Our Goals

Whether people like it or not hip-hop is changing and this new hip-hop has the potential of being amazing! Doing our part to make that happen is what we are all about. Our goals are to:

Preserve the essence of emceeing

Teach new emcees to learn how to rap

Teach current emcees how to improve their rap skills

Save rappers years of trial and error in their pursuit of a career in rap

Provide aspiring emcees with advice from other successful rappers

Breakdown various aspects of the rap game

Help aspiring hip hop artists manuever in the music industry

Find Out More

Music Industry Jobs

A Listing & Description of Various Music Industry Jobs and more... (continued)

Music Director - The Music Director many times serves as the primary assistant to the Program Director and is generally responsible for selecting what music the station will present to its listeners. He or she also determines the order in which the songs will be played (the "rotation").

Music Teacher - A Bachelor's degree in Music (or its equivalent) is generally required to teach music in grades K-12. You may also teach music appreciation, theory, etc. in colleges, camps, and more. The title of "Hip-hop music teacher", however, is one I have not yet heard of.

On-Air Talent/Radio Show Host - Depending on the market, radio station or TV channel you may or may not be required to have Broadcast Experience for this position. Communications majors with an focus on broadcasting are preferred. You should have a strong clear voice, be knowledgable of your genre of music and its listeners, must have familiarity with computers, and be available to attend promotional events. Some positions even offer on-the-job training with no previous experience necessary. On a side note: Ludacris worked as on-air talent in Georgia before releasing his debut album.

Producer, Radio Show - You will have significant control over the content and sound of the radio programming and you'll be responsible for generating news segments, discussion topics, giveaways, and other subject matter presented on the show, including the booking of guests, etc. On-air talent is sometimes also required to aid the producer as a production assistant.

Producer, Music Studio - Forget college. Besides the help a couple of basic college music courses provide, most of what you know about producing beats and furthermore producing songs will rely on direct experience and/or apprenticeships. Eminem's mentor as far as producing was Dr. Dre, for example. Producing can seem a little overwhelming to some but it mainly requires a good ear for rhythm and timing. We plan on developing a learning guide for producers in the coming months so please stay tuned for that.

Promoter - In entertainment, a promoter is a person who makes arrangements and typically deals with financial compensation for one or more parties to an event. They may deal with your agent or with you directly and will typically be paid with a percentage of the booking fee or ticket sales. They are responsible for making sure the event (party, concert, etc.) is well attended.

Publicist -Marketing, Journalism, and Communications majors are largely preferred for this position. Public Relations experience is a plus. Publicists provide and coordinate press information including written press materials and photos, secure publicity through various media outlets, develop story angles, clean up bad press and more. Being a publicist can be a very well paid position.

Radio Station Intern - Any high school senior or college student can get this position. Generally radio stations will hire unpaid interns for their promotions department. Duties include helping load and unload equipment and giveaways when attending promotional events (grocery stores, clubs, malls, etc.) Setting up and cleaning up for the event as well as interaction with listeners is required. Dont be fooled, however, because I said anyone can get this position. I should have said anyone who puts forth a good interview (professionally yet with an appeal to the radio stations target audience) can get this position. Be confident but courteous, maybe even a little funny. Provide a well-written resume. An internship can always lead you to better opportunities if you show enthusiasm and ability.

Recording Engineer - A "sound engineering technician" operate machines and equipment to record, synchronize, mix, or reproduce music, voices, or sound effects in sporting arenas, theater productions, recording studios, or movie and video productions. A recording engineer works in a studio and may work alone or with other producers and can record anything from calls to dialogue to music. In the case of music, you should be familiar with advanced digital editing and musical sequence techniques with ProTools and other digital software/hardware. Training and experience is usually required.

Retail - Believe it or not working at Sam Goody, F.Y.E., or any other music retail stores can be a valuable learning experience for aspiring musicians. Landing the job is easy. What's priceless is what you can learn through observing consumer buying habits and noticing which advertising methods or promotions work best. Does anybody buy singles anymore? Which artists or labels get the best shelf space and why? Get a job in retail and find out.

Singer - A career as a professional headlining singer, as evident through American Idol's success, is a dream for many. This is, however, a difficult job to land. Still, there are other singing jobs available in numerous studios or with many musical acts in need of back up singers or vocals for a chorus (especially true in hip hop). Try advertising at local studios. Requirements can vary but a strong, clear, steady voice is key. You don't even have to be the greatest to make money singing. Nate Dogg, for example, has made a living doing nothing but mediocre hooks but with a unique voice.

Songwriter - Few people realize that most musicians perform works that were written by others. When the royalties come in, half go to the writer and half to the performer. You can also be a ghostwriter and sell your songs at a fixed price and give full credit to the performer. That might be the better option depending on the song's expected success. Puff Daddy and Dr. Dre are two performers known for their dependence on ghostwriters.

Studio Musician - Studio musicians generally are hired to play a specific instrument for recording in a studio. They can work on anything from music to film projects. A portfolio of your work and experience is generally required. Studio musicians are have been used by numerous rappers such as Pharaoh Monch, Mos Def and many more to provide a more acoustic and live sound to their music.

Useful Music Industry Links

About.com: Music Careers - Helpful business advice for aspiring bands and artists.

Music Jobs USA - A good resource for music industry job listings and internships.

Radio Internships - Advice and guidance on landing a radio station internship.

Music Business Tips - Tips for getting a job in the music industry and moving up.