Thinking Hip-hop

HOW TO FIND & BUY GREAT BEATS

2007-08-01T14:32:00.000-05:00

The beat.

It is the aspect of a song that is hit or miss. You know within moments of listening to a song whether or not it is dope or whether it is wack just by the first four bars before the lyrics! My intention in this blog is to go over a few things to look out for when looking for beats and to also give anyone looking for great production a few links to producers and websites that specialize in trafficking hot tracks!

It is difficult to talk about Hip-hop and beats without going over the topic of sample clearance. In 1991 the first ruling on sampling occured when Biz Markie was sued for sampling Gilbert O'Sullivan's hit song "Alone Again, Naturally". His album was barred from any further sale and this set the precedent by which business was to be conducted in regards to digital sampling. If you are looking to sample (legally) keep in mind that in order to clear a sample you will need to go through at least two copyright holders; the owners of the sound recording (the record label) and the owner of the composition (the publishing company). What they ask for in compensation for using the sample can vary from a simple flat fee to a more complicated royalty based agreement or a combination of both.

Due to the high cost and complicated nature of dealing with samples, many of todays most note worthy Hip-hop producers such as Timbaland, The Neptunes, and Scott Storch now produce principally by using synthesizers, drum machines, and libraries of royalty free loops.

Thanks to the popularity of Hip-hop and other genres of digital music there are now litteraly hundreds of royalty free loop products that can be purchased at relatively low prices. Two of the better and more extensive loop libraries are the Sony Acid library and the Apple Loop library each offering thousands of royalty free samples.

If you're not interested in dabbling with production but would rather connect with producers who earn there bread and butter from making head nodders then I have a site for you! PMP Worldwide Entertaintenment offers an online service that allows you to connect with A-List producers such as Clinton Sparks, Buckwild, and Domingo. Through this service you can also connect with lesser known producers who still pack a big punch. Another great resource for finding producers who take their craft seriously is the Connex List. This is a quarterly published Hip-hop version of the yellow pages, which includes a few pages of producers who have submitted their information (email, phone numbers, websites) so that you can hit them up for beats!

When negotiating terms for purchasing tracks there are two primary agreement types to keep in mind which are exclusive and non-exclusive ownership of the production. Exclusive ownership generally means that the producer agrees to no longer sell that particular track to anyone else again and may go as far as releasing the copyright to the buyer. A non-exclusive agreement generally means that the producer gives you permission to use the track but retains the right to continue to use the track for commercial purposes. When you begin to deal with major labels or major indies you may begin to also negotiate points on your album as partial compensation for a musical composition. Contractual agreement can quickly become complicated and it is always wise to get the opinion of a lawyer. I feel that it's important to note that these few sentences are nothing more than a brief overview of the primary 2 types of production agreements. For more extensive information on this topic I recommend that you reference the music industry book; All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman.

Once you have found your track and negotiated the terms of agreement you get to one of the potentially slippery slopes of doing business, which is do you pay first or wait till you receive your track? This really depends and should be dealt with on a case by case basis. I personally like to receive the tracks first, so that in the case that I want adjustments in the arrangement of the track or the quality of the sound files I still have the leverage of the producers compensation. But if the producer has a track that you really want, or a name that you really want to be associated with then you may just be willing to shell out payment before receiving the files. This is just one of those gray areas that depends on how you want to do business. A compromise that you may find effective is to pay half up front and the second half of the payment once you have received all of the files of the track.

How do I get my beat?! When receiving your beat try to get it as seperated tracks in .wav file format. Now I'm not referring to the beat that you burn on CD to write your song too, that can be an MP3 or any other format. Instead I'm referring to the actual seperated files that the engineer will be manipulating when you are mixing it down. This is important because engineering and mixing songs is an art in and of itself, and the more you give the engineer to work with the better end product you'll get back. Tracks can be sent to you by the good old postal service on a CD or you can also use websites such as yousendit.com and megaupload.com. These websites are quite convenient because the producer will simply upload each file and you will receive a url that you can use to access the file, instantly and all from the comfort of your computer!

I hope that this information helps you find that banger that your looking for, and feel free to contact with any questions!

Always wishing you continued success!

Cristopolis A. Diéguez
Emcee/Philosopher
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.myspace.com/cristopolis
www.cristopolis.com
DC VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 10

2007-01-29T16:18:00.000-05:00

One month ago today we rocked the house at JOJO's!

