RAGTIME Magazine by RAGTIME

RAGTIME THE RECORDING ARTISTS GUILD MAGAZINE

DON’T FLUSH MONEY DOWN THE SYNC PAGE 10

RAG TOP 10 ARTIST PAGE 21

THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE MAN THAT TOUCHED AN ENTIRE CULTURE

WAYS TO BUILD YOUR EMPIRE WITHOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL

NIPSEY’S HU$$LE RAG TIME Magazine “An Era Deﬁned By Music” hCps://rag.org/

Issue No. 0120

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MAY 1ST 2019 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 5

RAGTIME

Indie is the new major Page 7 Le3er From The Editor Page 8 Music Makes Music Make A Diﬀerence Page 9 Music Business Tips Page 10 Sync RoyalMes page 14 The ABCs of ArMsts Endorsement Deals page 19 10 Ways To Build Your Empire Page 21 RAG TOP 10 ArMsts of the Month page 23 Nipsey Hussle

From The Founder

Byron Booker Recording ArJsts Guild Founder & Chairman

When I started the Guild over a decade ago I knew that it would be more than just another music associaJon adapJng to the ever changing landscape of the music business. RAG was meant to be an ever expanding naJon of creaJves who forge a new path where by we as a community design the industry as we see it. RAG TIME Magazine shines a spotlight on the game changers that are impacJng the industry.

Byron, founder of the Recoding ArJsts Guild Inc., has been Chairman of the Guild since its incepJon in 2009. Byron has been a music execuJve for the past 20 years having facilitated recording and publishing deals with Sony and Universal Music while producing record breaking live concerts / streaming events. The Recording ArJsts Guild is an associaJon of recording arJsts in the USA and Canada. RAG works to enhance and improve the careers of recording arJsts by providing business tools, legal assistance, important discounts, promoJng the fair wages for recording arJsts, legislaJve acJon for arJsts, educaJon to all recording arJsts about changes happening in the industry, health and welfare for recording arJsts and providing tools that can help increase earnings and further the careers of recording arJsts. Music & Tech Entrepreneur Byron Booker has taken his streaming media experience to the next level with the launching of a new streaming media plaYorm called Lookhu. Lookhu is an online video service that oﬀers a selecJon of popular and exclusive movies, TV shows, games and more on a free, ad-‐supported or paid commercial free service basis. Instantly stream just about any kind of entertainment found anywhere . Enjoy the most exclusive behind the scene videos from some of your favorite musician, personaliJes and celebs . Explore a wide array of movies documentaries, music videos and more. 6

From The Editor He has a vision for RAGTIME, which is to highlight the stories, lessons and triumphs of the members of RAG. Our viewers of more than 10,000 will leave with a sense of empowerment knowing that they, too, can leave a legacy worth wriJng about. The RAGTIME magazine moCo is "A Time Deﬁned By Music," and that Jme is alive and well today.

RAG TIME Magazine Editor & Chief

Paul Salfen is a Dallas-‐based editor and writer who currently holds the posiJon of Managing Editor for The Recording ArJsts Guild's magazine RAGTIME. He has previously held the posiJons of Editorial Director and Editor-‐In-‐Chief for ENVY PublicaJons (ENVY Magazine, Replay Sports Monthly), Managing Editor and Associate Publisher of 944 Magazine Texas Regional Editor for Where Magazine and Editor and Publisher of Dallas Music Guide. He has spent the past 12 years interviewing the biggest and brightest stars in ﬁlm and music including the likes of Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie, Will Smith, Willie Nelson and Ozzy Osbourne, as well as a series of sports, travel and business arJcles. Salfen is a serial entrepreneur in the media industry, having started and/or built up several publicaJons both online and in print. He also serves as a consultant for a wide variety of companies, even those outside of media. In addiJon to freelancing for top newspapers, magazines and websites, including The Dallas Morning News, Quick, La Mode, SUCCESS and New York Resident, Salfen has been a weekly guest on local TV (ABC, Fox), radio (CNN Radio) and podcast shows and is currently working on a television show of his own.

+ = Music Makes Music is a non-‐proﬁt designed to mo4vate, inspire, and educate youth on the importance of staying drug and gang free knowing their self-‐worth and con4nuing their educa4on through a hands on interac4ve musical experience.

