Makin' It Magazine - Issue #32

Makin’ It

THE INDUSTRY’S #1 MUSIC CONFERENCE... IN PRINT!

OVER

100 INDUSTRY CONTACTS INSIDE!

J-REID

The Platinum Producer with a Heart of Gold (Credits: Lloyd, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, etc)@ JReidTheProducer

WHY TODAY’S ARTISTS

Y0$H!

The Cat in the Hat Who Can Rap... and doesn’t do it for less than a Stack! @KingYoshiMan

TURQUOISE MUSIC + JR TIMBERLAKE + SKITZ PITTZ + KENZO VICE MAC TURNER + JOILIYAH + KKWATSON + G MACK THE BAND MAN EXOTICTONEZ + CAULFIELD + ARTISTNAMELEON + KELLY RAY THE SIDEFX BEATZ + MC DAVID J + 14 GOLDS + CLIQUE TRACKS PLUS MORE

MAKINITMAG.COM

Ear Drummer Recording artist introduces us to the Missing Element @Eearz

$9.95 USD

ALSO INSIDE:

ISSUE 32 THE MIMBERSHIP

EEARZ

FAIL!

CHECK LIST 08 Meet the DJs 2018 12 Publisher Kelby Cannick Operations Manager Kimberly Cannick

Publisher’s Note 04 Upgrade Your Timeline 04 Features

Contributing Writers D. Banks A. Cooper C. Matthews B. Walker C. Davis

14 Golds

Contributing Designers D. Lovings

Published by Cannick LLC 3939 Lavista Rd Suite E-249 Tucker, GA 30084

www.MakinItMag.com

Artistnameleon

6

Caulfield

6

Clique Tracks

11

Exotictonez

11

Joiliyah

Promotions Jay Harris

OFFICE: 678.528.6925 Monday - Friday 10AM - 7PM EAST

11

Gmack the Bandman

Media Relations C. Rene

▼▼

7 14

JR Timberlake

6

Kelly Ray

7

Kenzo Vice

14

KK Watson

11

Mac Turner

14

MC David J

7

Skitz Pittz

14

The Side FX Beatz

7

TurquoiseMusic

6

WHY TODAY’S ARTISTS FAIL 8

Instagram, Twitter, Facebook @MakinItMag

URGENT: READ FIRST! This issue contains OVER 80 Contacts for Artists, Producers, DJs, and Industry Professionals, none of which paid to be featured. All placements are tacit endorsements of the talent, work ethic, or brand of the individualfeatured. Don’t just read this Magazine... USE IT! Follow, Call, Email, and connect with those featured. You’re either Networking or NOT WORKING!

Follow @MakinItMag

EEARZ 7

J REID 11

YOSHI 14

Makin’ It Magazine | 3

WTF Are We Doing?

If you’re 21 years old, you were only in 4th grade when we launched Makin’ It Magazine.

We’ve distributed over a quarter of a million publications since then, but there’s still a

The Magazine…

12 years ago, when I started Makin’ It Magazine, there was practically NOBODY looking out for independent artists. I had successfully built a modest career as a rapper and was making at least $40K a year from music. While I wasn’t a great rapper, I was getting paid shows, paid features, and radio play. I was successful because I understood business and wasn’t afraid to work. After moving to Atlanta, I came across so many artists WAY more talented who were making NO MONEY from their music. I didn’t understand it, but I wanted to fix it. I quit rapping and started Makin’ It Magazine to provide indie artists with information and resources to help them win.

When I first started, it was way closer to a newsletter than a magazine. It was only four pages printed in black and white, but each issue was full of marketing tips, lists of industry events, and helpful information.

I would personally hit 10-15 open mics and industry events each week to pass out copies. I would hit Club Crucial religiously for the Hustle & Flow Open Mic then drive through Fulton, Dekalb, Rockdale, & Newton County at 4AM to get home... Yeesh!

It was a rough start. Turns out, quite a few “industry folk” had a problem with me giving away information they were charging for.

I even found myself “black balled” in certain circles because of this. I’d love to say it didn’t affect me much, but it definitely hurt ad sales and my ability to grow the team. It was hard enough being a transplant (not from Atlanta) and an industry outsider, but now I had people actively working against me. That was the cost of trying to help indie artists.

Even with all the bullshit, those first few years weren’t so bad because I was doing something I loved. I was on a mission to help people turn their passion into a paycheck.

But as the publication grew, the amount of time it was consuming without providing a paycheck was getting out of hand. I often

4 | Makin’ It Magazine

whole generation of artists that only know us from Instagram. Many have a hard time understanding why we go so hard for the independents, so let’s start at the beginning.

tell my consulting clients, “It doesn’t matter how much you love doing something, if it’s not making money, you won’t be doing it as much as you’d like.”

While I never lost on an issue, the magazine wasn’t making enough to justify the money I was risking or the 60+ hours per week I was working. With a wife at home and a growing family… something had to change.

I was turning down A LOT of money because I didn’t want to sell write-ups to artists. I felt there were enough music magazines and I wanted to focus on the business of music.

