We’ve done it again! For those of you that live under a rock, Element 9 artist QP has a hit single with his track “You Rollin Shawty (I Got $$$)”. For the 2nd straight week, QP has topped Facebook’s chart for most dedicated songs using the iLike application. With over 100,000 dedications this month, QP has outperformed chart favorites like Katy Perry and Chris Brown.

Peep the complete chart here.

And in case you didn’t know, QP’s single is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD on iLike. Just follow this link to grab your free copy (and make sure to add it to your Facebook profile while you’re at it)!

SNIPPET: “Now 22 years old and signed to independent powerhouse SMC Recordings, QP maintains that Born 2 Win attitude that led him to early success; and, using a fast-paced flow reminiscent of his hometown group, Bone Thugs, he describes the lifestyle that’s The Norm 4 Me.”- M.Burmy for DJBooth.net

LINK TO THE FEATURE: http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/qp-the-norm-4-me/

YOUTUBE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7l25ayMLeY

I received some pictures this morning from a weekly MC Battle I organized while attending Ohio U. called the Monday Night Sound Clash. When I reminisce on some of my personal milestones, the organization of this event always comes up because it was something very new to the area and also because we literally packed this venue to the seams every week. Looking back at these pictures really makes me wonder how the fire marshal never shut us down, because this just looks like a disaster waiting to happen (but fortunately never did).

The Original Show Flyer:

The Show: (all photos courtesy of Athens Musician Network)

Before:

After:

I told you all a while back I was gonna be a problem when it comes to this graphics game.

Here’s a tip for upcoming artists in need of direction; don’t half-ass your photo shoots. I’m sure you think the images you’re getting off that $150 6.0 mega-pixel digital camera you bought are good enough for online needs and if you don’t feel the need to display a truly professional look on your pages they probably are.

Personally, I feel artists’ need to invest in their image and doing a professional photo shoot is a great place to start.

Think about it the next time you’ve got a couple hundred bucks to put towards promotion.

Most people will tell you that the music business is very cutthroat. Truth and honesty are two words that you rarely hear whispered around these parts. Some people have an idea of how the industry really operates, but generally these words of wisdom are passed down through big media outlets and by the time the horror stories many have to share make it to the press, the content has been watered down and over-generalized. This begs the question; can an honest man (or woman) make it in this business?

Fortunately, I’ve been blessed to have found a team within this industry that still invests in integrity. We work the sort of hours that make people cringe. We invest everything we have into our work and take years off our lives in the process. Most importantly, we are constantly struggling to prove to clients, associates and others that our team is bringing something new to an industry that is morally bankrupt.

In a lot of cases, people don’t know how to react to the way we do business. They’re not prepared when we come with real professionalism from the minute we engage in business. Many that have come before us have diluted the expectations people have when it comes to doing business and it can make our jobs difficult, but we’re also very keen on leading by example, so we don’t have a problem showing folks how things should be done.

It’s unfortunate that some interpret this business model as a weakness and will try to use it to their advantage. I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but this is a very naive way of thinking because at the end of the day we’re just as hungry as the next man and the reason we are able to be open and honest with business associates is because we’re that confident about what we do.

During the coming weeks, months and maybe years I’m going to get real open and honest about a particular scenario where you’re going to witness first-hand why we invest so much into this whole integrity thing. Some feeling are going to get hurt and your perception of a few prominent figures currently involved in the hip-hop business will likely change. At the end of the day, I hope to educate the masses about what happens when you don’t play the game by the books and under-estimate the capabilities of your opponent.

We’re gearing up for battle and personally, I’ve never been more excited about a fight in my life because I know that this battle is one where the good guys can’t lose.

In the words of Common, consider me Morpheus in this hip-hop matrix, exposing fake shit.

Stay tuned…

Dial-A-Deal Remix

From May 16th-July 1st 2008 aspiring hip-hop artists are invited to display their lyrical finesse while competing for a featured verse on the official remix to Killer Mike’s brand new smash single “2 Sides”.

Contestants will audition for Killer Mike via Dial-A-Deal, an online voice messaging service powered by technology company, Saynow, and created by the Element 9 record label to give artists from across the country the opportunity to compete for a record deal of their own.

The 2 Sides Remix Contest is brought to you by SMC Recordings who have announced a July 8th release date for Killer Mike’s highly-anticipated album, I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II.

HOW IT WORKS

1) Visit Killer Mike’s Grind Time Official MySpace page at www.myspace.com/grindtimeonline and download the instrumental version of “2 Sides”.

2) Call the Dial-A-Deal Hotline at 646-789-4419 and deliver your best 16 bar verse over the “2 Sides” beat LIVE over the phone.

• Make sure you are calling from a phone capable of receiving return calls and/or go to www.saynow.com to create a profile which identify you by your phone number.

3) Killer Mike will frequently review all entries received on Dial-A-Deal and at the conclusion of the contest Killer Mike will personally call the winner to arrange a recording session for the official “2 Sides” Remix.

FAQS

Does this cost money? No, but standard rates for normal voice and text service with your phone carrier will apply. For other questions about how Saynow’s technology works visit http://www.saynow.com/faq.html

How many times can you call? There is no limit to the number of entries a contestant can make. Participants are encouraged to call regularly with original submissions, but advised to use reasonable judgment in determining the frequency of their calls. Remember, Mike wants to hear your best VERSE not your best album.

What’s up with Element 9’s Dial-A-Deal record deal contest? All entrants are automatically entered in the Element 9 Dial-A-Deal contest with the chance of winning a recording contract with Element 9. Killer Mike has been kind enough to come on board and help with the decision making by giving one of you the chance to get your name out on a hit record.

Can I promote myself and my other music on Dial-A-Deal? Of course, but reasonable judgment should also be exercised here as well. Your 16 bars are the most important part of each call. Announcing your name and where people can find you is definitely a good idea. Telling your life story, unnecessary ranting and any other information that doesn’t pertain to the contest isn’t such a good idea.

“The funny thing behind this [Black comedian rant video] is, I didn’t even come up with this whole thing. It came from a place called Element Nine which is a Hip-Hop marketing company. Don’t you wanna know the story behind it and how the whole thing happened?”

Read the entire article on how we pulled this off: http://allhiphop.com/stories/lifestylefilm/archive/2008/04/08/19613330.aspx