Kemi-Rock's Music Spot

Where is the real R&B?

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 21:46:00 +0000

For years many people including myself have asked this very question. Reminiscing of the days when you could turn on the radio and hear a good R&B song or a slow jam to make you think about that special person. The days of Xscape, Jagged Edge, and Joe are gone and now when you turn on the radio you hear more hip-hop and rap then R&B. This genre of music use to dominate the airwaves and you couldn’t help but to sing along to the radio. Currently traditional R&B artists have been going the route of hip-hop or dub step beats. Yearning for the days of the smooth melodic beats and the harmonies that we received from singers in the 90’s.

This year it looks like the need for R&B is being heard. Artists that we have known and loved are coming out with new music. Bringing back that R&B flavor to music lovers. Songs about love, friendships, heartbreak are being made that brings back memories when you listen to the lyrics. Artists like Kelly Rowland, Justin Timberlake, Chrisette Michele, Alicia Keys and Maxwell to name a few are giving their fans songs with soul and feeling.

There is also a new wave of artists coming on the R&B scene, showing that R&B is not dead and fans need to get ready for what they have to offer. Fans need to show there love of R&B by supporting all these artists, old and new, by buying there music, requesting their videos on TV and songs on the radio, and seeing their performances. Labels need to take notice and they need to promote their R&B artist, stop thinking that fans want the same cookie cutter mainstream music. Fans want the different emotions, they want to blast songs in their car and sing along, they want to cry after heartbreak while their favorite R&B songs plays in the background and gives them comfort. All these different emotions are why artists started making music in the first place, so it’s time to get back to basics. We need that old thing back!

Prince the Icon

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:45:00 +0000

Prince is a music legend with ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Helping to start the careers of artists like Sheila E., The Time, and Vanity 6. Other artists like Chaka Chan, showing that even other icons love Prince and his music have also sampled him.

Tonight Prince was honored at the Billboard Awards with the Icon Award. His performance truly left fans wanting more of Prince. Accepting the honor and giving the last performance of the show, he showed everyone why he is an icon.

When the new age of technology and digital music distribution came into play Prince was all for Internet promotions. He was giving his music away freely and still was able to sell out concerts worldwide. No one knows the reason why but suddenly he wanted all his music off of YouTube, The Pirate Bay, and even some fan sites. He didn’t want his image anywhere that was given away for free. Now some might think this shows that Prince does not care about his fans, while others believe he is just trying to preserve the rights for his image and music.

This can lead to a lot of questions:

Is it smart for an artist not to use the Internet to their advantage?

How does Internet exposure affect album and concert sales?

Has digital music sharing sites corrupted the music industry?

Should fans show their loyalty by buying their favorite artist’s albums?

Can Prince still sell out concerts without having an Internet presence?

No matter how these questions are answered, no one can deny that Prince is an icon. Providing music through out the decades of songs that you cannot help but sing along to. Purple Rain was an iconic album and movie and if someone does not know anything about Prince, you can be sure they know about Purple Rain.

The Values of a Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 06 May 2013 03:55:00 +0000

Kevin Geiger and Dr. Steven Gedeon gave great points on the importance of a business plan and the key points of a successful business plan. The changes I will make in my business plan are making sure my financials are clear for possible future investors and that the credentials of the staff are highlighted, as well as, a clear presentation of all services that will be provided. I will make sure that investors can view how my company will turn a profit. This will provide a strong foundation to build up my company.

I will work with my partner to fill in key core positions for the company before the business plan is presented to future investors. I want a future investor to see a complete team base of core members. Researching exact items needed for the office and needed for services to be completed efficiently will help to give accurate number for my financials. The executive summary will become more direct and focused on exactly what the company plans to do and how we will earn our revenue. This will help investors see where they can make their return on investment.

Paying attention to trends for start up businesses and industry trends are very important. Knowing what my competitors are doing can help my company grow and show our creativity and what sets us apart.

The sections I feel are most important are the executive summary and the financial of my business plan. When a future investor read the executive summary it will peak their interest to want to continue and read the entire business plan. The financials will give a clear picture their numbers of the possible success of the company. Once these sections are clear and well planned future investors will not hesitate to become part of my company’s success.

Kevin Geiger and Dr. Steven Gedeon

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:45:00 +0000

Kevin Geiger has two decades of experience in the animation industry. He has worked with Disney creating digital characters for movies like “Reign of Fire” and “Chicken Little”. In 2009 he cofounded Magic Dumpling Entertainment, showing that he can take Chinese content to global markets he later returned to Disney in 2012.

According to Kevin, a few key factors investors are looking for an a business plan include:

• How are the investors going to make their money back?

• Prepare a cash flow projection

• Create a business plan presentation for investors

• Select development and advisory teams.

Steven Gedeon is a professor in Entrepreneurship & Strategy at the Ted Rogers School of Management. He holds a MBA and a PhD from MIT. He has won numerous teaching awards and is the director of the Ryerson Entrepreneur Institute, which is Canada’s only student run entrepreneurship centre.

Steven’s view on a business plan is: The most important component is the executive summary and what are the qualification of the management team, the overall business idea and the financials. The key element to a successful business plan is does it have creditability and is their a guide to action.

The two views show that it is very important to let investors know why you need them to invest, how you will create a cash flow, and what they should expect for their return of investment. These are key points that need to be addressed in the beginning of the business plan. It highlights for a potential investor all the key points so they can make the decision if they want to continue reading. You want to be direct and to the point in your plan less fluff and more precise information and accountable numbers. Being prepared with a presentation will also impress a future investor and providing a sample of your item or service will give them a great idea exactly what they potentially will invest in.

