Trapital by Dan Runcie

hip-hop business + strategy

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WEEKLY ARTICLE

How Megan Thee Stallion Grew Her Fanbase

The 24-year-old rapper grew by doing things that don’t scale, but her business partners need to find the right balance to get Megan to the next level.

Meg Thee Stallion at the 2019 MTV VMAs (via Noam Galai/Getty Images)

Hot girl semester is officially in session. Megan Thee Stallion is in her final year at Texas Southern University. After graduation, she plans to use her healthcare administration degree to launch assisted-living facilities in Texas. “You got your people taking care of your people… this is what I’m gonna do,” she told Vulture in April.

She recently signed a management deal with Roc Nation, filed a trademark for “Hot Girl Summer”, and has the entire industry watching her next move. The “Big Ole’ Freak” artist has 300 Entertainment and Roc Nation backing her. But those companies haven’t supported someone quite like Megan. They need to step outside their standard box to help Meg’s career reach its full potential.

Do Things That Don’t Scale

Meg’s 2016 Houston rooftop cypher still gets talked about. It’s the type of performance that normally delivered by rapper’s rappers. Meg’s late mother and former manager, Holly-Wood, was known in Houston for her rapping ability. Rap is in Meg’s DNA.

Typically, these types of artists rely heavily on lyricism. Music is their product. And since their product gets full attention, distribution is often de-prioritized. In these cases, record labels and management teams try to make up for the lack of distribution, but it’s often an uphill climb.

Hot Girl Meg’s rise to fame has eased the burden for both her label and management. She’s cultivated her Hotties fanbase to meet up for New York City house parties and beach cleanups in Santa Monica, California. She spends time on tasks that don’t scale (which will eventually help her scale). It’s the same guidance that Y-Combinator shares with its founders:

“We tell startups to get their first customer by any means necessary, even by manual work that couldn’t be managed for more than ten, much less 100 or 1000 customers. At this stage, founders are still trying to figure out what needs to be built and the best way to do that is talk directly to customers.”

These moves are the backbone for successful distribution. Meg already had a strong product, but she maximized her reach through her social media presence, interviews, and events. Her signature catchphrases and multiple aliases (Tina Snow, Hot Girl Meg) are tailor-made for the social media era. Ironically, her Fever mixtape, which came out in July, has been a relative afterthought compared to everything else Meg has done this summer.

Meg told Variety that rappers call her every day to collaborate. And if rappers are calling, that means companies are calling too. There was a bunch of companies that tried to use ‘hot girl summer’ as a tagline to sell products. Those same brands would love to feature the lead Hottie herself, but Meg now has more support to evaluate and execute on those opportunities.

Here’s Meg’s other popular clip, her 2017 STALLI FREESTYLE

300 Entertainment’s First Lady

Megan Thee Stallion is the first female rapper signed to 300 Entertainment. She’s one of many women in hip-hop who were ‘first’ on their respective teams. Twenty years ago, Eve named her debut album Ruff Ryders First Lady. But Eve was the first on a smaller record label, Ruff Ryders Entertainment. It’s very different than Meg, who was the first female rapper on a label with nearly 50 acts! What has 300 been on this whole time?

The label was founded in 2012 by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, and Todd Moscowitz. It was funded by Google Ventures and built for the digital era. 300 Ent had an early partnership with Twitter to use the tech firm’s data insights to inform both marketing and A&R efforts. Cohen, Liles, and Moscowitz knew where the industry was headed and wanted a modern approach to labels and artist development. 300 was also an early advocate for the ever-polarizing 360 deals.

In a few years, the lineup was stacked with talent. By 2016, 300 had signed the Migos, Fetty Wap, Young Thug, and Rich the Kid. It was hip-hop’s Oklahoma City Thunder team with Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook.

But the strong fabric started to unravel. Fetty Wap couldn’t recapture that same energy he had in 2015. His follow-up album has been in a perpetual state of delay. Rich the Kid went on Instagram to say “fuck 300” for not letting him out of an early contract. The Migos also aired their grievances with the record label because they weren’t able to monetize hits like “Look at My Dab” until after the moment passed. Both Rich and the Migos are now with Quality Control Music. Just like that OKC team, all that talent left with little to show from its run.

