Truth Bomb

What is the HARDEST part of the music business? #HardQuestions

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make sharing information about the music business easier to follow, and easier to understand. And while I probably shouldn’t, because if an artist REALLY wants this, he or she will put in the necessary time and commitment to learn how to do this correctly. I mean, shit, I learned–I taught my damn self. I didn’t have a ‘me’ to make it easier.

But being the artist friendly softie that I am, I turned to my email list (text WENDYDAY to 44222 to join my list) and my social media to ask my followers to ask me questions. This one stood out! My first thought was that the answer differs depending on where you are in your career–new artists struggle with standing out and finding fans, seasoned artists fight to stay relevant and not lose fans, and artists in-between have to find ways to spread the word about themselves. And then I really thought about this question and realized the REAL answer is the same for everyone!

The hardest part of this business is NOT coming up with amazing ideas for your songs or finding the producers with affordable fire beats. The hardest part of this business isn’t building a fan base or getting DJs and blogs to support you. The hardest part of this business isn’t planning out the marketing and promotions for your release and then launching your campaign. The hardest part isn’t putting together a team of people who will help you.

So, what is the hardest part of this business?

The hardest part of this business is actually doing the work. DOING THE WORK!! That’s the hardest part for everyone.

Not talking about doing the work. Not pretending to do the work. Not meeting about doing the work. Not avoiding the work with one of a million distractions out there. Not coming up with excuses for not doing the work (I’ve heard them all). Not getting distracted by everything and anything. Not getting too high to do the work. Not playing on the latest social media platform you have to be on. Not running errands or doing all of the things necessary to live and survive in life. Not talking about who’s doing what or complaining how unfair it all is because you are far better of a rapper than they are. The absolute hardest part of this business is actually doing the work.

The hardest part of this business is getting up every day and following the models and roadmaps of the artists who’ve come before you. Doing it. Actually doing it.

Getting your music created. Getting it up online. Launching. Analyzing. Tweaking. Continuing to market & promote. Bringing in new fans. Handing out CDs. Hanging posters. Taking pictures. Signing autographs. Performing everywhere. Showing up at clubs and events where your fans frequent. Being seen and reminding people constantly who you are, what you do, and which songs are yours. Doing it is the hardest part.

There are always new tools. New platforms. New whatever. New distractions. New excuses. New conversations to waste time.

Those that win do the work. Knowing what to do is key. But actually doing it? That’s where success lives. Doing the work is the hardest part.

*Drops the mic.

Wendy Day is a 24-year veteran of the urban music industry. She built her career starting Rap Coalition, a not-for-profit artist advocacy organization for rappers, producers, and DJs. Educating artists is her passion, and she is well known in the rap community for having negotiated some of the best deals in urban music and helping to build the careers of many new unknown artists who’ve gone on to super stardom with her help. Wendy helps artists build their own independent record labels and has worked with a veritable who’s who of rap: Cash Money Records (Juvenile, BG, Hot Boyz, Lil Wayne, Big Tymers), David Banner, No Limit Records (Master P, Mia X, Fiend, C-Murder, Beats By The Pound), Young Buck, Hurricane Chris, Slick Rick, BloodRaw, Do Or Die, Twista, Lil Boosie, Webbie, TMI Boyz, Trouble, UGK, and many others. If you text WENDYDAY to 44222, you can join her free email newsletter list. Follow her on social media @RapCoalition.

Truth Bomb