So you want to be the Master P of Go-Go, moving crazy product from the Tidewater area to Delaware and back again.  All the while, pocketing all the loot as a real independent record label should.  It’s possible.

One thing that Go-Go lacks is a hard charging, entrepreneur with a clear vision for the future.  It seems as if everyone is satisfied with the same broke as a joke, non-money earning plan.  Have we not learned from Master P (No Limit), Tony Draper (Suave House), the Williams brothers (Cash Money), and the late Eazy E (Ruthless), just to name a few?

Time and time again people have taken the music of their region; marketed, distributed, and promoted it with such success that labels and distributors such as Priority, Relativity, and Universal are knocking one another over to get to them first.

Liaison Records is a great distributor, but for Go-Go to truly prosper as a genre there must be healthy competition, and that  must come from a person who has the lion heart to push this music the way Rafel Edmonds pushed weight.  Sorry if the analogy offends you, but the music business, at this level, is a hustle, and requires a similar mentality.

At the moment, there are only a handful of Go-Go Record labels: Future, Listen Up, Sounds of the Capitol, Raw Venture, and Street. All are distributed by Liaison, who for some, assumes the responsibility of manufacturing, distributing, and marketing.

Of these labels only Future and Listen Up are in the business of signing up and coming bands.  In 1998 they released a combined total of 2 albums by Raw Image and Optymistic Tribe.  Rare Essence’s CD, "We Go On And On" makes for a grand total of 3 Go-Go Cd’s released for the entire year of 1998.  Celo mix CD doesn’t count since it was a compilation.

Why are so few CD’s being released?  There’s no competition in the market place, so no one feels the pressure of a competitor kicking them in the butt.

Go-Go is overdue for someone who is willing to conduct business like Suave House in Tennessee, and Cash Money Records in New Orleans?  These labels grew to prosperity in much smaller markets than Washington, and their success has nothing to do with crossing over, selling out, or going national.  They simply give the local market what they want.

Keep in mind that the work is hard, and is also a serious financial investment.  But there are already a lot of playas out there who have more money on hand than they know what to do with.  They’re the same people you see at the Chuck Brown show buying 10 bottles of Moet and tipping the bartender a hundred dollars.

So what do you need to know in order to start?  Read on my brotha.  School is in session.
 

PRODUCTION
Go-Go production in the 90's lacks the careful attention to detail required of a scene that is trying to step up to the next level. Bands are so accustomed to playing live that they get nervous and very uncomfortable in a studio setting. Why? Because the music sounds too clean, and mistakes, which cannot be heard in live shows, are easily noticed.

Yes, Go-Go does sound better live, but that is only because we don’t try to put that same effort into studio production.  The classic Go-Go singles of the 80's were done in the studio.

Before you give that sorry excuse about how that was the old days, remember that it was also Go-Go’s most prosperous and successful time.  Rappers and DJ’s from New York couldn’t get enough of Go-Go, because bands like Trouble Funk, EU and Chuck Brown were recording it the right way.

The sad fact is that any band who uses the excuse that they can’t record in the studio, it’s because they are not serious musicians.  Anyone that has mastered his craft, is willing to play in any setting under any condition.

If you still choose to record live I advise against recording straight to DAT (Digital Audio Tape). This is little more than a clear P.A. tape.

For a serious CD project you must use ADAT or another form of multi-track recording.

You will find that recording live, for album purposes, is not as simple as recording a P.A. tape. It will require multiple shows before you have a show worthy of a CD.

ARRANGEMENT
An important part of production, also overlooked in Go-Go, is arrangement.  A good arranger takes a songs parts - chorus, verses, bridge - and decides where and how to place them in a way that will best capture and maintain the interest of the listener.

The typical hip-hop single, for example, has three verses, and a hook, packaged in a four minute format. If it is not arranged right the listener will grow board within the first one and a half minutes.