Cohen has publicly challenged both Rich the Kid and Migos’ complaints about his former label. Cohen, who left 300 in 2016 to become Global Head of Music as YouTube, felt strongly about Rich the Kid honoring the initial contracts signed and the Migos’ inconsistency.

Is Cohen right? Yes. Contracts matter. But this is the era of artist empowerment. Rappers want the flexibility to renegotiate contracts and release music on their terms. And when things don’t go their way, they will tell the media and public about it (knowing full well that the public will side with the artist).

This dynamic frustrates industry veterans like Cohen who rose through the ranks when labels had more power over artists. The power shift shocked the system. While labels can’t (and shouldn’t) be pushovers, the most successful ones have adjusted by offering favorable and flexible terms, especially for its acts with superstar potential.

Meg joined 300 in November 2018. Without knowing the full details of her deal, we can assume it’s competitive since Meg had multiple offers. But it’s still on 300 Entertainment to coordinate the rollout for her debut album. The worst-case scenario would be for Megan to follow the unfortunate pattern of past 300 artists who didn’t release their albums in time to capture the peak of their popularity.

Here’s Meg celebrating her signing with 300. At the point, Hennessy should be trying to partner with Meg! It’s her drink of choice to drive the boat. (via karencivil.com)

Roc Nation needs to adjust for Megan

Since Roc Nation now manages Meg, it’s in the company’s best interest to work closely with 300. Roc Nation has positioned itself as an industry leader. It has the staff to help Megan move quickly. I was surprised to find out that Meg didn’t file the Hot Girl Summer trademark until July 10! It should now be easier for the Houston rapper to move forward on tasks like that.

With that said, most of the entertainment company’s deals are limited in two ways. First, they’re heavily geared toward artists in the twilight years of their careers. (For instance, it had Jadakiss performed at a Roc Nation boxing matches, and Mariah Carey recently made the theme song for ABC’s new series Mixed-ish.) Second, these opportunities are often structured to strengthen Roc Nation’s broader ecosystem. Roc Nation wants its artists to perform at venues controlled by Live Nation, which re-upped its joint venture deal with Jay Z’s entertainment company in 2017. Roc Nation also wants its artists to perform at major sporting events, which increases the power and exposure for its agency, Roc Nation Sports.

To maximize Meg’s opportunities, both Roc Nation and 300 will have to focus less on their standard norms and more on what’s best fit for Megan’s brand. Meg’s been very clear about who The Hotties are. She’s intentional on how best to bring them together. Before she’s pitched with a particular opportunity, these organizations need to ask “Will The Hotties come out for this?” “Will this recruit more Hotties?”

Thee Stallion’s social media content strategy is a lens to her playbook. Her Instagram feed is full of videos with fans who “drive the boat“, concert appearances, twerk videos, fan interactions, and more. She’s done all the hard work. The best opportunities will allow her to be herself and continue fostering that fanbase.

Roc Nation’s NFL deal has been the company’s primary focus. I won’t be surprised if the company tries to get Megan Thee Stallion to perform in February’s Super Bowl halftime show. It’s an easy way for both Roc Nation and 300 to give hip-hop’s rising star a grand platform, but it’s a double-edged sword for a few reasons.

First it would contradict Meg’s current strategy of focusing on tasks that don’t scale. Meg joined Roc Nation to take her career to the next level, but there’s a few levels to hit before she performs on the biggest stage in entertainment. Second, the Super Bowl has negative network effects.

Here’s what I wrote earlier this year:

“In entertainment, the Super Bowl halftime show is well past the saturation point. Artists try to please everyone with widely-accessible shows. The end result is an overly-generic performance that’s a layup for critics to hate on. Even stars with more ubiquitous fandom, like Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, were still criticized after their Super Bowl performances.”

The blanket opportunities would give Megan a huge audience, but that’s not what she needs. She needs the right audience. Meg has put in work to cultivate a fanbase, brand, and following. And now that school’s back in session, she needs partners she can rely on who can keep that same energy.

