It's no secret that being a professional musician in the current state of the industry is difficult, to say the least. Rapper Nipsey Hussle knows this and has attempted to remedy it with a daring new business model. How, you ask? He's selling CDs for $100 a piece.
Yes, you read that right. Hussle is readying his new mixtape Crenshaw for release on Tuesday (October 8), and while it's not actually a proper label release, he wants to make a living from his music. So, he's decided to throw a $100 price tag on the thing and see what happens.
Oh yeah, and it will be limited to 1,000 copies. So Nipsey could be looking at a cool $100,000 from this thing if he can convince his fans to buy it.
Here's Nipsey Hussle's statement in full [via RapRadar] about his plan:
It's 2013 weather we except it or not, buying music is a choice not a requisite. When I think of the psychology behind what makes me purchase an artists album, it's always a form of reciprocation. Almost like a token of appreciation after I experience the product.
The reason I chose to charge $100 dollars each copy and only start w 1000 units is because I'm tailor making my music for those who are listening…it's not about stepping outside of what I'm known for in hopes of new discovery. What that means less is fans that are better served. (Kinda like the effect of less kids in a class room leading to a better education)
I'm more or less focused on fully serving the ones that have connected all ready. That being said its a value over volume thing…if I'm goin to offer a product made with no compromise or concession to the platforms (radio, A&R opinion, label bias) ect…ect..then the way we sale it has to change.
Hence PROUD2PAY.
As an artist my goal is to inspire…entertain…motivated…and most importantly INOVATE. And as lovers of art we should base our purchase on the artists ability to do so. That being said, if my presence in the game has had any of those effects on you $100 is your form of saying don't change.
It ISN'T the price of the plastic case and polyurethane disc…it's the price of Revolution! The price of Rebellion against an industry that has tricked us all into making products that have no soul for fear of not being heard if we don't.
I have over 400k followers on twitter 140k on Instagram and 400k on Facebook but what good are they if they don't mobilize around my releases? if only 1000 of those people are engaged to the point of brand loyalty then that's who I'm focused on.
That being said: I fux w who fux w me. I have no plans to change up or go left on my people for hopes of a lager audience. And I have a feeling that this 1st 100 will be the evangelist to my cause.
Like Frank Lucas said nobody owns me. We might have to go into the jungle for it to work but once we get it… It's blue magic.
#fuccthemiddleman
#crenshaw 10.8.13
#proud2pay"
Yes, you read that right. Hussle is readying his new mixtape Crenshaw for release on Tuesday (October 8), and while it's not actually a proper label release, he wants to make a living from his music. So, he's decided to throw a $100 price tag on the thing and see what happens.
Oh yeah, and it will be limited to 1,000 copies. So Nipsey could be looking at a cool $100,000 from this thing if he can convince his fans to buy it.
Here's Nipsey Hussle's statement in full [via RapRadar] about his plan:
It's 2013 weather we except it or not, buying music is a choice not a requisite. When I think of the psychology behind what makes me purchase an artists album, it's always a form of reciprocation. Almost like a token of appreciation after I experience the product.
The reason I chose to charge $100 dollars each copy and only start w 1000 units is because I'm tailor making my music for those who are listening…it's not about stepping outside of what I'm known for in hopes of new discovery. What that means less is fans that are better served. (Kinda like the effect of less kids in a class room leading to a better education)
I'm more or less focused on fully serving the ones that have connected all ready. That being said its a value over volume thing…if I'm goin to offer a product made with no compromise or concession to the platforms (radio, A&R opinion, label bias) ect…ect..then the way we sale it has to change.
Hence PROUD2PAY.
As an artist my goal is to inspire…entertain…motivated…and most importantly INOVATE. And as lovers of art we should base our purchase on the artists ability to do so. That being said, if my presence in the game has had any of those effects on you $100 is your form of saying don't change.
It ISN'T the price of the plastic case and polyurethane disc…it's the price of Revolution! The price of Rebellion against an industry that has tricked us all into making products that have no soul for fear of not being heard if we don't.
I have over 400k followers on twitter 140k on Instagram and 400k on Facebook but what good are they if they don't mobilize around my releases? if only 1000 of those people are engaged to the point of brand loyalty then that's who I'm focused on.
That being said: I fux w who fux w me. I have no plans to change up or go left on my people for hopes of a lager audience. And I have a feeling that this 1st 100 will be the evangelist to my cause.
Like Frank Lucas said nobody owns me. We might have to go into the jungle for it to work but once we get it… It's blue magic.
#fuccthemiddleman
#crenshaw 10.8.13
#proud2pay"