Our readers were people pursuing careers in the industry, and I figured we should be able to sell enough ads to the companies that served them… WRONG! Sadly, small businesses don’t spend much on advertising, and indie artists weren’t interested in buying ads when other magazines would sell them an article or their cover. Reluctantly, I had to start selling write ups.

While I compromised my vision, I didn’t compromise my values. Rather than doing fluff pieces to stroke advertisers’ egos, I consulted them and put together strategic marketing pieces that honestly told their story and helped sell their brand to our readers. We assisted hundreds of artists, producers, and DJs in making new contacts, landing work, finding investors, and even getting signed.

The time invested started making more sense financially, but I’ll admit I left a lot of money on the table because of my principles. I don’t take money from people if I don’t genuinely feel I can help them, and that often has more to do with their character than their music.

In this industry, it’s far easier to make money when you don’t care about people or the culture. Unfortunately for me, caring has always been my Achilles’ heel. I took plenty of losses in those first five years helping others, and for a time I considered shutting this shit down at least once a month. Trying to walk a straight line on a crooked path is incredibly

frustrating, but my wife, Kim, was there to keep me motivated.

One day while sitting in the studio watching execs from Def Jam, Grand Hustle and Atlantic Records thumb through the latest issue of the magazine, I couldn’t help but think of all the talented people who deserved to be in that issue but couldn’t afford it. That bothered me, and for the next month I set my mind to coming up with a solution for this problem.

The Mimbership At every event someone always asked, “When you gonna put me in the magazine?”

I finally just started replying, “What issue you trying to advertise in?” That would quickly kill a pointless conversation. They didn’t have a problem with us spending over $15K to promote their brand in 100 markets, but somehow spending a couple hundred dollars to advertise was inconceivable.

At the time, there was ONE artist I’d see at least twice a week and he’d always ask, “When you gone put me on the cover?” One day I just asked, “Are you even subscribed to the magazine?” He answered “No,” and I replied, “Why you wanna be in a magazine that you don’t even subscribe to?” As he struggled to come up with an answer, a light went on in my head. I had found a solution to featuring indies who didn’t have a budget.

Our subscription was only $26 per year, and as long as an artist had a subscription they’d be eligible for free coverage based on their talent and grind.

I posted my new motto on Twitter and the concept went viral, “Support those that support you!”

It was a simple idea that allowed me to be more hands on with helping artists. It took money out of the equation so I could go all in, creating value for those who needed it regardless of their finances. We started sending subscribers free beats, tutorials, and resources. We began partnering with pro-

MakinItMag.com

moters to giveaway free performances and do free workshops.

professionals, then try to figure out solutions to those issues.

Slowly the subscription became more than a subscription, it was a membership. The more we did the more I wanted to do. Helping people was addictive, and I had TONS of ideas! We eventually had to increase our price to tackle some of the bigger projects I wanted to accomplish. We tried a few different models before settling on $7 per month for a Basic Membership and $144 per year for a Premium Membership. We began sponsoring artists to perform on bigger showcases and opening for Major Acts, like T.I., Rae Sremmurd, Wale, MIGOS, etc. We started investing into artists projects, sponsoring WorldStar placements, Flying artists across the country to Meet with Executives, and a bunch of other stuff we never publicized.

The lack of available information that inspired me to start the magazine is no longer there. With newcomers like @ProducerGrind @JensTheGuru, @musicentrepreneurclub, @BrandmanSean, and @avoranowcom, today’s artists have access to a wealth of genuine industry perspectives. Our focus has shifted from merely providing information to connecting the dotCs, we provide access to the people and resources that will allow independents leverage all this newly available knowledge.

We helped a lot of artists land their first paid features and shows. We helped others be able to quit their jobs and do music full time. The vision I had was becoming a reality, but the amount of money and time I was investing stopped making sense again. My passion for helping others blinded me to the fact that I was being a shitty businessman.

We had to start charging based on the value we were creating and not what I felt people could afford. I have to thank Nick Pargaz for slapping me in the head with that fact.

Sitting down and mapping our ultimate goals, we settled on a new pricing model that would sustain these ambitions: One membership level that was only $699 per year and included everything we did. We also rebranded our membership program as The Mimbership, to give it an identity outside of the magazine while still paying homage to the subscription from which it grew.

In alignment with my motto of “Support those that support you.” we vowed to never increase price of active Mimberships. We even added a temporary Starter Mimbership option for those with limited budgets.

By now you’re probably wondering why I’m putting all of our business out there. People often refer to me as a marketing guru or refer to our platform as ingenious, but I wanted to pull back the curtain and show that it’s more genesis than genius. We outlasted a lot of competing publications and services, simply because our mission was about more than making money, It was about helping people.