Trapital is one of LinkedIn’s Must-Read Series. Get the next article in your inbox.

Trapital is written by Dan Runcie: info [at] trapital.co

50 Cent is a Habitual Line Stepper

Dan is joined by Ace Patterson (hip-hop artist ‘Call Me Ace,’ Consumer Marketing at Facebook). They break down how 50 Cent built a brand on shock value, why he raises hell on social media, whether he’s changed his style, and why he’ll never get canceled.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | SoundCloud | YouTube | RSS

Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guest: Ace Patterson, @callmeacelegit, callmeace.com

Links referenced:

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Why 50 Cent Hasn’t Been Canceled

The problematic New York rapper built his brand on shock value and adjusted his approach to keep that same energy in today’s climate.

50 Cent

(Image via Getty/Jordi Vidal)

A few weeks ago, 50 Cent did something out of character: He caved to public pressure.

Curtis Jackson had recently hit up Trey Songz to remix the theme song for Power—the Starz drama that 50 Cent produces and acts in. The R&B singer was reluctant to participate, but 50 convinced him it was a good idea. When the remix dropped, fans let 50 have it. The show’s passionate fanbase felt connected to the original “Big Rich Town” song by Joe. They weren’t ready for change.

It’s a relationship that 50 acknowledged in a recent interview on The Breakfast Club:

“It’s the Sanford & Son type thing. You need that record. If it doesn’t play like that, you don’t even know the show’s coming on.”

It was a relatively humbling moment from someone who rarely gives a fuck. 50 Cent doesn’t apologize or soften his stance for anyone. It’s a persona that the “In Da Club” rapper has stayed true to. In the early 2000s, he embodied his role as America’s Favorite Gangsta. But as we approach 2020, those same antics have made him Hip-Hop’s Problematic Uncle. He bullies Wendy Williams, defends R. Kelly, and makes fun of tsunami victims. There’s not much he can do that will surprises us.

But 50 has yet to be silenced by cancel culture. The 44-year-old knows exactly where “the line” is. He crosses it often, but stop before it damages his long-term opportunities. His evolution is a fascinating, although troubling, microcosm today’s fragmented landscape.

Shock value saved his life

In the 90s, 50 Cent was just another New York rapper vying to break out. He had a co-sign from Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, got signed by Columbia Records, but was still relatively quiet.

Things changed in 1999 when he dropped “How to Rob”, a parody diss track that made fun of every big name artist in the game.

He reflected on “How to Rob” in an interview with AOL:

“I did it cuz…when you’re on a major label.. there’s a hundred artists on that label… you gotta separate yourself from that group and make yourself relevant… all I was doing with that record was makin everybody at one time say “WHO’S 50 CENT? Who is this guy?”…And it worked.”

50 generated more buzz with songs like “Ghetto Qu’ran”, which name-dropped several drug dealers in Jamaica Queens, NY. But months later, 50 Cent got shot nine times. During his recovery, his record label dropped him. His near-death experience gave him a chip on his shoulder. It was an effective marketing tool that launched a memorable mixtape run, which put him on Eminem and Dr. Dre’s radar.

The iconic album cover for Get Rich or Die Tryin’ was a reminder to America that he got shot nine times and lived to tell the story. His relentless disses at Ja Rule and Murder Inc. were publicity stunts to increase his popularity. The brand appeal of 50 Cent was fueled by the lines he was willing to cross.

As 50’s brand grew, the partnership opportunities expanded. The brands that were best fits for 50 were those that also thrived on shock value. Back then, Reebok was all in on hip-hop culture with its partnerships with Allen Iverson, 50 Cent, and Jay Z. Additionally, Vitamin Water was eager to make waves in the beverage industry and benefited from 50’s association. Similarly, Effen Vodka teamed up with 50 Cent to follow the example set by Ciroc’s partnership with Diddy. Everyone wanted in on the 50 Cent show.

“Shock value” in today’s climate

As times changed, Curtis Jackson adapted his approach to shock value. It made his job both easier and harder.

