today, LaLa is
In addition to the love, LaLa also has
appearances and filming. Unfortunately,
one of the most sought after social
her share of haters. People post negative
our interview had to be cut short due to
media personalities while partying with
comments about everything from her
her schedule, so I wasn't able to ask my
celebrities and endorsing products.
appearance to her comedic ability. "A
usual Up Close And Personal questions.
lot of times when people try to pick on
I was able to find out that she has been
Most known for her off the wall humor,
other people, it's because they're not
dating someone for the last 8 months
LaLa's posts have been shared and
secure in themselves," explained LaLa,
but will not reveal the identity of her
reposted hundreds of thousands of times
whom I was surprised to find out reads
boo. "Just know that he's fine and he's
and featured on top urban blog sites like
a majority of comments left on her
all mine," LaLa added with a chuckle.
The Shade Room and Baller Alert. With
social media pages. "I respond back to
all of her success, one would think there
some things, because I'm a real person
You can checkout LaLa's Parody of
would be some sort of arrogance about
and sometimes they need a reality
Fetty Wap's Trap Queen called "Rat
her. After interviewing LaLa, I was
check," she added.
Queen" on Poppinmedia.com and
surprised at her humbleness. "I'm still in
YouTube.
shock when people come up and want
A graduate of the University of North
to take a picture with me," she says.
Carolina Greensboro, LaLa speaks
SCOTTY Part of the “new school” of artists bringing
(much of it live instrumentation, along with
performed with Waka Flocka, Roscoe Dash,
originality, substance and real entertainment
bass heavy tracks that the ATL is known for).
Dondria, Outkast, Pastor Troy, Gorilla Zoe,
to the industry, Atlanta GA based artist, Scotty
Scotty has become a beast and monster with
Jody Breeze, Boyz in da Hood, Lyfe Jennings
is clearly defining his own space in the game.
his music!
and Omarion just to name a few.
Raised by a single mother, life wasn’t always
“A lot of my songs are very personal to
DJ Burn One, a mixtape DJ and producer
easy for the budding superstar; however, the
me. This is an outlet for me to connect with
who is widely known for accelerating the
sounds of Outkast, 8-Ball & MJG, UGK and
my fans…I don’t just get hot tracks and throw
careers of Gucci Mane, Freddie Gibbs, Pill
many other artists inspired him and helped to
hot hooks and verses together. I have real life
and Yelawolf is the featured producer on
channel his energy into music. Scotty
stories to tell…I’m a storyteller through my
Scotty’s upcoming project and says, “Scotty
immediately turned that instant love of hip-
music. I’m the Future of the South”.
definitely has what it takes to be ATL’s next
hop into an aspiring career of his own. He
Scotty has recently received accolades
superstar!” ,
began studying the “ins and outs” of the music
from many industry outlets. Ourstage.com
industry and became a stand out producer,
recognized him as the “Rap Artist of the
Away”, “Ima Beast, Ima Monster and “Can’t
songwriter and artist.
Month” for two consecutive months, where he
Wait for You” are a few songs that exhibit his
also reached 9th in the Best of Urban Chart in
range of music and talent as an artist.
In 2010, Scotty launched his own label,
Scotty’s “Gots to Get It”, “Husslin”, “Fade
Presidential Music, where his creativity
2011, and has remained in the top 20 for 7
He is entertaining, yet humble; a hustler
blossomed, he was able to explore, develop
weeks out of thousands of artists across the
who’s all about business. The man, the music,
and perfect his unique, laid back style of rap.
world. Scotty gained wide-spread attention
the voice…whichever you get to know first,
His wide range of lyrical content comes from
and a huge fan base at events such as the
understand that this is as real as it gets. All
his experiences in the streets, being an
BET Atlanta Step Show, BET Car & Bike
that’s left to do is to open your ears, crank up
entrepreneur and everything in between. His
Show in Chapel Hill, NC and the Source
your radio, and prepare yourself for the Future
sound is infused with soulfully inspired music
Magazine Car & Bike Show. He has
of the South, Scotty.
When did your passion for music come about? When I was about 14, I remember coming home one day after school and seeing Outkast and Da Brat videos back to back on BET and I was like that’s what I wanna do.
Tell us about the producer side of Scotty. I actually started out producing. Making beats in my mama's basement for me and the group I was rapping with at the time 2339 Underground Boys. Been focused more on writing and the artist side of Scotty right now though. I'll get back to it one day. !
You have been referred to as "The Future of the South." That's a heavy title! How do you plan to carry out such a big responsibility as the title suggests? Lol. Actually that’s a title that was given to me by friends and people that support my music. The only thing I know to do is to make good music and be myself. So... if that merits the title of being the "Future of the South" it wit it. I think what people mean by that is being a different sound than what’s out right now in ATL... something that people can look forward to hearing more of... The Future.
Who has influenced your career most? It’s been so many people that have influenced my career. But if I had to say one person it would definitely be my manager. Just by her believing in me and helping me to believe in myself. I've learned from her about being a businessman and not just an artist.
If you were not doing music, what would you be doing? I would probably be mentoring teens. I have a passion for giving back and helping young people to know that they can do or be anything that they want to be. I actually mentor young men now.
Here at MacTunes, we are all about the independent music movement, whether that means being an independent artists or signing to/starting an independent label. How do you feel about the independent movement in the music industry today? I’m a big fan of artists that started out independently and made noise in their city to move up to bigger and better thangs! I rock wit the Big Krits, Cyhi Da Prynce's, Wiz Khalifa's, Alley Boy, etc. It just gives me motivation to keep doing what I'm doing because I know if they can do it, I can too.
Considering your level of success thus far, what words of wisdom could you give to an independent artist who is just starting out? Build your own bandwagon. Don’t wait around for people to jump on what you’re doing; but get out here, make good music, and tell everybody about it. The other thing I would tell artists it to focus more on the people that already support your music instead of trying to get the attention of big names. The big names will notice you when they see that your fans support you!
Tell us about your project, Summer Dreams?
It’s a ride thru the life of Scotty ATL in the south in an old skool. You can hear that on songs like "Husslin", "Cant Wait for U", & "Fade Away". With this project I wanted to focus on being honest. Talking about true feelings good and bad. So far this has been my most successful project and I feel that it’s due to people being able to relate to the music. I gotta give a lotta credit to DJ Burn One for really producing me as an artist; letting me know when verses could've been better and challenging me to get outta my comfort zone on some of the tracks like "Entrepreneur".
How can the world get in touch with you if they want to know more?
Check out my new website www.scottyatl.net - all my contact info, videos, mixtapes are on the site. Also follow me on Twitter @ScottyATL