Music Makes Music (MMM) is the charitable arm of the Recording ArJsts Guild (RAG). MMM is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Through partnerships with arJsts and strong Jes in the music industry, MMM develops and funds music-‐related therapy and educaJon programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Emergency Relief Fund. Generous donaJons and support of arJsts and fans enables MMM to fund everything from drug rehab treatments and helping communiJes in need, to music educaJon in schools and music camps for those with disabiliJes.

For more informaJon, please visit hCps://musicmakesmusic.org/

Music

Hey guys, here at The Recording ArJsts Guild like to share insider info to help independent arJsts take advantage of an ever changing music business. Today we'll be talking about pitching your music to bigger SpoJfy curated Playlists directly through SpoJfy themselves. This is a topic we've touched on with a few of our Master Class videos but we thought it would be good to break it down here for you.

Here’s how to use Spo4fy to it's fullest as an ar4st. This has worked for us many Jmes and it should work for you too! Remember, this is just one Jny aspect of working with todays music plaYorms to gain exposure properly. At RAG, we use all methods to get your music the exposure it deserves. We hope you uJlize it.

The Unreleased Spotify Pitch Method

1. Claiming your profile. First of all you need to claim your band or ArJst profile with SpoJfy in order to pitch to their playlists properly. So make sure you are logged into your SpoJfy listener account. If you don't have one, you can just create on for free easily. 2. Once you are logged into the SpoJfy account you go over to www.arJsts.spoJfy.com and go over to the right hand top corner of the menu and click on "Claim My Profile" 3. You'll be taken to a page with a search bar. Type in the band or arJst name you are claiming and when it pops up, choose to claim that profile. 4. It will then prompt a few quesJons and ask for a few links to verify its really your band or arJst name. 5. You'll get noJfied by SpoJfy once your request has been processed. 6. Now you can go back to arJsts.spoJfy.com and this Jme you'll see your band name in place of "Claim My Profile". Click on that and it will take you to your menu at SpoJfy ArJsts. 7. There you can add biography, more pictures, headers, links to you other sites, and more. 8. NOW, when you are releasing a new single or album, you can go to the symbol in your SpoJfy ArJsts Account that looks like 3 lines with one leaning over, and this will take you to CURRENT AND UNRELEASED records. 9. When you upload your new release through your digital distributor (Tunecore, Distrokid, CDBaby, etc), you will see that release pop up in there UNRELEASED secJon of your SpoJfy ArJsts account page shortly before it’s released. There you will have the opJon to pitch a song to some bigger SpoJfy Playlists! 10. Make sure you have a good explanaJon of he song and what it's about (why you wrote it) because it will ask you these things when you pitch the song for playlists. 9

If you’ve ever watched a TV show or commercial, or seen a movie, or

streamed a video online, you’ve probably noJced the amount of music used across these formats. Well, the use of this music has a cost, and the revenue earned from the payments made for the rights to use music in this way is called a Sync Royalty. Short for “synchronizaJon,” sync rights are Jed to the reproducJon of a song when coordinated with adverJsements, television, ﬁlm, or another system. For example, Royalty Exchange recently sold the royalty income and master recording copyright for the song “Love.” Several brands and adverJsing agencies regularly request to license this song for various uses. * It’s appeared in such movies as “She’s the Man,” “Something’s GoCa Give,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Hotel for Dogs,” and others. * Nissan used it in commercials promoJng the Nissan Leaf vehicle in 2014, and paid $200,000 to use the song in regional dealership ads. * Microsos paid $125,000 to use the song to promote Bing in France, Germany, Spain and Puerto Rico. * Cadillac paid $50,000 to feature the song in an ad for its navigaJon system in 2011. * Sandals paid $60,000 to use the song in a 2010/2011 ad campaign.

Sync licenses are very interesMng for several reasons. First, both the songwriter

and recording arJst get paid, and on a more level playing ﬁeld. Second, they are less dependent on popular trends or radio airplay, as the music is not purchased for fans to enjoy and stream, but to create a mood. Third, the amount paid for the license is determined either through a negoJated contract (rather than a regulated system as with Internet radio), or through more recent innovaJons in online licensing. And according to the UK music industry associaJon BPI, revenue from sync licensing for TV, ﬁlms, video games, and other formats increased 13.5% year over year in 2016