It’s easier because 50 can raise hell on social media. In the past, 50 relied on diss tracks, visits to Hot 97, and appearances on 106 & Park to start beef with someone. The gatekeepers—record labels, radio, and TV — amplified his message to the masses.

With Instagram and Twitter, 50 can now start shit with whoever, have an audience of followers who endearingly engage, and get popular hip-hop websites to write articles about his trolling.

But social media has desensitized us to the outlandish antics that drove 50’s initial rise. If today’s rappers tried to execute 50 Cent’s 2002 playbook, it would hardly raise eyebrows. Those that tried to modify that playbook, like Tekashi 6ix9ine, took it too far and turned out as expected.

To stay true to his brand, 50 had to take things to another level. He discussed this evolution in a 2018 interview with Business Insider:

Here’s 50:

“I knew that the premium cable space, Starz is the place for me because of how graphic our culture has become. In music culture, youth culture, hip-hop culture, things are a little different.

At one point, to give you an example, I would write a song that said ‘I’ll take you to the candy shop’ and it was graphic at the point we were releasing that song. But now, solo artists are using lines like ‘you gotta eat the booty like groceries’. In this climate, you have to make adjustments. What am I supposed to say for shock value if I gotta to eat the booty like groceries?”

50’s partnership with Starz was a match made in heaven. There’s only a handful of companies that would put up with 50 telling fans to cancel their Starz subscriptions! Can you imagine if Zendaya told people to cancel their HBO subscriptions because she was in a dispute with the producers for Euphoria?

In this climate (to use 50’s words), he had to find business partners that either embraced his trolling persona or could care less about it. That group of partners is smaller than it once was, but there’s still more than enough money available from those partners.

From rapper to mogul… back to rapper?

Earlier this week on the same  Breakfast Club interview, 50 responded to a very relevant question about how he gets away with all his outlandish statements:

“My brand is built different. They like to put you in the mogul section, I like to stay rapper.” They want to say, ‘You’re a mogul now, you can’t say that shit 50!’ I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, I’m a rapper. So I can still say what I feel, like my honest opinion.’ I know you look and say ‘in this climate why would you say some shit like that’ and some of the stuff I say, and it’s because of the way I made myself into this position.”

This implies that the expectations for “rappers” is lower than it is for “moguls”, but there are two issues with this. First, this distinction is now blurred. Most of today’s rappers have numerous business interests. Young Thug and Tyler, The Creator have more business ventures than the average entertainment ‘mogul’. It’s foolish for someone like 50 Cent to separate himself from that class.

Second, 50 didn’t always view himself this way. For years, 50 proudly welcomed his status as a hip-hop mogul. His business pursuits were discussed in the same breath as Jay Z and Diddy’s were. He got the same glowing coverage in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and other outlets.

50 Cent hasn’t been “canceled” because he preemptively canceled himself. He now solely focuses on brands that embrace his shock value and avoids outlets that would be outraged by his behavior.

For instance, 50 Cent caused a stir when he mocked Terry Crews’ sexual harassment. A petition with nearly 40,000 signatures called for Starz to cut ties with 50 Cent and remove him from the show. If Power was on ABC, the petition might have led to a mandatory public apology by 50 Cent. But today’s version of 50 would never make a show for ABC for that specific reason.

Is this problematic? Yes. Of course it is. But this is the culture we live in.

The great aspect of today’s consumer landscape is that there are more ways than ever to reach an audience and get paid for it. The troubling thing about today’s consumer landscape is that there are more ways than ever to reach an audience and get paid for it.

50 said that he’s yet to lose out on an opportunity because of his antics. Even he has lines he won’t cross. He turned down Donald Trump’s $500,000 offer to appear at a 2016 campaign rally. He also disassociated himself from his former ‘son’, Tekashi 6ix9ine.

But even folks who actually get ‘canceled’ still get their money one way or another. Look at someone like Azealia Banks. She has largely been blackballed in hip-hop for her consistently abhorrent remarks but still has a record label that releases her music, still has a fanbase, and still gets media coverage when her music drops. Her behavior may have stunted the potential she had after “212” came out, but there’s still a place for her to make money with an engaged base.