I would like to send a big thank you to everyone who came out to support and to all those who helped make this event possible. Without a doubt this was one of my best shows ever! In the world of live performances, there are always snags, but this event went seamless. It was a packed house on Dec. 29th, 2006 at JOJO's --- standing room only! And for the amazing turnout I would definitely like thank all of the promoters; Phat Cats Entertainment, Beba Productions, and KestaDC who helped get the word out about the event [and it definitely worked!]. Also, a big thank you to Mr. Forge and VMasta for your support in getting the flyers into the streets!

A big thank you to DJ Wanako & DJ Maestra at CPR 97.5 FM and DJ Tru, Noodles and Mazi at WPFW 89.3 FM for spinning the single and having us on their radio shows prior to the event in order to get the hype going.

And last but certainly not least a big, big thank you to DJ EBoogie on the turntables, Josh Papreck on Bass, DC Doug on percussion and Cici Carmen with the moves for making this such a great show!

If you have not gotten a chance to purchase a copy of "TH!NK" it is now available online at; "THINK" CDBABY page.

Also if you would like to listen to "THINK" it can now be found on my myspace page; CRISTOPOLIS MYSPACE.

I will be releasing various clips of the "THINK" performance on YouTube so please stay tuned;
CRISTOPOLIS YOUTUBE.

I look forward to being in touch with you all and releasing more great projects during 2007.

God Bless & God Speed!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
DC VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 9

2006-12-22T10:15:00.000-05:00

We are only one week away from showtime!

Next Friday on Dec. 29, 2006 we will be having the "TH!NK" Single Release Party at the JOJO Bar [1518 U Street NW, Washington DC 20009]! There is no cover charge and the 6 song "TH!NK" Maxi-Single will be on sale for $5.

This week we received the finalalized, assembled and shrink wrapped "TH!NK" Maxi-Single CDs from Disc Makers and they look great! Disc Makers delivered them 2 days ahead of schedule and their quality is unbeatable. With the product safely in hand, this week we will continue to prepare for the show and market & promote during the final week in what will have been a 10 week focused push, from conception to final release of an independendent Hip-hop single.

Last week I had band practice with long time collaboraters; DJ E-Boogie, bass player Josh Papreck and percussionist Doug Christiansen. We went over all of the material that we will be performing on December 29th and then did a little partying of our own (under the guise of team building). Tonight we are scheduled to practice again, and will be accompanied by Inka an emcee based out of Lima, Peru with whom I collobareted on a song with over the summer and who is in town over the Holiday's. He will be attending the "THINK" Single Release Party and we are planning on performing the song we had recorded together earlier this year.

Our Washingon City Paper ad is currently running and can be found on pg. 74 of this weeks paper, thanks to Juan Luis and Media644 the design turned out great! In regards to promotions, Phatcats Entertainment will continue promoting online, while Beba Productions will assist with street promotions. KestaDC will also be assisting this week with online promotions, helping us make a strong finish with getting the word out about the event. I have about 1,000 flyers remaining so I will definitely be hitting the pavement and getting them out and around the city over the next 7 days.

Please tune in this Wednesday to WPFW 89.3 at 11:00pm as we preview the "THINK" single on the Holla Back radio show and interview with DJ Tru, Noodle and Mazi!

Next week at this time we will be only a few hours away from hitting the stage!

Happy Holiday's to you all! Thank you for the support and for following our progress.

God Bless & God Speed!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
DC VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 8

2006-12-15T13:46:00.000-05:00

We have shifted gears and turned the corner! In preparation for the "THINK" single release party on 12.29.2006 at JOJO Bar [1518 U St. NW, DC 20009], we have transitioned from writing, recording, and preparing the single to promoting and practicing for the show!

The "THINK" cd single is currently in production at Disc Makers with a scheduled completion date of 12.20.2006. Now that the process of putting together the single is (more or less) complete, I have shifted my focus to the art of marketing & promotions and band practice.

ONLINE PROMOTIONS
Phatcats Entertainment has been doing a great job pushing the event online. Proof of their work can already be seen when using Google to do a web search on CRISTOPOLIS, the first page already pulls up 2 or more listings related to the "THINK" single release party/performance. They have also been busy sending email blasts related to the upcoming event. KestaDC will also be helping with online promotions by using their extensive email list to do an email blast the week of the event and by including the event in their monthly newsletter.