The typical R&B song has three verses, a chorus (same as a hook), and a bridge (sometimes referred to as a change), also packaged in a four minute format.  The bridge usually comes in between the second and third verse and is used to take the song to its high point.  Without a good bridge, a song can get monotonous. Check it out on any song on the radio.

An arranger also determines if a verse will be 8 bars or 16 bars.  In other words the length of the verse and music relative to one another.  All of this must be decided before the track is recorded.

Go-Go bands don’t arrange because lead rappers at live shows just go with their feeling.  This, of course, works great live but effective work in the studio requires a format.

RECORDING STUDIOS
Many bands record at 24 track studios.  Chris Biondo’s Funk University in Lanham, Maryland is among the better 24 track analog studios in the area, and has been home to many of Chuck Brown’s finest recordings.  Other 24 track studios include Mike’s Sound in Forestville, Future Records in Landover, and Thump in Clinton.

If you’re going for a truly dynamic sound that requires double tracking certain instruments and vocals, then you may need a 32 or 48 track studio.

What separates the top notch studios from the good and average are the sound board and engineer.  The two go hand in hand.   If you really want the ultimate phat sound you must mix down at a studio that has the SSL board.

This board alone can cost a quarter of a million dollars.  Your hourly rate will range from $75 to $120 an hour.  Much of the music you hear on the radio is mixed on these.

MIXING
Once the tracks are recorded you have gathered all the necessary ingredients.  Mixing is where you do your cooking.  For this a good engineer who know his studio is a must.   A mistake that is all too often made is that we try to mix as if it were a live show.
At live shows, sound men tend to turn the levels up on everything so that all we hear is loud and all we feel is bottom.  Studio work requires a different skill.  My advice?  Leave the live sound men at home and let the studio experts do their job.

As the executive producer let the engineer know exactly what you want, and have confidence in his ability to give you what you are asking for.  It would also help if you knew the basic technical language of studios and mixing.
Most of all, if you go to one of the high end studios like Cue, and Omega, don’t assume that just because someone is white, they can’t mix Go-Go.  If you know exactly what you want in terms of sound, they will not disappoint you.

MASTERING
Good mastering is a step that is sometimes overlooked.  This can best be described as the icing on the cake.  Your final mix down must be put through a process to optimize certain levels, compress the sound, add a little boom, and bring certain sounds that are buried in the mix to the surface.

Excellent  mastering will cost anywhere from $2000.00 to $4000.00 per album project.  Basic pre-mastering, however, can cost you as little as $150.00.  This is good enough for demos and local projects.  But if you really have your eye on the prize, spend a little more money and send your project to one of the mastering houses in New York Philadelphia or Los Angeles.

PRESSING
When choosing a manufacturer, be sure to shop around.  You will need 12 inch vinyl for the DJ’s; cassettes and CD’s for regular consumers. Take into consideration, cost, the number of weeks for delivery, and reputation.  Expect to pay as much as $4000.00 on your first run.

For this you should get, 500 12 inch records, 1000 CD’s and 500 cassettes.  Start conservatively.  Just because you know that you will end up selling 25,000 units does not mean that you have to buy that many right off  the top.

PROMO - GIVEAWAYS
Don’t expect to make much of your money back on the 12 inch singles.  You will end up giving away at least half of them to record pools, club, cabaret, and radio DJ’s.

There is one main urban record pools in the D.C. area, two in Baltimore, one  in North Carolina, and two in Philadelphia.  Each pool has between 50 and 100 members who consist of the local areas top club and radio DJ’s. This doesn’t guarantee that your music will get played, but definitely places it in the right hands.

You should be able to sell at least half of your records at certain stores throughout the region that specialize in serving a DJ clientele.  This includes Sabins, Willies, 12 inch Dance Records, Armands (Philadelphia), and LA Records.

MARKETING IN D.C.
Do not step to radio air personalities first.  It’s a waste of time since they do not make up the play list and often have little control over what is featured on their show.

Your best chance at getting spins is through one of the mix shows, so be sure do drop off enough double copies for each of the stations mix DJ’s.  But if they do not show you love  right away do not be discouraged.

