Great article on Tate Music Group Artist Yah-Key in the latest addition of JimmyJazz.com. Yah-Key's album "Back Home" is set to drop August 3rd. You can purchase pre release copies at http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=812517014803.
Introducing Yak-Key: Hip-Hop’s Savior
May 11, 2010 / Posted in Interviews / Music
By Souleo.
The worlds of urban, secular and non-secular all converge at a central point: Yah-Key. Yah-Key which means "God is the key," is a Chicago hip-hop artist with a twist: he rhymes about the power of God. No he's not your average Christian rapper spitting rhymes holier than thou. Yah-Key draws from his own troubled past, his awakening and hip swagger to form a brand of inspirational hip-hop that is catching the ears of many. Yah-Key is bound on making his name in both the non-secular and secular world with the release of his album, Back Home.
Read on to learn more about Yah-Key.
On his mission:
I wasn't born or raised in the church. My foundation didn't come along until I was about 24 years old. Before then I was reckless and chasing after money in the wrong ways.
So I call my music "Hip-hop with a purpose." There are a lot of people in the world now who are angry, hurt and got a thirst that needs to be quenched. There is a lack of love in the community and a lack of respect for people. So I'm trying to inspire the young people not to have an identity crisis with themselves and to know who they are inside.
On denouncing hip-hop stereotypes in the church:
With the church it was an uphill battle because some of them buy into the negative image of hip-hop in the media about degrading women and flashy jewelry. So I had to work hard to get certain churches to dig deeper and see what's behind the surface.
On being different than other Christian rap:
I see some Christian artists that try to be street and it's not about you or how hood you were or still are; it's about people and love. With the hip-hop community there was never really a battle for me because my music is not your normal Christian rap or holy hip-hop. I still have those dynamic tracks and swagger that people can relate to. So I give credit to those that paved the way. I just know that I have to move strategically and let people know that I'm coming with a divine purpose and a greater before behind me.
For more information on Yah-Key please visit:
www.yah-key.com
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Successful CD Release
I received this email from an artists today that just came off of a successful CD release party over the weekend. This is why we do what we do.
"Chris,
We had a successful CD release party and sold a bunch of CDs. I have gotten several comments back about how good the CD is. Thank you goes out to Tate Music group for helping us make the CD a reality. We have a ton of gigs coming up in the next 3 months. We hope to sale CDs left and right. Take a look at our website and you can checkout our list of events."
"Chris,
We had a successful CD release party and sold a bunch of CDs. I have gotten several comments back about how good the CD is. Thank you goes out to Tate Music group for helping us make the CD a reality. We have a ton of gigs coming up in the next 3 months. We hope to sale CDs left and right. Take a look at our website and you can checkout our list of events."
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Digital Sales on the Rise
Its funny to me when I have conversations with artists, industry pros or people in or around the business that just don't see or don't accept whats happening. We have new mediums popping up daily that allow music to be transferred, borrowed and sold across the Internet. Retail outlets are shutting down and businesses are closing quarterly. If you walk into a retail outlet today and draw a comparison to their music section from three years ago you are looking at a fraction of what once was.
I just talked to an artists the other day who swears if we distribute his music physically he will sell a ton of records. This coming from someone who has not had any digital sales and is not willing to promote and sell CD's themselves. If they are not willing to buy their own album what makes them think that others will.
CD sales are going to come from live performances and directly from the artist to the consumer. Physical CD sales are going to be dead in about three years. Or at least that is the prediction. Every report I read indicates physical CD sales are down and digital sales are up.
"Warner Music Group managed to narrow its quarterly losses and beat Wall Street expectations...the label revealed losses of $25 million"
"Sales actually dropped ...based on continued CD sales drops"
"On the digital side, revenue grow 15 percent"
"Digital recorded music sales rose by 13.9%"
"Total digital revenue grows 15% to $199 million;
Digital revenue climbs to 47% of U.S. Recorded Music revenue"
"digital revenue grew 11% sequentially and was up 12% from the prior-year quarter."
"transition from physical sales to digital sales in the recorded music industry"
"a reduction by retailers in the amount of floor and shelf space dedicated to music."
I don't think it can be any clearer, but digital music is the future. Grab a hold of it now and maximize every opportunity you have.
I just talked to an artists the other day who swears if we distribute his music physically he will sell a ton of records. This coming from someone who has not had any digital sales and is not willing to promote and sell CD's themselves. If they are not willing to buy their own album what makes them think that others will.
CD sales are going to come from live performances and directly from the artist to the consumer. Physical CD sales are going to be dead in about three years. Or at least that is the prediction. Every report I read indicates physical CD sales are down and digital sales are up.
"Warner Music Group managed to narrow its quarterly losses and beat Wall Street expectations...the label revealed losses of $25 million"
"Sales actually dropped ...based on continued CD sales drops"
"On the digital side, revenue grow 15 percent"
"Digital recorded music sales rose by 13.9%"
"Total digital revenue grows 15% to $199 million;
Digital revenue climbs to 47% of U.S. Recorded Music revenue"
"digital revenue grew 11% sequentially and was up 12% from the prior-year quarter."
"transition from physical sales to digital sales in the recorded music industry"
"a reduction by retailers in the amount of floor and shelf space dedicated to music."
I don't think it can be any clearer, but digital music is the future. Grab a hold of it now and maximize every opportunity you have.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Godz MessenGer wins twice at N.E.M.A
Tate Music Group recording artist, Godz Messenger (Jamal Seymour) takes home two awards last week at the New England Music Awards. He won "Best Gospel Artist" and "Best New Single". Congrats to Jamal Seymour on his victories at N.E.M.A!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
MySpace Adds Additional Features
Billboard
MySpace Unveils Ticketing And Events Platform
April 15, 2010
By Antony Bruno, Denver
"MySpace finally unveiled its long-promised ticketing and events platform. The move expands the social networking site from a tool for artists to sell more concert tickets to a far broader events platform designed to organize all aspects of users' social lives.