STREET PROMOTIONS
Beba Productions, will be hitting the streets and pushing the event out to the club crowd! Along with hitting DC's hotspots Beba Productions will also be helping out with finding dancers for the night of the event. Mr. Forge, VMasta & DJ Wanako have also received a few hundred flyers each and are actively pushing the event in their local areas. Personally I have hit up all the music spots, restaurants and community bulletin boards in Columbia Heights, Mt. Pleasant, Adams Morgan, U Street, Dupont Circle, and the Atlas District.

PRINT PROMOTIONS & MARKETING
This coming week we will be running an ad in the Washington City Paper, it will run from Dec. 21-28th. The graphic design work was prepared by Juan Luis of Media644 and can be seen in the upper left hand corner of this blog. Aside from the paid for marketing I have been in contact with the Washington Post, El Tiempo Latino, Washington City Paper, and the Washington Post Express for potential write ups. We have not received an official confirmation from any of these periodicals but we have our fingers crossed!

RADIO PROMOTIONS
On Saturday, Dec. 16th from 3-5pm I will be on CPR 97.5 with DJ Wanako giving all those who tune in a preview of the "THINK" Maxi-Single! I hope you tune in and give us some feed back! Also on Wednesday, Dec. 27 I will be on WPFW 89.3 with the Decipher Holla Back team which consists of DJ Tru, DJ Noodles and Mazi. Their interviews are always great, and deeply anchored in Hip-hop culture. I'm looking forward to previewing the single on there show (just two days before the release!)

BAND PRACTICE
Band practice starts tonight! We will also be practicing again on Monday, Dec. 18th, I will be meeting and practicing with the dancers during the next couple of weeks, and depending on how well the band, the dancers and I know our parts we will decide on whether we need more practices together. I personally, practice the set at least once a day starting about 10 days before the event, but I practice my individual songs routinely.

We are only 2 weeks away from showtime! Thank you all for your continued support and for being a part of this event!

God Bless & God Speed!

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
DC VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 7

2006-12-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

With only 3 weeks left until the "THINK" single release party/performance on 12.29.2006 at the JOJO BAR, things are moving fast and according to plan!

On Monday I picked up the final mixes of "THINK" and the "THINK" Remix featuring Mr. Forge at Listen Vision, and was thoroughly impressed and happy with the final product! The song really came together well and I can honestly say that it is one of the best works that I have been blessed to be a part of! E's vocals on the chorus bring the whole track to life and Doug Christiansen's percussion add extra kick to the already amazing Hennyo produced track. The remix featuring Mr. Forge gives it west coast flavor as the Cosmic Chicano paints us a picture of the realities of life in Los Angeles, adding a nice twist to my own perspective of coming up in the DC metropolitan.

The mastering of the project was done by Heather-Renee at DC VISIONS, using Logic Pro 7 on a G4 Mac and was sent via FedEx (along with all the necessary paperwork) to Disc Makers on Tuesday morning. That morninng I uploaded the design of the cd jacket via the Disc Makers website, the design was provided by Juan Luis of Media 644 and can be seen at http://www.media644.com/cristopolis/thinkcd.jpg (along with the track listing). I've been in contact with Disc Makers all week and have been given a good faith estimate of Dec. 21st as the delivery date of the single!

This week was also spent pushing flyers out to stores around the city and in Virginia and Maryland. I have also been in contact with the Washington Post Express and City Paper for potential interviews and/or reviews of the single. I also now have a lead with El Tiempo Latino for a possible interview (provided courtesy of Mr. Forge), which I will be following up on during the coming week. On Saturday, December 16th, 2006 from 3-5pm we will be letting everyone listen to an exclusive preview of the "THINK" single on the DJ Wanako hosted CPR Radio show on 97.5 fm. Please tune, listen to the interview and give us some feedback on the new single!

On the evening of the "THINK" single release on 12.29.2006, DJ E-Boogie will be spinning before and after the event. We would like to extend an invitation to all local artist's to submit 2-3 tracks to DJ E-Boogie for him to mix into his set for the evening, so that we can show some love to all of the local talent in the area!

Thank you for following our progress and for the support! See you next Friday (when the event will be only 2 weeks away!).

