WWYD ?

"I think there is something, more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision."
W. Clement Stone


What Would You Do ?

We're considering bumping the release date of the album in order to release a CD/DVD combo instead. We have about a week until the DVD documentary is complete, and I'm thinking we should wait and release it as a Package deal. What do you think ?

DVD details :

1.Press/Play Hotline mini doc (extended trailer) : Our video guys are creating an amazing trailer for a documentary about Drizzy and the Press/Play Hotline. It's going to turn out awesome. It will segment seamlessly into an EPK for :

2.Rap Government EPK : a video biography of the group detailing the duo's connection from inception to the current. Also, future plans for the project and their solo careers.

3.EPK for ALien8 Artists' and affiliates JGrubbz, Mic Coalition, Acmatic, The Kreator, Jeff Lopez, JMoon, and production affiliates GSOuth, CSavage, DBest, and Cooley. Alien8 TV will host a mini variety show where we request and discuss our favorite Alien8 productions. Never before seen footage of Todd Simpson, Sharrif Simmons and others. This will be one helluva event with guest DJ's, freestyle cypher's and live in-studio performances from our MC's.

4.DVD's come full with Top notch digital graphics, photo's and DVD authoring.

5.CD's will be multimedia enhanced with a flash presentation and links to e-mail and website. (The vote is still out for this function is still) WWYD ?

6.T-Shirt/CD/DVD combo packages available at a special introductory price of $20.

Sharrif Simmons !

Me and Moon were just talking about the man, the myth, the legend Mr. Sharrif Simmons. This guy is one of the most talented individuals I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Here he is doing his thing on The Def Poetry Jam :



And here he is at an improv jam session we put together at a friends house :



Go buy his new CD - Echo Effect from his myspace page : www.myspace.com/sharrifsimmons

Web Strategy

Online Promotion Strategy

1. Blogs : Be consistent with postings. Stick to the storyline, be entertaining, informative, and creative. Copy and paste blogs into different social networking sites. Post blogs with blog directories found @ http://www.searchenginejournal.com/ . This only needs to be done once. Promote blog through myspace, face book, twitter etc…

Leave clever comments on popular bloggers sites. People tend to look at you site if you leave informative/cleaver replies.

2. Update social network sites - Develop a schedule and set goals for adding friends and promoting profile. Research open adder programs for face book , bebo, HI-5, Orkut, Cyoworld, etc..

Music profiles : Imeem, iLike, LastFM, ReverbNation, etc… Promote on a schedule.
Twitter : setup Drizzy for Mobile updates. Promote with Hellotext.com.

3. Pod cast : Schedule a weekly pod cast w/ Live365.com, Podomatic, etc…
Create a radio show promoting local artist, promoters, producers, managers, events, etc.. Start Immediately.

Create a tutorial showing people how to subscribe to and share pod cast.
Audacity : is a software used for creating pod cast. Download and become proficient.

Skype : Use for phonecall interviews.

Schedule guest panels for weekly discussions. Create with the goal of education and entertainment.

4. Web casting - Send out a webcast live during each pod cast. Woozyfly.com , Justin.tv, Ustream, etc.. Promote the hell out of it.

Plan live events for live webcast. Host open mics.
Tape shows and release as vodcast. Market to hip hop heads as an open discussion on the current state of hip hop and the future of the music industry.

5. Video Sharing - Be very aware of the videos uploaded to you tube and other sharing sites. Create compelling, highly entertaining , short films, with the idea of spreading ideas virally across the network.

Tube mogul : use this site to distribute videos and analyze data.
Create another you tube site for educational, how-to videos, web 2.0, guerilla marketing, viral marketing, etc.. Become an expert in the field.

Develop as many interactive fan oppurtunites as possible. Live questions via chat, Live Press/Play request, Contests, Art Submissions, street teams, pics of fans, graffiti artist painting trains, surveys, blog comments.

6. Submit EPK to online media. Produce an epk for Drizzy with an emphasis on marketing strategy and work ethic. Create a list of online e-zines, pod cast, internet radio, message boards, news feeds, commercial television, hip hop bloggers, local media etc…, Talk shows, Press releases.
Film entire process and plan for results. Develop as many alternative forms of income as possible.