Steve Blank & Carlos Slim

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 04:08:00 +0000

Steve Blank retired in 1999 after spending 21 years in 8 different high technology companies. In high school he was not looked as the most likely to succeed. After retiring Mr. Blank wrote a book titled “Four Steps to the Epiphany” and his latest book with Bob Dorf is titled “The Startup Owners Manual”. His view is to stay true to the customer and not the market.

The business model proposal is based on 5 steps:
· What did you initially think your initial business model was? (Initial business model hypotheses)

· What did you build/do? (Built first product, talked to users, etc.)

· What did you learn outside the building? (Parts of our feature set/business model were wrong)

· Then what did you do? (iterated product, changed business model, etc.)

· Repeat steps 1-4

Carlos Slim has built a 35 billion dollar values for his various companies. He acquired Telmex in the 1990’s, which is the largest telecommunications and cell phones companies in Mexico. He has a simple style that is direct and money focused.

Mr. Slims views on business are:
· Create a simple organizational structure with minimal hierarchies; provide personal development and in-house training for executives.

· Don’t be a big fish in a small pond. Don’t invest in non-productive assets.

· Clear objectives and the right tools will lead you through all challenges.

· Reinvest profits in the company. Money that leaves the company evaporates.

· True corporate creativity can be helpful to both business and society.

· Firm and patient optimism always yields rewards.

· Know how to work hard, and use the right tools.

· Leave with nothing. We can only do things while we are alive. Businessmen are creators of the wealth that they temporarily manage.

These two views show potential entrepreneurs that they have to follow their own ideas. Be clear with your ideas and the type of product or service you want to provide. Work hard and reinvest into your own company. If you can’t invest and work hard on your idea, no one else will.

Are You Ready To Start A Business?

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 06:31:00 +0000

Carl J. Schramm is currently a professor at Syracuse University. Formerly he was the president of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he held the position for ten years. He is co-author with Robert E. Litan of Better Capitalism: Renewing the Entrepreneurial Strength of the American Economy.

Mr. Schramm stated in the article – Straight Talk of Entrepreneurship

Characteristics of an Entrepreneur

Carl shared insight about what are the primary characteristics of an Entrepreneur. I didn’t get them all down, but these few are perhaps the most relevant.

1. They are an outsider, they ask the hard questions, and press leaders on the “why” around status quo.

2. They think in terms of disruption, and are often thought to be disruptive by the change-averse.

3. They see things differently, considering untraditional forces that others didn’t see.

4. They are often competent in a completely different field than the field they are working in.

5. They are very widely read, and know lots of facts and information that makes thinking richer.

6. They have worked in multiple places in the world.

7. They have worked in a startup.

8. They have worked in a job they didn’t like.

9. They have worked in multiple industries.

Chuck Blakeman is the founder of a Colorado based company named the Crankset Group. The company works with business owners to help them make more money in less time and get back to the passion that brought them into business in the first place. He has started five very different businesses and two no profits organizations from the ground up.

Chuck’s vision is to live well by doing good.

Both Mr. Schramm and Mr. Blakeman state that trying to focus on a formal business plan is a waste of time. By the time you are done with the plan the information is out dated and of no use. There are key points that should be focused on and they are:

· What is the product?
· Who is going to buy it?
· Why do they need it?
· How will you build it or deliver it based on what you know?

These points are key because it gives potential investors all the important information with out all the fluff. Most investors are busy and don’t have time to read a full business plan. Having this information in the beginning helps them to see if they want to read in depth. This also lets you see quickly if this will be a business worth starting or something you need to do more research and work on.

Lip Sync or Not

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 04:04:00 +0000

Singing at the presidential inauguration is a big accomplishment for any performer. Beyoncé had the opportunity twice and for the 2013 inauguration she sang the National Anthem. This perfect opportunity was overshadowed by talks of her lip syncing and not singing live.

Many performers lip-sync a pre-recorded track for big events, so why is this a big deal. It would have been a different case if it’s was not her voice, but she did not pull a Milli Vanilli. This was her voice pre-recorded to make sure that moment was they way she wanted it. Besides wanting to make the moment perfect, the weather that day was cold for anyone let alone someone performing.

Whitney Houston lip-synced her performance of the National Anthem during and it is said to be one of the best performances of all time. Now the question is what is the difference between Whitney’s performance and Beyoncé’s.

Here is a video of Beyoncé’s amazing performance

Here is a performance by Whitney Houston that was lip-synced

Has Technology Ruined Music?

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 03:21:00 +0000

When you listen to music it is suppose to stir up emotions whether they are good or bad. So one would think that a product that is created from emotion to create an emotion would have people behind it that will want to promote that and not just looking to make money. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world and this is what the music industry is all about.

Record labels had all the power in the past. They made all the decisions

· Artist image

· Type of music the artist created

· Structure of the album

· Which songs became singles

· When the singles would be released

The labels also retained a large portion of the profits made from the artist’s music. So labels more that artists made a profit off of record sales. With the change into the digital age this proposed a problem for the labels. People were using P2P (Peer 2 Peer) sites to download music instead of buying it.

With the access to various sites consumers can search for music easily, choose to purchase it or just listen to it while streaming online. Artist can also upload their music to various websites and cut out the middleman and keep most of the profits. No longer needing the label to pick and choose what artists are worthy to produce music for the public, it is now accessible to everyone.

So the question is – Has technology ruined music?

