Q Dot's Megaphone

The real reason why Seattle won't ever be "on"

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:58:00 +0000

Let me give this disclaimer. This (like most of my posts) are just an educated opinion. A little gut feeling and a little research. Take from it what you will.

It's the perpetual question that gets asked year after year. What is it going to take for Seattle to be on the map? My first answer is always "What map are you talking about? Because Seattle has been making tons of moves on a national level the better part of the last decade..." But I also hear what they're saying, when will we have a bonafide super star?

Here's my Marketing brains take on the subject. And NO it has NOTHING to do with "haters" and "lack of unity" this is the Marketer's Approach to the Seattle hip hop log jam.

Problem 1. Seattle just isn't big enough or diverse enough.
Markets are defined by numbers more than anything. That's marketing 101. When you stack Seattle up against the other major national hip hop hubs you find one common thread. New York, LA, Bay area, ATL and Houston are all top ten media markets respectively; 1,2,4,6 and 9. Seattle ranks 13th and as a side note, of those top 15 markets, Seattle is the least ethnically diverse. (How much does that play into a cross cultural phenomenon such as hip hop? In contrast, the current hip hop hotbed, Atlanta ranks 9th in size with over 4 and a half million citizens, of which, nearly half are black or hispanic.)

Solution 1. I'm not sure you can fix the diversity problem in the Seattle market but certainly you can grow numbers...i'll explain how in a bit.

Problem 2. Seattle doesn't play nice with its neighbors.
This is just "being-in-the-town 101". Ask someone in Seattle's hip hop scene who lives within the Seattle city limits the last time they visited Everett, Bellingham, Tacoma, Olympia, Portland, Spokane. Chances are they won't even give you a time frame, they'll give you a response like "What's out there?" As though there isn't much of a scene outside of Seattle. Thats not true for ALL Seattle hip hoppers, but for the majority that i've run into it is. Same faces at the same venues at the same shows. While Seattle is the largest city in the region - Seattle heads are sooner or later going to have to come to grips with the fact that they can't build a sustainable career as an artist without building rapport with those neighboring cities. Need proof? Read the solution.

Solution 2. Realize you need the Kents and Tacomas and Wenatchees of the world. Just admit it.
In all fairness, I understand that there aren't nearly as many spots in the Seattle suburbs to even catch a show and while people in the surrounding areas are more likely to flock to Seattle than Seattle is to flock to an outpost (with good reason) that still doesn't mean that there isn't opportunity to be had. Here's the proof. ((Marketing 102))

If you set Seattle aside of the equation and figure in:
Portland - 2.1 million people
Spokane - 500k people
Yakima - 194k people
Wenatchee - 237k people

That's over 3 Million people! In addition to Seattle's 3.5 that's nearly 7 million people which would rank the REGION the 4th largest market in the country just behind Chicago with a respectable hispanic and black population that sits just around 1 million. From 13th to 4th. Hmmm!

Problem 3. Celebrity ain't cheap in Seattle.
It's a pretty common notion amongst indie artists that if you're not XYZ Big name artist than you're nothing in this market. That I can't argue with. But that isn't the general public's fault either. The general public hasn't seen a mainstream star in hip hop since...I don't even have to say his name. And Macklemore is the closest thing to it now. That leaves about a 20 year gap where generations of people don't know what a star in their hometown is supposed to look like. All they know is who they continually hear on the radio and see on TV must be stars and Joe Blow who's on MTV? you just saw him at Wal-Mart so he must not be important. So the perception plays a huge role into the fans psychology.

Solution 3. 100 drops in a bucket make a big splash if done at once, not separately.
I'll be the first to point out the accomplishments of my hometown colleagues. We've done some exciting things. Problem is they happen one at a time. One guy goes on tour with so and so. A year later this guys on MTV or BET. A year later this guy is producing for Drake and Lil Wayne. If we were to take all of those things and make them happen in a bang-bang fashion with little lag time the results would be remarkable. Imagine if you could turn on MTV and see 5 Seattle artists videos on MTV Jamz in the same show right now? And then next year that 5 grew to 10 and the next year that 10 grew to 15...all from different artists...and then you turn on punk ass KUBE 93 one day and you hear 3 or 4 local artists played throughout the day...and Jammin in Portland started playing 3 or 4 songs and the stations east of the mountains started playing 3 or 4 songs...ahhhhhh now you get it?