7. Creative online marketing : Use drop cards as promo for ep, use stamp size stickers and creative flyer designs for street promo, South models, VIP laminates, Video DVD compilation, e-newsletter.

The World Is Yours !

" The world changes according to the way people see it, and if you alter, even by a millimeter, the way people look at reality, then you can change it."

-- James Arthur Baldwin

What's up Everyone ! I hope all is well with ya. I've been steady on the grind as usual. I spent all last night and today putting together the marketing plan for the Rap Government "Campaign Trail EP" . This is the point where you stop brainstorming and start compiling your research into a strategic plan of action. It's definitely not an easy task. Marketing is way more than just a clever idea to get people's attention. Developing a formal marketing plan for a release is almost as important as recording the music. You're basically drawing out a blueprint for the success of the album. I'm hitting this thing head on...Failure is not an Option ! Careful Planning----->Brilliant Execution . I will post it for review as soon as it's finished. Hopefully by the end of the weekend.

Anyways, I decided against the red design of the cover. I think people will confuse it for a punk album. I'm all about going against the grain, but that's pushing it at this stage in the game. Here is the new cover. Click on the image to enlarge it :




It's not like anything else out there as far as design, yet it's still identifiable as a hip hop album. The musics like nothing else out there either, so the design had to capture that visually. We've got a few minor changes then this bad boy is going to the pressing plant. Operation = TakeOvertheWorld is in full effect.

I've been HEAVILY researching the wave of "new" Web 2.0 social networking sites, and I'm going to create an account with the most useful sites later tonight. I'll give you a full report of the sites, their capabilties, how they benefit us, and the ways you can reach us through them tomorrow.

Also, Thanks to Mike Disko and Salient Projects for all their hard work on this project. Mike took the Photo at the top, did the sleeve design, and edited this video :





Holler at them if you need anything .
http://www.mikediskophotography.com/salient.htm

Campaign Trail

Obama, Hillary and that other dude (what's his name again ?) aren't the only cats working hard at winning an election next year. Drizzy and Tre G are gearing up for their debut release as the group Rap Government. The release is entitled "Campaign Trail EP" and that shit is HOT !!!!

We had the cover designed by Salient Projects. I went by Mike Disko's office today to take a look at the proof. I still haven't had it approved by the guys yet. I like the design, but I'm not sure about the color. I want you guys to give me your opinion. Here it is :



Give me some feedback. We're getting this thing pressed up in the next few days...so you got a deadline on this one.

Project Overview :

We decided to focus on this project as our priority for several reasons :

1. The chemistry between the two in the studio is like no other. They feed off of each others energy while writing and then take it to another level of intensity when recording.

2. The first video we shot for Drizzy was the track "Rap Government" off of his So Potent Vol. 2 mixtape. That video ended up getting handpicked by Common, 50 Cent and Polow the Don as a finalist in Youtube's "On the Rise" rap video contest.

3. They have a very aggressive style that is going to hit the streets HARD ! This is a key element in the hip hop marketing game. When a record gets a stamp of approval from a street level...the burbs aren't far behind.

4. We have an oppurtunity to break multiple artist with one release. JGrubbz has a track on the album as well. It's take some pressure off the artist for their solo projects.

5. It's DAMN good music with the perfect balance of mainstream appeal and underground substance.

Here's the first video we shot for Rap Government :



Qualities not great, but it was a learning experience and it got the word out. I'm taking pre-orders for the EP and shirts. Hit me up with an e-mail with your info/shirt size etc..at marcus.birm@gmail.com . Trust me you want this album when it drops. The shirts are a must have as well. Buy one. Take a pic of yourself wearing it. Get a spot in the RG photo album on myspace and FLIKR.

The myspace page is still under construction, but add them as a friend :

www.myspace.com/rapgovernment

The Press/Play Hotline

Welcome to the Mother's Day edition of The Daily Grind.

Today I'm going to give you a quick overview of the artist developement plan for Drizzy D.R.O.