In my opinion I would say yes, not so much in the profit to the artist or the label but in the quality of music. No longer is music about substance or trying to create emotions or tell a story. Music has turned into displaying a famous lifestyle to the masses. Since artist can upload their own music they are producing cookie cutter versions of songs that are trending at the time.

We need to get back to a time where an artist created their own path with their music. Where songs talked about more than women, money and cars. The labels need to embrace technology, not fight it. This can help promote a change of the industry by integrating the old with the new and forcing artist to create the type of music that they did in the past.

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:58:00 +0000

The Shift With Music in the Digital Age

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:13:00 +0000

So many changes have happened over the years in the music industry. The way fans are able to listen to music going from 8 tracks, to cassettes, to cd’s, and now mp3’s. With the progression of technology came the progression of the way music is presented to the masses. The change in technology has also changed the way music is produced from analog to digital.

Consumers can buy music instantly from sites like iTunes and Amazon, no longer do they have to wait in line at a record store for a new album release. With streaming applications like Pandora, Rhapsody, and Spotify fans can stream their favorite music for free with advertisements or pay a monthly fee for advertisement free music streaming. Social media has brought the artist and the fan closer with instant responses and reactions to their music or any current events.

Buy with the new digital age has the relationship between fan and artist been watered down. Many fans will stand in line for hours for the new album of their favorite artist and that showed their loyalty. Yes artists can reach their fans faster and easier but that also includes their music as well. With the changes in technology came the new laws and new ways of doing business in the industry. Making sure the artist is still making money off of their work no matter how it was sold.

Spotify and Artist Royalties

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 04:01:00 +0000

A big concern for any artist is making sure that they get paid for their music. With the change in the music industry and artist marketing an artist and labels have to think about the best way to distribute the music.

Since with Spotify an artist does not get paid when someone purchases a song but for how many times the song gets played. Fans are able to share their playlist with friend as well as suggest songs to friends. There are also featured artist and albums that listeners can choose from.

Now an artist would definitely want to become a featured artist because that will help to increase how many times their songs are played. Even if a listener is not a fan of the artist or never heard their music they are more likely to become curious and play their songs to find out the reason for the artist music to be featured. So of course bigger artist with major label backing with more than likely become a featured artist than an underground artist.

Underground artist need to make sure they have a good management and marketing team to ensure that they become visible to a larger fan base. This will increase the amount of plays and increase their royalty revenue.

New Trends in the Music Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 03:59:00 +0000

The music industry is heading in a better direction for artists and selling their music. File sharing has lost its popularity with the crack down on a lot of those sites. Fans are still getting music digitally but instead of free downloads they are purchasing music from sites like iTunes.

The way an artist earns revenue from album sales have change drastically. Instead of traditional album sales, large portions of sales are from digital tracks and music streaming. With the digital age growing and fans having access to music apps on their smartphones or tablets, you will find fans streaming music from online radio stations as well as online streaming apps.

Artist are taking advantage of YouTube and social media to build their fan base and record sales. YouTube is a platform for new artist trying to create a buzz about themselves and their music.

Fans are looking toward online radio stations to listen to music. They are also using programs like Pandora and Spotify to stream music. You can listen to your favorite songs anytime you want and share it with your friends. The change in technology has brought about a change in the music industry, no longer are labels controlling everything. Slowly but surely through these new trends an artist is gaining more control.

Legal Podcast

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:05:00 +0000

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cory-doctorow-on-copyright/id129166905?i=82847415&mt=2

This podcast is on the side of the consumer being accused of copyright infringement. Companies are using the law wrongfully and not really going through the proper channels of checking to find out the information. They have companies that search keywords or names to make sure no one is using it improperly. This can lead to some confusing as the example in the podcast of a professor with the last name Usher that is the same as the R&B singer Usher. That professor is loading mp3’s of his lectures not songs of the artist, but because of the similar name his information is being taken off the site under the grounds of copyright infringement.

Trademarks and Logos

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/129-ll-can-facebook-trademark/id214581074?i=118382768&mt=2

Facebook is trying to trademark the word “Face”. A trademark must be associated with the product. If using it commonly and not is social networking you can still use the word “Face”. For example another computer company cannot sell computers under the name Apple. That will be direct violation of their trademark. This bring me to the question of the word “Face” now if Facebook trademarks the word “Face” will that stop the Apple application of FaceTime. There is a very thin line on what you can use as long as it is not being used in the same way as the company or person that has the trademark registered.

Patent

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/patent-wrangles-twitter-strangles/id563933198?i=121182360&mt=2

Samsung v Apple patent lawsuit

Apple, Inc. argues that Samsung is making smartphones and tablets similar to the iPad and iPhones. That Samsung wants to capitalize on the success of Apple, Inc., they didn’t go after Android or Google but went after the particular companies that actually made the phones since each company tweaks the style of the phone. The argument is that no one was making smartphone in the similar style until the iPhone with the touchscreen, before that phones had a keyboard similar to the Blackberry. As they stated in the podcast Apple, Inc. came out with something that was totally different than what was being presented at that time, so another company can think of an original design that is different than an iPhone. What company will come up with new trend in cell phone designs?

Music and the Law

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 01:27:00 +0000

Technology has brought new challenges to the music industry. From free downloads on the Internet to music being sold on websites, music is now available to fans in a wide variety of ways. This leaves the artist making sure they protect their rights not only with the record label but also with the fans and how they receive their music. No one wants to work hard on a project and not be paid for it, unless the intention was to give it away freely in the first place.