The same is true for 50. He’s smart enough to know where his place is and when to stop. And the way his businesses are set up, he won’t change any time soon.

Trapital is one of LinkedIn’s Must-Read Series. Get the next article in your inbox.

Trapital is written by Dan Runcie: info [at] trapital.co

What Chance the Rapper Gets Wrong About Ownership

The Chicago rapper advises indie artists to avoid record labels, distribution deals, and management deals, but that blanket advice may shield artists from sound opportunities.

Chance the Rapper (via Essence)

For years, Chance the Rapper has emphasized the importance of artist independence. His experience, similar to Russ and other rappers, has been “look at me, I did it. Y’all can too.”

But last week on The Breakfast Club, Lil’ Chano from the 79th took his ideology one step further:

Chance advised indie artists not to sign a record, distribution, publishing, or management deal. His blanket statement was met with pushback. Chance clapped back at the critics with, “Im convinced all the niggas in the replies work at a label 🤣🤣”

The 26-year-old rapper is hardly alone in his push for artist independence. Record label deals are commonly referred to as modern-day sharecropping. In fairness, there are plenty of bad deals out there. Back in 2012, Chance himself was offered a laughable $120,000 for a six-album deal!

But music’s biggest stars are still signed to labels for a reason. Many of them had the opportunity to become independent but still re-upped their deal with more favorable terms. Chance’s advice comes from an earnest place, but the details and nuance are important for those who want to maximize their independence.

What does ‘independent’ even mean?

Chance’s independence has been hotly-contested for years. He’s been accused of being an industry plant on several occasions. In 2016, Apple Music gave Chance $500,000, two commercials, and premiere placement on the streaming service in exchange for two weeks of exclusivity for his Grammy Award-winning Coloring Book. His critics view this as a deal with major backing, thus nullifying Chance’s indie status. But Chance views it as a short-term business deal. He’s advised other indie artists to do the same if presented with similar opportunities.

For some, any unsigned artist is ‘independent’. But artist-owned indie record labels can cloud that definition. Others use the industry’s traditional definition: any artist that’s not signed to a major label (or any of their imprints) is independent. But that’s just as much of a grey area. Roc Nation is not a major label, but no one would considers the artists on its label ‘independent’.

Independence is a spectrum. Both ends of that spectrum are extreme cases. One end is complete ownership: the artist who only sell music on their own website. The other end is a full partnership where the artist is controlled in a 360 deal. Most artists—signed and unsigned—lie somewhere in the middle. They are in some sort of “deal” to gain distribution, promotion, or money.

More options to serve artists

In March, I wrote that Def Jam should split its record label to get the most out of its new Rap Camp initiative and best serve today’s rising acts:

“Like most labels today, Def Jam faces two challenges. First, it needs to convince artists that labels are still viable. Rosenberg’s label competes with non-label options, like staying independent or signing with a distribution service. Second, it needs to convince artists that Def Jam is the best label to sign with. These are two related, but very different challenges.

Def Jam can address both with this split. Rap Camp has all the tools to entice indie artists. It’s designed to build camaraderie, provide album placement, and boost publicity with the docu-series. But if Rap Camp was open to indie artists and those yet to be signed, then Def Jam can select participants from a wider and stronger talent base.”

This proposal is essentially a distribution arm for Def Jam. Since the definition of independence is increasingly grey, it’s a bit myopic to expect today’s top talent to quickly lock in to a long-term binding deal. For labels as prominent as Def Jam (owned by Universal), this added flexibility will help them attract a wide range of artists with superstar potential. The result would be similar to my recent suggestion for Roc Nation. Different parts of the organization can serve different artists:

Now, there’s nothing wrong with labels defining their scope. A label whose primary goal is to develop the next Rihanna will have sharp focus. But the path to becoming “the next Rihanna” is less linear than it was before. If a label that wants to maximize that opportunity, it needs to be flexible.

Deals still make sense for some artists

A few months ago, Troy Carter shared his thoughts on the “independent wave” in an interview with Cherie Hu at the Midem Conference:

“There’s a false narrative out there right now: ‘Oh, every artist wants to be independent’. Taylor Swift doesn’t want to be on TuneCore! No offense. Taylor Swift was out of her deal and decided to re-up with Universal. She didn’t do it for the money. She doesn’t need the money. It’s the experience [at Universal].”

