I have started performing live more over the past few months, as well as appearances on internet radio shows. I've been doing open mics and jam sessions mostly, with a few regional performances outside the city limits thrown in for good measure. I'm going to focus on building a large hardcore fan base in the local scene. This will be my focus, at least until the first quarter of 2015.
"Keep On Pushing" has turned out to be a great success. After finishing the French-speaking world, USA, Canada, UK, Oceania, and most of Africa, I have turned to Europe with the campaign once again. I am now more than halfway through Europe. "Drinks Up" has garnered a lot of favorable blog press, as well.
I released 5 more mixtapes since the last update: "The End Game", "Rap Major", "Time To Eat Vol. 1", "Fukhandoutz We Standout Vol. 1", and "Drinks Up". I regained my #1 spot on the ReverbNation Louisville All Genres Chart, also made it within the National Hip-Hop Top 40. I have grown my online following to around 36,000 based on ReverbNation stats, but about 60,000 if counting all social networks.
The fans are all scattered. I have fans in countries you'd never expect. It's been cool being able to go out without people recognizing me everywhere I go, but I have to step it up locally. I'm trying to check off as many items on the A&R checklist as possible in order to increase my potential opportunities.
I've started working with the LUMA Project at the University of Louisville Music Archives. I donated about a third of my memorabilia a couple months ago. I've already gathered another third of my
memorabilia, but haven't donated it yet. I'm also working on organizing a benefit concert for the Ebola efforts in Liberia.
I've upgraded my promo pics and I've distributed over 1,200 flyers locally. I decoupled my Twitter and Facebook accounts and adapted a format based on my old news segments on WLBJ. I've started putting the finishing touches on my poetry book, "Poems of a Forgotten Griot". I'm adding a short bonus chapter of Lullian poetry for laughs, and I plan to add a few African poem structures as well before release.
The cookbook idea took a hit. At first, I was planning it by myself but then started planning it with my girlfriend who I later broke up with a little over a month ago. So now I have a lot more recipes to fill in by myself. The cookbook should be shopped to publishers by first quarter of 2015.
My online marketing style has evolved. I'm now at the point where I'm attracting people who can really do a lot for my career, but the cost is starting to be in the $150-$750 range for everything. The old methods still work, but I can see the gap between their potential and what is required.
I'm going to transition away from mixtapes during the second half of 2014. I have some vault material that I'm allowing to see the light of day and be appreciated by the people. I guess that there are still maybe 10 more of these songs that are in good enough condition to end up on mixtapes. New songs will go on future albums, unless they are open collab tracks.
I received IMDB credits as a sound mixer on an episode of The Fly Trap and I'm working as a sound mixer on a horror movie being shot here in Kentucky this summer, with a possible sound track in the works. I want to shoot a professional music video to be released in the first half of 2015. I haven't done one and I think it's about time, and most importantly, I know how to do it. I also want to put together a pilot for a reality show.
There are so many projects that it getting overwhelming. I'm looking to outsource my grassroots promotion in the east end of Louisville and southern Indiana. I'm also looking for a social media PR company that can help me grow my brand and boost fan engagement. I have also come to the conclusion that I need a separate building for my studio. I have some new experimental vocal styles that are too loud to be recording in my condo.
I'm also reluctantly returning to the social media platforms YouTube and PureVolume. I love the fans on YouTube, but I despise YouTube since Google bought them. It has gone from being a fun platform to a knit picking, frustrating platform that gets on my nerves every time I use it. PureVolume is a music platform that tried to compete with ReverbNation, Soundcloud, and Soundclick, but fell short (with the possible exception of the rock scene). PureVolume seems to have lots of rock acts and fans, but not too much in other genres yet. Maybe I should get BandCamp instead.
Many of my friends have also regained their inspiration and picked back up their crafts. My income situation also improved in the last few months. Everything is coming together. But anyways, I'm gonna sign off and get some sleep. Thank you for reading!
http://www.purevolume.com/GodhandBlack
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