The first lawsuit is Eminem suing his record label Universal Music Group on the how digital music was classified for the purpose of royalties. “Eminem’s contract stipulates that he gets 50 percent of the royalties for a license but only 12 percent for a sale.” Of course the record label would want the digital music to be labeled as a sale instead of a license because they would earn more of the royalties. Universal won the decision in 2009 but the decision was overturned in 2010 that was a very big thing for artist. Since each digital version of the song would be considered a license and now that digital music is the second highest way of buying music. Artist can now earn more for their work instead of the limited royalties of the past from sales.

The music industry feels that Google is playing a part in music piracy. The industry feels that by Google allowing the links to these various sites to be found in their search results that they are helping people to steal music. They want to make sure that Google ranks legal music sites higher than sites that encourage piracy. Since at this moment Google is the most used search engine and people world wide use the term “Google it” when they want to tell someone to search for information online the industry feels Google has the power to help stop piracy. Can Google really be blamed for piracy sites? Google is just a search engine that provides information on links for the information you put into search that is already on the Internet. This will be an interesting lawsuit if it happens that will change on music and other things are presented on the Internet.

Victor Willis won a victory not just for himself but other artist and writers who want to protect themselves and the rights over their music. This means not only does he take away rights from the music publishers but he increase his royalty amounts from 12% to 50%. Now that he has gained control over his music he can now make deals to earn more royalties by allowing third parties to use his music, before he had no say because the publishers had all the control. This may not seem like a big deal, but think about them using your song in a project that you were against and you had no way to stop them. His victory now allows him this right of full control.

As I have stated above with new technology it can help or hurt an artist. So as an artist you have to make sure you know your rights or surround yourself with people that will help you protect your rights. As the music industry changes and adjusts to the Internet and all the new laws it brings, artist must be extremely carefully with their contracts and the deals that they make.

Music and Politics

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:09:00 +0000

Recently everyone was in an uproar when they heard a verse from Nicki Minaj from a mixtape, "I'm a Republican voting for Mitt Romney/You lazy bitches is f---ing up the economy.” Nicki Minaj fans took to Twitter and Facebook to talk about their feelings on the verse. President Obama responded by saying he was sure that she didn’t mean anything by it and was just playing one of her characters. Nicki later went on to say that she appreciated that President Obama understood where she was coming from.

This leads to the question of “How big of an impact does music have in politics?” For years musicians have made music about wars and politics from their points of view. So should artists think about the things they say and how it affects their fans. Nicki Minaj probably thought that no one would take that one line seriously, but it has been the topic of discussion for weeks.

Artists have even supported and made commercials for Rock the Vote to encourage young adults to register to vote. Many celebrities whether Democrat or Republican have used their star power to back their favorite candidate. They know that their fans listen to their music and when they talk about the things they support.

Once you are in the spotlight your words and actions are under a microscope. I think sometimes artist forget this because they are trying to be creative. Their words are powerful especially to their younger fans that look up to them. No matter how much they try not to be, they are role models and need to think about what their music says to their fans.

Remembering Music Mogul Chris Lightly

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 13:18:00 +0000

Last week, Chris Lighty a very influential man in Hip-Hop passed away. He came up in the industry carry music crates for DJ Red Alert then working for Russell Simmons. Chris Lighty turned that hard work into creating a label of his own Violator Records. Violator was the home to such artist as Missy Elliot, 50 Cent, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes.

Lighty’s passing was felt all across the industry, the various people he worked with or came in contact with. With each message they left on twitter you can tell he was an inspiration to the people he managed, others in the music industry, and close friends and family.

Nick Cannon tweeted, “I'm devastated right now. I can't believe my big brother Chris Lighty is gone... He was a pioneer, a mentor, and a great friend RIP.”

Russell Simmons tweeted, “RIP Chris Lighty. Today, we lost a hip-hop hero and one of its greatest architects...”

Below is a video of Chris Lighty talking about what it took to be in the music industry. He also talked about how persistent he had to be to make it.

Chris Lighty’s presence will truly be missed in the music industry. He was a man that thought outside of the box. Always thinking of ways to make deals work for himself and most importantly his artists. He knew that no matter how high your status became in the industry the work was not over. I think anyone looking to get into the music industry or become an artist manager needs to look to Chris Lighty as an example of how it should be done. Work hard for your clients and build lasting relationships in the industry, not just business relationship but also personal relationships. My condolences go out to his family and friends for their lost of such a great person.

ON DECK Review: Fressh & Kiddzzy Kidd

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Join us on Monday August 27th at 10pm for another installment of ON DECK. This week we will be presenting Fressh and Kiddzzy Kidd. two very inspirational gospel artists. Make sure you tune in to hear DJ Shan and Black Cesar interview these artists and we encourage all listeners to call in and give their opinions. See the artist reviews, bios and contact information below.

Links for AllNite Radio:

ON DECK! 08/27 by AllNiteRadio | Blog Talk Radio

Fressh

Review:
Fressh ministers through his music letting his listeners know that there are still lessons to learn no matter what stage in life you are in. The two songs I reviewed were "Teach Me" and "New", songs that provide a message of never giving up. You can tell that these songs are coming from his heart and personal experiences. You know that even when you have failed or you think you have fell short of a goal, you need to pick your self back up learn from the experience and keep trying. Fressh is definitely an artist to look out for in the future.