I would listen to the complaints of artists, bloggers, DJs, publicists, and other industry

Follow @MakinItMag

The Network Just like there are tons of indie artists looking to get discovered, there are plenty of regional media outlets and tastemakers that want to support new music. The issue is most indies are only familiar with a handful of national platforms like Worldstar, XXL and The Breakfast Club. As part of our mission, we’ve spent years building a network of legit tastemakers including individuals like... @LalaaShep, a digital content creator and host of the The Progress Report on Live Hip Hop Daily who’s interviewed everyone from hip hop legends to up and coming creatives. @Blizm_Chainless, the program director of K-100 Radio, one of the few BDS monitored internet radio stations in the United States. @SSCLexLuga, a record promoter who provides performance opportunities with his regional Hood Idol tour while also serving as on air personality and station manager of 92.3FM in Jackson, MS. @ItzDraco, the founder of Hip Hop Everything who contributes to multiple blogs on top of his own platform while also promoting regional events featuring indie talent through Florida.

These are just a few individuals flying under the radar that provide real exposure to large audiences. Their names may not be as familiar as a DJ VLAD, or Karen Civil, but the impact they could have on an indie artist’s career is very real.

As dedicated as we are to exposing talent

to the industry, we’re equally dedicated to introducing tastemakers, thought leaders, platforms, and influencers to broader audiences as well. We bring both sides together to create more value for everyone. We vet platforms and professionals so that independents can invest with confidence.

The Mimbership is deeper than getting selected for sponsorships or media placements. It’s a network of serious talent and industry professionals working together to advance their careers and the culture as a whole.

Plenty of Mimbers have landed shows, features, clients, and career changing opportunities from simply connecting with other Mimbers. We strategically built a community where people help each other and congratulate one another on their successes.

Our goal was never to create the biggest community, just to create the best one... A community where Mimbers cheer for each other because they’re not intimidated by others’ success... A community where Mimbers see each other’s accomplishments as a reflection of their own possibilities.... A community where doing music independently doesn’t mean doing it alone. If that’s the type of community you want to be a part of, check out TheMimbership.com and network with our Mimbers.

- Kelby Cannick

SCAN FOR BTS INTERVIEWS AND FOOTAGE WITH MIMBERS Mimber flown to Atlanta to Perform for A&Rs for T.I., B.o.B, and Zaytoven.

Mimbers Booked to Open for Major Artists with Paid Flight & Hotel.

Mimbers Sponsored to go on 10 City Tour with Paid Travel and Lodging.

Mimber Gets Seected for Sponsored post on WorldStarHipHop.com

Makin’ It Magazine | 5

JR TIMBERLAKE After receiving an amazing response from playing his single “Get It” at our Media Matters ATL event, we decided to book the young R&B talent for an exclusive listening session along side TIG’s Damar Jackson, and producer Shawty Fresh. Impressing Media and DJ attendees with a selection of records off his latest project produced by Bolo Da Producer (Credits: Silento, Taylor Girlz, etc), the Durham, North Carolina native is definitely an artist to watch.

TURQUOISE MUSIC This indie EDM artist turns any stage she graces into a Coachella level event. Dancers, Flaming Guitars, Lasers, and Fire Juggling only serve to compliment the amazingly diverse selection of records she performs. A talented producer and songwriter, she’s landed placements on Viceland, MTV, and Bravo as well as written for artists such as Drake, Britney Spears, Charlie XCX, Rihanna and more. Scoring performances at Imagine Festival and landing a single deal with Revealed Records, she continues to work closely with RCA, Epic and Sony.

MakinItMag.com/user/9109

MakinItMag.com/user/27479

ARTISTNAMELEON Born and raised in Valdosta, GA, this rapper turned Singer relocated to New York in 2015 where he began steadily growing a dedicated fanbase. In 2018 the success of his single “Make It Work”, helped boost his Spotify numbers to well over a quarter million streams.

Leveraging his brand to launch @ANLTEES, he’s increased his visibility and added a new stream of income to his ever expanding indie empire.

MakinItMag.com/user/37329

CAULFIELD A seasoned artist with a loyal fanbase, this Athens, GA, emcee’s live show never disappoints.

Spending 5 years as a member of punk band, The Swank, he infuses a refreshing and unique energy into his own personal brand of hip hop. This has put him in position to share stages with acts such as Ugly God, Lil Xan, and the legendary Bone Thugz n Harmony, in addition to landing features on hip hop blogs such as RapRadar and DJ Booth. Records like “Blue Pills” and “F--- Your Feelings” display Caufield’s range and will quickly make you a believer.

MakinItMag.com/user/37652

Curated by @FortKnoxLive

UPGRADE YOUR TIMELINE There’s a whole lot of negativity, scams, and B.S. floating around on social media and research shows your mood can be greatly affected by who you follow and what type of content you consume

online. Here are a few people doing amazing things that you should follow. No algorithms were used; Only the personal recommendations of industry veteran Fort Knox. Upgrade your Timeline!

@Big_Snipe_Beatz

@ChansonCalhoun

@Ellmatik

@IsTylerThere

@Henca14

@AmondJackson

@DJKnotts

@OrdainsVision

6 | Makin’ It Magazine

MakinItMag.com

EEARZ First appearing on our Radar in 2015 at the Revolt Music Conference, Eearz quickly won us over with his aggresively energetic style and passionate lyrics.

