The Finale

This music career class has been a learning roller coaster to say the least. And to be honest, Ive enjoyed every bit of it. It started with learning what are joys are in life and how we could match those with careers in the music business. So in a sense, the beginning was all about looking at ourselves. Then it was time to look at all the possible ideas of careers and opportunities that we have now in this day an age. To say I only learned one major thing would be kinda dumb, cause I've learned many major things that im going to use and carry with me as tools to succeed.

One in particular that stuck out was that the music biz power has really shifted from the big money labels to more of the small independent companies. Knowing this, it really gives me a lot of confidence to continue pursuing my plans to continue managing and helping run an independent label, and hopefully later one officially start a artist management company. Also how the internet is THE tool to use to get things buzzing. So using things like all the social medias that we have is another advantage in my favor compared to an old biz style of billboard and regular ads.

So what am I excited for next?....Applying everything that I've learned and sharing my knowledge with my artists and friends that I work with. Thanks Scott :)

Song of the Week 2 - Lupe!

Lupe Fiaso...you never cease to amaze me....haha. I have to say this is fiasco getting back to doing what he does best, and that destroying a beat with is raps. Lupe in "kill" mode is my favorite :) Honestly I don't have to say much..its all about the lyrics..check it out.


P.S. Chicago STAND UP haha..

Lupe Fiasco - SLR (Super Lupe Rap)

NetVibes.com

So there's a new thing that's gonna start taking over how we navigate on the net. What could I be talking about? Landing pages of course! What's that you say? You don't know what a landing page is? Well, I'll tell ya. It's a site that brings all of your favorite sites that you consintly visit on one whole page. So you don't have to jump from website to website. I choose to do a netvibes page. So basically, you got to the site (netvibes.com) and you search different sites that you visit like facebook, a blog that you follow, news, art and whatever else you can think of. Then when you find them you click on them and it becomes a window or widget where you see any news, updates or info at all times. When I played with the site trying to figure out what I wanted on my page it became real easy to customize it for what I wanted. And I even figured out that you can make more than one page with all different sites if you want. The potential is almost endless with what you can do with these pages...personally I enjoyed it. When you get used to the interface it becomes much easier to get around it.

Freelance or Corporate?

This is the question that we all should consider before jumping into a career/job. Freelance and corporate jobs are very different from each other, meaning one could be much more satisfying and comfortable to someone than the other. It's all about preference.

Now, the advantages of a freelance job consists of a few different things. One major aspect would be the freedom to set your own hours and choose your own clients to work with. Another advantage is location. Meaning, not being constricted to one area to do business. So it's like you can take your work anywhere you decide to go or live for that matter. I dig the freedom aspect of a freelance job. It comes with just being self-motivated and carrying out the mission at hand. 


On to corporate. With a corporate job you get to have steady pay and vacation days that come with the job. It's much more concrete and structured in a company vs. freelancing your own ideas. The nice thing that corporate also provides is somewhat of stability and much more business support within the job. Its an opportunity to come in at a certain time and leave at a certain time through a work week/period. To some, that structure is key to succeeding in the job place.


Honestly, when looking at both of these types of jobs, I think that I could defiantly fit in both categories. But for the sake of choosing one or the other, I would defiantly want to try the freelance side of the business. It's something new and different that I could learn to embrace. Being able to have the freedom to choose clients that I'm interested in would only help motivate me more and stay on time of the job at hand. And being able to take my business anywhere I need to go would be very beneficial cause I would love to travel.

Song of The Week..

Welcome all to the first installment of what I like to call Mike J's "song of the week." These are songs that I personally dig and am excited to share with the followers and also random on-lookers, whatever genre it happens to be. SO..what's the song of the week you ask? Allow me to introduce you to...Imogen Heap :) Great electronic/alternative/indie female artist.  Honestly she really needs no introduction since shes been doing music since 97'. She's probably most know for being in the band called Frou Frou. And also there song contribution to the soundtrack of Garden State (Film).

But let me get to the point..the song I picked is Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek." Reason..its electronically & just musically a beautiful song that really struck me from first listen. It's a different feel, and I tend to like different..haha. If you listen close you'll here that a part of this song was sampled by a much much less talented (my opinion) artist by the name of Justin Derulo with his "hit" single "Whatcha Say." My issue is, a beautiful song and voice for that matter (even through the auto-tune..yes, some people can pull it off) was taken and made into a very VERY pop-y, uncreative song. Of course I'm sure this happens all the time..its radio and that's what they wanna hear..I broad marketable song. So In turn, the masses get "Whatcha Say"...for my hardcore music fans..here's the original. Hope you dig..PEACES

P.S. Comment if ya like...I don't bit..just nibble ;p

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek

I've Learned....

...So..my initial plan for me & music is becoming a performer/artist. That's my dream and what I ultimately want my career to be at some point. But I also have other passions. One of them is what I'm going to school for, which is music business. What i wanna do with that is use that degree to start a artist management company. Before I choose this path, what I originally wanted to be is an A&R. But after coming to McNally I've found out that this A&R job has really become an old idea that has basically died out. SO, after hearing this, i was told that the kind of job that i wanna do with artists has been shifted to management. I was surprised to say the least. For two reasons; One, I had no idea that the job was dying (or dead) and two, that the school (and there staff...you know who you are...ha) would be as honest to let me know this fact and not send me off on a "blank mission."

Besides learning this, I've really started to discover from school that a lot of the moves and control in the industry is gonna be put/based on the web (social networks, blogs, etc.). Its a tool to be used..not ignored or abused (yes that rhymed..). Any-who, I've learned so much all ready in such a little time and this is just my first year here..so may I say that me and McNally (the school...not the man) are becoming like this *crosses fingers* :) PEACES..

McNally..the first, and best choice :)

So why a music biz career? Well, ever since I was a young one, music has been in my life one way or another. Whether it was moonwalks from Michael, Boy bands of the late 90s, (no I'm not ashamed to mention it..ha) or just straight New York lyrical hip-hop of the day, its always been with me. So saying that I have a love for music is kind of an understatement. So, it was only right that I purse music as a career. The business aspect of it I think is very key in making my dreams and aspirations a reality whether its my own music or helping another artist manage theirs.

So when it came to choosing a school for this music venture, I only really knew of a few schools that were specifically for music degrees. And oddly enough, I wasn't familiar with McNally til I went on the net looking for music schools. I seen there intro video to the school and thought, hey they seem to get what I'm going for. From that point, I decided to go on a tour to check out the look and feel of the school. Let's just say after the tour was over I knew this was the place for me. The thing that I kept thinking after that tour was that they really "got it"..the whole idea of a music career and what it would take to succeed. (Thanks to David Lewis especially..) So kids...that's the story of my journey to the school of my dreams..*bowing* thank you, thank you..

                      GoldenBoy