DemocraMzed Opportunity

Sync royalJes are one of the few music revenue streams that reward the songwriter and recording arJst equally. Streaming services pay recording arJsts and labels six Jmes or more what they pay songwriters and publishers. But the payouts for sync license is split 50/50 between the two camps. What’s more, sync licensing benefits smaller arJsts osen overlooked by mainstream fans on streaming music services or radio. Those plaYorms focus on the hits of today (and yesterday) because they’re focused on traffic volume and engagement. But the brands and producers seeking sync licenses are not concerned whether the arJsts behind the track has 100 fans or 1 million. Their only concern is whether the song works for the spot. A song that today’s young music fan may never choose to stream might be the perfect backdrop to a scene in a movie or create the mood needed for an online video. While some mainstream acts are hesitant to license their music in this way for fear of being branded a “sellout,” up-‐and-‐ coming arJsts are happy to collect the sync revenue to make up for falling music sales (not to menJon the fact that a prominent placement can prove as big a break as naJonal airJme on radio or a featured video on MTV). This suits the tradiJonal customers for sync licensing just fine. The ability to license music from a smaller act for less than an established arJst for the same effect on the spot is hard to argue with.

www.singmehigh.com 11

Market Factors

Also worth noJng are the broader market forces at play here. The demand for music in TV shows, films, commercials, and so on is at an all Jme high. The number of global TV shows produced has more than doubled in the last six years. Not only have NeYlix and Hulu added original scripted shows to their repertoire, but local producJon has increased. What used to be translated versions of shows coming out of Hollywood, has shised to local producJon hubs throughout the globe, and each needs their own sync licensing soluJon. There’s also a lot more adverJsing content produced today thanks to the proliferaJon of Internet ads and content markeJng efforts, parJcularly video, much of it targeted at social media and YouTube. The most sought-‐aser target market is the millennial generaJon, who make up 25% of the U.S. populaJon. Their esJmated spending power exceeds $1.3 trillion, but they’re also highly resistant to tradiJonal adverJsing. Experts have idenJfied music as one of the most impacYul formats to reach them. In the past, this kind of demand would osen result in overly aggressive brands and producers simply using music without permission or payment, hoping to get away with it unnoJced. While that behavior has not gone away, the technology needed to track music usage across both TV and the Internet has increased in both choice and sophisJcaJon. Rightsholders as a result have started cracking down hard on unauthorized music usage. That’s the sJck. The carrot is the proliferaJon of far easier music licensing soluJons available to anyone seeking sync licensing. 12

InnovaMons in Sync Licensing

One of the tradiJonal characterisJcs of sync licensing is that there was no explicit rate. Such use would originate as a negoJaJon between the outlet looking for music to license, and the rightsholders who controlled it. Believe it or not, rightsholders didn’t always bother gewng back to such requests for licensing. Given the Jme and resources it took to finalize a deal, they typically only bothered with deals they felt were “worth their while.” The advent of the Internet disrupted that process, with groups like Musicbed, AudioSocket, Rumblefish, PumpAudio, and others hosJng more e-‐commerce like services. Brands were now able to search for the music they wanted, and the songs available carried a set fee they could simply purchase and download. This had several results. Most noJceably to the music industry, the average cost of sync music licensing fell, as did the music budgets of film and TV producers. But with demand sJll high, smaller arJsts willing to license more music for less moved in to meet it. The scenario today is that demand has become more consistent, and more easily met. That means there are more sync licenses deals struck, at lower rates, rather than a few big deals for big money as were in the past.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

Now that you have a ﬁrm grasp of how sync royalJes work, you should create a free account to view all of the music royalty assets we have up for aucJon on the site. You can create your free account in less than two minutes by clicking the link below. https://auctions.royaltyexchange.com/accounts/signup/?_ga=2.93328989.1174858146.1556430966-690007085.1556430966

The ABCs of ArMst Endorsement Deals You're in a relaMonship Plain and simple, an endorsement deal is a partnership where both parJes do speciﬁc things to help themselves and one another. Randy Fuchs coordinates endorsement relaJonships through his company, ArJst RelaJons, for arJsts with brands like Kurzweil, PreSonus, and Nord. According to Fuchs, arJsts osen receive goods for free or reduced price in an endorsement relaJonship, as well as “promoJon that beneﬁts the arJst’s career and the stature of the manufacturer.” Elizabeth Joy Roe of the virtuosic Anderson and Roe piano duo says of the duo's endorsement partnership with Steinway & Sons: "Our relaJonship with Steinway is simple and straighYorward. We show our commitment to Steinway by performing on their beauJful pianos, and whenever possible, Steinway provides pianos for our use.” So at its best, an endorsement relaJonship is a music. win for all involved. Which means you should … •  This arJcle is sourced from hCps://www.merch.ly/blog/2017/3/10/the-‐abcs-‐of-‐arJst-‐endorsement-‐deals 14 .