So to recap - what i'm predicting is the explosion of this scene will take place when Seattle realizes it's not the only game in town and that to really build something, artists need to consider the entire region in it's plans as the foundation. The artists will also need a little help from the fans in that they've got to support. Fans are rappers too. Not to get all quantum physics on people but studies show, the more positive energy something gets' the more likely it is to succeed. So go to shows (and enjoy yourself, stop tryna mean mug and listen to every word the person is saying), promote one another and network.

Funny aint it?

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:56:00 +0000

Check out this quote.

Funny how this quote from Sub Pop Records Founder Bruce Pavitt, given in the 1980s is somehow still very real and relevant today and is very alive in the urban music industry.

As our teen-bongo, Space Age counter-culture becomes infiltrated by wimpoid TV “mop tops” in skinny ties and leather pants, it becomes apparent that the bland sameness of the pop suprastructure is with us once again... By supporting huge New Hollywood music corporations, you (yes, you) are not only allowing middle-aged capitalists to dictate what goes over the airwaves, but you are giving them the go-ahead to promote macho pig-fuck bands whose entire lifestyle revolves around cocaine, sexism, money and more money... The ’80s need new sounds, but just as importantly, they need new cultural heroes. Only by supporting new ideas by local artists, bands, and record labels can the U.S. expect any kind of dynamic social/cultural change in the 1980s. We need diverse, regionalized, localized approaches to all forms of art, music, and politics.

Had Bruce been writing this about rap music in 2012 is could read: (changes - the few - are in bold)

As our teen-bongo, Space Age counter-culture becomes infiltrated by wimpoid TV “gangstas” in skinny jeans, it becomes apparent that the bland sameness of the pop suprastructure is with us once again... By supporting huge New Hollywood music corporations, you (yes, you) are not only allowing middle-aged capitalists to dictate what goes over the airwaves, but you are giving them the go-ahead to promote macho pig-fuck rappers whose entire lifestyle revolves around cocaine, sexism, money and more money... The ’2010s need new sounds, but just as importantly, they need new cultural heroes. Only by supporting new ideas by local artists, bands, and record labels can the U.S. expect any kind of dynamic social/cultural change in the 2010s. We need diverse, regionalized, localized approaches to all forms of art, music, and politics.

Video of the Day..... Q Dot "24 Hours"

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:55:00 +0000

Video of the Day..... Q Dot "24 Hours"

Best of '11

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:34:00 +0000

I don't normally like to give any details about my personal life at all. Just the basics. You know my rap name is Q Dot, my real name is Quincy. I'm from Federal Way, blah blah blah. So consider this next bit of information a rare glimpse of me blasting out a personal moment to the world.

Last night I was laying in bed with a pretty young lady having a discussion about "Who was your favorite rapper of 2011" while watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives over a plate of Christmas dinner left overs. Before knowing she had already posted the same question on a certain social network, I said "I'm gonna make that my next blog post". She told me hers, I told her mine. And here's the outcome of my thoughts.

Favorites of Hip Hop 2011
MCs

Stalley
I may be a bit biased here but with good reason. We brought Stalley to Grit City Fest this Summer and the Tre'dmarks camp and Stalley's camp hit it off pretty well. Beyond that, you can't help but root for the guy. His music is refreshing. His beard is massive. And his indie exploits of the last two years have him signed to Maybach Music. Big things in 2012? I think so. In my professional opinion, Stalley in the new generations Common with a little more street appeal. Intellectual, from the Midwest and a former Michigan Wolverine hooper turned MC.

2012 outlook: Blowuptuation

Busta Rhymes
I'm the biggest Busta fan I know and i'll be the first to admit, every release after Genesis in 2001 sucked. He cut off the dreads and seems like he cut off his luster too. But in 2011 NO ONE and I mean NO ONE murdered features like Busta did. The dude has been around since '88, making him approximately 374 and a half years old in Rapper years and he somehow revived his career with the double, triple time rap skills that put most others to shame. Now signed to Cash Money - we'll see how he reinvents himself in 2012.

