This one is a little off from the usual stuff I post about but  I feel should close the year with a personal"Thought:" 

Every year I have one big thing that set out to accomplish and then at the end of that year, I sit down and reflect on it to see if I was able to reach said goal. 

Now, we all measure success differently. One person might be happy having a small business and living comfortably while another needs to be in those fortune 500s to feel the same way. There is no shame in how your measure success thus hopefully achieving your goals. However, measuring and limiting are two entirely different things.

We have come to the assumption that in this day and age, we need security. Unemployment is rising and global terror is happening more than ever. As much as I happen to agree with it my goals don’t change and yours shouldn’t either.

The idea of “Do the best you can ” or “Be the best you can be” should not be acceptable in our train of thought but instead we should think simply

                                                 "Be the Best.”  

Now its highly unlikely right; I mean being the best in anything? The truth is yes, it is and truthfully you might never have the chance to call yourself it or even be acknowledged by anyone that you were the best after you are gone. However one shouldn’t stop pushing, trying, or aiming for it. Because the truth is, once you do, you might as well just give in because five other people want it more than you and will do anything needed to get there.

That being said “Dream big but think Small.” Once you know what you want, set it in your head and attack it piece by piece. Take for example this blog. When I started “Tek’s Thoughts” I had one goal, to be noticed on the site. I was around for years yet no one knew me what did I do? I started posting my thoughts in the forum…a lot.

NO, DON’T DO WHAT I DID; it probably won’t work again.

(Chuckles)… save NFX the headache. Anyways a couple good reads, and a few letters here and there equaled SUCCESS! 

But you see it was a process, one where I wasn’t caring about getting to top, just to the next link in the chain. I’m no one special; many of blogs had countless grammatical errors and still do (I’m trying to fix that. Shoot there is probably a few I here) but I still went for it. I advise you do the same with your own goals. Do just enough to make a dent, enough to be known. Then when the time is right you will know when to attack it full force.

The last thing I want to bring up is the idea of moving forward. After you reach a level of success you are content with, you may want to try a completely different thing….

Go for it!

It can be going from Beat maker to Film Maker or Doctor to Policeman. It’s ok! You owe no one an explanation.  JUST REMEMBER: BE THE BEST AT IT!

Well guys, I guess that’s my last post of the year. I still have the whole series with the contracts but since that’s done, I consider it old. (ha) I’ll get to posting it up soon! This is Tek wishing you Happy Holidays and a Great New Year!

See You in 2012!!!!

One more thing Goals needed or not needed and what are your goals? Your Thoughts?

DAY 1

READ DISCLAIMER

Note: I’m not a lawyer and I am not giving/ recommending any legal advice. This is for information purposes only.

Types of Contract:

Distribution: With the rise of independent artists increasing steadily, this once one unknown agreement is now being sought out a lot. What this basically does is you provide material on a physical release to the label and they release it under their name and provide it to different distributors.

Good distribution deal benefits for artists’ include: 

• The label only takes 20-30 percent of profits.

• You have more of a say so in your music. (Creative Control) I mean it’s basically your music.
• Unless you sign otherwise, you are not tied down to release future albums under the label.     

This is just a distribution deal. The label pays money to get your music out there nothing else. What does this mean? You are going to have to work! This is no easy ride.

Do you know the Boston Rapper “Lotso Swagg?” me either… but he has a distribution deal and his album is in stores around the US; he is just not selling anything and is basically in the same position he was in before he had a deal

(No, this is not real but is a good example. Let’s keep using Lotso as an example though!)

Here are a few things that they are not and probably won’t pay for:

• Recording Cost
• Touring
• Advances
• Marketing
•  Promotion

Oh by the way be prepared to give up most if not all of your masters away (for whatever production that is getting distributed.

Tek’s Final Thought:

Regardless of how negative I might have made it seem above, I actually love this type of deal. Like I said, you need to work for it! Couple tips

Labels are looking for the final product; they have no more time to develop talent like back in the awesome Mo-Town days. So make sure you have a big and growing (Keyword: Growing) fan base that will support you when your or you artist’s album comes out. Because in reality, you have two options with this:

1. Use this as a stepping stone to get a bigger deal. 
2. Be content and be in charge of your artist life

This concludes Day 1: tomorrow join me for the next topic “ Standard Major Deal” 

So, Distribution Deals Go or No Go?

Your thoughts?

-Tek

 As I sit in my boring (inserts a lot of explicits) finance class, I start to think about company size, company profit, blogging, and sushi. Yea, don’t judge me. However even though my class is all based on starting your own companies, investing, and legal contracts, I can’t help thinking about all the up-in-coming artists/producers/ engineers/managers who are so desperate to get signed that they have absolutely no idea what they are getting into by signing contract; Thus beings my (5day) new work week-series…”Contracts.”

So, Like I said 5 topics = 5 days

Lets start with I guess the main thing that people want to hear “recording contracts.”

^ This one is for artists that want to get signed and or hardcore rappers. ^

In the future I plan to jump into Artist/Manager contracts and do a post on what I call “Producer’s agreement.”

Basic Info!

What’s a Contract?

So according to our friends at Google, "A written or spoken agreement, esp. one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy that is intended to be enforceable by law."

In layman’s if you sign, you must uphold those terms or you get destroyed; yes, destroyed!  Now that all the technical parts are done (well, not really) lets begin.

As an artist, you need to decide which one you are going to need BEFORE you start even pursuing TRYING to get signed.  Also, I’m not writing to show you what you need to get signed i.e. Demo, fan base, EPKs, etc. I’m just going to assume you have your ducks in a row before reading this.

Lets start!

-Tek