Bio:
A professionally trained artist with an all natural charm that is ready to host and/or perform at your next special event using music, comedy, and words of encouragement. With over 15yrs of experience, Doug Tindle aka Fressh strives to provide classy entertainment to every venue he's invited to. Fressh has performed and ministered all over the world using his strong baritone voice and heart for the people. If you need a weddings singer or encouraging songs delivered to your church congregation , an emcee for your special event, or even an actor for your independent film, Fressh can cover it all. As a war veteran and college graduate, Fressh knows the value of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This relationship has allowed him to be able use his talents within church as well as the community without compromising character or morals.

Contact Info:
thatboyfressh.com

Facebook - f.r.e.s.s.h

Twitter - @fresshman84

Kiddzzy Kidd

Review:
For being a young rapper Kiddzzy Kidd is on the right track but he still has a way to go. I will say his tracks are polished and has some good lyrics. One of the songs I really liked was "Go Girl" where he was talking about a young woman with ambition. He just the right management to get him to the next level. Like I said before he is on the right track with having a twitter and a YouTube channel so that his fan base can follow his music. He just need to become more polished as an all around artist and entertainer to great longevity in an industry who has other young other like him doing the exact something. He needs to find his niche and his signature to stand out.

Bio:
If you’re looking for an emcee who is truly passionate about hip-hop and the rap game then Kiddzzy Kidd is your guy. Raised in North Augusta, SC & Orlando, FL by way of Queens, NY Alexander Bryson (Kidd’sgovernment name) and his group HD Money Gang are bringing something fresh to the hip-hop scene. “I’m bringing originality [to the game]” says Kiddzzy Kidd.“I don’t think I have had a bad life so I’m coming at people with a different lifestyle.” Kiddzzy wants to capture his fans with his lyricism and not with the everyday struggle which other emcees seem to be making bank off of these days. Kidd’s inspiration to contribute to rap comes from listening to his favorite artists such Drake, Lil Wayne and the late Dolla. “I really look up to Dolla,” shares Kidd. “When you look at a lot of artists or albums you’re like I can do the same cause I have passion for the game.” Kiddzzy’s been writing and recording since his freshman year of high school and also recorded his first track “From SC To Fl”, with his brother “Tree Top”. At the age of 19, Kidd received a degree & license in "Audio Engineering" at the college he attended.Kidd and his crew recently put out a mixtape titled HDMG "HighDefinition" on dat piff under their management company Xzact Entertainment M&M Group. Kidd is currently finishing up his solo project entitled"Highways and Def Sounds" which is slated to be dropped this summer."My passion comes from being around people who actually do and appreciate music. I’ve always liked music.” Look out for more of Kiddzzy Kidd and HD MoneyGang on their YouTube page HDMoneyGangTV and also, look out for them in the spotlight cause these emcees are planning to bust the game wide open.

Contact Info:
Artist Twitter: @KiddzzyKidd @MattVillz

ON DECK Review - Mike Steezo & King Loverr

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:25:00 +0000

Join us on Monday July 16th at 10pm for another installment of ON DECK. This week we will be presenting Mike Steezo and King Loverr. two very inspirational gospel artists. Make sure you tune in to hear DJ Shan and Black Cesar interview these artists and we encourage all listeners to call in and give their opinions. See the artist reviews, bios and contact information below.

Links for AllNite Radio:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/allniteradio/2012/08/14/on-tap

Homepage: http://www.allniteradio.com/
Station App: http://tunein.com/station/?stationId=142389

AllNite Radio Social Media Links:
FB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/AllNiteRadio/
FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/AllNite-Radio/343236852357506
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/allniteradio
On Deck Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/youareondeck

Mike Steezo

Review:

Mike Steezo is bringing some real hip hop to his fans. The first song I had a chance to listen to was “One Hell of a Night”, I have mixed feelings about this song. While the lyrical were good and on point I felt they got lost under the beat. The beat was lacking something that would take it to the next level or maybe the piano levels could have been taken down a little during the verses. Overall I started feeling it more after I listened to it a few times. The second song I had a chance to listen to was “Money Getter”, this song made feel like I was back in Brooklyn sitting on the stoop drinking a quarter water. The beat grabbed me from the start and had me bobbing my head. The lyrics were definitely on point and you will find yourself singing the hook without even realizing it. Mike Steezo is definitely someone to look out for.

Bio:

The name "Mike Steezo" means raw uncut hip hop. Born and raised in Washington Heights, NY, steps away from Harlem and the birth place of hip hop "The Boogie Down Bronx" Mike Steezo's grit lyrical passion and delivery is truly felt by real hip hop fans. Alongside hip hop music producer (Concrete Jungle Muzik) Elemnt's heavy kicks & hard snares, obscure soul samples, dirty bass lines and crispy hi-hats, the combination will certainly draw your attention. The present album "On the Fly" with stand-out tracks "Live for da Muzik" and "Hard Body" set things off like a UFC title bout. The pair is currently working on their second project titled "Weather da Storm" The Lockout is Over, Hip Hop is Back! Coming Soon!!!!

King Loverr

Review:

When I sat down to listen to King Loverr’s music I was ready to be taken on a ride love and have the feelings that you feel when you listen to Barry White or Will Downing, to say I was disappointed was an understatement. He does have a deep voice and he can sing but in his songs his pitch is all over the place. His songs sounded like they were dragging either the beats were off or they just didn't work with his voice. Once he gets some vocal training to stay on pitch and works with a good producer for better beats and melodies he can go far.

