The Indie Playbook Presented by Focused Noise

Focused Noise
  • 5.0 (19)
  • MUSIC

Welcome to the Indie Playbook presented by Focused Noise, where we highlight independent music bosses, hustlers, and entrepreneurs, and break down their successes, failures, and life lessons. No gimmicks, just hopefully some beneficial tips and reminders that will help you along your way.

  1. A3C Music Business Discussion: Getting on Tours, Festivals, and Shows

    10/18/2018

    A3C Music Business Discussion: Getting on Tours, Festivals, and Shows

    This is a special episode from the A3C Festival and Conference in Atlanta, where I was invited to speak on a panel about touring, festivals, and shows.  We also gave some helpful tips on how to grow a fanbase organically and how to build an artist's overall brand.   Our moderator was MICxSIC (@MICXSIC).  He can also be found at savagefam.com or youtube.com/savagefamproductions.   Our panelists were Clarissa Reformina from Paradigm Talent Agency (@clrisaxplnsitall), Juels Pierrot from Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (@juelspierrot), and Brent Tactic from Rogue Agency (@Brent_tactic).

    1 hr
  2. Media Personality Justin Hunte- Create Your Own Path

    03/27/2018

    Media Personality Justin Hunte- Create Your Own Path

    Justin Hunte is the Head of Video Production & Development for Ambrosia For Heads, and Director of Content and Strategic Marketing at Empire Distribution. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of HipHopDX, Hunte is the architect behind DX's video platform and creator of popular series, #DXBreakdown. Hunte's also a weekly contributor to Shade45's All Out Show on SiriusXM. In 2017, he participated in a debate at the prestigious Oxford Union on whether Kanye West is more relevant than William Shakespeare. A graduate of Wofford College, Hunte spent 5 years working at Bank Of America/Merrill Lynch.  He sacrificed a profitable investment banking career in order to follow his passion, with the goal of becoming the greatest Hip-Hop writer on the planet.  Hunte has since covered music, politics, and culture for numerous publications, and is a great example for anyone who has a dream and a vision, but is hesitant to take the necessary leap of faith.  Hopefully this episode inspires you to take the next step. Follow @TheCompanyMan on all socials.  Show Notes: 3:16 Justin was inspired to give up a profitable career in investment banking 8:54 The goal of being the greatest Hip-Hop writer of all time 11:21 Justin talks about the start of his on air experience 16:05 How Justin manifested his career as a writer 28:18 Living at the edge of your capabilities and growing 29:58 Why Master P is the most successful person Justin knows 33:49 The importance of failure 39:11 The impact of Martin Shkreli’s interview with Justin Hunte 47:51 Creating deeper long form content 54:27 People gravitate towards extremes 58:21 Justin took a job with Empire to learn more about the Industry inner workings 1:07:28 Do artists need to live in a metropolitan music hub? 1:12:09 How Justin responded to being fired from his volunteer job at Brooklyn Bodega 1:20:15 The importance of maintaining your faith during the hard times 1:22:48 Everything is achievable 1:36:54 How Justin would spend a $10,000 album release budget 1:45:43 Justin doesn’t allow money to dictate his decisions 1:46:36 The perfection of Kendrick Lamar’s Damn album

