Fabo is dropping his “Again” video on Saturday, December 12 at 10am EST. To enter to win a free PS5, you must Follow Fabo on Instagram Follow Fabo on Twitter Follow DroppTV on Instagram Follow DroppTV on Twitter Download the DroppTV app and turn on notifications for Again The winner will be announced on Fabo’s Instagram Live at 9:45am EST on Saturday, December 12, 2020.
Police Brutality and Racism is Not Just an American Problem
Last week, I had a business trip scheduled for Norway that turned into a nightmare. COVID-19 had finally ruined my travel plans. Due to travel restrictions, the Dutch border (IND) at the Amsterdam Airport, more commonly known to the Dutch as Schiphol, recently laid down some heavy travel restrictions on passengers catching connecting flights to other countries. I noticed that all of the people who were detained and sent back to their countries were people of color. My travel companion was a person of color, so I met the same fate. I witnessed Dutch Immigration violate mine and other’s rights in several ways. We lost thousands of dollars in money we spent on Covid-19 tests that Norway said we needed to enter the country, travel expenses, plane tickets, and a hold up on a business deal. More horrifyingly, We saw them inhumanely restrain a tiny woman with male guards taking her use the restroom hog tied and on a leash while she sobbed uncontrollably. Several hours later we saw that same woman taken out by medics on a gurney as we were stranded in the airport while our luggage and passports were confiscated like we were criminals for the next 24 hours. When we arrived back in America, I received a phone call about Sammy from a reliable source. This motivated me to do some research of my own. Police brutality killed Sammy Seewald, a 23 year old German national and EU citizen was brutally shot and killed by police in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. My attention immediately shifted to this heartbreaking story about a biracial fitness influencer who was shot and killed by Dutch police in Amsterdam on his birthday. It is not clear what led up to the police confronting Sammy in Amsterdam that day, but his family stated that he had been missing for 2 days prior and suspected he was experiencing psychosis that affected his mental state. A video posted online shows Sammy wielding a knife and threatening to hurt himself. Seewald was shot three times by police following a struggle, during which he stabbed one officer in a bullet proof vest with a knife. In my opinion, this situation sounds like a mental health crisis the officers were not trained to handle. Please help his family by signing his petition to have the officers held accountable for his murder. His family has asked that you follow @justiceforsammy_bkr on Instagram. #JusticeforSammy According to Chris Kline, recent Sudan asylum decisions in the Netherlands signal the moral collapse of the Dutch. The Dutch government claims Sudanese refugees no longer face the threat of danger, despite ongoing conflict in Sudan. Recent violence in Sudan’s Darfur region forces thousands to flee to several other countries in Africa and Europe. Many are criticizing this decision by accusing the Dutch government as being tone deaf for ignoring a very real threat and danger to Sudanese citizens who are still fleeing the area as late as November 2020. The life expectancy of Sudan is about 50 years old as the risk of major diseases is very high. 20 years of conflict have left over 2 million dead, 4 million displaced, and 600,000 listed as refugees living outside the country. According to Ahara, the constant ignorance of the Sudanese government continues to impede humanitarian relief being sent to Darfur. In my opinion, the constant conflict and threats to food security make it is quite obvious that European countries (Israel included) need to behave as other African countries (like Chad) and continue to allow asylum to Sudanese refugees, not just those living in the Netherlands. You can find more information about how to help people living in Sudan here. Civilians in Nigeria have been extorted, raped, tortured, and killed by police officers from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad – SARS. The recent highly publicized protests in Nigeria forced the government to disband the task force, but our help is still needed to enforce police reforms and prosecution of SARS officers. The youth staged the biggest uprising in a generation, but the protestors are saying that the government is conducting covert campaigns with the goal of breaking up the movement. Help end impunity for violence in Nigeria by emailing President Muhammadu Buhari and Attorney General Abubakar Malami. Please support our blog by subscribing to our email list at https://www.djrootsqueen.com and remember that Black Lives Matter.
Alpha Releases his Debut Single Entitled “Me”
Dj Roots Queen recently sat down with Alpha to discuss his debut single which will premier live on air when Rude Girl Radio starts Season 2. Give us a little history on the work you have done and produced these past few years. Alpha: I’ve been working on my EP entitled The Ascension and also my upcoming album, which us self-titled Alpha Tell us about the beginning of your career and how you actually started rapping. Alpha: I discovered my gift when I first wrote a poem in high school. From then I used music as an outlet and started writing verses and songs soon after. I noticed that my work stood apart from the work of others in every element of rap, from concepts, versatility, beat selection, lyricism, flows, and artistry in essence. This gave me the clarity and confidence to make music my life and do it professionally. Music is my passion and my God given gift to share with the world, but this is just one aspect of my destiny and legacy. What was your first memory of Hip-Hop and how did it impact you in that moment? Alpha: My first memory of rap was being enraptured by the elements of hip hop in Michael Jackson‘s and Bobby Brown‘s music along with Din Daa Daa by George Kranz from the movie Breakin 2: Electric Boogaloo. I fell in love with the culture, beats, djing, scratching, rapping, dance, and tagging. The whole vibe connected with me. From that day, I knew I loved music and always wanted to be like everyone else who had a gift for music. As a kid, I used to wish I was like the people on TV or on the radio, from the exceptional singers and dancer; I wished I had a special gift and could be special, too. I was so amazed when I discovered my gift and knew that I wanted to do music forever and use it to leave my imprint on the world and all planes of existence. Check out the video for “Me” by Alpha on Youtube and be sure to like and subscribe. This post is sponsored content. If you would like to be featured on our blog, please visit the contact form on our website menu.