YOU SEE THE POSTERS ALL OVER EVERY MUSIC INSTRUMENT RETAILER — “JOHNNY ROCK STAR PLAYS XXX GUITARS EXCLUSIVELY!” OPEN A MUSIC TRADE MAGAZINE AND YOU’LL FIND ADS WITH HORN PLAYERS, PRODUCERS, BASSISTS, DRUMMERS, KEYBOARDISTS – YOU NAME IT – PRAISING THE TOOLS AND INSTRUMENTS THEY USE AND PLAY. These are the highly-‐visible manifestaJons of endorsements and sponsorship deals, symbioJc relaJonships between music creators who use, and help promote, a given company's products. And while these deals seem like they're limited to high-‐visibility, world-‐renown acts, they can be beneﬁcial to a wide range of indie musicians. I spoke with indie arJsts and industry pros to get some insight into the world of endorsement deals to help you ﬁgure out if there may be opJons for you and your

Only endorse a company whose products you love. “Companies don’t want musicians looking to chalk up another endorsement,” says Fuchs. “They’re looking for advocates who love and use their products, people who will go out and proselyJze for their brands.” Which means you should only endorse a product you use regularly, know well, and genuinely like. “We don't view our relaJonship with Steinway as ‘corporate’ because it feels like the most natural and sincere choice to use Steinway pianos,” says Roe of Anderson and Roe's endorsement relaJonship with Steinway & Sons. “Both of us have a deep personal connecJon to these instruments, and we are proud to be associated with such an iconic brand.” “I believe that Nord and Kurzweil make amazing keyboards, that Seymour Duncan makes great pickups, and that all the other brands that I work for are truly outstanding," says Fuchs, echoing Roe's senJments. "I’m proud and honored to work with them, and I sincerely hope any arJst embarking on an endorsement deal feels the same way.” “Audiences can sense insincerity in a heartbeat, and endorsing a product for the wrong reasons will destroy your arJsJc credibility,” says Greg Anderson, of Anderson and Roe. “You don't want your listeners distracted by any lack of integrity. You want them focused on your performance! So in an endorsement relaJonship, make certain your prioriJes are aligned. In our situaJon, we as arJsts want to sound our best, and Steinway, as an instrument manufacturer, wants their pianos to sound excellent. The alignment of prioriJes means we're naturally helping one another.” .

The Mming has to be right Fuchs someJmes gets endorsement inquiries from arJsts who are amazing musicians, but have yet to aCain the career momentum required to fulﬁll their end of an endorsement relaJonship and bring visibility and presJge to the manufacturer. “When you disJll it all down, the ulJmate purpose of an endorsement is to help grow a brand," says Fuchs. "An endorsement deal is not an arJst gewng a product without responsibiliJes in return. If the arJst doesn’t qualify to help grow the brand, then the manufacturer wants that non-‐qualifying musician to purchase his or her gear from a local dealer or favorite Internet dealer. “It’s more important to build your career and fan base than to spend energy at the beginning of your career seeking an endorsement." Fuchs conJnues. "If someone is a brilliant songwriter or player but he doesn’t play any live shows and only has 200 views on YouTube, he’s not going to help a company sell their product. I am the guy who always likes to say ‘yes,’ but I need to have a compelling reason to do so.”

Be posiMve and professional If you feel like your band is in posiJon to get an endorsement relaJonship rolling, “The next step is to reach out to the company and ask for somebody in arJst relaJons,” says Fuchs. “The dialog can begin from there.” If you aCend NAMM, AES, or other music industry trade shows, introducing yourself at various manufacturer's booths never hurts, even if you won’t be ready to approach the manufacturer of your dreams for another several years. Having made a connecJon within the organizaJon can be a great asset when it comes Jme to talk business. Landing and maintaining a strong endorsement relaJonship has a lot to do with posiJve energy, good will, and enthusiasm. In other words, be posiJve and professional. “Blackmail and threats don’t work," says Fuchs. “I’ve known people to say things like, ‘If you don’t give me an endorsement, I’ll go with your compeJtor.’ UlJmatums like that tell me you don’t care about my company’s product, and that’s not what a company is looking for. If you tell a girl that if she doesn’t date you, you’re going to date the girl next to her, chances are it’s not going to work.” A beCer approach is to "Find a potenJal partner you’re really drawn to, start talking, and build the relaJonship from there.”

