A3C Festival 2014: Artist Survival Guide

Okay!! So here’s the deal. I’m a festival junkie, I attend festivals, I create stages  and I love music as well as networking. I’ve been  attending festivals for 6 years now and every year I see huge mistakes made by artists. Let me start off by saying .. the rumors are true… Its A3C’s 10th anniversary and yes over 500 plus artists are performing. This doesn’t mean that as an artist you cant make it work for you. So I’ve decided to give you guys tips and answer the most frequent questions asked of me.

Of course, performing is just one part of interacting with people.. a very teeny tiny part. You have to make things work for you. Have a crew, have your merch ready, be prepared to pitch.

Attend Panels: A3C has some of the best education on Hip Hop and the ” right way to go about your music “. They bring in hundreds of professionals who don’t mind spilling the beans about what it takes. Make sure you attend at least 5.

Wear comfortable clothes. Don’t try to be too cute or too “fly” because in all actuality “NO ONE CARES” and you will be disappointed.Dress comfortable. No new shoes, no heels, no hot ass sweat pants.

Stay hydrated. I can’t express this enough!  If you’re going to DRINK.. YOU BETTER MULTIPLY your WATER and GATORADE INTAKE.

Brand Yourself. If you haven’t figured out how to sell yourself by now.. you probably shouldn’t be in this business. Have promo items ready to go and get creative.

Build Genuine Relationships. Most of the time the best relationships are formed by a simple greeting, you never know who you’re talking to. If someone has a business card take it!

Bloggers, DJs, A&Rs and Execs are HUMAN. Believe it or not we want to hear dope music but we also want to enjoy ourselves.  You don’t walk up to Karen Civil and go.. “yo Karen Civil.. Im Cashy Bo.. I rap.. u gotta check out my sh*t. Im the hottest rapper out.. here’s my cd”. When you see someone you recognize, introduce yourself, tell them what you do, ask for a business card or contact information. Talk about a piece they wrote, an interview they did, spark a genuine conversation.

People love free stuff, come with something better than just your CD, give them a wristband, a pin, a cup, water bottle, a key-ring.. something they can use and remember you. If you have stickers.. post them everywhere.. I’m telling you.. it works.

***BONUS TIP***: Taking a picture with another artist does not mean that you are working.. it means you took a picture. Artists also don’t want your cds, they can’t get you a deal!! Make sure you pay attention to those around them.. talk to them.. if they like your music.. it may get played around that artist.

A3C has a live app available for android and  iPhone users. It allows you to schedule your week! Download it today! Go to as many shows as you can just to enjoy! Follow up on social media, use hash-tags …live a little.

Last but not least Pace Yourself! It’s a marathon not a race. If done right you can come out on top.