How to make a million from a free mixtape
22 Jun 2017
4 years into digesting mixtapes from around the world and adding them to the Shazam app database, you start to learn the formula by artists that allow them to release a mixtape – for free – and then go on to make some serious money.
Finish – Album – Supply & Demand
Build Audience / Create Demand
Build Audience / Create Demand
Free Music – Build Audience
Free Music – Build Audience
Start – Free Music – Build Audience
Artists like Kanye, Wiz Khalifa, J Hus – actually – pretty much every artist has come up from releasing free mixtapes. This is their gift and entry into the community – “here’s my mixtape, this is what I’m about, if you like it follow me/look out for more etc.”
If people have never heard of you, why are they and other people going to pay to listen to your album? People don’t want to part with their cash unless it’s something they really want. It works differently now with streaming platforms – everything you release can be getting paid for – albeit in pennies.
It’s not a mixtape if it’s not free. A mixtape is a demo and a showcase of what you’re working on. That’s why they don’t have to be clean or polished – save the fancy mixing and mastering for the album – that’s another reason why people will buy it. Use the opportunity to release a free mixtape to gain momentum in your career. By putting out free content, you’re not limiting your audience, meaning anyone can get a hold of it – anywhere.
Even if you’ve spent money on recording and creating it, get over the fact you’re putting it out for free. If you just want short term returns – put a price on it. Otherwise long term results will be in your favour. Be prepared to do things for free – sure – but as long as it’s going to directly impact you and the product you’re selling and it’s done by a company or person or brand that has your best interests at heart, then you should be good.
Now that your tape is out, work on another one. Keep going. Don’t stop putting out mixtapes until people start reaching out to you. Once you’re getting DMs and inbox messages from people asking to collab and people asking when the next project is out – you know you’re in a position of demand – then should you start charging for your product. Otherwise you put yourself at risk of devaluing yourself early on and not being able to rise your price.
At this stage, you’re in a position of power. If people are asking when your next project is out, it means they’re hungry for it. Go back to the kitchen and start cooking. This is the basic premise of supply and demand. Soon you’ll be able to start charging for a verse, you’ll be charging for a gig booking, appearance fees anything people start asking for. Be prepared to do things for free – sure – but as long as it’s going to directly impact you and the product you’re selling (and it’s done by a company or person or brand that has your best interests in place) then you should be good.
To take away –
Classic examples of this are Future. Mixtape after mixtape, put in the work and get your music out there. If you want to be the best in your field, simply study the best. Look at how your favourite artists have gone from nothing to something. You might think everyone had a different come-up but it’s a really similar formula when you look at it. And it pretty much all started from that one mixtape…