Signed to Ear Drummer Entertainment, the personal imprint of Platinum super producer Mike Will, Eearz has continued to remain humble yet hungry in the years since that first encounter.

touches on his debut Album, “Missing Element”.

Fans have eagerly anticipated this project project since hearing major contributions from him on the CREED II soundtrack, and he has not disappointed. Stream Missing Element today and Follow @Eearz

Regularly a featured performer on our Media Matters Soundstage during SXSW, we’ve had a chance to watch his star rise and his sound further develop. Four years removed from his debut mixtape “Eearz to Da Steets Vol. 1” the Atlanta native has finally put the finishing G MACK THE BANDMAN A close call with death is one thing, actually dying is another. Given a second chance by god, this Indie rapper has no plans to waste it.

Leaving gang life behind and focusing on his music, G Mack has amassed a catalog of over 100 songs including his single “Stop Snitching” featuring Kevin Gates, which earned him a considerable buzz and helped build relationships with urban radio DJs across the country.

MakinItMag.com/user/6019 MC DAVID J Finding his passion for music early in life, this Atlanta based rapper is also a skilled producer, who recently released a full length LoFi production album titled “Midnight Library”. As an artist, he’s also released several full lenth projects and a music video for the single, “No More” which received over 100,000 views. Focused on buliding the brand of his Cool Calm Collective, stylized as CoCalm, he’s recently ventured into apparel and Tech as well.

MakinItMag.com/user/15813

Follow @MakinItMag

KELLY RAY While having only been rapping for a short while, this indie rapper hailing from Atlanta’s west side is shaping up as a force to be reckoned with. His inate talent instantly comes across in the music with records like “She’s My Drug” quickly garnering over 75,000 streams. As a hard worker who puts a lot into every performance, songs like “Rolle Polle” and “Skywalker” get an instant reaction out of crowds. Gwop Music Empire and Transcend Entertainment definitely have a rising star on their hands.

MakinItMag.com/user/1610 THE SIDE FX BEATZ Beginning his production career in middle school, this Atlanta producer has developed a versatile sound that has seen him consisentely rank among top beatmakers at several iStandard Producer Showcases. Participating in Makin’ It Magazine’s Who Got Beats competition led to his first official song release. “For the Paper” by Skitz Pittz is available on all digital platforms.

Currently working with 3 talented indie artists, @teedewitt, @therealastorey, and @keiwi.the.creativ, Xavier is always on the look out for talented artists and songwriters to collab with.

MakinItMag.com/user/27097

Makin’ It Magazine | 7

WHY TODAY’S ARTISTS FAIL! A couple years back, I ended up sitting next to someone from Spotify on a flight to Austin for SxSW. I had no idea who she was at the time but decided to pick her brain for an article I was working on. Ironically, the article was about the possibility of streaming services replacing major labels. As we discussed the huge door that streaming services opened for independents, she made a statement that I totally agreed with but still found completely unnerving.

Drawing from her years of experience dealing with talent, she pointed out how platforms like Instagram and YouTube now made it possible for anyone to build a personal brand around whatever they loved doing. She explained how people were entering six figure partnerships with major companies based on playing video games or doing makeup tutorials.

As she passionately proclaimed, “Everyone can become a millionaire!”

I nodded my head in total agreement before feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My inner economist had awoken.

While I totally agreed with her sentiment, a small syntactical error nagged me. EVERYONE cannot become a millionaire. It’s simply impossible due to the law of scarcity and inflation. If everyone was a millionaire, then a million dollars would no longer be worth a million dollars. Setting all that nerdiness aside, I nodded in agreement because I knew exactly what she was saying...

ANYONE can become a millionaire.

That’s a very small change in wording that produces a drastically different statement. It’s the difference between possibility and probability. If you buy a

“Success” is not “Stardom” If you achieve ANY level of stardom you’ve also achieved success, but you can reach great levels of success and never achieve stardom. By only acknowledging stardom, extreme cases of success, we falsely make it the ruler by which many artists measure themselves. Imagine measuring the size of a home in square miles instead of square feet. If I told you my house was 0.0002 Square miles, you would find that far less impressive than me saying it’s 5,000 square feet (even though it’s considerably larger).

Success is not Objective...

A movie that makes $150 Million dollars at the box office seems like a big success until you discover it took $250 Million to make. Sadly few artists consider the costs of success when measuring themselves against others. They measure outputs (views, plays, followers) without considering the inputs they require (Budgets, Relationships, Time). Because the investments made don’t get advertised like the returns, many independents assume those investments didn’t happen.

Consider this… ARTIST A will make it a point to promote his video reached one million views while concealing the fact he spent $45,000 to accomplish this. Meanwhile ARTIST B having generated only 10,000 views with $150 Facebook ad will feel insecure because ARTIST A’s video received 100x more views. However, that insecurity is completely unwarranted because Artist B is comparing returns instead of Return on Investment (ROI). If we compare the CPM for the two videos

8 | Makin’ It Magazine

lottery ticket, you could possibly win a million dollars… but you probably won’t.