2012 outlook: The jury is still out but verdict looks promising

Grieves & Budo
I say this with a disclaimer. While I appreciate Grieves as an MC and the dude has done A LOT in 2011 (including play Grit City Fest) it's Grieves & Budo as a DUO that makes them my other favorite of 2011. I could do an entire post just on Budo because the dude is an amazing musician. Complimenting Grieves rhymes he DJs, plays trumpet, keyboard and guitar all on stage!? To top off their world tour they've ended 2011 touring with T-Pain and Gym Class Heroes. Not bad for a Seattle kid.

2012 outlook: Look out mainstream

Kendrick Lamar
He's a rappers rapper. So I appreciate an artist who can make music for the heads and the fellas as well as the chicks. No offense ladies, but every f*ckin' song you hear is about how wonderful you are which is fine for you but every now and again you want something different and Kendrick gives you juuuust that! Hands down Kendrick might be the most impressive lyricist of the new generation of MCs.

2012 outlook: The jury is still out but verdict looks promising

Fame Rilla
Call me biased on this one too. Yes, we're on the same label and that alone should probably disqualify him from being on any "list" of mine but the progression this dude has made in 2011 is pretty remarkable. Going from virtually unknown even in our hometown to MTV and Vh1 in just one video is a pretty awesome feat for an unknown indie artist. Make it Bang is a rowdy club track introducing him to the world but other tracks he's recorded in the year of the double ones will make a profound impact in 2012.

2012 outlook: Look out mainstream

Who YOU should watch for in 2012:
Casey Veggies
Mac Miller (you shoulda been watching him in 2011!)
Q Dot. Yes me. I got some shit fo dat ass in 2012 suckas! hahahahaha.
Danny Brown

Who I'M watching for in 2012:
Royce the Choice
Spac3man
Busta Rhymes (duh)
Kanye West
Dom Kennedy - i'm hoping that the hype is warranted.

Go to facebook.com/iamqdot and chime in. Oh yea, before I forget...i'm back ;-) here's my newest video.

Enjoy!

Stay true and hustle

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:29:00 +0000

::The video for 24 Hours off Underground Railroad is done and looking fly as hell...we're releasing it soon!::
Listen to 24 hours HERE!

This weekend brought me to another trip away from the rainy state where I could kinda clear my head and get productive. During this time down here in Arizona I got a chance to kinda survey the local hip hop scene (if you even want to call it that)...And it just reaffirmed that no matter where you go, there are some who get it and some who dont and in the middle you have those who are striving to figure it out.

I like to think i'm somewhere in the middle - but in that striving for new information and staying open to it, at times you see things that are a reflection of yourself or of where you had once been.

To my hard working indie hip hoppers out there trying to make it happen keep grinding. But know this, it doesn't matter how many times you open up for "big name artists", it doesn't matter who you get featured on a song or to produce a beat, none of the glitz and glamour doesn't mean shit if you don't make HONEST, good, music that people that a) don't share a blood relationship to you b)grew up with you will become a fan of and not just support. There's a huge difference.

Yes, you need to start somewhere I get it. But it's always about the music and the proof is always in the pudding. If you don't make good, quality, honest, stylistically new music that people can really connect to and feel then all your facebook posts and tweets will fall on deaf ears and garner no response and you'll forever be the guy who "opens up for so and so" instead of being the guy headlining the show - no matter how cool you and your team think you are.

Define what it is you're doing musically and stay true to it find ways to expand on it. I just hate to see otherwise talented guys get lost in a false sense of accomplishment because they got to open up for XYZ artist or someone decided to follow you on twitter.

Again. I know it's common sense but...It all means NOTHING if your music sucks. lol. =)

Listen to 24 hours HERE!

The case for Maybach Music's Success!

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:29:00 +0000

The 3^rd place trophy goes to Maybach Music.

Why?

Maybach is Rick Ross and Rick Ross is Maybach. You can’t look at any other artist on that roster an feel like you can associate them with Maybach…yet. And though Rick Ross has done a great job throughout his resurgent career in branding himself the rest of the acts? Too young and too new to tell. They remind me of the Sonics/Thunder just before they left Seattle. A couple good pieces in place to build on but missing some critical components to really compete.