God Bless and God Speed!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
DC VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 6

2006-12-01T13:45:00.000-05:00

Peace family --

Another week closer to our goal of having the "THINK" Single Release Party on 12/29/2006!

This week promotions officially got started! Phatcats Entertainment will be handling a great deal of the online and street promotions, and they began their online campaign this week. VMasta and Mr. Forge, who are quite savvy at getting into peoples ears with information related to the underground music scene, will also be helping out with promotions. I will be mailing them and DJ WANAKO of CPR Radio flyers this evening.

CPR Radio 97.5 FM based out of NW DC, will be having a an exclusive "THINK" interview with me on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006 from 3-5pm. We will release the lead single "THINK", and "3 HOMBRES" for the first time to the public on the show! DJ WANAKO and I are looking forward to having an in depth talk about the single, and playing CRISTOPOLIS tracks - old & new! Be sure to tune in to 97.5 on 12/16/06 from 3-5pm for the exclusive pre-release of "THINK"!

The lead single will be ready for pickup from DJ Boom at Listen Vision on Monday at 7pm, and all those involved in "THINK" and the "THINK" remix are very eager to hear the finished product. El Genio de Acero, the producer of both "THINK" and "3 HOMBRES" was very impressed with the way "3 HOMBRES" turned out and we are looking forward to working on future projects together.

Today I contacted Disc Makers in order to begin calculating timelines and price quotes in reference to the single. I was informed by one of their project assistant specialist's that if they received all of the paperwork, the cd master, and artwork by Wednesday of next week that they could give a good faith estimate of delivery by 12/22/06. I immediately contacted Juan Luis of KestaMedia and asked him for turnaround time quote on a cd disc & jacket design based on the flyer concept which he had already done. He quickly responded that he would be able to provide the design tonight! Now that is amazing, that is synchronicity! If everything falls into place between now and Monday, I will be sending Disc Makers all of the parts necessary for them to begin manufacturing the "THINK" Single on Tuesday!

"THINK" Single Release Party and Performance on 12/29/06 at JoJo Bar!

Thank you all for your support and for following our progress!

God Bless & God Speed!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

2006-11-22T16:20:00.001-05:00

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 4

2006-11-17T10:43:00.000-05:00

With the 12/29/2006 single release party/performance steadily approaching we have been working hard to ensure a great product, great promotions and finally a great show!

This week I was in the studio on Saturday afternoon with bass player Josh Papreck to begin work on the track "3 HOMBRES" produced by El Genio De Acero. Josh layed down the main bassline and 2 alternate basslines, giving Listen Vision engineer DJ Boom plenty of options to work with. I recorded the the chorus and the main vocals for the three verses. On Wednesday of this week I was back at Listen Vision with DJ E-Boogie at which time we were recorded by engineer Al Nitty and were accompanied by Ray from DC Music & Models who filmed the session. DJ E-Boogie layed down some vicious cuts that I think you will all enjoy when you hear the final version of "3 HOMBRES"! I recorded adlibs and some alternate chorus parts that end the song.

This coming Wed. I'll be back in the studio working on the lead single "THINK" which is also produced by El Genio de Acero. This is the only track on the single that will be entirely in English. This track may also feature some background harmonies from the R&B Hip-hop Rockstar "E" and additional percussion by Doug Christiansen.

On Monday of this week we met with the owner of JOJO BAR the location at which we are planning on having the single release party/performance, in order to talk about the details of the event and to review the contract, solidifying what both parties agree to offer. We will be meeting during the week in order to go over any contract revisions and (as I said last week) hopefully signing the contract so that the location for the event can be set in stone.

I began preparations on the promotional aspect of preparing the single release party/performance this week by contacting Juan Luis from KestaMedia on Monday in reference to designing the flyers. Juan worked with us on the "CALIENTE" flyers and did a great job, so it made sense to work with him on the new "THINK" single! We should have the first draft of the design today and have them ready to print by early next week. Marketing & promotional support for the single release party/performance will also be provided by longtime collaboraters Phatcats Ent. They have already been actively involved in the process by coordinating a feature on DC Music & Models and by being in contact with Indie Street Latino in relation to the upcoming single. Phatcats will also be providing online and street team support during the promotional phase of the single/release party performance.

Thank you for your support and for continously following our progress!

I look forward to seeing you next week -- God Bless & God Speed!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 3

2006-11-10T11:19:00.000-05:00

We have been making great progress, towards our goal of releasing a new single and having a single release party/performance!

