Schoolin' these young cats...

Over these last 4 years I've been producing, I've learned more about music and life in general than I ever really cared to know. This is a shady, lowdown dirty, grimy business we're in. I'm trying to get a few points across to people new to the game, and also get some shit off my chest thats been bothering me lately.

One of my biggest things is that nothing is ORIGINAL anymore. Whether its the same exact type of songs over and over, or the countless stories about BIG NAME SO AND SO getting his chain snatched, its all so damn old. No wonder the music industry is in the can. With the decline in the quality of music being produced, the value of the product also declines. Therefore, simple economics takes place. We need more innovation and less note repeat snare rolls.

A lot of new guys coming to this music thing, and even some that have been doing "music" for years now, are clueless about actually making money from it. For example, I've recorded enough material for a few local artists to put whole albums out, and I even went as far as to get FREE beats and FREE album covers for them. What do they do in return? Nothing. Yeah yeah I know you got bills, and you have to have the newest air forces and brand new Evisu's, your album can wait. Can't risk losing those new 22's for some ole album you just spent 5 months working on.

Its easy as hell nowadays to make beats. What we are doing is NOTHING SPECIAL. Producing software is currently cheap as hell, even hardware is at a great price now. You know what it takes to be a great producer? Dedication. Commitment. Knowledge. Motivation. So go ahead and take your drum kit loops and your gated synths and your 808 claps and sell em to MC so and so for $20. I bet he'll be the talk of the block with his newest single "Basement Ballin".

Back to the Factory

So, back to work today. Hoooo-ray. Oh well, we have to eat somehow. And until this music thing I'm gambling on starts to get me somewhere, I'll be pulling this 7-7 for awhile. No 9-5 for me. Just three or four long, boring 12-hr shifts every week. Decent pay, but the work itself is bollocks. So for all you employees out there complaining about sitting at a computer for 8 hours straight, why not come work with me?!

THIS IS MADNESS!!!

I often say that to myself when I'm at my place of employment. Before I started working there, we were bought out by a company not quite as large as the previous company. In fact, I don't even think the stock for our company is traded on the market. Its more of an investment group type company, mainly focused on making a large profit margin. In order to do that, so far this year they have canceled our perfect attendance bonus, taken away their 401-k matching (which really isn't so bad, because a lot of companies don't even offer 401-k matching from what I've heard), and also they won't be handing out free turkeys at thanksgiving anymore... DID YOU HEAR THAT?!? GAAAHHHH, NOT THE FREE TURKEYS.

So what could possibly be next, I wonder. Maybe a pay cut, because our factory is one of the highest paying in the company. Or possibly layoffs when things slow down this winter. This is what I have to look forward to. Guess I better get on the ball with this music career, eh?