He’s right. At a certain level, superstars want to work with the best in the game. Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Post Malone, Drake, and Taylor Swift are all tied to the major record labels for a reason. Despite their massive social media followings and strength of their standalone brands, they still want access to distribution that will maximize their reach.

This is where the music and tech are similar. Is it possible to build a successful tech company without VC funding? Yes, MailChimp is a bootstrapped company that’s on track to hit $700 million in annual revenue this year. But there’s a difference between MailChimp’s $700 million and Uber’s $11 billion revenue. It’s incredibly hard to build a tech company that earns Uber’s revenue without venture capital funding.

Could a major record label have helped Chance’s The Big Day?

Chance’s challenge is that his indie strategy is similar to MailChimp, but his expectations are similar to Uber. At the end of The Breakfast Club interview, he reflected on why he wouldn’t sign a record label deal at this point in his career:

“Even if there was an astronomical number that did benefit me and there were the craziest terms in the world that have never been done before. I’m at this point where I’m a beacon of this whole thing. Everything is about narrative and how you’re represented. There’s people who aren’t like Sylvia Rhone who want to see this all apart so they can prove that you need them to make this work.”

Chance’s steadfast desire to validate his business model is understandable. His brand would take a hit if he switched his style up (even if he was offered a ridiculous, Jay Z-Live Nation type deal). It’s one of the many tradeoffs he’s accepted as an advocate for this movement. But there’s two things to keep in mind:

  • Chance’s success is fairly unprecedented. His critics have qualified his success as a one-off case that’s hard to replicate. While Chance often takes this criticism personally, it’s less of a personal attack and more of a ‘proceed with caution’ for those who follow him. Becoming the next Chance is not as easy as following his blanket advice. Chance is incredibly talented and had a timely rise. Those are both hard to replicate.
  • Despite Chance’s success, there are still levels that he’s yet to reach. He’s received the critical acclaim, accolades, and media attention of one of hip-hop’s biggest names, especially back in 2016 and 2017. But he’s yet to put up Drake / Beyonce / Rihanna numbers.

That last point echoes the commercial performance of Chance’s album, The Big Day. Chance was open about his goal to debut at #1 on the Billboard charts, but he lost that top spot to NF. Now, there are several advantages that NF has over Chance, but NF also has Capitol Records behind him. Meanwhile, Chance has his own team.

The reception to The Big Day has been mixed, which likely stunted his first-week album sales. But would Chance’s promotional strategy have been stronger if it was backed by a major?

For instance, Chance launched a bizarre promotional offer with Lyft. Riders could download his album for free, but those free downloads didn’t count toward album sales. The promotion was intended to increase exposure, but why go through the effort if the sales don’t count? Sure, many people who acquire digital albums are more likely to stream the album, but this tactic could have been better executed.

Is it possible to be successful and independent? Of course. Chance has proved this time and time again. He owns his music. He earns a higher revenue share than NF or any other signed artist. That difference matters. Artist independence is heavily-aligned with the ownership themes that run through several Trapital articles. Ownership-minded folks are in deals where their revenue or profit share is higher, but overall dollar amounts are smaller. That’s the standard tradeoff.

Some day, Chance may very well land the #1 album on the charts. But will the artists who follow Chance’s strategy be able to do the same? The tradeoffs between ownership and partnership will always come to light. There are exceptions to every rule, but there’s a spectrum for a reason.

Trapital is one of LinkedIn’s Must-Read Series. Get the next article in your inbox.

Trapital is written by Dan Runcie: info [at] trapital.co

How Political Hip-Hop Has Evolved Over Time

Political hip-hop music is everywhere, but it doesn’t feel that way to mainstream fans. That disconnect is a reflection of hip-hop’s progression and the ever-changing media landscape.