Case for the future:

Maybach may not be Roc nation or YM in my book but they could have a bright future. The most intriguing thing about their lineup is the addition of Magazeen, a reggae artist and Stalley, a conscious rapper from Ohio. These two don’t fit the idea of Maybach music on the surface – but Rozay could be trying his hand at markets that are consistent and not nearly as fickle as mainstream music is. Now that Common is gone to act and write books, Stalley very well could fill the void of a conscious MC in the mainstream. Magazeen could very well serve a passionate reggae fanbase that is far and wide opening new doors to the entire Maybach roster. Both Meek Mill and Pill have shown glimpses of great artistry but need a breakthrough and develop their own lane. Wale is consistent and is currently at #2 in the charts but needs to find his greatness. He’s made some good songs but nothing that has completely stood out besides “pretty girls”. Teedra Moses is the X factor for maybach. She’s a veteran who just hasn’t been able to really breakthrough the clusterfuck of female R&B artists since her 2004 debut. If Ross can help her develop in the way Kelly Rowland has post Destiny’s Child, Maybach may have something on their hands in the years to come.

Cast your vote here!

Check out Fresh Coast is Major 2!

What hip hop super group will reign supreme??

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:21:00 +0000

This is the first in 4 part series on what Hip Hop Super Group will reign supreme in the years to come! Go to facebook.com/iamqdot to cast your vote on who you think will take over!

The hip hop super unit or label or group or whatever you want to call it isn’t a new idea. Hip Hop has always somehow been built on crews and affiliations (see: Native Tongues of the 90s afro centric conscious hip hop movement, Dungeon Family of Atlanta and others…)

But now we see Hip Hop groups and labels similar to sports teams. Everyone playing roles in front and behind the scenes to overall team success and since the NBA season is pretty much done with a lockout I’m curious to see what hip hop super group is poised for a championship and who is poised for a long run dynasty in your opinion.

The contenders profiles are as follows: Young Money, Roc nation and Maybach Music.

Young Money

Founder: Lil Wayne

Artists:

Lil Wayne, Cory Gunz, Drake, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Lil Chuckee, Lil Twist, Mack maine, Nicki Minaj, Shanell, Short dawg, T-Streets, Tyga

Big Stat: 5 #1 albums

_________________________________________________________________________________

Roc Nation

Founder: Jay-Z

Artists:

Jay-Z, Willow Smith, J. Cole, Hugo, Jay Electronica, K. Koke, Rita Ora

Plus Managers of notable Producers, Management, DJs and Engineers including Wale, Mark Ronson, Samantha Ronson, Solange Knowles, The Ting Tings, Santigold, Rihanna

Notable stats: Partnered with worlds largest live entertainment company AEG Live.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Maybach music

Founder: Rick Ross

Artists:

Rick Ross, Masspike Miles, Triple C’s, Magazeen, Wale, Meek Mill, Pill, Stalley, Teedra Moses

Notable stats: 1 gold album, 1 reggae artist

I'll post my take on each Super Group so check back often! Go to facebook.com/iamqdot to cast your vote.

Check out the music video by Fame Rilla :: "Make it Bang"

Damn. 24 Hrs. Needs help!

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:15:00 +0000

We're literally over here strugglin' for real. We're shooting the video to 24 hours in just over a week and the storyboarding on what to shoot is coming along a little bit slower than we expected. So why not turn to the fans for input?! Here's a link to the song - get your creative juices flowing and leave me your ideas! If you do have a good idea and leave me your ideas, join my mailing list on reverbnation.com/iamqdot and i'll send you a copy of 24 hours fo freeeeeeeeee sucka!!!!

Click this to hear 24 Hours!

Lack of support? Think again...

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:38:00 +0000

I've heard it a million times.

Man, look at how Atlanta blew up! Look at how Houston blew up! Look at the Bay! They all just came together and bam! Everybody got on.

Shut up.

Just shut it up.

I hate to sound harsh but as a free thinking able minded adult, do you REALLY HONESTLY WHOLE HEARTEDLY believe that that's all it took? If so, where's your evidence for it?

This isn't the early 90s when you'd see the "super" song featuring like 9 artists...and I'm yet to see a whole slew of "super" songs featuring every hot rapper from Atlanta on the same track. Or every hot rapper from Houston, or wherever on the same track. Just as i'm yet to see Lil Wayne at an award show shouting out support local New Orleans hip hop and I've never heard Eminem talk about "Go check out (fill in the blank) for the other side of 8 Mile's new mixtape!" in an interview. It just doesn't happen that way.

