3 independent rap artists whose career you need to Follow!
3 independent rap artists: #1 Tech N9ne
“If nothing lasts forever, can I be nothing to you?”
Tech N9ne
This 49-year-old mogul has paved and maintained his own lane amongst independent rap artists since the 90s. To this day he remains not only is he the highest-paid independent artist in the game, but in 2021 he was one of the highest-earning rappers, period.
From what we can find, N9nes’ money is a result of high album sales and owning his masters. In 1999, N9ne and his business partner Travis O’Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Since then he has sold over 3 million records.
3 independent rap artists: #2 Russ
“My career is like a ‘how to’ manual.”
– Russ
Russ’s Career began to take shape in 2016. He released several tapes via Tunecore and utilized a SoundCloud strategy that eventually earned him a 6 figure income monthly from his music independently. Using this leverage, he acquired a favorable deal from Columbia Records in 2018 which catapulted him to superstardom. In 2020 he announced that he had now completed his obligations to the label and is back “100% independent.” With his status bolstered, Russ is now marketing millions a month from his catalog alone.
Russ has been the real-world example for independents on how to navigate the music industry for years. As music and tech continue to evolve you can expect Russ to continue to innovate.
3 independent rap artists : #3 CEO Trayle
”Bit** I got a real dream ion wanna trap or scam.”
– CEO Trayle
Bronx-born Chi-town raised, Big C4 has been on a rip since the release of his breakout hit ‘OK Cool’ which boasts an enormous 9.5 million views on YouTube (pretty good for a song he never intended on releasing).
He releases all his music through his label, 1080 Trademark Records. His position as an independent artist has him poised to potentially be the next big earner in the industry. He is associated with superstars like Gunna and Young thug, claiming to have several unreleased songs with both. After Rolling Loud 2021 mega start Drake reached out with a message for the young MC.
Conclusion
The artists selected above represent each stage of modern music. Tech N9nes longevity and high revenue show how even in the 90s independence was the way to go. Russ is the spokesperson for the SoundCloud generation. His utilization of modern tools like Tunecore and the implementation of strategy is a road map for the artists of today. Trayle is the future. A combination of businessman and trap artist, he has shown up and comers how to enter the game today.
The music world is evolving fast. Even though these artists have not publicly shown any interest in Web3. Their business acumen in the fields of music cannot be ignored by any serious student. Which independent artist should be added to this list? Leave your answer below.
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