K. Dot and President Obama in the Oval Office in 2016 (Vimeo via VIBE)

In the late 80s and early 90s, rappers relied on their music to voice the struggles of black America. Public Enemy’s Chuck D famously called rap the ‘Black CNN.’ Most of the social issues that impacted hip-hop artists weren’t reflected accurately in mainstream media. And hip-hop itself wasn’t respected as an artform. Thus, the fight for rap’s relevancy and the fight for social justice were intertwined. “Fight the Power” was a call to action. A voice for the underrepresented. A validation of culture.

Hip-hop now has more of that credibility it once sought after. Social media has amplified the voice of those that Public Enemy and others advocated for. Rap’s biggest stars also have access to platforms that were once unattainable. And truthfully, there’s more political hip-hop music and activism than ever before. Childish Gambino, Rapsody, J. Cole and others have released critically-acclaimed music to share their beliefs with the world.

But mainstream hip-hop fans still feel like political hip-hop is lacking. There’s a stark difference between perception and reality. That disconnect stems from how political rap is both consumed and delivered in our changing media landscape.

Today’s artists maximize their voice

Last month, Cardi B took to Instagram to explain why she doesn’t release songs about serious subjects. From Instagram (@iamcardib):

“I rap about my pussy because it sounds like that what’s people wanna hear. When I did ‘Be Careful’ I heard mad shit in the beginning, like ‘what the fuck is this?’ So I’m like aight, if that ain’t what people wanna hear, I’m gonna rap about my pussy again.

Second of all, there’s a lot of female rappers that be rappin’ they ass of, don’t talk about their pussy, don’t talk about gettin’ down and dirty, and y’all don’t be supporting them.”

Gotta love the raw delivery, but someone had to say it. Cardi went onto name Rapsody, Tierra Whack, and others who don’t get the support they deserve. Her comments were initially directed at Jermaine Dupri’s criticism of women in hip-hop, but her comments apply to political rap too. Can you imagine if Cardi B released a song about her adoration for FDR? Even if the song was fire, it would get hated on by her fans, Fox News, and everyone in between.

Instead, Cardi relies on other channels for activism. Earlier this month, she interviewed presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The Bronx rapper gathered questions from her fans to ask the Vermont Senator in a 1-1 chat:

Bernie x Cardi B

She maximized her impact by leveraging different platforms for different audiences. This is a topic I recently spoke about in an episode of the Trapital Podcast. Moody Jones—head of digital at EMPIRE—talked about the need for artists to be consistent across platforms, but be cognizant of the unique differences across media. Cardi’s followers on Facebook are not necessarily the same folks who follow her on Instagram.

The same is true with companies. The first step is to demonstrate consistency across the brand. The second step is to adjust tactics to cater to different audiences. Each platform caters to a different type of person. If a company launches a podcast, that podcast will reach a slightly different audience than its IGTV clips will.

In hip-hop’s golden age, those outlets weren’t available. Remember, Chuck D was known as a politically-conscious rapper. Meanwhile, Cardi is a mainstream artist who occasionally delves into politics. But despite Chuck D’s interest in political discourse, he could have never landed an interview with Ronald Reagan or Michael Dukakis. They would have called up the secret service if the Public Enemy frontman got near either of them.

Today’s biggest stars have access that was once unprecedented. If one of hip-hop’s superstars makes a politically-minded record–with all the other options available– its because they truly want to release a record. It’s a subtle difference that has heightened the expectations of the artform.

In 2004, Diddy interviewed then U.S. Senate candidate Barack Obama during MTV’s Vote or Die campaign. Also, a 34-year old Diddy called 42-year old Obama a ‘kid’. Classic Diddy.

The underlying themes don’t get discussed

Political hip-hop has shifted in a few ways. First, today’s rappers who focus on political music (e.g. Killer Mike) have much smaller followings than their predecessors. Mike’s group Run the Jewels has a passionate following, but it lives on the outskirts of mainstream rap. Second, today’s rappers have a wider range of political opinions and criticisms (e.g. Lupe Fiasco calling President Obama a terrorist or Chance the Rapper’s ‘black people don’t have to be Democrats‘). Third, and most importantly, when today’s political rap songs go viral, the discussion is usually centered around critiques of the music itself.