Think about this...seriously: Where did you get the idea that in other cities people blew up because of city wide support? Also - and probably more importantly if you're from Seattle, like me - Where did you get the idea that there is a lack of support for local music?? MAYBE, just maybe what you're saying is, no one is supporting YOUR music for a variety of reasons such as:

a) You're not on hustle right or
b) Maybe you just suck and need to come to grips with that.

I dunno - but I honestly used to think the whole "everyone supported everyone" was how it was done until I realized I had NO REAL basis for thinking any of it. I just kinda made that up in my mind and ran with it as I see tons of local artists doing.

On the contrary though, i've come to the conclusion that in Seattle this idea that no one supports local acts is soooo widespread, that we actually end up supporting them more then our counterparts in other cities.

We have TONS of GREAT blogs with good followings that support local music. We have internet radio stations that support our local music. We have venues that let locals perform night in and night out.

On the other hand i've performed in Houston, LA and Denver and I tell ya what - even in a sold out arena no one gave a damn about the local acts. Point Blank. No one was in the crowd singing the songs. No one was begging for CDs. There was no "buzz" about their performance - yet, these are/were the big name guys in that city.

The truth is this. Ludacris, Jay-Z, Eminem, Jeezy, Wayne, Drake...you name em. Even your new guys, Dom Kennedy, Stalley, LEP Bogus Boys...they didn't make it because the whole damn city loved em. They've made it because

a) they made music that a large amount of people connected to and
b) had enough business acumen to go out and execute a gameplan. They didn't sit and wait for the right amount of money or a label (threw up in my mouth)...THEY had enough entrepreneurial spirit within them and they didn't let the location or any idea of how they perceived someone else to make it influence them.

Next i'll talk about why the regional movement is your WORST enemy if you're an independent rapper.

Shout out to the homey Janay from www.naybesa.com for having this convo wit me earlier. She's got a dope ass blog too =)

Heavy D's last interview

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:41:00 +0000

Heavy D's last interview - done just YESTERDAY in London. Really good interview - may he rest peacefully.

WTF where they thinkin???

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:19:00 +0000

The BET cyphers are all over and done with and it's a fair conclusion that the Shady gang by and large ripped it to shreds...Now, I wanna know who you think was the worst!

I narrowed it down to two of the who's who...or who shouldn't have been there. I mean really, the French dude was serving it harder than these two and I couldn't even understand a word he said.

In this corner we have London's R&B Songstress Estelle (Who even knew she COULD rap in the first place?)

(Sorry for the quality but...who cares? lol. Estelle can be found after two minutes...)

And in this corner we have new school LA rapper, Dom Kennedy (BTW, he'll be here in Seattle in December and outside of this cypher I actually do like dudes music.)

YOU BE THE JUDGE! WHO WAS THE WACKER OF THESE TWO MCs!? LOL.

It's Halloween! Time for a history lesson.

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:46:00 +0000

Ahem. Make sure you go to Watch this before and after you read this bit of Halloween history. =) =)

This might freak some of my church folk out but did you know that modern day Halloween as it’s celebrated in America, actually is a Christian holiday?

It’s true. My theory is that the reason behind a lot of churches distancing itself from Halloween is it’s images and glorification of evil. Which makes perfectly good sense.

The short story, though, is this: For thousands of years, Celtic Pagans and Druids celebrated a day on October 31^st called Samhain. Just like our commercialized Halloween, it celebrated harvest time but it also was their calendar new year which marked moving into winter. Harvest time back then was serious business – think about it, if your livelihood depended on good crops and you had none to last you through winter, death was almost a certainty. That, some believe lead to the honoring of the dead. They believed that day the boundaries between our world and the non-physical world were lessened and the dead could come back to haunt on Samhain.

Fast forward to the year to the year 731 A.D. when a very smart Pope Gregory III took the Christian holiday to celebrate martyrs and moved it from May 13^th to November 1^st and also expanded it to honor all Saints. This was a strategic move as the Christian faith was growing throughout Europe – to ultimately squash the pagan’s faith. In the year 1000 A.D. it was called All Souls Day, to honor all of the dead, very similar to the pagan Samhain holiday. Also in similarity to Samhain, those celebrating had huge bonfires, threw parades and dressed up in costumes.