Spending the next few days on 6th Street surrounded by thousands of aspiring artists and industry professionals, I couldn’t help but think about how such a small change in wording could produce such an enormous change in meaning, and how missing that subtle difference could lead to a lifetime of frustration and misery.

Just like ‘everyone’ and ‘anyone’, the words ‘stardom’ and ‘success’ are not interchangeable, but are often used that way in the music industry. The terms have become so synonymous that many new artists now equate success as nothing short of stardom, even though nothing could be further from the truth.

(how much it cost per 1,000 viewers) we quickly find out ARTIST B was 3x more effective given his budget. A lack of fundamental business knowledge like this keeps many aspiring artists blind to their own successes.

CPM CALCULATION ARTIST A: $45,000 Budget / 1,000,000 views = $45 per 1,000 views ARTIST B: $150 Budget / 10,000 views = $15 per 1,000 views

This inability to see their own progress is often the root of great frustration, disappointment and in extreme cases, depression.

Too often I come across talented individuals who are making great strides given their circumstances, but because they haven’t attained this objective measure of success (Stardom), they feel they’ve accomplished nothing at all. If a successful video release is measured in millions of views, what kind of pride can one take in having a video with .01 Million views (10,000). To cope with this inadequacy, artists often attempt to buy success in order to mask their self perceived failings.

You Can’t Buy Real Results You can buy a Million Youtube views for around $3,000, but what is that really worth when those views aren’t attached to real people with an interest in your music? If I write you a check for $2 million but only have 48¢ in my account, what is the value of that check? Independents become so obsessed with the appearance of success that they spend the majority of their money, time and energy trying to LOOK successful instead of BEING successful. It’s impressive to say that

MakinItMag.com

your single went gold, but would you buy 500,000 copies of your own music just to make that claim? That’s effectively what many independents do by purchasing Followers, views, posts, cosigns, etc. They waste real resources to bolster vanity metrics.

Another extreme of paying for results comes when artists invest into legitimate services and platforms expecting guaranteed outcomes. Many make the mistake of believing they’re paying for results and not services. Worldstar doesn’t sell views, they sell visibility. Publicists don’t get paid for media placements, they get paid for attempting to secure them. Because so few people understand these subtle differences, many get disappointed due to their own assumptions. Even if a company has done great things for others, that doesn’t mean they can do the same for you. Past performance is not an indicator of future outcomes.

As much as people claim to want honesty, this isn’t the type of practical information most artists are willing to pay for. They want a magic bullet. They want to be told how spending money on this ONE last thing will miraculously fix all of their problems. They have no desire to hear that a particular service only plays a role in a much larger plan that requires additional time, money, and well managed execution to be successful. If they hear that, they’re taking their business elsewhere. Through these spending habits, independents have conditioned people to sell them dreams... because that’s the only thing they’re willing to buy.

In order to earn business, too many industry professionals sell possibility as probability. They routinely overstate potential gains and understate associated risks in order to win clients.

This growing trend of legitimate businesses overselling themselves provides effective cover for the frauds. Having normalized the “Super Major Rock Star Promo Package”, the scammer’s pitch doesn’t sound that different from the legitimate proposals of well established industry veterans. The only difference is, the scammer will be able to invest more time and effort into making the artist feel comfortable enough to spend their money, since they won’t actually be doing any work.

path that many take. You’ll see them online tearing down successful people, screaming Coast 2 Coast is a scam, Worldstar doesn’t work, and breaking down how the illuminati or industry plants are subverting “real” music. Blaming everyone else helps them rationalize and cope with their own lack of success If you don’t want to go down that road, there’s another less explored option. Don’t give up on success… Just give up other people’s idea of it. Simply put, run your own damn race. If you just want to do music as a hobby, there’s nothing wrong with that. Music is fun way to creatively express yourself.

There are plenty of people who paint, play piano, and do photography because they love to do it. Only in urban music do we belittle a person’s creativity if it’s not fueled by a desire to make millions of dollars. Even if you do wish to make money, set your own benchmarks. Success is simply meeting the goals you set. If you never actually released a record, doing that is success. If you’ve never performed in front of a crowd of strangers, whether or not you suck… simply DOING that is success. Acknowledge every victory, no matter how small, because each one sets you up for the next.

For clarity, I’m not saying don’t dream big. Mediocrity is never the goal. But if you’re going to shoot for stardom, I ask you to imagine your career as a race where stardom is the finish line.

When the starting pistol sounds, you don’t attempt to leap all the way to the finish line with one enormous stride. Instead, you put one foot in front of the other and start running. Each step you take presents an opportunity to trip, stumble, and fall. So each stride is actually it’s own small victory, positioning you slightly closer to your ultimate goal. After successful execution of enough steps, you’ll find yourself in a position where the next stride, which is no bigger than any that preceded it, is the one that puts you across the finish line. Whether the race you’re running is a sprint or a marathon, the only way to run it is one step at a time.