Artist Profile :

Drizzy is an extremely versatile emcee. He can get super lyrical. He can tell a story like no other. He can spit a freestyle about anything you tell him to...on the spot...His pen game is untouchable...He can rhyme slow...fast etc..etc...You get the point. He is an AMAZING Talent...but most importantly, Drizzy has that special something that makes a star a star. He has a Great Story behind his music.

Challenges :

There's hundreds of thousands of incredible rappers in the world. And they all think they got what it takes. It makes it very hard for a label to break an artist anymore. There's an oversaturation of the market, and it makes catching a break that much harder. It's not a bad thing. People just have lots to choose from.

Keys To Success :

Success = is finding a way to rise above the clutter and stand out to the consumer. You've got to set yourself apart from the crowd in a very unique way. If you've got something unique...you've also got a story. Publicists love stories because the Press loves stories. The Press loves stories because the People love stories. The story is what makes a star a star in this game. Sometimes that story is a just a gimmick, other times it's just a really cool story. And people talk about really cool stories to their friends...who tell their friends...who tell their friends...You catch my drift.

The Press/Play Hotline :

April 28th 2006. Drizzy jokingly sends out a mass text message to everyone in his phone book. The text read: "Call the Press/Play Hotline for a random freestyle on any subject anytime 24/7....Just Say Press/Play : " He had no idea what he'd just started.

People started calling. Drizzy started rapping. He would take every call that he could. He made sure to follow every call with a text message asking the caller to spread the word about "The Press/Play Hotline". Before he knew it he started getting calls from different area codes in Alabama. Then it became different states. Now it's different countries.

In just two short years Drizzy's phone number has circulated around the country and across the globe. He has taken over 50,000 "Press/Play" calls from 35 states and 3 countries on topics ranging from oranges to anal sex. You name it. He's rapped about it. Here's a "Press/Play" on COURT :



How's that for a story ? Imagine living it. His phone rings constantly now. He's that good. I've heard him spit some of the most incredible freestyles EVER spit by any MC in the history of hip hop...EVER...I can only imagine seeing the face of the caller when he hangs up in their face.

Strategy :

Why does he do it ? He's not getting paid for the calls... why is he subjecting himself to this ? He does it for several reasons. 1.Promotion : He's able to interactively promote himself to a national audience.
2.Marketing : We store the caller's numbers in a secure database so that we can direct market via text messaging. We know where the fanbase is strongest by the frequency of calls coming in from an area. It gives us leverage when we decide to go on tour. Right now he's virtually touring the world via cellphone.

We're in the process of integrating our marketing campaign so that everything ties together. The hotline will allow us to take advantage of all the new innovations in marketing and integrate them into one system. Web 2.0, Mobile Technolgy, Press, Radio Promotions, and Viral Marketing.

The Press/Play Hotline : 205-617-9166

David Vs. Goliath

Here's My vision for this site :

I want to create a virtual portal between Alien8 and our fans. Just bare with me for a minute...I want you guys (our fans. old and new) to be involved with every aspect of the day to day operations. I'm going to report to you (through this blog) about EVERYTHING we deal with on the "Daily Grind". EVERYDAY you (our fan) can come to this site and read a blog or watch a video (vlog) of me reporting on the progress we've made ,the challenges we faced, or the oppurtunities presented, etc..etc..Then it's your turn !

We want to hear what you think about it. Give us your feedback. Let us know how you would've handled certain situations. If you think our Marketing Plan sucks !!! Tell us why and what we can do to make it better. If you see some inconsistencies in our online promotions strategy...tell us. Alien8 is your label too. You've just been elected to our virtual Board of Directors. Interact with us...we value any and all the opinions,advice, gripes, praise, or even hate that you can dish at us.

I want you (the fan) to experience what's about to go down. It's going to get crazy around here, and we want you along for the ride. You are about to step foot on the world's wildest roller coaster...there's gonna be up's...there's gonna be downs. SUCCESSES...failures...VICTORIES...and defeats...and just think...you'll be in the front seat watching it all go down. Tell everyone you know about this....Why.. you ask ?....because we need you guys riding this thing out with us...We need you to feel the butterflies as we shoot out the gate...hands in the air...heart pounding....scared shitless as we top the first drop...there's no turning back now....HERE IT IS !!!!

If we create a strong enough community...we can never fail. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Marcus