So how did we get the name Halloween? All Saints Day was loosely referred to in those times as All-Hallows Day and it wasn’t long that in effort to continue to squash Paganism that the Christians moved the day from November 1^st to October 31^st – thus Hallow’s Eve. Or…Halloween.

For more info go to... www.history.com/topics/halloween

#Bang.

Gerald Walker hit's XXL

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Fri, 13 May 2011 20:07:00 +0000

So...we all enjoy finding new artists and being the one who can say "I been up since..." Well if you're not up on Milwaukee MC Gerald Walker already then here's the rundown.

1. You're ALMOST late. But it's okay, i'll forgive that. =)
2. He's a dope artist and a hella cool cat too.
3. He's one of the next up - i'd say he's on next years XXL freshman list.

So don't be a typical Seattle fan and wait 'til his shit is all over the airwaves. Be a fan now and trust me that love will be reciprocated. He's not only super talented but a down to earth cat.

Without further ado - here's a track from the homey

http://www.xxlmag.com/bangers/2011/05/gerald-walker-the-missing-piece/

Dear Hip Hop Community...

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:33:00 +0000

I got this in an email from a guy who has been my radio promoter. Pretty good message from someone who's broken A LOT of hit records:

"By todays standards, Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby would be protected by the You cant Hate standards that Hip Hop has settled for due to the growing "Well, he getting money" factor and its against the Law to go against the grain. HIP HOP WAS FOUNDED AGAINST THE GRAIN. Electricity was stolen, Trains were vandalized, Cardboard boxes, were ripped apart and people assembled to see dancers put their bodies at risk for us to send out email blasts and spam your inbox. Independent artist please make music from your heart, not to release a budget. Thats what we're facing and everyday we are making Vanilla Ice and Chocolate (see Welcome to Death Row, documentary) GENIUSES for what was once considered, the worst rap record of its time.

Break new music, and let your mix be the determining factor for audience response. On radio and in the clubs, we are hearing more records from the 90s and early 2000s than we are hearing what's new and that the reason why DJ Undercut can get away with taking your bread. In an industry where it better be a good reason why I should shell out an extra dollar, you have to be exclusive. I remember DJ's used to come to the office for exclusives now all the DJ's are the same. Everyone is playing the same record, but going back to whats familiar because thats what keeps the audience on the dance floor. Stop taking requests for obvious records and start bringing in these new records. THe audience should be tweeting how they are at your party, not tweeting about how they at the party...

#GetFree - Harriet Tubman, the first indie musician.

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 22:32:00 +0000

Harriet Tubman, also known as Moses to those she freed from slavery through the Underground Railroad, is one of the most famous figures in black history in America. Born to enslaved parents, it was believed that her family lineage is traced back to the Ashanti people of Ghana. After a series of dreams prompted her to escape slavery, Harriet got enough courage to tell her husband who in turn laughed at her and according to legend, threatened to be the person who would tell on her if she dared attempt escape.

She did it anyway - and the rest is, as they say, history.

After freeing herself and making it to Philadelphia, Harriet became homesick and made many trips back to free slaves including her own immediate family and others. Harriet never lost a passenger on the Underground Railroad.

What is little understood about escaping slavery was the true danger of it. To understand the risks involved take into account just how dangerous slavery was and any attempt to flee it...

-It's estimated that roughly 10 million of the Africans were sold into slavery in the West African Slave Trade made it to the "New World" destination - 30 to 40 million died en route.

-Of the estimated 500,000 slaves who made it to America only 30,000 escaped slavery. Those who got caught BY LAW we're beaten as their legal punishment and often sold deeper into the south to avoid risk of escape.

So how does this make Harriet Tubman the first indie musician? Well, it doesn't. LOL. But when I came up with the theme of Underground Railroad for my latest CD, I felt compelled to put on display for people to see just how her story and that of the Underground Railroad is no different than the indie musician's.

The odds are against us. Those who are closest to us will tell us we're crazy and that we need to find something else to do. For a few of us though, we have those dreams that haunt us and every time we think about giving up or giving in those dreams come back and at times, more vivid then before. More times than not it's the dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through our passion in music. Like the Underground Railroad of years past, some of us face grave consequences if we fail. Sometimes the scars of failure will be something we take to the grave, none the less we still dream.