This week we continued talks with the owner of JoJo Bar, and he has verbally confirmed that Friday, Dec. 29th, 2006 is available. We will be meeting with him this coming Monday to talk about the details and to (with a little luck) sign an agreement setting the date for the single release party/performance in stone.

On the recording side, this Saturday (tomorrow) I will be back in Listen Vision at 2pm listening to the DJ Boom engineered version of "EL DISTRITO LATINO" and working on a new track "3 HOMBRES", produced by El Genio de Acero. Tomorrow I will lay down vocals and Josh Papreck will be laying down live bass. We will be going back into the studio during the week in order for DJ E-Boogie to lay down his turntable magic.

This week some headway was also made in regards to marketing and promotions. Through a contact given to me by Head-Roc, I was contacted by the Washington Post 'Express' newspaper in regards to the single (potentially for a review of the single), also DC Drama Magizine will be preparing a future show that will feature some live performance footage of me, hopefully it will air right before the single release party/performance so that it can cross promote with the marketing effort we will be doing at that time.

Another great step forward that took place this week was that all of the final documents for creating a corporation in the District of Columbia have been processed by the D.C. Government and the legal creation of Dieguez Creative Visions, Inc. (t/a D.C. VISIONS, INC.), has gone through it's final phase and is now legally up and running!

Thank you for following our progress and I'll see you next week!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

2006-11-03T12:04:00.000-05:00

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 2

2006-11-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

In order to realistically achieve my goal of having a 3-4 song single recorded and manufactured and to on top of that organize and promote a release party/performance, all by a deadline of Dec. 29, 2006 -- it was absolutely necessary to make some serious progress quickly.

Therefore this week was busy on two fronts; the first was to begin recording because you can't have a single release party without a single! And the second was finding a venue at which we could hold the single release party/performance.

Last week as soon as I finished writing PT. 1 of this blog series, I immediately contacted Mr. Forge and VMasta in reference to a track entitled "El Distrito Latino" to see what days would be best for them to go into the studio and record.

Once we were all on the same page I contacted Listen Vision and set up time for Thursday at 7pm. I then proceeded to contact Doug Christiansen a world class percussionist and DJ E-Boogie my right hand man and partner in rhyme, so that they could add their musical genius to the track.

The track itself was a concept that I had come up with a few months ago in which I wanted to pay homage to local latino emcee's that have been putting out great music for years. I not only wanted to give respect in my lyrics but also by including local talent to guest on the track. I invited Mei Mei, Camilo Cienfuegos, VMasta, and Mr. Forge to participate on the track. The musical composition of the track is a percussion heavy beat which I produced. Cienfuegos had already laid down the chorus at my home studio a few months ago, and Mei Mei recorded her verse at Real Sound Studios in Virginia and emailed me the MP3 of the acappella.

I brought the .wav files of everything that had been recorded to the studio with me last night, and we began the process of recording. It was magical, everyone was on point and it is always an amazing experience to watch creative minds contribute their own talent and persona to a project. We were accompanied by DC Music & Models who recorded the process and interviewed us afterwards. Be on the look for the interview on their website in upcoming weeks.

The final mix by DJ Boom should be ready early next week and if Boom's previous work is any reference it will sound right! To keep up with the deadline of recording I will need to be in the studio recording again late next week or early in the week that follows, I have contacted a long time friend and producer El Genio De Acero in reference to a track that I heard years ago and wrote a song over entitled "3 Hombres". The track consists of three characters each developed in their own verse and expressing their unique perspectives on ultimate truth, universal consciousness, god or their disbelief in any of the previously mentioned. It is an intellectual song that I feel will serve as a nice counter balance to the very fast paced "El Distrito Latino".

In regards, to finding a venue at which to hold the single release party/performance on Dec. 29, 2006, we were looking for a place that was classy, readily accessible by public transportation, and of a decent size. The first place that came to mind was JoJo Bar on U Street, and throughout this week we have been in contact with the owner. Talks have gone well and the owner seems keen to the idea of the event. I hope that between now and next weeks blog we can have something concrete in writing, because at that point we will be able to begin designing the marketing material and hitting the streets with promotions.

Thank you for reading and for your support -- see you next week with the latest update!

