This is an excerpt from “Countdown to Maximum Exposure” a free PDF guide written by IndieGuide.com and CD Baby for musicians who are preparing to release a new album within the next year. Releasing a new album takes more than just duplicating discs and throwing a party. You’ve got to get the word out if you want your music to sell. But with so many methods of promotion and so […]

Major shout out to Hawaii-based literary magazine, Paradise Review, for featuring my Chic City and Primitive Lust paintings in their magazine’s second issue and on their website’s front page! Check out the feature here and the screenshot below.

Getting coverage of one’s music on music blogs and websites is an important part of reaching new fans and keeping older fans excited. Unfortunately there’s not a master list of who to contact to get your music featured because every musician needs to focus on writers who will appreciate what they do. Here are a few tips for identifying the right music bloggers for outreach and making initial contact with a long term perspective. I was […]

Building a Facebook audience doesn’t have to be expensive. By taking a few simple steps, you can promote your page without spending a dime. Here are seven top tips for marketing your Facebook page! 1.)     Cross-Promote Simply looking at the stats on your Facebook posts will show you that to promote your content, you cannot rely on Facebook alone. That’s why you have to find ways to draw […]

One of Complex’s 10 New LA Rappers To Watch Out For, Thurz is one of the first few artists I linked with when I touched down in LA last year; not to mention one of the dopest. Backed by a genuine Hip Hop foundation and straight lyricism, he’s quickly expanding his movement and building a buzz for his upcoming album, Blood On The Canvas. #TeamVakseen produced 2-3 records on the […]

Congratulations for taking a big step forward in your career as a songwriter. If you’re considering submitting one (or several) of your songs for a music business opportunity, then you’ve gone to the next level beyond just writing songs and hoping the world will come to you. This being the case, there are a couple of classic mistakes you should be careful to avoid so that you can present yourself […]

What is the purpose of marketing? Is it to sell something? ….ummmm not exactly. In the end that might be what you want, but lets keep it simple: the purpose of marketing is to raise awareness of you and your brand. “Marketing is the process of making potential customers and clients interested in your products and/or services.” So marketing is grabbing attention from others. Making them aware of you. Then, if you catch […]

I’ve been building with Miami’s Jigg for close to 2 years now and the music consistently improves. Known for delivering vivid street tales over soulful 808’s, he’s already delivered 2 dope projects, High Grade and Spittaduction, with the likes of DJ Drama, Don Cannon and DJ Folk. High Grade 2 drops 1/1/13 and I expect nothing less than a classic. Not to mention #TeamVakseen produced a couple records on the […]

Via Wendy Day I have been teaching artists and industry folks the business behind the music for twenty years now. As the industry has changed, so have I. I don’t just teach, I do. And then I share the “how to” of my successes and failures, so others will learn too. I’ve charged nothing for this knowledge. My attitude has always been, you can learn from me or not–your choice. […]

It’s great to see more and more dope female rappers in the market. Slightly reminding you of a female Drake, Tank’s new artist Siya is quickly making a name for herself with a crazy flow and dope lyrics. Check out her newly released project D.Y.K.E. (Damn You Killin Em), which features production on 2 records (Pretty Girl x Crawl Before I Walk) from #TeamVakseen. Congrats to Decapo and Nyce for placements!