Whether it’s spending money on views for validation... spending money with businesses based solely on what they’ve done for others, or getting fooled by these Instagram industry gurus, attempting to buy results never ends well. For all of the promises made, these hail mary attempts rarely, if ever, bare the fruits of success.

So what’s the solution?

Give up… I know you probably didn’t expect that, but it’s the only way to truly solve the problem. You can give up and stop doing music, or you give up and keep doing music. People who weren’t really passionate about the art will stop, that’s a plus! Those who love it, will never really quit. They’ll just give up on success. They’ll stop investing money, time, and any real effort because everything is a scam. Their career may go no further than it is, but they’ll be able to do what they love and have somewhere to channel their frustration. This is the

Follow @MakinItMag

Makin’ It Magazine | 9

Check List Check out these projects from indie Artists, Producers, and DJs worth getting to know.

Direct contact information is included for booking and business inquiries.

All placements are earned. To have your project considered visit MakinItMag.com/Checklist

Legacy Against All Odds Booking: 514.433.3831

Nexgod God Speed Booking: 404.839.9637

MC David J Midnight Library Booking: 910.354.4883

TMC Nova Thankz4DoubtingMe Booking: 713.387.9953

2.0 The Statement 2.0 Booking: 404.437.3832

PHNXBLK 12 Booking: 404.226.0917

1N1GHT 3 NIGHTS Booking: 205.246.5984

Yram Clout Season Booking: 315.447.7318

Dax It’s Different Now Booking: 918.850.3302

J-Gutz SAYLE$$ Booking: 513.266.4765

Drea Renee Ink Slanger 2 Booking: 757.352.0271

Itz$uave Never Settle For Less Booking: 334.456.9912

BTMG Reason Parapenelia Booking: 205.997.8115

3 Kingz Empire & Various Artist Rise of The Empire Booking: 214.699.7797

TYMELE$$ UR 1 Booking: 478.335.2731

RGB Can’t Stand Up Booking: 404.791.5536

OmeezyMiles Feel Like Money Booking: 856.842.6234

wright brothers26 good time Booking: 720.629.3010

Baba Sol Money Is Too Booking: 678.361.3296

Andre Writer My Slide Booking: 818.400.2804

DKR Roll Again Booking: 334.425.9058

JC The Don Trenches Booking: 256.284.3536

John Fuggin Dough Tubmans Booking: 225.200.9699

Rich Lowe Wayo Hitta Booking: 210.241.4488

King Nori We Gone Make It Booking: 314.941.1111

10 | Makin’ It Magazine

MakinItMag.com

KK WATSON Refocusing on production, this Hawaiin artist landed over 60 sync placements for his music in 2017 through SongTradr. This soon led to him signing a Publishing deal and additional doors opening. Having been featured on several Media Matters ATL Service Packs, his production also caught the ear of Eearz, a rising Atlanta artist signed to Mike Will’s Ear Drummer Records. Keep an eye on Konscious Kreative’s brand!

MakinItMag.com/user/25858 14 GOLDS First introduced to us as a featured artist on Re-ill’s infectious “Shakespeare” record, this Baltimore Producer is the quintessential creative. He has a degree in Audio Engineering but also raps, sings, DJs, Directs, and designs clothing, all with a unique aesthetic sense.

Playing both the piano and guitar, he loves to integrate live instrumentation into his work. The best way to describe his production style would be Trippy-trap-grunge, and it has resonated with a new wave of Atlanta artists such as @Bear1Boss.

MakinItMag.com/user/21295

J REID

EXOTICTONEZ A self taught musician, this New Orleans born producer polished his skills at the Art Institute of Atlanta. Generating income as a producer, songwriter and studio engineer, he knows the pride of seeing people dance to his music in the club as well as having his music placed in feature films. With a production style that incorporates a variety of sounds in addition to live instrumentation, he has earned more placements on our Media Matters ATL releases than any other Producer in the history of the site.

MakinItMag.com/user/16796 CLIQUE TRACKS This DMV production duo relocated to Atlanta and quickly built a name winning several of the city’s most prominent Beat Battles. Landing placements with No Genre’s Big Havi and ESPN, they’ve joined the ranks of Chanté More, Jidenna, and many others with an official endorsement deal from Empire Ears. Active in the community they’ve collaborated with many fellow Mimbers including Y0$%#!(Yoshi), New Yonkaz, Bryson B Money, QuestionATL, NexGod, Play J Snip, and LeXXah Drew.

MakinItMag.com/user/10996

by Chelsea Davis

As an Alabama native with deep roots in Atlanta, GA, music mogul, J Reid, is taking the music industry by storm. Known in the music industry as a recording artist, record producer, writer, and CEO, J Reid is diverse in both the production and business side of things. As a true musician, J Reid is also musically diverse. Many are unaware that he is a skilled percussionist, pianist, guitarist, vocalist, and writer. As the CEO of record label, Chevi Muzic Productions, J Reid has had the privilege of working with top industry artists such as Jagged Edge, Zonnique, Webbie, Lloyd, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj.