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

* HOW TO RELEASE A SINGLE * PT. 1

2006-10-27T09:06:00.000-05:00

I sit here today at my day gig with an idea, one which has me inspired.

The idea is to release a single on Dec. 29, 2006, roughly two months from now, on my 30th Birthday.

I have no completed songs for the single and no venue to have the release party at, but in the past I have experienced how focusing on a goal allows events to align themselves in a way that makes all things possible.

This blog series will be an attempt at capturing synchronicity in motion. In all honesty to you and to myself I do not know as of now how the release of this single will ultimately turn out, but in this blog I will outline what my aim is and over the following nine weeks we will see how things work out, fall apart, how we find solutions and ultimately how it all comes together (or not) in the end.

MY TWO SENTENCE 'MISSION STATEMENT'

My goal is to release a professionally recorded and manufactured single containing 3 to 4 new songs. And to throw a well promoted release party/performance on Dec. 29, 2006 for the single at a venue within Washington, D.C.

In order for this to be possible there are many steps that will need to be taken, of which these immediately come to mind;

1) production of the beats, 2)writing of the lyrics, 3) recording of the songs, 4) engineering of the songs, 5) cd cover & disc art, 6) manufacturing of the cd's, 7) getting a venue to throw the release party/performance at, 8) band practice, 9) graphic design of flyers and ads, 10) advertising, 11) promoting, and 12) event support on the day of the gig.

Independent artist's such as myself always have the beautiful struggle of on one hand fighting with everything we have to keep our art honest and reflective of a personal vision and on the other hand managing money, resources and business. This series of blogs will be an accurate account (for better or for worse) of all that I go through in putting together this single and it's release party. Every Friday between now and 12/29/06 I will post a weekly blog detailing my ups and downs in moving an idea through the creative process of becoming a finished product.

See you next Friday, and hopefully we'll have at least one song in production by then.

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

HIP-HOP & HERITAGE

2006-09-14T13:15:00.000-05:00

As a tribute to Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15) the focus of this blog will be to list and bring more recognition to a few of the most outstanding and talented Latino Hip-hop Artist's spinning, rhyming and representing the District of Columbia;

DJ Wanako has played a vital role in bringing the music of DC's Latino Emcees to the city and it's outlying suburbs by continously supporting, spinning and interviewing local artists during his radio show on Community Powered Radio; CPR 97.5 FM. He has also been a leader and organizer of the DC Latino Hip-hop Festival an annual show which is now gearing up for its 3rd installment.

Camilo Cienfuegos arrived in the nation's capital via Chorrera, Panama. His powerful vocal presence has made him a popular 'go to guy' for standout choruses, but it is his solo material that takes you deep into the mind of one of the District's most versatile artists. In a split second Cienfuegos takes you from powerful revolutionary lyrics to dancehall flavored chorus, influences which demonstrate that he carries his native Panama close to his heart.

VMasta brings to us his raw and rapid spitfire flow straight from the Andean region of Santiago, Chile. Having spent many years on the underground circuit performing and releasing independent material VMasta now prepares to unleash his latest onslaught of hits with partner in rhyme Junior MC from Venezuela under the group name Conexiones Internacionales.

El Imperio is a super group consisting of four members which include Fantazm hailing to us from Colombia, and Skorpio, Iron Man and N-Ferno from El Salvador. There first release "Atake Imperial" gained them regional noteriety, all the while growing their fan base with there many performances and television appearences. They now prepare to satisfy there fans restlessness for more "El Imperio" with their second album "La Conquista", which is currently in production. Be on the look out for this new offering by some of DC's finest creative minds.

FenomeDon is an emcee from El Salvador who brings to the table potent lyrics and flawless delivery. He has been hard on the grind releasing singles and videos such as the video for "La Mirada". He is currently slated to release a new mixtape entitled "Bombasos", promising to continue his rise a prominent emcee.

Mr. Forge brings West Coast Chicano flavor to the nation's capital. Having grown up in Los Angeles he has lived in the DC Metropolitan area for over ten years. His deep resounding voice and positive message has helped to distinguish him from other emcees on his various mixtape appearances. Be on the look out as he now prepares to release his new album "Thee A.B.Y.S.S."

Cero from Cali, Colombia has been on the grind for many years now, having started off in the group Traficantez. The last couple of years Cero has been hard at work releasing solo singles and mixtapes. His newly released album "Cero Sacrificio" promises to continue making him one DC's great talents.