I made the Underground Railroad, in part, as a testament to the life of the indie musician and the idea that permeates our brains that generally goes something like: I can do this on my own, on my terms and have the success I truly desire. I don't need a major label I just need my music, my plan and my drive to succeed.

And to that thought I say #GetFree.

Check out the soundtrack to Black History Month, Q Dot's Underground Railroad on iTunes and ReverbNation

Thank ya'll!!

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0000

I just noticed this but Q Dot's Megaphone took 5th in the Best of Western Washington contest put on by KING5!! Thanks to everyone who voted for me. I'll be sure to hop back in to blogging more often this week.

Thanks again

Q

Great article for indie musicians

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Most of ya'll know that outside of making and sharing really great music i'm on a clandestine mission to help empower and provide knowledge to indie musicians like myself who are working at making this love of ours a sustainable career. In my time on this crusade i've found that a whole shit ton of artists are desperate in their thinking and subsequently their actions when it comes to making something happen in regards to their career...for those that find themselves banging their heads trying to break into "the industry" here's a great article! Enjoy.

A&R and the shifting major label landscape

#musicmonday - Cee-Lo

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:29:00 +0000

Cee-Lo continues to prove why he's one of the few shining lights in todays landscape of music. This song reminds me of the music in my parent's basement on a Saturday night when "grown folks was talkin'" Straight up and down baby making music at it's finest. Like Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Love unlimited orchestra got together and made an album right now.

Bodies. Cee-Lo Green from The Lady Killer

Music Video Friday (i'ma husky baby)

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:58:00 +0000

This was directed by my guy Adam from the band BoomzZilla ... figured it'd be fitting to highlight this song given the Huskies just won last night. Def a good vid especially if you're a husky fan!

One of the most genius songs i've ever heard.

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:01:00 +0000

If you enjoy listening to the complexities in music this song has a ton of em. Who else you know writes a song about being an extraordinary machine with an orchestra and it sounds like a nursery rhyme? You may need to listen a few times to get the lyrics but she's killin it! Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 05:20:00 +0000

Q Dot's music choice schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:11:00 +0000

For those still looking to catch my new single Froglegs & Fishgrease on Music Choice here's the new schedule for this week. You can get this single on iTunes from my Grammy nomination finalist CD Underground Railroad.

10/15 7AM 4AM PST, & 8PM. 5PM PST

10/17 3PM 12PM PST

10/18 5AM 3AM PST

10/20 10PM 7PM PST;

10/25 5AM/ 3AM PST

A great article featuring Jay-Z and Warren Buffett!

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:59:00 +0000

I hope my hip hop heads peep this out and take some notes from the greatest at what they do. Especially when it comes to business and making music and investing.

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2010/1011/rich-list-10-omaha-warren-buffett-jay-z-steve-forbes-summit-interview.html?boxes=Homepagetoprated

Q Dot Northwest Convergence Zone interview

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:08:00 +0000

I had a good time hangin' out with the boys down at the Northwest Convergence Zone, peep out this interview and pass it around!

Northwest Convergence Zone

Q Dot on Music Choice

noreply@blogger.com (Q Dot) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:01:00 +0000

For Immediate Release:

From Tre’dmarks Music Group

Today, Thursday September 30,2010 Seattle area Grammy nomination finalist and Hip Hop/Rap & B artist Q Dot kicks off a nationwide radio campaign for new single Froglegs & Fishgrease with nationally programmed Music Choice. Watched in over 43 million homes, Music Choice is a mostly commercial free source for new music and music videos. Music Choice features an informative style of music programming that often displays facts on screen while a particular artists song is playing.

Released under his own Tre’dmarks Music Group label, Froglegs & Fishgrease is the second single from Underground Railroad, the independent album that was warmly received by the Recording Academy just a year ago. As every other song on the album, Froglegs was produced, written and performed by Q Dot. The song along with B side 24 hours will run on Music Choice through December of this year.

Find Q Dot
Facebook.com/iamqdot, twitter.com/iamqdot, www.iamqdot.com

Underground Railroad is available on all major online retailers
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For more information contact:
Maurice Thornton ~ COO ~ Tre’dmarks Music Group
Reese [AT] tredmarks.com or pr [AT] tredmarks.com
253-861-7103