How to Build a Fan Base
by Dj Roots Queen Learn how to build your fan base with these simple steps Building a fan base begins with creating your signature story with a recognizable brand, tone, and content strategy that fits your narrative on social media. Things to think about when creating your brand as a musician are: A unique voice Memorable look and feel Trustworthy reputation Your WHY – The reason you make music Consistent and compelling content The more thought you put into your appearance, as in how you look and present yourself and how well designed your logos, fonts, and artwork are, the more easily you will attract fans. So get creative with your online appearance. How you define your brand voice will determine your fanbase A brand voice refers to the personality and emotion that is infused within your brand as a musician. Are you sarcastic, dry, intellectual, funny etc? Find out by taking this brand archetype quiz. Always take care and choose brand messaging that attracts the fan base you want. Believe it or not, you have control over who you attract, so be careful about what you choose to give your attention to online, or you may end up with with a crowd of right wing conspiracy theorists at your shows freaking our your fans. This really happened, trust me. Create compelling content Always document the recording and creation journey for your fans. What may seem mundane to you may be really exciting to a loyal fan. Behind the scenes journeys of your music release is a great way to create a connection and show off your personality and brand voice with your current fans. Create official music videos and tag them so people will be able to find them when searching for you. Keep in mind that people gravitate to remixes and cover songs, live videos, important updates, and any interviews you may do. Start with social media You have built your brand, found your brand voice, and have been creating compelling content. Now it is time to start with social media. Every musician should be signed up for these social media platforms at a minimum. Youtube Facebook Instagram Twitter Bandcamp Soundcloud The first step is to invite all of your friends and contacts to like and follow your pages, then ask them to ask their friends to do so as well. It’s important to post regularly. People who are serious about social media schedule their posts with a tool like HootSuite. Remember all that footage and pictures you documented when you were creating your first project? Now is the time to start posting and talking about it. Please make sure you check your social media mentions. You can’t afford to ignore brand new fans who are reaching out to you on social media. It is crucial to optimize each social media profile for SEO (search engine optimization). If someone is looking for you on social media, don’t make it hard for them, as that would be the opposite of building a fan base. It’s surprising how many people create social media profile names that aren’t searchable. Social media isn’t just used to post your content and call it a day. You need to be talking to a minimum of 10 new people a day. This does NOT mean sending your link to as many people as possible without context. Developing a custom pitch and creating genuine dialogue will help you go a long way. I cannot stress enough the importance of this step because it GOES DOWN in the DM (fan base building). So invite people to your shows, offer to buy someone lunch, give someone words of encouragement, just do something! Sharing other people’s content can help you get new fans, as well as encouraging them to create user generated content using hash tags. These are tried and true methods that many brands use. Contests are another fun way to get people to interact with your brand. Some people say the interaction isn’t genuine, but I say; even if that may be the case, it offers the opportunity to convert someone into a loyal fan. The only list an artist should be worried about is a mailing list We all know that social media engagement can be low if a post doesn’t stick and create quality organic engagement. This is because social media platforms are driving businesses to buy ads. Although ads are essential, that is a conversation for a consultation once you have clear campaign goals and an ad budget. No ad budget? No problem. Just work on creating an email list of people who would like to hear from you. Email campaign engagement is at an average of 25%, whereas social media engagement is only about 2% to 6% of your audience on social media. Get creative when it comes to getting emails. From creating a landing page with a submission form, to throwing an all inclusive meet and greet event at a trendy spot, the possibilities are endless when it comes to persuading fans to sign up to receive email updates from you. Please remember that you need explicit permission from someone to send them promotional emails, so using an opt-in form on their website is the way smart people do it. If you plan to do a networking event, be sure there is a disclaimer on the email sign up sheet letting them know what they are opting into. If someone gives you their business card, this is not the same thing as opting into your email subscription. As a matter of fact, it is illegal and you could be fined $43,280 for not complying. Don’t let that deter you, just be ethical about collecting email addresses. Get your music featured on Spotify Playlists Every artist’s dream is to get their music on top Spotify playlists, and this is a great way for artists find loyal fans, but before you hire a PR firm to help you complete this goal, be sure
How to Get a Music Publishing Deal