Bio:

King Loverr is an R&B singer/songwriter from Manning, South Carolina and is known by those who have been lucky enough to experience his provocative slow jams as the "Sexy Deep Voice of Love." Also known as the "King of Quiet Storm," King Loverr's deep, luxurious voice harks the listener back to the golden age of R&B and soul where supreme vocal talents were necessary for properly "setting the mood," so to speak. Since releasing his debut single "Island Girl" in 2007, King Loverr has slowly but surely been making a name for himself among the R&B elite--enjoying substantial success as not only a singer with a signature voice that makes his listeners swoon, but also as a musician who knows exactly what kind of music goes best with his prized vocal talents type his name in any search engine he's everywhere. Releasing his first mixtape in 2008 entitled "Lost In The Quiet Storm" followed by many other self released mixtape albums such as "Sexy Snippets, Sexy Snippets Vol. 2, Sexy Snippets Vol. 3, Sexy Snippets Vol. 4: Emotions, Sexy Snippets Vol. 5: King of the Quiet Storm, The Very Best Of The Sexy Snippets, Marites I Love You, Lovey Dovey Snippets, and Love Snippets Anthology. He's been compared to singers such as the Late Barry White, Will Downing, and the Late Isaac Hayes. His smooth yet meaningful approach to songs makes his message easy on the ears, and puts women in the mood for love.

Contact Info:

One King Loverr’s pages: http://www.showcaseyourmusic.com/kingloverr

A link to newest ablum: http://mixconnect.com/listen/KING+LOVERR-+LOVE+SNIPPETS+ANTHOLOGY-mid12006

ADD KING LOVERR AS A FRIEND ON FACEBOOK

http://www.facebook.com/kingofquietstorm

Interview with Dierdra Massey of AllNite Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Deirdra “LadyEbony” Massey Co-Owner of AllNite Radio. Over a year ago Deirdra took her love of music and turned a dream she had with her two partners Niesha Branch and Adrian “DJ Allnite” Long into a reality. She gets to wear two hats at AllNite Radio as a radio personality and one of the owners. As a personality you get to see her fun and playful side and her expression and love for music. She takes you on a musical journey and you can’t help but dance in your seat. As one of the owners she knows how to get the job done. Making sure things run as smoothly as possible with her take charge attitude. Deirdra definitely knows how to work hard and play hard for her love of music.

Q: Do you find it easier to negotiate a deal with a friend or a stranger?

A: Strangers for me are easier to do business with. I find that with strangers they are more “business-like” with you. Friends can be more casual.

Q: In the deal you negotiate do you normally come to mutually beneficial agreements?

A: If yes, does it take a long time to get to that agreement? Deals that mutually benefits both situations are better to negotiate and faster for me because both have already laid out their wants and needs and can come to and understanding.

Q: What had been your hardest deal to make so far?

A: Hardest deal was my first live event for our DJ and getting the owner to realize that having our DJ was the best idea then getting him to pay for his accommodations and his fee.

Q: What deal to date has been your proudest moment?

A: Securing the interview with MC Lyte.

Q: Is hard to separate your emotions when making your deals?

A: It is never hard to separate business when making deals. Always remember it is business.

Q: Have you ever resorted to using dirty tricks to make a deal happen?

A: No, it’s never worth given up ethical business practices.

Q: What was your reason for not using dirty tricks?

A: When you are trying to establish a name in any type of business you want to always develop a code of ethics that your brand is based upon and you never want to tarnish that by using dirty tricks.

Major vs Independent

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:49:00 +0000

In the past it was an artist’s dream to be on a major label, become famous, and make a lot of money. As time as gone by and the industry is more transparent we all have learned that is not an easy task. Artist would focus on the big advance they would receive to start their project but never realized the long-term obligations that came with it. Artist could not just rely on their record sales to earn income, they had to tour and sell merchandise since the money from record sales were going to paying back record label royalties.

Artists in the past few years have not went the way of the major label but have done a lot of independent work. With the help of the Internet and social media an artist can build their fan base in multiple cities and countries without even going to perform there. They can now sell their music online to their fan base instead of out of the truck of their car.

In the video below Owen Husney talks about artist development at major labels. That recently they are looking for a packaged deal instead of trying to help an artist build their brand. I think if an artist has already gained a fan base on their own and is looking to expand then eventually going the major routine would be beneficial to them. On the other side of that there are artists who are now finding their voices. They are not sure exactly what direction they want to take their music or even who exactly is their fan base. Those types of artists need a helping hand where they will probably find at an independent label. Working with them closely to build their brand and fan base whether it’s by touring or through social media.

At the end of the day each artist has to weigh out the pros and cons of their own particular situation. Do some research before making any deal and get a full understanding of what they are getting themselves into. There is no right or wrong ways of going into the industry, but you also don’t want to go in blindly.

ON DECK Review - Fressh & Lauri G.

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 21:34:00 +0000

Join us on Monday July 16th at 10pm for another installment of ON DECK. This week we will be presenting Fressh and Lauri G. two very inspirational gospel artists. Make sure you tune in to hear DJ Shan and Black Cesar interview these artists and we encourage all listeners to call in and give their opinions. See the artist reviews, bios and contact information below.

Links for AllNite Radio:

ON DECK! 07/16 by AllNiteRadio | Blog Talk Radio

Fressh

Facebook - f.r.e.s.s.h

Twitter - @fresshman84

Lauri G.
Review:
Lauri G. is very inspirational artist and her songs are uplifting. While listening to her songs I couldn't help but have a good feeling, it was just music but from the words and message of her songs. The three songs that I reviewed were "Open My Heart", "Whatever", and "Nobody Loves Me Like Jesus". If you are going through tough time and you need words of encouragement I would definitely recommend adding these songs to your playlist. They let you know that everything will be ok if you just trust and have faith. Lauri G. has a beautiful voice, your hard work is surely paying off and I can see your songs added into the Sunday Morning Inspirational on Allnite Radio.