Build your career ﬁrst Fuchs says his company crass endorsement relaJonships with plenty of up-‐and-‐coming arJsts, and that true dedicaJon to one’s career is a must, regardless of whether a band is selling out small clubs or packing stadiums. He goes on to say the best way to aCract endorsers is to build a robust, exciJng, and vibrant career. “SomeJmes arJsts will spend a lot of energy trying to get an endorsement when they should be spending that Jme making connecJons, handling social media, rehearsing, playing gigs, etc. If you get popular, endorsements will come.”

NegoMate There are all flavors of endorsement deals, so be sure to approach the negoJaJon with a full understanding of what you are and aren't agreeing to. “In addiJon to using the manufacturer’s goods," says Fuchs, "an arJst will generally be responsible for providing a photo and a quote or some kind of tesJmonial about the instrument or product. There might be the requirement to include a logo on your website or possibly do an in-‐store clinic or two, depending on the band.” One point worth careful consideraJon is any contract that specifies which instruments from compeJng companies you can and cannot use in public. “I believe an arJst has a right to use mulJple brands, as long as he's using my keyboard, for example, for the majority of gigs, and he does not appear in the ad of a compeJtor,” says Fuchs. Not all companies agree, so you need to study the fine print before signing anything, and be sure whatever you agree to does not limit you or compromise your ability to deliver the best performance and music possible. As with any legal or binding agreement, you should consider showing the document to a lawyer before you sign. 16

FOCUS ENERGY MOOD CLARITY

You’ve Got What It Takes .

naturally

hCps://www.herberall.com/

Life Just Got Golden

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TO BUILD YOUR EMPIRE

WITHOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL

Notes from the minds of the most successful music business execu4ves in the Industry.

#1. HAVE A LONGTERM VISION “There aren't enough people who care about the future. They are too busy worrying about today and what they can grab now” ― Berry Gordy

#2. logic over emotion

“I was in charge, but I made logic the boss.” ― Berry Gordy,

#3. take calculated risk

You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over. ― Richard Branson

#4. Dream beyond just you

There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions – in a way that serves the world and you. ― Richard Branson

#5. out work the competition “I came in to win, you know. This is why I stay up late while other people are sleeping.-‐ ” P Diddy

#6. Keep evolving “Keep on pushing the boundaries and reaching for higher heights.-‐ ” P Diddy

#7. market everywhere always It's such a loud world out there, so it's important to be able to be ubiquitous across formats. -‐ ScoC BorcheCa

#8. deal with haters If you stand for something, that means there are going to be people who support you and people who don't support you. -‐ScoC BorcheCa

#9. believe in your genius I believe everyone in the world is born with genius-‐ level talent. Apply yourself to whatever you’re genius at, and you can do anything in the world. – Jay Z

#10. be self reliant “Told me don’t wait on nobody, go get your own, so it’s me, myself, and my Microphone.” – Jay-‐Z

