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Launching a music career in the hip-hop scene today has become easier, thanks to the availability of innovative technologies and accessible streaming platforms that give independent rising artists a fair chance to be recognized in the business. However, making that launch a remarkable success is a challenge as the artist will undeniably face various levels of difficulties, both in the creative aspect and business side of things. Rising hip-hop artist Mike Vallejo was well-aware of the potential struggles he would face when he decided to launch his music career. Still, he was determined to make it by simply using a fresh perspective to promote and market his songs.
Apart from being a gifted and promising hip-hop personality, Mike is also a thriving entrepreneur, giving him a unique perspective when it comes to growing his career. He recognizes the potential of social media to advance his career strategically. Independent artists such as himself need not put out so much money just to be heard on major streaming platforms. Social media has become an equalizing tool for a lot of music artists who do not have the support of big label companies and their resources.
As his legacy to future generations, Mike wants to be instrumental in introducing a new way of doing things, one that will allow talented young hopefuls to shine even without the support of big-budget management firms and music labels. Having experienced the challenges of being an entrepreneur first-hand, he wishes to emphasize the value of being able to take control of the distribution, marketing, and overall engagement processes involved in developing an exceptional brand that will stand out in a very competitive industry. He also strongly believes that it is crucial for artists to possess an entrepreneurial mindset regardless of their age. After all, it is selling records that bring in the money.
“Music platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music require specific engagements that I developed and tested on my own. I realized in some cases, the models that were used by certain labels were outdated. Leading artists nowadays are integrating cryptocurrency, NFTs as an integral part of their overall marketing strategy,” Mike shared.
Mike also sees the long-term potential of using non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to create awareness for songs, advocacies, and initiatives related to the artist’s overall branding. Slowly, personalities and executives in the music business realize how they can leverage NFTs to create remarkable opportunities.
“An interesting strategy to leverage is offering NFTs in lieu of other checkout methods, giving fans the rights and license to the music to promote, leverage and reuse at their discretion. Through this methodical approach, artists can raise upfront liquidity which in the past was loaned out by the label, where artists would be incentivized to just work harder to earn more,” Mike added. “Now, the industry is decentralized, giving authority back to the artist, which eventually will even the playing field.”
As Mike continues to challenge the norms within the music industry, fans can expect new experiences in the near future. His entrepreneurial skills combined with his musical talent, lyrical abilities, and determination to make things happen will surely make a difference for many aspiring young music artists in this generation and beyond.
