this issue The Power of the Internet P. 1

Soul to Success P. 2

Beatzilla Listening Party P. 3

Meet Jo Blaq P. 4

Letter from the Editor:

WeatBeatzillaencourage

thediscoveryofhiddental

ent,onethroughourmission

statementandtwoourlogo.

Ourmissionisto,discover

thehidden,encouragethe

uncertain,developtheun

trained,andempowerthe

powerlessamongartists.

Ourlogoembodiesagry

phon;aneaglepartlioncre

atedtoprotectthehidden.

Ourjourneyindiscovering

goodmusicwontbeeasy;it

willtaketime,understand

ing,andafreshoutlookon

theeverevolvingmusicin

dustry.

Butweareambitious,fullof

heart,andopentothechal

lenge.

PeacebetoBrooklyn!

AshleySmith

12I s s ue

T 1 7 Jan. 20

MONTHLY

NEWS FOR

THE BEATZILLA

IN YOU! GGGrrriiiffffffiiinnn GGGaaazzzeeetttttteee

AllThingsIndie:DiscovertheHiddenThePoweroftheInternetDiscoveringIndieTalentByCarolynFraser,VPofPublicRelationsTheinternetisameccaforeverytypeofmusicartist,especiallyforindieartists.Thereisaplethoraofmusiclistening,networking,magazine,andpromotionalwebsitesforanyseekerwantingtoreceiveexposureorbeintheknowmusicwise.ArtistscanblowupjustbydisplayingtheirtalentonamusicnetworkingsitelikeMySpace.AskCassie,JanelleMonae,SouljaBoy,andSeanKingston.AlloftheseartistsweresignedtomajorlabelsafterbeingdiscoveredontheWorldWideWeb.Theinternetisreadilyaccessibletoindies,wheretheycansecurebookings,promotions,productionassistanceandevenamanagerallwithaclickoftheirmouse.However,discoveryonthenetwonthappenwithoutsomeseriouseffort.Bepreparedtopostmusicandpresskitsonmusicnetworkingsites,besuretokeepprofileinformationuptodate,andsubmityourmusictoonlinemusiceditorsforreviewonaregularbasis.Ifdiscoveryorsigningtoalabeldoesnthappen,dontwritethenetoff.Theinternetisoneofthebestplacestostarttomakeanameforoneselfwithmarketingandpromotionalstrategies.

FightingtoBeSeenIndie Labels Band TogetherByAshleySmith,ArtandEditorialInternThereareagrowingnumberofindependentlabelsemergingeveryday.Manyareovershadowedbythedominanceofmajorlabels.Howdoindiesfightback?OnestrategyisMerlin,agroupheadedbyAustraliaslargestindependentmusicdistributor,CharlesCaldas.Thisgrouphasgatheredtogetherarecord1200indielabelswhosecollectivestrengthmakesnavigatingthroughthecompetitiveseaofthemusicindustrymoremanageable.CaldashasalsomadeadealwithSNOCAPwhichisrunbyShawnFanning,formerlyofNapster.ThedealprovidesindieartistsaneasierwaytoselltheirmusiconMyspaceortocreatetheirownonline.Withartistsfocusnowleaningtowardbuildingafanbasethanthethreatofpiracy,SNOCAPalsoprovidesallbackenddistributionandpaymentprocessingsystemswithoutthelimitationofDRMs(digitalrightsmanagement).Merlinisntyourtypicaltraditionallabel.Withtheirfocusonactingasalicensingauthoritythatnegotiatesrightstheyaremakingtheirwaytobecomingoneofthemajorplayersintheworldofmusictoday.

This Weeks Internet Hot Spots

Understanding the True Cost of Greatness

We asked Beatzillas CEO about the keys to achieving greatness.

Beatzilla founder D. Rashaan

Gilmore shares how to turn

visionsof greatness into your

veryownreality.Greatnesscost.And,formost

peoplethecostiswaytoo

steep.Mostofuswantulti

matesuccessinourrelation

ships,businessesandlives

overall.However,sofeware

willingtodowhatittakesto

makeithappen.

Ironically,thoughgreatness

costs,youcantbuyit!Great

nessisobtainedonlythrough

visionandperseverance.No

thingelsereallymatters.

Ionceheardthewordvision

describedastheabilitytosee

theendofathing.Ilikethat.

Itmeansknowingwhatyou

wanttoaccomplishbefore

yousetouttodoit.