Songs like “Fight the Power” received criticism too, but the underlying issues were also discussed. Today’s songs rarely start the proverbial “serious discussion about race” that they intend to.

To be fair, some of the criticism is warranted. Songs like Macklemore’s “White Privilege II” had little chance to succeed. The intent was there, but the impact was off. Joyner Lucas’ “I’m Not Racist” music video was even more problematic. Its underlying takeaway (that racism can be solved with a hug…? what the hell?) was torn apart so much that there’s a YouTube compilation video of all the negative reactions to the polarizing music video. It was Kendall-Jenner-Pepsi-commercial levels bad!

But even Childish Gambino’s “This is America”—which received both acclaim and criticism—didn’t spark a true conversation about its themes. The conversation centered around the video’s graphic scenes. Its deeper themes were treated like easter eggs in a Marvel movie, not conversation starters. Despite its intent, “This is America” legacy lives in a vacuum surrounded by the broader issues it wanted to raise.

When today’s fans ask for political rap, they want albums like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. But there’s only so many Kendrick Lamars. To Pimp a Butterfly might seem fairly recent, but a lot’s changed since that album dropped in March 2015. That project came at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. There was an unspoken call to action for someone like Kendrick to speak on. And despite the respectability politics behind that album, and many of Kendrick’s beliefs, it still filled that void for many.

Hip-hop media has also changed considerably since 2015. Today, Kendrick can deliver his message via visual albums, documentaries, or other media. He can also build partnerships with companies to take action.

There’s a natural progression of what’s possible for hip-hop’s activism. Most artists can communicate their desired message through songs, videos, and social media. Once the artist gains power, that message can be amplified through documentaries, op-eds, interviews, etc. And after that, the biggest artists have the power to build the partnerships, initiatives, and businesses to act on their desired change:

This is the evolution, but I hesitate to call it a progression. Artists who ‘communicate’ shouldn’t feel obligated to move toward ‘amplify’ or ‘build’. It’s a reflection of what’s possible.

What the future holds

Jay Z’s career reflects this evolution. In 2003, Jay Z relied on songs like “99 Problems” to share perspective on racial profiling. As Jay gained power, his access grew. In 2016, he releases short-form video ‘The War on Drugs is an Epic Fail‘ for the New York Times. And earlier this month, he partnered with the NFL to support social justice. The NFL-Roc Nation deal has plenty of issues—as I covered both here and here—but it still reflects hip-hop’s potential as a change agent for the issues it wants to resolve.

While hip-hop collectively has more access than ever, the strongest channels are still reserved for the stars. Recent albums like Joey Bada$$’ All Amerikkkan Bada$$ and Rapsody’s Eve have communicated their political messages well and received strong praise. Music is still the primary channel for them to communicate their issues now, but that may change as their careers progress.

As hip-hop grew in power, it lost its covered underdog status. The rebellious position drove Public Enemy’s persona. Even Kanye West’s “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” statement in 2005 reflected the sentiment at the time. But in today’s culture, hip-hop is less of an underdog than it was back then. And in today’s media environment, an artist ‘speaking out’ hardly captures headlines. Songs like YG and Nipsey Hussle’s “Fuck Donald Trump” don’t surprise anyone. Eminem’s anti-Trump cypher was a story for a couple of days, but folks largely forgot about it soon after.

When the shock value is gone, cultural relevance can often go with it. It’s a shame. Today’s artists have put in some best work to date that speaks on these issues. But for both better and worse, hip-hop is in a very different place.

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Trapital is written by Dan Runcie: info [at] trapital.co

Moody Jones on marketing for Snoop Dogg, EMPIRE’s digital strategy, and why he wants to work with Childish Gambino

Moody Jones, Head of Digital at EMPIRE, came through the Trapital Podcast to chat about his experience marketing for artists like Iggy Azalea, Tyga, XXXTentacion, and Snoop Dogg. He also broke down why he wants to work with Childish Gambino, and dropped some advice for the aspiring rappers who stay in his DMs.

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Host: Dan Runcie, @RuncieDan, trapital.co

Guest: Moody Jones, @moodyjones, empi.re

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