J Reid shared with Makin’ It Magazine, that working with Nicki Minaj was fate. He opened up on how he was put into a position to help someone who later introduced he and Minaj. Fast forward, Reid produced five songs on Minaj’s latest album, Queen. Two of which went platinum, and one gold. J Reid’s ultimate goal is to keep the music industry fresh by adding a true instrumental sound to every song he makes. With humanitarianism at the core of everything he does, he hopes that those in power in the music industry will use their resources to spark true change.

Follow @MakinItMag

Scan for Exclusive Content

Makin’ It Magazine | 11

MEET THE DJS 2018

Every year during SXSW we see tons of DJs floating around on 6th Street running between events to connect with artists or meet with managers. Last year we had the idea to do an event explicitly for the DJs, where we would host sponsored Meet & Greets, and provide those DJs with a place for people to come network with them.

The event was a complete success! We hosted Meet & Greets for more than 50 club, radio and mixtape DJs from all across the country. DJs received personal flyers, promo, on stage interviews, and more. We’re currently preparing for our 2019 Meet the DJs event, but we wanted to give everyone a chance to connect with last years attendees.

DJ APHILLYATED Philly (Tri State Area) Djaphillyated@gmail.com PHONE: 267.456.7645 IG: @DJAphillyated Club Mixtape

DJ BABY SLIMM Atlanta djbabyslimm@gmail.com PHONE: 770.317.6113 IG: @DJBabySlimm Club Radio Mixtape

DJ BASSASSIN Southern Cali Djbassassin@gmail.com PHONE: 619.386.2545 IG: @DJBassassin Club

DJ CDUNN Atlanta Christiandunn1997@gmail.com PHONE: 601.218.6442 IG: @DJCDunn Club

DJ D HUSTLA Gulf Coast djdhustla937850210@gmail.com PHONE: 850.603.7436 IG: @djdhustlassrtr Club

DJ D-FAB Magic 106.5 fabila_02@yahoo.com PHONE: 512.644.4798 IG: @Dj_dfab Club Radio Mixtape

DJ DAVINCI Phoenix djdavinci317@gmail.com PHONE: 234.564.3889 IG: @djdavinci317 Radio Mixtape

DJ DIGGA New Yok Kfraysor@gmail.com PHONE: 908.543.4442 IG: @djdigga Club Radio Mixtape

DJ DIRTY DAN Gulf Coast op4ceo@gmail.com PHONE: 251.229.8742 IG: @op4ceo Radio

DJ DPRINCE Dallas/Shreveport Djdprince16@outlook.com PHONE: 318.771.9384 IG: @Dj_dprince_ Club

DJ DR. DOLLAZ West Texas Drdollaz325@gmail.com PHONE: 325.212.6285 IG: @Djdrdollaz Club Radio Mixtape

DJ DROWZZZYDREW New Mexico Drowzzzydrew@gmail.com PHONE: 575.308.9705 IG: @Drowzzzydrew Club Radio

DJ G_O East Coast MAELSTROMENT.KEY@GMAIL.COM PHONE: 803.594.3044 IG: @DJG_O Club Mixtape

DJ J FLAVE New England jflave09@gmail.com PHONE: 617.308.3742 IG: @dj_j_flave Club

DJ J-MILLIE World wide jmillie05@gmail.com PHONE: 602.432.3039 IG: @DJJmillie05 Club Radio Mixtape

DJ KAOTIC Ohio bookdjkaoticnow@gmail.com PHONE: 513.430.6934 IG: @xxdjkaoticxx Club

DJ KONVICT texas andrewstanford2@gmail.com PHONE: 512.954.2321 IG: @djkonvict512 Mixtape

DJ LVRD JULIO Atlanta Djlvrdjulio@gmail.com PHONE: 404.984.1729 IG: @Djlvrdjulio Club Radio Mixtape

12 | Makin’ It Magazine

MakinItMag.com

DJ MARTEE MCFLY Ohio Djmarteemcflybooking@gmail.com PHONE: 330.338.7830 IG: @Djmarteemcfly Club Radio

DJ MASTERTOBY Atlanta djmastertoby@gmail.com PHONE: 912.272.4701 IG: @Djmastertoby Club Mixtape

DJ MR. BRANDON Atlanta djbrandondix@gmail.com PHONE: 419.283.6992 IG: @Labelexec Club Radio

DJ NICKSLAY Atlanta Nickslayradio1@gmail.com PHONE: 205.902.2882 IG: @Djnickslay Club Mixtape

DJ PARAMOUNT Tri-state Djparamount1@gmail.com PHONE: 516.547.6508 IG: @Paramount_thedj Club Mixtape

DJ PLAN A Texas Soundsbydjplana@gmail.com PHONE: 210.685.9125 IG: @soundsbydjplana Club Radio Mixtape

DJ PLAYDVT New York djplaydvt@gmail.com PHONE: 646.469.5825 IG: @DJPLAYDVT Club Radio Mixtape

