6. BURN YOUR CD's (and draw pickles on them)- Shoot
man. No one cares who you are. No one will care who you are.
Why??
They have
nothing to remember you by except your annoying ass rhymes that aren't even
that good. To be remembered better in a more positive way, you should burn your
best 4 or 5 songs at home and design on them. It doesn’t have to be pickles,
but I sure tell you that a name like Kosha
Dillz, people remember. J Money, people don’t.
Brown Leaves of Harvest, Green Leaved Youth, Yellow Leaves Autumn....all
typical band names. "I
EAT DEATH FOR BREAKFAST"... now that’s a name!
7. ATTEND TOURING ACTS SHOWS- Come support all touring acts
shows in your town. Toss them some extra money or bring them some goodies.
***PS
and FYI: We don't want weed. We want you to buy our merch or take
us to a great meal or just show some love and bring your friends. We also don't
want shots. We also don't want to get F'ed up at your crib for the after party.
Kosher means no sausage parties. We want to sleep in your parents Victorian
home with lots of great food in the fridge with a hot shower.
8. DO SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES RAP or ROCK- That's
right guys. Have a job! Do something! Not because it makes you more money but
more importantly it makes you more diverse, keeps you inspired and makes us
think you are a productive member of society, just like your fans! You can also
save money to travel.
9. TRAVEL- Travel is essential for an artist.
Attend shows out of state and bring your self made CDs to network. You can get
the money referring to #6 above.
10. HELP OTHERS, NOT YOURSELF- There is a
chronological order to when you will have your chance. You will not have it
today. Nor tomorrow. Now is not my chance either (so don't feel bad). Here I am
helping you guys. Maybe you'll help me later...will you? Who knows? It’s not
up to me. Those who understand how it works, work it.
***I just did a free show for this college. I
didn't want to do it because I knew they had money for me last time, but it was
a good cause, and I am down for it. So instead they just give me minimum
travel and I go up there Nov 13th. The very next day I get a call from someone
about a show for $1000 in February :)
If you
can't get an interview for yourself, get one for someone else. I also write for other publications. Realize that
helping someone else is helping yourself. In a selfish industry, you get the
honor of feeding your soul.
11.
INVEST IN YOURSELF- Stickers, flyers, skateboards, ads, studio time, flights to LA, NYC,
Austin or whatever. Invest in yourself!! All you people want to get paid but 1...you still stink…2 no one cares that your good...3…no credibility because no one has
heard of you outside your neighborhood where your boy has your beat CD/mixtape
so you have never been forced to get better. By investing in yourself with
POP material, it makes it more fun to go out and keeps it fresh for others. You
are taking it to another level
so people will judge you on another new
level.
12. DONT LOOK BACK- I got multiple tours cancelled.
Multiple shows cancelled. I remember the first time I was to do a show out of
state. i was getting booed off of stage 3 years ago by 500 people.
I embarked
on a 11,000 mile tour last year with spare change after coat tailing other
artists for the prior years. I went for it. I was in Yeshiva studying 10
hours a day while booking a national tour in between classes. I decided
to book one show a day. I got on everything by myself. I networked from
one guy to the next guy and pressed up 5,000 fliers and hit up every city
for as low as $3 dollars to $44 dollars a show, but I also got $500 a show one
time too. I slept in 5 hotels in two months and couch surfed across America. I
ended up making money after selling so many CDs and taking donations, and
landed spontaneously on shows with Hieroglyphics, Blue Scholars, Immortal Technique
and MURS. Despite all that, I still did acoustic open mics. My first show had 2
people and by the time I was in San
Diego I was rocking in front of 600.
If
you believe you were meant to do this music stuff than do it. If not, quit now.
Go get a "real" job. Go be like them. BUT IF YOU ARE READY TO FULLY
DO THIS, take the right action by spending yourself and your team will
come to you. WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
(Or rap in
your dorm with a beer can in your underwear and become the next superstar. Hey
what do I know?)
This
is just FREE ADVICE
KOSHA DILLZ
is headed for a humongous tour again across the USA after being inspired by the
readers of AMALGAM and will not take no for an answer. His album with C-Rayz Walz, Freestyle vs Written, is out in stores now.
"Oh
yeah, I got bills to pay too."
He is
also featured on the new Pace Won and MR Green album, "The Only Color That
Matters is Green"
Also
read his blogs Everyone is Jewish
and Adventures with kosha
Dillz