    1h 60m
  3. KXNG Crooked (Crooked I)- Winning Through Hard Work and Creativity

    01/25/2018

    KXNG Crooked (Crooked I)- Winning Through Hard Work and Creativity

    KXNG Crooked (AKA Crooked I) is one of Hip-Hop's all-time most respected lyricists. Suge Knight once hailed him as the next Tupac Shakur, and years later Eminem signed his group Slaughterhouse (with Joe Budden, Royce da 5'9", Joell Ortiz) to Shady Records. But that doesn't even begin to explain Crooked's foresight and brilliance. Crooked built one of Hip-Hop's first online followings with the release of his Hip-Hop Weekly Series in 2007, releasing a new track every week for a year, and creating a trend that was later implemented by a number of successful artists. He has also continued to stay relevant by remaining innovative and taking frequent chances.  This is definitely one of the best episodes yet, as Crooked shares invaluable knowledge, and he even provides a blueprint for up and coming artists to follow when releasing an album. In addition to being an incredible MC, Crooked is a born leader, social activist, TV producer, and an overall great person. I guarantee you will get some real value from this interview or I'll give you a full refund. Check it out!      6:25 Traveling expands your mind 10:50 Being inspired by the success of Snoop Dogg and Warren G in his younger years 13:01 Crooked took advantage of his first big opportunity  16:29 Being too smart for his own good 19:50 Why Crooked chose Death Row over Aftermath 21:44 Crooked ponders whether his friend who sells incense or Dr. Dre is the most successful person he knows 24:05 Suge Knight always led by example and was accessible at any time 27:16 Crooked has always tried to match 2Pac’s work ethic 28:49 Being an early adopter of technology and building an online fan base 32:05 Why so many artists stole Crooked’s formula 36:37 On aging well 39:06 The making of Slaughterhouse 43:10 The positioning used to get Slaughterhouse on Shady Records 50:00 Eminem’s work ethic is infectious 52:38 Why being creative will always have value 54:27 How a rock bottom moment solidified Crooked’s sobriety 58:51 Surround yourself with positive people 1:04:21 Never let ideas escape 1:05:13 Crooked details a great plan on how to spend $10K on your album release 1:14:17 Learn from your mistakes

    1h 24m
  4. Film Producer Gary Ousdahl- The Making of Warren G's "G-Funk" Documentary

    12/20/2017

    Film Producer Gary Ousdahl- The Making of Warren G's "G-Funk" Documentary

    Gary Ousdahl is the Owner and Manager of Advanced Management. He recently produced the upcoming Warren G documentary “G-Funk”, which premiered at SXSW this past March and will be released in early 2018. Previously, Gary worked as an agent at William Morris. He also worked side by side with the prolific Tyler Perry almost every day from 2008-2010. Gary is a master networker and dot connector, and he shares some of the methods that have helped him succeed as a film producer, manager, and business owner. He also walks us through the process of meeting Warren G and making the “G-Funk” documentary in just a matter of months.   7:50 How Warren G brought Snoop Dogg to Dr. Dre 11:07 Finding the right investors for the “G-Funk” documentary 21:46 How to involve the right people who will be excited about your project 27:24 How to become a person of value and connect good people with each other 28:34 How to raise money from investors 30:20 A few lessons Gary learned while working with Tyler Perry 32:45 Why Craig Robinson is Gary’s favorite person to work with 35:45 The importance of surrounding yourself with friends who inspire you 39:00 Always be in the outgoing call business 40:10 Struggling makes you stronger 42:53 Setting and accomplishing goals 46:38 Life is pointless if you’re not following your passion

    54 min
  5. A&R Michael Chehadé- Realizing the Value in Yourself

    12/14/2017

    A&R Michael Chehadé- Realizing the Value in Yourself

    Michael Chehadé is currently the Director of A&R and Creative Director with the Adler Music Group. Previously, he managed radio/ TV personality DJ Skee as well as Dash Radio.  Chehadé was also a producer at Skee TV, which aired on Access and Fuse TV.   Additionally, Michael is a known tastemaker, championing and promoting many of your favorite artists before the general public becomes aware of their music.  Life has brought him a number of ups and downs, but his faith has been his driving force is navigating the bumpy roads.  Mike's an extremely passionate person, and it shines through in every conversation, including this interview.

    1h 50m
  6. Musician Adam Hamilton- From LA Guns to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner

    12/07/2017

    Musician Adam Hamilton- From LA Guns to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner

    Adam Hamilton is an accomplished, well-rounded musician who was discovered by C.C. Deville from Poison, and was the former bass guitarist for L.A. Guns.  He's worked with everyone from Angie Stone to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner, who he continues to work with on a regular basis.  Hamilton also owns and operates Palm Ranch Studios in LA.   Additionally, Adam has an endless list of film and TV credits, as his music has appeared everywhere from The Bourne Identity to Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons. We delve deep into publishing and Adam breaks down the pay structure and benefits of placing your music in film, TV, commercials, and more.  This is a great episode for any aspiring musicians or artists, and especially anyone interested in publishing (which should be all musicians and artists).   Show Notes: 1:53 Having to fight for your credits 8:36 The only musician to work with William Shatner and Vanilla Ice 9:26 The importance of moving to LA 12:53 C.C. DeVille from Poison gave Adam his first big shot 13:34 Taking advantage of opportunities immediately 19:49 The positive effects of getting sober 22:48 Breaking down the business of publishing and TV/ Film placements 32:53 Don’t ever sign a contract without having a lawyer reviewing it 35:02 Being kind pays 36:58 William Shatner’s motto is “say yes to everything" 42:53 You are the company you keep 43:29 Adam never had a backup plan 45:00 You can turn a number of tools into multiple income streams 48:00 Putting stressful situations into perspective and solving them one step at a time