by Dj Roots Queen Music publishing deals are a great way for artists to earn income, but what are they and how do you get one? A publishing deal is a bit different than a label contract. Whereas a record company owns the masters, a music publisher owns the copyright. There are two kinds of copyrights, the song, and the recording. Yes, I know it sounds confusing, and it is, so I will explain it in a way that is easy to understand. The copyright of the song refers to the lyrics and the melody. This is owned by the songwriter. The second refers to the actual recording of the song. Record labels typically own the recording of the song, or the master. Music publishers get involved before the song is recorded by acquiring a compulsory license. This grants a music publisher the right to create a recording of the song by the owner. Got it? Good. Why would I want a music publishing deal over a record deal? As a more elusive stream of income, publishing deals help artists generate revenue streams outside the scope of the tried and true methods to earn income as an artist, such as shows, album sales, and merchandise. Publishing deals are often for a shorter amount of time than a record deal that usually has a limited negotiation leverage. Essentially, you would still own your master recording in a publishing deal. Please remember that a publishing company is investing in you with the promise of generating income. Just like a record deal, which is essentially a loan, a publishing deal is a loan that must be recouped, and if you get dropped, the company will own some of the rights to your songs until they make their money back. What are the benefits of having a publishing deal? Although signing a deal with a publisher is a risk, there are many pros of having one. The upfront money, or advance, helps many songwriters be able to support themselves while having the time to write songs. You will also receive a demo budget, which will help pay for studio time, mixing, and mastering. When done properly, these elements can become pricy. In addition to upfront money, you will also have access to a team of people who will help plug your song for you and find placement opportunities. It is a great networking opportunity because it gives you validation in the music industry. Getting the deal If you want to be a songwriter, act like one Cliff Goldmacher Now that you know the basics of how publishing deals work, I am sure you want to know what you need to do to get one. The first thing you need to do to get a publishing deal is to put yourself on a regular writing schedule. Create a schedule and adhere to it as you would an actual job. It’s important to network and find opportunities to meet decision makers in the music industry and build relationships. Attend music conferences, join songwriter associations, and join cutting edge social media networking apps, like Clubhouse. The next step is pitching your songs. This is where relationships come in. You must learn how to leverage them in the music business. The first step is connecting to as many people as you can on social media and following up. You want to be sure to engage in a genuine manner on a regular basis. Micro-interactions are great for this; nobody wants to seem thirsty. The biggest key to remember is that it’s not about what people can do for you, it’s about what you can do for other people. Forget your agenda and help someone else with their dream and everything will fall into place. Doing consistent work will automatically bring opportunities your way as a songwriter. Don’t give up Remember that consistency is key. I know very popular artists who have been putting in hard work for years and are still independent and have never had a publishing deal. This is an industry that requires hard work, dedication, and time. Don’t expect to follow these steps and have a deal overnight. Think you have what it takes to be a successful singer/songwriter? There is no better time than now to find out. Get real-time feedback on your music from top djs and influencers. Book your session Dj RootsQueen is an American dj based out of Atlanta, Ga. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she began spinning when she was 17 years old. She found a niche djing fashion shows, artist showcases, club and industry events which put her in place to Dj for Young Jeezy’s Gourmet brand in 2013. Later that year, She launched her award winning radio show, Rude Girl Radio, on Dj Clue’s Desert Storm Radio. In 2015, she was signed to Zaytoven and subsequently moved her radio show to his radio station Digital Dope Radio. She is now a Zaytoven’s official tour Dj, having performed at such events as “Red Bull Producer Round Table” with Zaytoven, Sonny Digital, and Metro Boomin and “Piano Night’s” with Gucci Mane and Zaytoven. Dj RootsQueen recently appeared on Team Zaytown Global for the Red Bull Music Culture Clash 2018 and the Maxim Big Game Experience with Diplo, Future, Jaimie Fox, and Yo Gotti for Super Bowl 53. ”With over a decade of experience in the music industry, my specialty is music marketing with a focus on project development. As a professional dj, I have an eye for music trends and discovering new talent. Some of the major artists I have helped develop are YFN Lucci, Future, Usher, Young Dolph, and Zaytoven. I create music advertising launches with successful marketing strategies by planning and preparing advertising and promotional materials to increase the sales of products. I dj and host celebrity album launches, multinational company events, concerts, and festivals. I initiate promotions and create successful social media campaigns surrounding these events and album releases. I have extensive experience producing and programming podcasts,
Gata the Goddess Releases her Single ‘Party with My Friends’
Gata the Goddess has teamed up with award-winning producer Deraj to create the fun party hit ‘Party with my Friends’ “Deraj reached out on Instagram and gave her an opportunity to work with me so we set up a session and he let me go through his catalogue. I had some hangups on this song because we paid a lot of money for the shoot and the videographer lost the footage. It took me a while to get my momentum up and I’m finally excited to be able to release it” Gata the Goddess ‘Party with My Friends’ upbeat song that everyone can relate to. Have a listen and follow Gata the Goddess.