The future of hip-hop?

Please welcome Mr. DJ Xplosive back into the world of blogs!

Yessir, don’t get it twisted, this isn’t my first go round with putting some thoughts and opinions out there on this culture we’ve come to know as hip-hop. Just the first on this site ya’ll seem to know and love.

I did a monthly/bi-monthly/whenever I felt like dropping some knowledge column for an online mag back in college. Looking back now, that joint had editors who would occasionally make some slight changes to my stuff (ex: my column originally titled “What the Hell is Wrong With 50 Cent?” was published as “2005: The Year of 50″); so technically was that even a blog?

Well…no censors this time around. That’s not to say I’m gone be airing cats out and talking recklessly, but I might have to hurt some feelings every now and then.

I decided my first post should give people a little insight into what it is I do. I’m not going to drop the bio because I’ve got MySpace, Facebook and about 300 other profiles that can give you the run down on my past endeavors. I’m talking what I really do and why that dude you see up top might just be the future of the hip-hop business.

Manager, publicist, booking agent, assistant, CEO, publisher, marketing manager, partner, radio promoter, e-mail blaster, web designer, administrator, street team consultant, IT technician, critic, graphic designer, licensor, engineer, DJ and occasionally… a**hole. Yep. These would all be titles and roles you’ll find me carrying on a daily basis. The worst part about it is that list doesn’t even include my main title, online promotion specialist.

I just made that last position up because I wouldn’t really say there’s an official name for what I do. Basically, I run the best online promotion game in the business and make superstars through the buzz I create online for an artist. I’m not going to detail my client list or get too self-absorbed, but many of you can probably put the pieces together on a lot of the people I’ve worked with and may understand why it seems like I’ve got half the industry trying to get me on their projects and the other half probably has someone looking over my shoulder (and if you don’t fall into either of these categories, I’m guessing you’re losing a lot of money right now).

So what makes me so good? It’s partially the common stuff that you associate with success like dedication, ingenuity and passion.

I’d say what sets me apart is my vision. You may have noticed in my list of titles one of them included DJ. For over 8 years I dedicated a good portion of my time to the craft of DJ’ing- whether it was on mixtapes, college radio or the club, you could always catch me with the hottest playlist in town and keeping the crowd moving at every venue I stepped foot in. Some have gone on to channel the skills you learn as a DJ into positions in A&R. You could say I’ve taken the same approach to online promotion. Every project I take on involves reading a different crowd, catching a rhythm with them and catering to their tastes.

So why does all this make me the future of hip-hop?

Like I mentioned before we’re seeing more and more DJ’s take the reigns of A&R positions with major labels these days. I love it. There’s more youth in the big offices and a lot of guys with proven ears are now getting a shot to break artists out on the big stage.

Unfortunately, sometimes these new responsibilities seem to cause people to lose that competitive mindset that comes with being a DJ and you become driven by numbers and trends. I don’t mean to single out the DJ’s because all A&R’s can become guilty of this. Sometimes the artist they just signed is the equivalent of the hottest record in the crates at the moment, but by the time they actually get an album out the market has shifted, the timing is off and that’s when the debut album becomes a train wreck and the artist goes back on the shelf, unlikely to see another spin.

My job is a lot different. I’m constantly consuming information about what listeners of all ages and demographics are supporting and always have to be savvy of the latest technology that is going to keep me on top of the game. This is the sort of thing that is setting me up to become a one-man army, able to handle just about any position commonly found in the offices of major labels. While the rest of the industry is looking for ways to adapt to the new changes that have come with this digital-based market- I’m writing the book.

Every quarter we hear about more lost revenue by the major labels. There seems to be a resistance to change in the industry and most labels are scrambling trying to figure out ways to make CDs sell millions of copies again. STOP! Those days are over. Execs that are only looking at BDS and Soundscan numbers when trying to find their next big act don’t get it. Kids don’t need radio or a physical product anymore to get them hooked on an artist. If you don’t have someone on the front lines that knows the digital world of music and how to read into the online buzz of an artist, you’re going to continue to lose (and that’s not a subliminal suggestion that you should all be offering me a position either, because you probably can’t afford me). There’s never been a better time to independent in this business and that doesn’t just apply to artists. I’ll take money from the majors all day to show them how it’s done, but you best believe that I’m not working for peanuts because I already know that what I’m bringing to the table is better than any plans or strategies you’ve already got.

So to sum things up, you’re not going to find another 26 year old in this business that’s doing what I do with the precision and effectiveness that my work produces. I did an interview back in college where I stated “Most of what I’m doing at any given time of the day is involved with some aspect of Hiphop, or I’m thinking about it” (Hiphop More than Just Music- The Post- 5/19/06). Not much has changed since then. The toughest question I ever get is “So, besides music and all this online stuff; what do you do? Don’t you have any hobbies?” I never have a good answer for that. Sure I’ll hit the bars and clubs every once in a while, but even then you’ll probably find me networking with random people who just might have something to bring to the table or else I’m out with others who work in the industry and as much as we try…there’s no avoiding shop talk about music.

Don’t get it twisted, I’m not a cocky person and I definitely don’t do all this alone. I’ve been blessed with the best team of partners, associates and artists to work with whose own work ethic all mirrors that of my own. If somebody isn’t ready for an average 19 hour workday, willing to put in work 7 days a week (and on holidays) and you haven’t come to a point where things like eating and sleeping have to be added to your Outlook calendar- then you’re probably not ready to hang with the crew.

Hopefully this has provided you with enough info to understand the enigma of DJ Xplosive and you’ll keep checking back, as I promise this column is not intended to be my outlet for self-promotion. All my columns will definitely not be this long and drawn out and I’ll make sure to keep this site fresh with plenty of features, new music and whatever else I find that hip-hop fans need to know. So stay tuned…