Bio:

Lauri G. was born and raised in Detroit, MI where as a pre-teen she was trained as a classical vocalist. As a teen she began singing with local bands and performing on the Detroit club circuit. Soon she discovered her talent to write songs and along with her friend (whom she later married), wrote catchy R&B songs some of which gained air-play by the local radio stations. Later they would be asked to produce for radio; jingles, intro's for on-air personalities, teasers, drops, and PSA's.

Lauri G. became a member of The Alvin Waddles Delegation, a local gospel group that sang at events in several US cities including Chicago, Detroit, and Tuskegee. She has opened for several national artists like Karen Clark-Sheard, Yolanda Adams, and Beverly Crawford.

In 2000, Lauri G. formed Water, an eight‐person ensemble that ministered the Gospel to local churches, coffee houses, and other Christian‐based venues. Upon founding Water,

Lauri G. and her husband Ronald began writing and producing original Gospel music for the group which was extremely well‐received in the local churches and the community.

After relocating to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Lauri G. was asked to sing with the Grammy‐nominated performer/ composer/director, James Mitchell’s Heart Psalms Choir. Once a member of a local church she assumed responsibilities of the Choir Director, and Worship Leader. She and her husband also produced a weekly radio show. They continue to write and produce uplifting spiritual Contemporary Gospel music that moves your spirit. Somebody say AMEN!

Contact Info:
www.laurigmusic.com
www.reverbnation.com/laurig
Facebook - Lauri G.
Twitter - @laurigmusic

ON DECK Review - RAIIN & Chappa Jan

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 16:36:00 +0000

Monday July 9th at 10pm AllNite Radio is proud to present two artists RAIIN and Chappa Jan on our new show ON DECK. DJ Shan and Black Cesar will be talking to them about their music and giving their own reviews. Listeners are definitely in for a treat with this show so don’t hesitate to call in and voice your opinion. You can see my review of the artist below as well as links for their music.

Links for Monday’s show:
ON DECK: http://tobtr.com/s/3402879 #BlogTalkRadio
Homepage: http://www.allniteradio.com/
Station App: http://tunein.com/station/?stationId=142389

AllNite Radio Social Media Links:
FB Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/AllNiteRadio/
FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/AllNite-Radio/343236852357506
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/allniteradio
On Deck Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/youareondeck

RAIIN

On Deck Review:
RAIIN has a very powerful voice there is no denying that. Her sound takes you back to the 70’s to the days of skating rings and strobe lights with her two songs Human Tsunami and Come to Me. RAIIN”S song Gayl has more of a house feel to it with lyrics that had me laughing as I listened. Gayl refers to men that gossip more than women, we all know one or two men like that. RAIIN really speaks her mind on this track. The fourth track Be Wise had a very great message to it; it was more of a gospel song. My opinion that message got lost with RAIIN rapping the lyrics. She has a strong singing voice and powerful lyrics she should stay in that direction and leave the rapping to Nicki Minaj. Overall RAIIN has a great voice and good lyrics with a message, she just need to polish up her songs a little more and stick to singing and she can go far.

Bio:
RAIIN got that new school swag, with that old school Donna Summers flow, Aretha Franklin power house like vocals making love to your soul. Inspirational lyrics that can give you that uhmpf to keep going on. If motivation is what you want then RAIIN”S TSUNAMI will give you all the motivation you need. After the RAIIN comes the sunshine…

Contact Info:
RAIIN music can be purchased at Cdbaby.com/raiin Facebook.com/Dyvineent3
RAIIN’s profile and free streaming: www.Reverbnation.com/raiin For retail Super D (949) 225 1170

Chappa Jan

On Deck Review:
Listening to Chappa Jan took me back to basement party days in Brooklyn. I couldn’t help but sway as I was listening to his music. Just from his bio you can see he has doing music for a long time, but when you listen to his songs you can tell music is running through his veins. Each song is well polished and I can definitely see DJ’s playing his songs on the radio and at parties; I know I will definitely add his songs to my playlist for my Friday night dancehall sessions. Hopefully Chappa Jan’s music will get him the same recognition in the United States has it has in Jamaica.

Bio:
Chappa Jan was born in a small rural community in Claremont, Saint Ann, Jamaica. Saint Ann is the birth place of many famous artist including Justin Hinds, Shabba Ranks, Burning Spear and Bob Marley.

This is where you will find the Majestic Dunn River, the twist and turning Fern gully and the birthplace of the great thinker Marcus Garvey. Chappa Jan practically grew up around local sound systems. This enhanced his talent and love for music. He entered and won many local talent shows. It was the Roof talent show that was owned and managed by producer Courney Cole on James Ave. home of the legendary Jack Ruby that lifted the bar for Chappa Jan. Being a winner of the Roof talent show provided him the opportunity to begin his early recordings with producer Paul Vernon, Calvin Reid and Barry O'Hare.