    56 min
  7. Music Entrepreneur Dame Ritter- Always Focus on Your Fans

    11/28/2017

    Music Entrepreneur Dame Ritter- Always Focus on Your Fans

    Dame Ritter is best known as the co-founder of the successful Indie Hip-Hop label Funk Volume (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jerren Benton).  After the dissolution of the label, Dame founded the Music Entrepreneur Club, a music business educational platform. Dame also continues to work with a select group of artists, including Dizzy Wright and their Still Movin' Movement. After all of his accomplishments, Dame continues to keep striving for more success, and both his persistence and business acumen are on display throughout the interview. This is a great episode for anyone interested in building their own label, brand, or business.  Take notes. Show Notes:   5:07 Funk Volume focused on the fans 5:51 You don’t have to take huge risks 7:15 Put out content and tell your story before you waste money putting out an album 8:50 Focus on visuals 10:01 You might have to become your own team until you can attract a team 17:52 The transition from Funk Volume to the Music Entrepreneur Club 22:00 How Dame got into music education 23:45 Dame's side hustles while building Funk Volume included substitute teaching 26:27 How to be a true leader 28:14 Dame finds out about the dopest artists from the fans, not directly from the artist 30:32 Early conversations with Russ 33:05 Sometimes artists overlook the uniqueness of their own talent when they give advice to others 34:22 Your branding has to be consistent 35:06 Giving back to your community 40:52 Starting the day with small wins 43:32 Building the Music Entrepreneur Club 48:56  At some point you’ve got to jump! 53:49 Figure out what your passion is before you can follow it 58:35 Donald Passman’s book All You Need to Know About the Music Business is only relevant for artists who have achieved at least limited success

    1h 1m
  8. Tastemaker Jen Deleon- Sacrificing Money for Your Own Happiness

    11/21/2017

    Tastemaker Jen Deleon- Sacrificing Money for Your Own Happiness

    Jen Deleon is a perfect example of the Indie Playbook lifestyle. She has proven her willingness to sacrifice money for her happiness in order to follow her dreams.  She inspires a number of people daily through video content that allows her fans honest access into her personal and professional life. Jen has also accomplished a great deal in the music industry, as an interviewer, personality, publicist, consultant, agent, and tastemaker, and it's obvious that she is only beginning.   When Jen says she will have her own TV show one day, you know it's going to happen.  Her self-awareness and growth mindset are exemplary, and I hope her confidence and willingness to sacrifice for her vision inspires everyone who takes the time to listen to her story. Show Notes: The importance of speaking things into existence 13:29 Jen had to fall back from her professional goals to do work on herself 15:40 Jen’s biggest lesson learned from Oprah 21:33 You don’t always need to respond to everything immediately 24:41 Jen’s parents gave her the freedom to figure out her own path 29:57 God makes things happen for you when they’re supposed to 35:30 Jen doesn’t ask artists things that can be googled in her interviews 40:50 Jen is open about all of her mistakes in order to inspire others  43:41 Jen tricks people in order to inspire them 49:44 It can be a lonely world when you’re working to accomplish your goals 53:15 Follow your own path instead of trying to do things the traditional way 57:10 How to connect with brands 57:36 How Jen created her own campaign for Postmates while driving for the company 1:01:58 Going from driving for Lyft to partnering with Lyft 1:06:39 The challenges of being a booking agent 1:14:05 Utilizing a planner and goal setting 1:16:58 Why Jen would turn down a $5 Million salary if it meant working a corporate job 1:23:23 Embracing failure and learning from it 1:28:38 Be yourself 1:37:26 Why the move to LA was crucial

    1h 43m
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Welcome to the Indie Playbook presented by Focused Noise, where we highlight independent music bosses, hustlers, and entrepreneurs, and break down their successes, failures, and life lessons. No gimmicks, just hopefully some beneficial tips and reminders that will help you along your way.

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