Perseveranceismorethan

justendurance;italsoin

volvesunrelentingdetermina

tiontogetsomethingdone

eveninthefaceofdifficult

odds.Canyousee(orenvi

sion)thefinaloutcomeofall

youreffortstoachievegreat

ness?Whatdoesitlookand

feellike?Whatemotionsrun

throughyou?Behonest,areyoureallyde

terminedtoovercomethe

challengesblockingyourway

rightnow?Ifnot,youcan

beginbyreaffirmingyour

commitmenttoyourvision

andrefusingtoquit.

Whilenoteveryoneisborn

great,everyoneabsolutely

canbegreat.Findyourinner

greatnessanddontletgo.

Visionis

theability

toseetheend

ofathing.

Mr.Borgart:M.O.B.ByDaRonnVPofArtistDevelopmentFirstthingsfirst,whatisM.O.B.youask?Letmeexplain.M.O.B.isananagramforMoneyoverBusiness.Whythistopic?I'lltellyouwhy.M.O.B.isprobablythenumberonekillerofanartistscareer.Mostartistssearchtheirentirecareerlookingtobesavedbysomerecord,publishing,ordistributiondeal.Theyrethenpersuadedtotakeanadvanceinsteadofnegotiatingbackendmoney(wherethelabelreceivesitsresidualsfrom).Let'sexplorethisabitmore.Amajorlabelapproachesyouwitha5yearexclusivedealanda$300,000budget.Whatdoesitcosttheartistyouask?Thedistributionandpackagingcostsactuallycomesoutoftheartistsroyaltyrate.Nottomentionthecostofmarketingandpromotionaltoolsfortheproject.Sofromthefirstminuteyousign,you'reindebt.Howdoyoustayontopofthegame?Beaconnoisseurofyourprofession.Stopgoingafterthebaitandwaitforthefish.Itsmoreoftenthatyouwillhavetheopportunitytonegotiateyourdealmoreefficiently.Hereare3wayshow:1.)Becomeknowledgeableaboutthebusiness.2.)Seekadvicefromaprofessionalsourcethathasyourbestinterestinmind.3.)HavesomeLEVERAGEviarecordsales(consignment,handtohandorlogged).

1.UnsignedEntertainment

www.unsigned.com

Thiswebsitefeaturesemerging

artistsfromavarietyofmusic

genres,wherefanscancreate

theirownprofilestoengagewith

artistsoftheirpreference.

3.GetSigned

www.getsigned.com

GetSignedisspecificallyde signedformusiciansandindustry

professionals.Musicvideosof

featuredindieartistsarealso

streamedfromthesite.

2.bandBUZZ

www.bandbuzz.com

bandBUZZprofilesbothindie

andcommercialartists.Songs

arestreamedfromthewebsite,

whileratingiftheartistand

theirmusicisthebuzz.4.Nextcat

www.nextcat.com

Itsallaboutwhoyouknow!

Actingasanetworkingcommunity

Nextcatprovidesamarketplaceof

opportunitiesforbothestablished

andemergingtalent.

TheGiftofSound

Sunday,December21st,2008teamBeatzillaheatedupthecoldestnightoftheyearwiththeirfirstholidaypartyTheGiftofSound.TheeventalsoservedasBeatzillalisteningparty3.Hot103JamzDJandpartystarterSeanTylerhostedtheentertainingevent.PerformancesincludedstudentsofthePaseoAcademyTheloniousMonkInstituteofJazzProgram,leadsingerofSoulsPoemSonyaAndersBlackwell,LeeLangston,saxophonistCNote,ErrolDixonandjazzsingerLisaHenry.ProducerandpianistJarvisRhoneaccompaniedmostacts.Asthepartycametoaclose,producerofhitssuchasChrisBrownsForeverandRihannasDisturbia,BrianKennedy,madeasurpriseappearance.Acrowdquicklygatheredaroundhimashebrokeitdownonthekeyboard.ClickheretolistentoBrianKennedyandTWizsremixtoBeyoncesIfIwereaboy.

SpecialQ&AwithRisingArtist

ErrolDixon

Q:IheardyouwereoncesignedtoR.Kellyslabel.Howdidthatcomeabout?

A:AtthetimeIwasinanR&BgroupoffourcalledTalent.ItallstartedwhenmytwinbrotherBishop(alsoamember)wasatanR.Kellyconcert.HewasthenapproachedbyafriendwhoknewKellyscousin,Blaqwhowaslookingforagroup.LongstoryshortweleftavoicemailwithBlaqofussinging.Helovedit.WethensangforR.Kellyoverthephone.