It was the Safe House Label with the chart topping song "Yardie" that blazed the air waves and boosted him to the hearts of main stream audiences and inspired patriotic Jamaicans to take pride in their country. Another hit "Work is the order of the day” is a song that speaks about the youths dreaming of a luxurious life ....without working to achieve it. Chappa performed in some of Jamaica's most prominent and stand-out shows such as: Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded, GT. Taylor Christmas Extravaganza show, Culture shock and Campfire. He has Shared the stage with Beres Hammond , Buju Banton, Damian Marley, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Gentleman, Joseph Hill and Culture to name a few. His universal mind set allowed him to work with Phaffar Nesser from Denmark to produce the song " REAL LOVE" collaborated with the late Nastasja,"SOME OF US" with Chezidek.For all the females who know "yoh pretty when yoh wake up, yoh nah fi use no make up “the latest song title "NAME A CALL" on the FOOD PALACE MUSIC/ARCHER GULLY MUSIC label speak for you. .The single “JOURNEY & YES I KNOW" on the Good Look Label highlights his strength on the mission. Chappa believes in human improvement and always strives to use his music to lift up the human spirit in a positive way...Blessing to everyone, ONE LOVE.

Contact Info:
http://www.reverbnation.com/chappajan
http://www.youtube.com/424chappajan

D'Angelo Making A Comeback!

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 21:54:00 +0000

Recently D'angelo made his first live U.S. appearance in twelve year at Bonnaroo with Questlove. During his appearance he performed covers of Led Zeppelin and Beatles songs. D'angelo fans have anxiously waiting for him to back a comeback after his first album.

When D'angelo first came on the scene he blew everyone away with his good looks and of course his smooth melodic flow. Every woman felt his lyrics were written just for her, like a personal love letter. D'angelo's songs are what R&B is all about; taking you on a journey making you feel various emotions and remember memories of special moments when you heard that song. With such a powerful reaction to his first album Brown Sugar in 1995 no one expected for him to stay away so long.

D'angelo came back in 2000 with the album Voodoo that had songs like Devil's Pie that was featured in the movie Belly and the song attached to the video that no woman can ever forget Untitled (How Does It Feel).

After his second album he took long break, even though he did collaborations with various artists on their albums his fans still waited for his third album. There were rumors throughout the years that he has been working on one and some leaks of songs, but nothing official has been announced yet. Recently D'angelo has started making appearances performing at various events such as Bonnaroo, BET Awards tonight July 1st, and at the Essence Music Festival. D'angelo fans will be in for a treat to see him back on the scene.

Questlove recently has talked about D'angelo coming back with his third album and how dramatically different it would be from his previous work. Speaking as a D’angelo fan I know that his fans her anxious and can't wait to hear the new music he brings out. Coming from a musical genius, which has passion for his music we are sure to be amazed with the outcome. So D'angelo not to rush your great work but your fans are definitely looking forward to it.

Following Your Passion

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 18:43:00 +0000

Gary Vaynerchuk has very straightforward no holds barred style of delivering his messages. The video that reinforced the direction I am currently taking to pursue my dreams is “Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!)”. For years, I was just doing music on the side as a hobby never really thinking that it something I could do successfully for a career. It was this doubt that stopped me and kept me unhappy for a long time. I was putting of going to school for a masters degree and in January started a Masters in Finance program, but my heart was not in it, I had no motivation to keep doing it even though I’m good at it. That is when it came to me, why continue to do things that seem right but feel so wrong. At that time I sorted out a program that gave me the degree but took me a step closer to my passion and that is when I settled on doing a Masters in Entertainment Business at Full Sail University.

In my opinion, the best quote that summed up the whole video and where the light bulb went off over my head was when Gary said, “There is no reason to do stuff you hate, you can lose just as much money being happy as hell”. All I could think was that he was so right about that just think how many of us are at jobs we do not like. We wake up and think “Omg do I really have to go to work today?”, it would be great for once to say “Omg I can’t wait to get to work!”. Paul Graham says in his essay How to Do What You Love, “To be happy I think you have to be doing something you not only enjoy, but admire.”, that phrase speaks volumes. That is how I feel about music I do not just love it or enjoy it, I admire it. I admire the songwriters who tell about their personal experiences through melodies. I admire the singers and musicians who can make you feel each emotion that song is trying to express. I admire the memories or thoughts you think about when you listen to different songs. I also admire all the music industry execs that followed their own dream to spread music to the world and help others share their gifts. I am looking forward to the day when I say “I can’t wait to get to work!”, if I was not determined before watching Gary Vaynerchuk’s video I am truly inspired now.

NARIP- National Association of Record Industry Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Hermina Lezama) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 02:09:00 +0000

The National Association of Record Industry Professionals is a great way to gain knowledge about the industry and have opportunities of continued education within the industry. It is right now the biggest music network in the world. Some of the different services provided are job sources, resume assistance and database, mentor network, newsletter, and many more services. Members of the NARIP have an outline of services provided and there is even a membership profile database provided on the site.

To provide continued industry education NARIP had a section dedicated to different events and industry related seminars. Music is indirectly related to a lot of other industry and the different sessions provided help members understand what the music needs are for these various industries of film & TV, gaming, trailers, and advertising. Top supervisors from each of these areas provide knowledge on their specific industry’s music needs.

There is also a section in the NARIP website for membership benefits. There is a section for recommended music attorneys and mediators. Career strategy sessions are another benefit that is available to members it helps you create a self-marketing plan for your goals. As I mentioned before they also provide a resume and professional profile makeover service, members can receive this service at a discounted price compared to nonmembers. Lastly there is a mentor program available only available to members of NARIP. There is an application process and an application fee of $35, now mentors are the ones who choose who they work with based on the information in your application.

This association is great for anyone trying to build their network and expand their business. Through the membership list you are connected to various people in the industry worldwide. Any member taking advantage of the conferences, seminars, and various member benefits will see a significant change in their business.