Create the buzz for your single by working the streets, clubs, cabarets, record pools, and of course, canvass your local Go-Go and hip-hop magazines with ads.   Do not just wait for good things to happen. Success in today’s music biz has more to do with marketing and promotion than with the quality of the music.  It’s up to you as the record label executive to make things happen.

MARKETING BEYOND D.C.
Don’t be tied down to just the immediate area.  North Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware are home to black colleges attended by thousands of students from the D.C. metro area.

Market and promote to these areas.  Since colleges have students from all over the region and country this is an excellent way to win over an entirely new base of consumers.  This would require releasing your label’s projects during key points of the school year in Fall and Spring.  A summer release makes it more difficult to promote outside of D.C. since school is out and most students have returned home.

DISTRIBUTION
Distribution is the real grind in running your own label.  In the beginning assemble a team that can do this out of the trunk of their cars.  You can sell to the Mom & Pop stores, Sam Goodies, and Willies on consignment.  This means that you get your money when the product sells off or after 90 days, whichever comes first.

From D.C. to Richmond there are as many as 22 stores between Willies and Sam Goody alone. Both are very supportive of Go-Go and have entire sections devoted to the music.

This is where you really make your money.  Wholesale the CD’s for $8.00 to $9.00.  The store than marks the price up 40% and retails it for between $13.00 and $14.00.

Wholesale the cassettes for between $6.00 and $6.50.  The retail price will be around $9.99.

Sam Goody pays by check within 60 days of settling your account.  Be professional in approaching the store managers.  Their support of your project is essential.  The in-store positioning of your CD can be the difference between high sales and no sales.  If you develop a good relationship with the managers, they’ll look out for you.

Willies has four stores in the D.C. area and as many as nine more in Richmond and North Carolina.  Drive to their warehouse in Richmond and ask for John Walsh.  This is the best way to do the correct paperwork.  They will pay you by check within a week of selling off your product or closing out the contract.  They specialize in urban music and are also excellent do deal with.

While in Richmond check out Dean’s One Stop on Chamberlayne Ave.  One Stops are small distributors that have accounts with retailers throughout a local region.  Ask for Glenn who now runs the business founded by his father Dean.  If you’re serious about your business he will be able to place your product in many stores throughout Virginia.

Tower Records also accepts product on consignment, on a store by store basis.  Once again, your success depends on the first impression that you make on the manager.  They will want to know if your music is getting any radio play, has a video, and what kind of money you’re spending on print ads and street promotion.

Be ready to do a lot of driving.  With the first project, you’re establishing business relationships.  You want people to see you, and like you enough that they will support your efforts. No one succeeds by making enemies at this level.  With these relationships established the successive projects will be much smoother.

Also, be sure to have your product barcoded - UPC barcode.  It doesn’t cost much to apply for.  This enables Soundscan to track your sales.  Many retailers will also refuse to carry your product without one.

I’m not discouraging anyone from doing business with distributors such as Liaison.  Just understand that when you bring something to the table, such as an excellent reputation, hot product, and the ability to move it on your own, distributors are forced to show you a higher degree of respect.

I also know from personal experience that Liaison will not work with up and coming bands unless they are referred to them through Future or Listen Up Records.  In 1996, for example, they refused to distribute Intimate Groove’s CD - The Sequel - even though the band produced and manufactured the product entirely on their own, and was getting radio spins.  It just goes to show that without a business history, you’ll get dissed every time.

Absorb everything you read and hear about the music industry.  Most of all, rely heavily on your instincts and street savvy. And don’t be surprised if you have to smack a few people around in order to collect money that is rightfully owed to you.  I wasn’t kidding when I said that at this level, the music business is very much a hustle.  In the end, if you want to feel the real power and make the real loot, you’re going to have to do it your damn self.  So which of you D.C. playas is up to the challenge?
 
 
 

© Copyright 1998 TMOTTGoGo