New Blog Post About Merchandise Material

Check out my new blog post about getting your merchandise together before creating a buzz. It's got some useful suggestions and tells you what is up with getting your name out there!

Go here to read it.

Photo/Video Release Agreement

I have been getting a lot of questions regarding shooting videos and what must be signed or said to make sure the people in the actual video, on tape, can't sue for using their image, or worse, refuse to let you release the video after spending all the money! I have put the contract I use online for you to download and review for your own use. You can go to the resources tab on the menu or click here to visit the page.

Rasheeda - "Miss Bubble Gum" at The Mix Studio

"Miss Bubble Gum" stopped by my Dallas recording studio while in town with The Legion, a group I am working with on the Flagrant Entertainment Label.

Music Review Site Listings - Coming Soon!!!!

The staff at JaiHutcherson.com has been working long and hard hours putting together the ultimate list of magazine and online music review outlets! The list will include web address, email, contact name, and all the information you will need to submit your music for review.

Getting magazine and online reviews is one of the top ways of getting the word out to the masses about your music. Be sure to get your best song ready, mp3 format at least 256k quality, a one sheet (basic information contained on a single piece of paper, or word doc for digital delivery), your website address (or myspace), and get your cd cover scanned so they can place an image with the review if your music is chosen for review.

Get your music reviewed!!!

We will have the list up and ready to use in the next few days!!

**$125.00 Mix & Mastering Special**

The Mix Studio
The Mix Studio is offering a Complete Mix & Mastering Special for only $125.00 per song. This isn't a quick mix or a "simply normalize it" mastering job. This is the real deal, professional, package that will get your music ready for radio play. The special includes 5 versions of your song mixed:

Street
Radio
Instrumental
Acapella
Performance

The best thing.... You pay nothing up front and if you are not 100% satisfied with the mix you pay nothing at all!

Here is how it works:
- Send your session files - Pro Tools, Cubase, Sonar, Reason, Fruity Loops - to the Mix Studio via FTP server or Mail.
- The Mix Studio will load your session, listen, then contact you to discuss your wants/needs
- Your song will be mixed to Radio Ready Industry Standards
- A test copy will be emailed to you for review
- You make notes of the changes or modifications you need and email them to The Mix Studio
- The changes are made and another test mix is emailed to you
- Once you are 100% satisfied a paypal invoice will be sent to you - you can pay via paypal or Credit/debit card
- Once payment is received your song will be mastered to Industry Standards and sent to you for final approval
- Approve or email needed changes to The Mix Studio
- Once you are 100% satisfied with master a Master CD will be sent to your location via Media Mail.

To learn more about The Mix Studio visit the website:
www.themixstudio.com

Jazz & Soul
"All About the Passion for Music."

Hey folks, check out this new, hip, site over in Europe. It's a great resource for up and coming Soul, R&B, Jazz, and Hip Hop artists and labels. Folks, Europe is the spot for Soul and Jaz. Ya, I know, the US delivered us Jazz.... But the Europeans love this stuff and it's a great site to get your music into some new fans looking for their next CD. Check it out and if you join let them know JaiHutcherson.com sent you!! (No, I don't get paid... I just like the props!!! LOL)

Go to http://www.jazzandsoul.eu/index.htm to check it out!

Peace,
Jai
"Love the Music in Yourself,
Not Yourself in the Music."

Setting Up Your Business

Step 1 - 6 from the book Hip Hop Business Advisor
By: Jai Hutcherson

Before you can cash a check from a distributor, collect your money from a major tour organizer, or  obtain an occupancy license to move into your new commercial building where your Record Label offices will be you have to properly set up your business. By this I mean file the correct paperwork with local, state, and federal government. The following 5 steps detail what is nesasary to set up your business from deciding a name to use through filing for your EIN number with the IRS. Go HERE to read the FULL article!

Time Management

Jai Hutcherson

It’s a crazy, fast paced, world. Cell phones, sometimes multiple cell phones, email, IM, Myspace messages, and text messages all compete for our valuable time. Each one of these and many other “convenience” devices all add up to interruptions that pull us from our core function of artist or record label owner. Yes, in deed, we need these devices to do our jobs and stay connected to the world, but do we have to stop everything just because we get a call or text? Distractions can turn a simple project of writing a bio or press release into an all day event. Even worse, the distractions can make the bio or press release seem disconnected or jumbled by taking our attention away from what we are trying to focus on.

Time management is the art of managing our time to the highest level of completeness. This means we manage our time to get the most out of our day. Not that we let time manage what we get out of a day. This is a very hard thing for most artists and record label owners as there are so may distractions to pull us off the task at hand. By the time we get back to the task we realize that we only have a few minutes to finish up that press release to get it to the news outlet on time for tomorrows edition.

Guide to Starting, Marketing, and Profiting Hip Hop Record Labels