The platform was designed with event promotion and ticketing equally in mind, according to director of events and ticketing Marcus Womack. The features of the new platform include a new MySpace calendar, which combines users' events with that of their friends and the artists they follow as well as sponsored events contributed by advertisers.
For artists, it means they can now make ticket sales to their shows available directly from their profile page, and their fans will receive notification any time they update their upcoming events. And for advertisers, it provides a promotional platform for both live events and other types of events -- such as a CD release day, TV premiere and other non-ticketed events.
The move also adds a new Events tab to the MySpace homepage, where users can browse events not otherwise appearing on their calendar, and integrates Facebook events as well."
MySpace Unveils Ticketing And Events Platform
April 15, 2010
By Antony Bruno, Denver
"MySpace finally unveiled its long-promised ticketing and events platform. The move expands the social networking site from a tool for artists to sell more concert tickets to a far broader events platform designed to organize all aspects of users' social lives.
The platform was designed with event promotion and ticketing equally in mind, according to director of events and ticketing Marcus Womack. The features of the new platform include a new MySpace calendar, which combines users' events with that of their friends and the artists they follow as well as sponsored events contributed by advertisers.
For artists, it means they can now make ticket sales to their shows available directly from their profile page, and their fans will receive notification any time they update their upcoming events. And for advertisers, it provides a promotional platform for both live events and other types of events -- such as a CD release day, TV premiere and other non-ticketed events.
The move also adds a new Events tab to the MySpace homepage, where users can browse events not otherwise appearing on their calendar, and integrates Facebook events as well."
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Mobile Apps Make Gain
Steady growth in apps downloads should continue unabated as mobile technology becomes further entrenched in the digital mainstream.
There were more than 150,000 applications available in the Apple App Store as of March 2010, and Apple reported 3 billion downloads from the App Store as of Jan. 5, 2010.
Tate Music group identified this marketing opportunity early on. TMG sees apps as a great marketing tool for our artists and can now create apps for any interested artists who meets the data requirements.
The Apple iPad is likely to expand and dramatically alter the app landscape as developers learn more about its potential.
On a global basis, FutureSource Consulting's "Mobile Applications Market Report" cited steady growth in mobile application downloads with 6.6 million app downloads projected in 2010 and 16.2 million by 2013. This estimate includes both free and paid apps of all varieties.
As artists look more and more at social networking apps are another tool that can connect them to their fans.
There were more than 150,000 applications available in the Apple App Store as of March 2010, and Apple reported 3 billion downloads from the App Store as of Jan. 5, 2010.
Tate Music group identified this marketing opportunity early on. TMG sees apps as a great marketing tool for our artists and can now create apps for any interested artists who meets the data requirements.
The Apple iPad is likely to expand and dramatically alter the app landscape as developers learn more about its potential.
On a global basis, FutureSource Consulting's "Mobile Applications Market Report" cited steady growth in mobile application downloads with 6.6 million app downloads projected in 2010 and 16.2 million by 2013. This estimate includes both free and paid apps of all varieties.
As artists look more and more at social networking apps are another tool that can connect them to their fans.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tate Music Group Blazing the Trail
The music business is not the same as it was 40, 30 or 20 years ago yet the majors still run their business as if it was. At some point the light bulb is going to turn on in some of these high powered executive offices. I read a recent article talking about the cost of breaking an artist in the pop genre figuring in around $1.5 million. $1.5 million to break and then the costs keep accruing to actually keep the act popular. Those cost are not met by high record sales anymore. Sure a lot of units are moving but usually at the cost of a digital download. When was the last time you heard about an artists selling 15 million records?
Tate Music Group has created a model that works. It allows the artists to retain all of the rights to their music while earning some of the highest royalties in the business on product sales. We have high level artists through our doors who can't believe our model and pricing charts.
Do you know the difference between TMG and other labels? The difference is that TMG is profitable. Billboard reported today that Warner Music Group's revenue dropped 3% in Q4, Live Nation's operating cost was at a loss of $54.9 million in 2009 and Universal Music Group's revenue dropped 8.2% in Q4. Tate Music Group is profitable and will be around tomorrow to support our artists in their careers.
With the downturn in the marketplace you can be sure to expect more mergers and acquisitions by companies in an attempt to produce stable earnings. Right now you can expect companies to conserve cash, cut costs and ride out the economic downturn. Our artists at Tate Music Group don't have to worry about TMG company wide layoffs, or our stability. The future is very bright for TMG and our artists and I believe in the near future some of the larger labels will adapt to our model.
Tate Music Group has created a model that works. It allows the artists to retain all of the rights to their music while earning some of the highest royalties in the business on product sales. We have high level artists through our doors who can't believe our model and pricing charts.
Do you know the difference between TMG and other labels? The difference is that TMG is profitable. Billboard reported today that Warner Music Group's revenue dropped 3% in Q4, Live Nation's operating cost was at a loss of $54.9 million in 2009 and Universal Music Group's revenue dropped 8.2% in Q4. Tate Music Group is profitable and will be around tomorrow to support our artists in their careers.
With the downturn in the marketplace you can be sure to expect more mergers and acquisitions by companies in an attempt to produce stable earnings. Right now you can expect companies to conserve cash, cut costs and ride out the economic downturn. Our artists at Tate Music Group don't have to worry about TMG company wide layoffs, or our stability. The future is very bright for TMG and our artists and I believe in the near future some of the larger labels will adapt to our model.
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