HighlightsfromBeatzillasHolidayParty

EYEONIT:DarkwastheNightTheresnothingbetterthan

artistsgivingbackwhilemak

inggreatmusic.Allprofits

fromthehighlyanticipated

indierockalbumDarkwas

theNight(withatotalof32

tracks)willgotosupportthe

RedHotAIDSOrganization.

Thisalbummarkstheinter

nationalcharity's20thmusic

compilation.Theorganiza

tionutilizesmusicasavehi

cletoraisebothmoneyand

awareness.

ThereleasedateforDarkas

theNightissetforFebruary

16th(worldwide)andFebru

ary17th(inNorthAmerica).

Artistsfeaturedinclude:

ArcadeFire

Feist

CatPower

IntheBoothStaffPicks

CarolynsPick

AkonRightNow(Na,na,na)

QuentinsPickBrandy

PianoMan

ChrisPickJohnLegendft.Brandy

Quickly

CheckThisOutGrammyNominated

ProducerBrianKennedy

ClickonPicturetoWatch

BeatzillaHolidayPartySurprise

ItwasnteventwoweeksbeforehesentaplaneandsignedustohislabelRockland.Q:WhydidyouleaveTalent?A:Iwasalwaysontheroadandnevergottimetoseemyfamily.Itmadesenseformetoleave.Q:Didyoustoppursingmusicforawhileafteryoucameback?

A:Notatall.IvebeendoingbackgroundvocalsforalotofgospelartistslikeFredHammondandtheClarksisters.CurrentlythoughIminagospelgroupoffive.Wehaventtieddownanameyet,butweareintheprocessofauditioningforbandmembersandlookingtogetsigned.Imalsoworkingwitharapper(namedisclosed)doingvocals.Q:Whendidyoufindyourpassionthroughmusic?

A:Ivebeensingingactuallysincetheageoffive.Myfathersalsoapastorsoitsinstilledinme.Formemusicislikebreathing.

In2009,BeatzillaUnpluggedwelcomesabrandnewcycleoflisteningparties.Thisgrowingseriesshowcasesbreakoutartistsseekingtobeheard.IfyouhaveaprojectandwouldliketobeconsideredforBeatzillaUnpluggedcontactusatunplugged@beatzilla.com.

Whosnextinthe

BeatzillaUnpluggedlisteningpartyseries?Checkouttheadonpage4formoredetails.

ComingtoaCityNearYou

Masterminds2009CashforCreativity

JanuaryandFebruary

ThePitchwillhandoutmoneytoartist,

innovators,andentrepreneurswhoare

changingKCsmetrocreativeandcultural

landscape.Theywillwritechecksforat

least$1000tosomeoneineachofthefol

lowingcategories:Visualandperforming

arts,fashion/design,andallaroundcrea

tiveaccomplishment.

BalancasStop,DropandRoll

EveryFriday

Ifyouwanttoenjoysomeofthebestin

dependentartiststhatKansasCityandthe

nationhastooffer,Balancasistheplace

tobeonFridaynight.Theywillbespin

ning:Electro,INDIE,soul,andpunk.

Re dWhiteandBlueCollar WestportFleaMarket Saturday,January17th

Lettheexcitementbegin!Inlessthan

tendaysSenatorBarackObamawill

beswornintopresidency.TheJackson

CountyDemocraticCommitteeiscele

bratingbyhostingtheblacktieevent

Red,WhiteandBlueCollarattheparty

roominWestportsFleaMarket.Tickets

startat$15.

BBKingandBuddyGuyValentinesDayConcertSaturday,February14th

ComingtothehistoricMidlandTheater

indowntownKansasCity;comeenjoya

nightofclassicblueswiththelegendary

BBKing.Ticketsareonsalenow.

FashionRocks:MissIndependentEveryindependentwoman

needsastylethatreflectsher

driveandstrength.Checkout

thesecurrenttrendsalong

withasoundtracktoputyou

intheperfectmoodtoex

pressyourselfthisseason.

Clickthepicturebelow

toseefulllayout.

BeatzillaTop3:HiddenArtists1.CorinneVielle

2.MikeAnt

3.THICKE

Unplugged Beatzilla Presents

PhotoCredit:JaniBrysonPhotoArtistry Stay Tuned For More Details!

Meet Jo Blaq NAME: JO BLAQ

TITLE: PRODUCER, SINGER, SONGWRITER

AGE: 25

GENRE: POP / ROCK

LABEL/PUBLISHER: BUG MUSIC

HHOOTT NNEEWW SSIINNGGLLEE:: HHOOLLLLYYWWOOOODD

CCLLIICCKK HHEERREE TTOO LLIISSTTEENN!!