DJ PYREX Midwest mixtapedjpyrex@gmail.com PHONE: 317.702.2873 IG: @djpyrex Club Radio Mixtape

DJ SLEEP EZ DMV djsleepezent@gmail.com PHONE: 804.677.6470 IG: @djsleepez Club Mixtape

DJ SLIIICK Upstate NY Bookdjsliiick@gmail.com PHONE: 716.331.0280 IG: @DJSliiick Club

DJ SO CINCERE Midwest Djsocincere@gmail.com PHONE: 513.557.0494 IG: @djsocincere Club Radio Mixtape

DJ SUNKISST Central Texas djsunkisst@gmail.com PHONE: 254.285.7576 IG: @djsunkisst Radio Mixtape

DJ SWEENDAWG 7 Cities Virginia shaquales@hotmail.com PHONE: 757.218.0687 IG: @DJSweendawg Mixtape

DJ T GUTTA South & Midwest Djtguttamp3@gmail.com PHONE: 314.359.2706 IG: @DJTGutta Club Mixtape

DJ TEE RECKZ San Antonio Sneakerfunds@gmail.com PHONE: 512.584.3991 IG: @djteereckz Club Mixtape

DJ TESTAROSA Midwest dj_testarosa@yahoo.com PHONE: 859.396.6505 IG: @DJTestarosa Club Mixtape

DJ TRAIN Louisiana Texas Ajmir@bellsouth.net PHONE: 318.455.0045 IG: @djtrain__ Club Radio Mixtape

DJ TWISTED E Texas djtwistede@gmail.com PHONE: 214.676.7512 IG: @djtwistede Club Mixtape

DJ WRIGHTFUL Tennesee djwrightful@gmail.com PHONE: 760.429.5878 IG: @djwrightful Club Radio Mixtape

DJ PUNCH317 Atlanta/Indianapolis djpunch317@gmail.com PHONE: 317.205.5249 IG: @DjPunch317 Club Radio Mixtape

IAMDJBALL Cleveland iamdjball@gmail.com PHONE: 216.798.7572 IG: @iamdjball Club Radio Mixtape

MC B MOSS Southeast re.illbooking@gmail.com PHONE: 678.559.7865 IG: @Mcbmoss Club Radio Mixtape

OFFICIALDJKY Southern College Campus djky504booking@gmail.com PHONE: 615.769.9692 IG: @officialdjky Club Radio

TORREYDAVONE Alabama torreydavone@hotmail.com PHONE: 334.328.5810 IG: @torreydavone Club Mixtape

Follow @MakinItMag

Makin’ It Magazine | 13

Y0$#!

An Atlanta transplant originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Y0$#! (Yoshi) has cemented himself on the city’s indie scene through a high energy stage show which includes the underground hits “F*ck How You Feel” and ”F*ck Arounds”. Leveraging his Mimbership, he’s had the opportunity to open for Migos, perform during SXSW, and rock crowds as large as 5,000 people.

With a strong sense of business, he intermingles Gaming, Cannabis Culture, and hip-hop to create unique sponsorship and brand partnership opportunities, which have further elevated his career. Commanding $1,000 per feature and consistently booked, Yoshi also puts together his own themed events that have contributed to his growing fanbase and visibility of his “Goofi Juice” brand. For more on Yoshi, be sure to follow the Cat in the Hat that can rap at MakinItMag.com/users/8353 SKITZ PITTZ Hailing from Valdosta, GA this up and coming rapper earned our attention during our Who Got Hits: Artist Competition. Submitting several records that were chosen as finalists by multiple producers, we were impressed not only by his work ethic, but by the consistent quality of his music. Quitting his job to start his own company, he is 100% focused on building his brand and being an example for others.

MakinItMag.com/user/28354 JOILIYAH Originally from Far Rockaway, Queens (New York), this Singer/Songwriter has called Atlanta home for the past 14 years. Winner of our Kill the Track Competition with Grammy Award Winning Producer, Chris Henderson, her talents have also earned her performances on the Media Matters Soundstage during SXSW. A skilled artist and producer, Joiliyah’s presence evokes the vibe of a 21st century Missy Elliot.

MakinItMag.com/user/12122

14 | Makin’ It Magazine

KENZO VICE Having been rapping for just over a year, this Houston artist has released a string of songs on SoundCloud with several videos on Youtube and VEVO. With a style that mixes Hip Hop and R&B, he’s drawn comparisons to Kirko Bangz from YouTubers like NoLifeShaq.

More than a musician, his keen aesthetic sense and graphic design skills have helped him build a unique brand through his Merch and related music visuals.

MakinItMag.com/user/32145 MAC TURNER Having been a finalists for a sponsored placement on WorldStar twice, this Minneapolis rapper thoroughly impressed us with the level of versatility he displayed on the tracks “Wayy Older” and “Juice”.

With nearly half a million streams under his belt, a Performance during the 2018 Super Bowl Festival, and free invitation to participate in Grammy Camp, we aren’t the only ones who’ve taken notice of this rising talent.

MakinItMag.com/user/42797

MakinItMag.com