| If you are trying to build a career as a hip hop beat | | | | If you are serious about earning a living from your |
| maker, there are a few things you should know. The | | | | beats, you have to develop the professionalism that |
| majority of up and coming beat makers that want to | | | | sets you apart from your competition. A professional |
| make a living with their beats focus on developing skills | | | | works on a schedule. A professional keeps good |
| more than anything else. | | | | business records of money spent and money earned. |
| As a beat maker, your artistic skills are very important | | | | A professional is reliable and keeps appointments with |
| to your hopes of success, but even more important is | | | | people and is easy to get hold of. |
| to develop the attitude of a professional if you are | | | | You are building a business that will support you for |
| going to make it in the industry. There are a lot of | | | | the rest of your life if you do it correctly. If you don't |
| aspiring artists who have incredible skill but will never | | | | know how to run a business, read some books, take a |
| make it because they don't think of their "business" | | | | professional out to lunch and ask them questions about |
| properly and treat it as such. | | | | how they run their business. Most of your competition |
| Take these tips to heart and they will serve you well | | | | just tries to wing it and they never have anyone take |
| as you pursue your career as a beat maker: | | | | them seriously. |
| THE POWER OF NETWORKING | | | | SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF |
| Networking is a term that describes getting out and | | | | There is a saying that "if you don't know what you are |
| meeting people in your industry who can eventually | | | | aiming at you will hit it every time"! Decide what you |
| connect you with the right people. If you don't know | | | | want to accomplish as an artist and then set |
| anyone of significance in the industry of beat making, | | | | challenging but reachable goals for yourself. How |
| your chances of becoming known are very slim. It is | | | | many beats do you want to create every month? |
| difficult enough to make it big in an industry with so | | | | Every week? Every day? Set goals for these and |
| much competition. Don't cripple your efforts by waiting | | | | then work toward them. How many of your samples |
| for your big break...it may never come. You might be | | | | do you want to distribute each month? How many |
| the most talented beat maker in your city, but if you | | | | people do you want to get to know every month? |
| don't mix in circles of influence you will be the only one | | | | Write down your goals. Keep a ledger and make a |
| who ever gets to listen to your music. | | | | note of each goal that you accomplished. If you are |
| Go to local concerts and mingle. Take some sample | | | | consistently missing your goals then make smaller |
| beats that are nicely labeled and spread them around. | | | | goals until you are consistently successful at reaching |
| Try to get your samples in the hands of the | | | | them. |
| performing artists or their crew. Trust me when I tell | | | | The point is that your talent alone is not enough. Learn |
| you that most of them are always looking for fresh | | | | to live a disciplined lifestyle. Work hard at it. Most other |
| material to use. They will listen to your stuff if you | | | | wannabe beat makers will never do these things. If |
| keep getting it in front of them. | | | | you give yourself time and realize that what you are |
| It is not necessary to brag to them about how good | | | | attempting to do as an artist is hard work, you will be |
| your beats sound. They hear that from a lot of people. | | | | miles ahead of everyone else. |
| Just be courteous and let your beats speak for | | | | There really is no such thing as an overnight success |
| themselves. If your stuff is good they will get back to | | | | in the entertainment business. Study the life of any |
| you. It is important to also give them a business card | | | | super star and you will find that they were working |
| and make sure your contact information is also clearly | | | | hard for years before they got their big break. You |
| printed on your disc. | | | | can do it to with the right attitude. |
| LEARN TO THINK LIKE A BUSINESS PERSON | | | | |