Brooke Josephson

Artists Of The Month

hCp://www.brookejosephson.com

Just God ﬁle://localhost/hCps::/soundcloud.com:youaintgod

hCp://soundcloud.com/nicolesakurawatson

Nicole Sakura Watson TRUTH KO

hCps://soundcloud.com/truthko

SPACE BASS hCp://SOUNDCLOUD.COM/SPACEBASSDJ

Ben James Artists Of The Month hCps://m.soundcloud.com/ben-‐james-‐2

Payso Bill hCps://soundcloud.com/payso-‐b

Paulina Sjoberg hCp://soundcloud.com/paulina-‐sjoberg

hCp://www.itsjusbobby.bandcamp.com

Bobby Tillman Composa

hCps://soundcloud.com/composa_86

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Son. Brother. Father, Friend. Proud Eritrean black man. Gang aﬃliate. Rapper. 2010 XXL Freshman. Local business owner. Entrepreneur. Philanthropist. Mentor. Grammy nominee Recording ArJsts. Ermias Davidson Ashgedom, beCer known to rap fans in Los Angeles and around the world as Nipsey Hussle, was all of these things and more. Around 3:20 PM on March 31st, Hussle and two other men were shot at close range by a lone gunman in the parking lot at 3420 West Slauson Ave in the Hyde Park neighborhood of South Los Angeles. Hussle, who was reportedly shot six Jmes, and one of the other vicJms were transported to the hospital. Shortly aser the ambulance arrived at the hospital, Hussle was pronounced dead. He was only 33 years old. Each of the reports announcing Hussle’s death that I read noted that the above-‐menJoned parking lot was just outside the storefront for his clothing company, The Marathon Clothing (TMC). But real Jme reports seldom capture the true impact of a musician’s death or the nuances of the life and circumstances leading up to their ﬁnal exhale. While many touched on Hussle’s Jes to Hyde Park and South Los Angeles, none conveyed the depth or importance of his connecJon to the neighborhood/area. None illuminated just how tragic it is that he died outside of TMC. The store represented all he had overcome, all of the changes he’d made in his life, and all of the change he hoped to inspire in the lives of South LA residents. His death just feet from that store is a tragedy so gut-‐wrenchingly ironic that it feels more like it was scripted by Sophocles or John Singleton than something that happened to a real human being. This story was sourced from hCps://www.passionweiss.com/2019/04/01/hussle-‐and-‐moJvate-‐in-‐memory-‐of-‐nipsey-‐hussle-‐1985-‐2019/ 25

TMC was more than Hussle’s business. It was declaraJon, his beacon. Instead of ﬂeeing the neighborhood where he’d survived poverty, gang violence, and countless adversiJes, he invested in it. He opened TMC and hired locals, creaJng jobs in a community sorely lacking opportuniJes for employment. Moreover, TMC was a place where employees and customers likely didn’t face the discriminaJon they might encounter in clothing stores outside of South LA. TMC is more than a cool logo or status symbol. The clothes signify black entrepreneurship, the act of invesJng in black businesses, black success, and the power of community. They point to that beacon at 3420 West Slauson Ave. They are a piece of it. When I lived in Inglewood from 2016 to 2018, I saw TMC shirts that read “Crenshaw” and “Slauson” on the backs of patrons at black-‐owned businesses like Woody’s BBQ (just up the block from TMC), The Serving Spoon, and Simply Wholesome. When I worked as a teaching assistant at Los Angeles Southwest College in West Athens, I saw students studying and working in hopes of making it out of their own crime-‐ridden and economically neglected blocks of South LA while wearing the TMC logo. If ever I talked to students about their favorite musicians, someone was sure to menJon Hussle. The clothes, the music—both were moJvaJon. TMC was only the beginning of Hussle’s a3empts to change and inspire change in South LA, to keep the money in the pockets of longJme residents and out of the hands of opportunisJc and soulless real estate developers. Hussle and his business partner Dave Gross had recently purchased the plaza where TMC is located. According to February arJcle in Forbes, Hussle and Gross planned to tear everything down and build a six-‐story residenJal building with a revamped shopping plaza beneath it. Hussle also helped ﬁnance the refurbishment of famed World on Wheels skaJng rink in Mid-‐City. And last year, he co-‐founded Vector 90, a combinaJon co-‐ working space and youth-‐focused STEM center located just a few blocks from TMC.

I could list more of Nipsey Hussle’s entrepreneurial endeavors or some of his philanthropic efforts (e.g., refurbishing the basketball court at 59th Street Elementary School), but I think I’ve made my point. He loved his neighborhood so much that he decided to stand in front of Slauson Donuts for his GQ photo shoot. I’ll never be able to talk to him about that decision, but I’m sure he made it so young people from South LA would feel represented and empowered. A Crip on the cover of GQ? Hussle did that. Right now, any appraisal of Hussle’s music feels false and too fraught with the possibility of coming off as hagiography. Sadly, there will be much Jme to discuss the hardened candor and wisdom of his lyrics, the arresJng and sos raspiness of his voice, or the many other merits of his work. The facts, though, speak to his work ethic, the widespread resonance of his music, and his poliJcs. Hussle dropped 12 independent mixtapes before he released his debut album. Before Billboard and the RIAA kept track of his sales, he was plaJnum in DatPiff downloads. When virtually every other rapper and musician seemed unwilling to make a song railing against Donald Trump’s run for president, Hussle teamed up with YG for the anthemic “FDT.” PracJcally every major rapper has a song with Hussle, who was one of a select few with enough credibility to bestow the West Coast seal of approval. Victory Lap, which was released via AtlanJc and Hussle’s label All Money In, didn’t win the Grammy for which it was nominated; but the number of Jmes I heard it playing from cars in LA reaffirmed that he never needed one.

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hCps://www.rage.vegas/