Culture Stylo is a dynamic duo composed of Mei Mei and Sabio. Mei Mei of Mexican decent is the most prevalent latina emcee in the DC metropolitan area. Her flow immediately grabs your attention and easily engages audiences, but her lyrics are what truly distinguish her as a great emcee. Sabio of Guatemalan descent, is a prolific lyricist, who not only contributes his songwriting skills but also contributes 100% of the production for Culture Stylo and has worked as a producer with many of DC Latino Emcee's.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries; Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18.

paz.

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
(202) 730-5012
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

WHY HIP-HOP SHOULD 'DIY'

2006-08-09T09:28:00.000-05:00

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

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

How Do I ‘DIY’

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

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

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

The ‘DIY’ Challenge

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

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

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

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

THE 80/20 RULE IN HIP-HOP

2006-07-27T08:47:00.000-05:00

What is the 80/20 Rule?

The 80/20 rule is a management formula that is also known as Pareto's Principle. This principle is used everyday by managers and management teams around the world in every capacity imaginable. The idea can be applied to nearly anything and it's definition in short is that theoritically in any given situation, there is a dominant 20% that leads and molds the other 80%, or as the founder of this formula Dr. Joseph Juran put it there is "the vital few and the trivial many". In this bloq I would like to invite you to reflect on how this formula may apply to Hip-hop music and culture;

Let's start by saying that it would seem evident that 20% of the companies within the recording industry receive 80% percent of the profits (because they own the distribution channels),

and that 80% percent of the music that actually reaches the public is made by only 20% percent of the artists trying to get out there ,

of that music I can confidently say that only 20% is actually good while 80% is..............wack,

I will even go as far as saying that just during this summer it is arguable that 80% of the music that has come out will not be remembered a few years from now while 20% percent of it will,

of the songs that do stand the test of time only 20% percent of the money will ever go to the artist's who created them while 80% will go to...........others,

80% of those "others".....involved in selling Hip-hop music do not care about or understand it's culture while a faithful 20% are the core group vital for Hip-hop's survival,

The question that I now sit here asking myself and that I hope you are asking yourself is whether I'm going to be one of the vital few or of the trivial many?

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.

IS RAP MUSIC KILLING HIP-HOP CULTURE?

2006-07-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

On a fairly consistent basis I am asked by people a simple yet slippery question, "what is the difference between Hip-hop and rap"?

I normally give this short answer; Hip-hop encompasses an entire culture where as rap is the act of rapping or making words rhyme in the Hip-hop form. I also go on to clarify that rap music and Hip-hop music are not necessarily the same thing. For example, a McDonald's TV commercial comes on and there are two kids with baseball caps tilted to the side rapping about french fries and chicken McNuggets, is this Hip-hop music? I would definitely say No. Is it rap? Well, yes....they're rapping. This is my short answer to the difference between Hip-hop and rap.

Going a bit deeper into the question "what is the difference between Hip-hop and rap", I find it important to define what I mean by Hip-hop. In recent years different organizations have added to and adjusted the traditional four pillars of Hip-hop, and you may find different definitions online as to what constitutes Hip-hop culture. But traditionally (and what I follow) Hip-hop is made up of four main pillars; DJing, Grafitti Art, Breakdancing and Hip-hop Music aka Rapping. When speaking about Hip-hop and its culture this is the foundation I adhere to and when speaking about Hip-hop music I am referring to the music that was born out of this culture.

Over the last decade a gray area between true Hip-hop based art and corporate America has come into play and it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish the creative growth of the culture from the appetite of corporate America and it's search for easy money off of hit song's and breakaway artist's. Corportate interest in Hip-hop has definitely aided the popularity of the culture, pushing it into living rooms across the nation and around the world, but it is also responsible for making everything on the radio sound the same and for a limited amount of major label artist to have full (exclusive) access to all mainstream media resources.

Has the infiltration of big business into Hip-hop culture wrestled control of the culture itself away from the Hip-hop community and into the hands of company CEO's? Do the decision's that these CEO's make in reference to the music that they release and push to the public non-stop through all mainstream media channels, actually control Hip-hop? Is rap music killing Hip-hop culture? Voice your opinion!

CRISTOPOLIS
Thinking Hip-hop Emcee
hiphop@cristopolis.com
www.cristopolis.com
D.C. VISIONS, INC.