How Drake’s “Hotline Bling” music video is an example of how all businesses should market products to a target audience.

Monday October 26, 2015 hip-hop artist Drake released his “Hotline Bling” music video through Universal Music’s VEVO youtube distribution channel. The video features Drake performing a series of freestyle warm-up break dance moves and silhouettes of women. Lighting throughout the music video features a series of pastel and vibrant colors. The lighting, shadows, colors, women, and dances all received viral attention. In days the video was viewed 40 million times. To date ‘Saturday Night Live’ has parodied the music video featuring US Presidential candidate Donald Trump. Thousands of memes have also populated the internet as well. “Hot Line Bling” is a great example of how all businesses should market products to their target audience.

"Hot Line Bling" by Drake 

Capture the Look & Feel Your Audience Desires:

Drake as a hip-hop artist has established himself like no other commercially successful hip-hop artist has before. Drake’s audience and fan base is 2/3^rd’s female. This has been established from a catalog of music exploring relationships, and women with a level of intimacy most rappers will not do. Drake’s advantage for taking these risk has provided him an opportunity to capitalize on an audience under served in hip-hop.

“Hot Line Bling” sonically is mellow and stands out from his vocal talents delivering melodic variations in a subdued tone. This feels and captures an emotion towards intimacy. Drake’s subject matter and sound match which delivers the message to the audience best.

Colors Matter:

The ‘Hot Line Bling’ music video showcases a mix of pastel and vibrant colors. This aesthetic naturally lends itself to capture the attention of women. The basic design of using lighting to color the video, while limited props are used draws the attention of the viewer in. Also colors are matched with changes in the music and lyrics as well. In business aesthetics are essential in branding and capturing the attention of customers. As different colors touch on different emotions, using colors as a technique to deliver messages should always be considered.

What’s not seen Matters:

The women in the video are shown in the forms of silhouettes. This is a genius feature. As Drake is generally performing lyrics in songs from the first person perspective the listener can assume the ‘you’ he’s speaking of is the listener. Connecting with a potential buyer where he/she feels a relationship is developed is powerful. If a business can market it’s products where buyers think they are taken into consideration it only will develop customer and brand loyalty.        

Top Four Ways Your Business can be an OutKast and Stand Out

Top Four Ways Your Business can be an OutKast and Stand Out

By Khary Frazier

1. "South Got Something to Say" OutKast won Top New Artist of the year at the 1994 Source Hip-hop Awards. Amongst the turmoil and misunderstandings between Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur (which eventually led to their untimely deaths) winning the awards the New York audience didn’t accept the Atlanta rap duo fondly. The artists accepted the award and Andre Benjamin left the stage saying 'the South got something to say. This statement held as a mantra for the group and Atlanta moving forward.

Setting a creed to conduct business by and with is a strength. Successful business people overtime have been driven by advice and knowledge. Using a creed that is purposeful to move ahead is resourceful.

2. LaFace, setting the standard in a business relationship. OutKast was released their debut albums with LaFace records. This label was a known home for Soul and R&B acts. OutKast was the first and original hip-hop act on LaFace. This was advantageous for their creativity.

I believe having a willingness to set a standard in a business relationship is important. Clients and businesses are looking to hire and work with people confident in their work. Landing a relationship where you set the standard of what is to expect is a wonderful opportunity. OutKast created the standard at which all future hip-hop acts were judged and given.

3. Be an OutKast, OutKast as a hip-hop group expanded the boundaries of which people thought hip-hop music would be made. Notably the song "Hey Ya" which uses european style pop music and singing to give a hip-hop record. This song is the biggest record OutKast ever made in reference to record sales and popularity. Their willingness to challenge the norm provided and opportunity that no other hip-hop act could take advantage of.

In business differentiation is vital. The competitiveness in all business markets leads to innovation and chances to be tried. Remaining loyal to a customer base does not rely upon remaining committed to methods, operations, products, or services. Every business should explore what creativity can be reached when entering a market.

4. Organized Noise with Us, OutKast was a hip-hop group started, run, and managed by Organized Noise Productions. Organized Noise Productions was a collection of hip-hop producers from Atlanta that sought out and saw the talent in OutKast member Andre Benjamin and Antawn Patton. In the early 1990's watching the young men perform open mic rap shows they eventually recruited the group to be on their production team. After recruitment a series of shows, practices, and studio sessions all managed under strict supervision created OutKast. Mile runs reciting lyrics, recording sessions daily, and talent show after talent show committed the Atlanta group to the success they embraced.

In business the parties making a deal can include so many people. The encouragement of family, friends, and associates are vital. OutKast had two performers on stage but many pushing and part of the group behind the stage. Success is a movement that encompasses many and the critique and involvement of others helps move it ahead.

How Sampling Music is to Hip-hop what Traditional Media is to Social Media for Business

By Khary Frazier

Sampling music is the art form which brought hip-hop music to prominence in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Foundation Acts such as Afrika Bambata, Grand Master Caz, and the Sugar Hill Gang all took interpretations of Soul, Disco, Rock, and R&B music to craft the sound that became Hip-hop. Using primarily record turntables as an instrument portions of songs were ‘sampled’ and later reinterpreted to make music for rappers to perform vocal lyrics with. In the world of business today a form of ‘sampling’ is taking place between Traditional to Social media marketing.

The world of business has always changed, but in the past 20 years the changes have come faster than anyone imagined. The interconnected world we all live in through the internet has birthed an abundance of markets, and closed a series of others. The playing field for business competition is daily becoming more level. Which has led to many more start and stop, low/ no service, and bad business flooding the market. Today marketing is essential. Using social media tools to market successfully has many traits of traditional integrated marketing campaign strategies.   

An influential integrated marketing campaign establishes or reinforces a brand. In social media using a name and image that is synonymous among all social media platforms is needed. There are so many social network options to choose from developing a look that people can easily identify is important. Traditional Marketing begins with branding. This is similar to Hip-hop sampling Soul music because of the break beat. The early days of Hip-hop sampled music was always using a break in the song with generally drums. These breaks were used in the original records as places for audiences to dance. Hip-hop music was originally made as dance and part music.

Voice is the expression of the marketer in Traditional Marketing. In an effective Integrated Marketing Campaign a marketer would take into account the medium the advertisement is being placed before creating it. The medium has much to do with the style, language, and look of any advertisement. Social media use is more effective when functioning each specific site to the tastes of the users and their sensibilities. Twitter in example attracts a younger audience and is driven by the quantity of content whereas facebook is more of a personal space where users connect with messaging that has sincerity. Hip-hop sampling was segmented between East Coast and West Coast music. West Coast Hip-hop music sampled more of the Soul, Funk, and R&B that was more popular in Urban radio markets throughout the 1970’s. East Coast Hip-hop music sampled more of the Rock and Disco songs that found radio success in the 1970’s. This style of sound was sculpted to create a voice that would resonate with an understanding audience.   

Cited Works

Savage, Greg. "How To Clear Music Samples: Every Sample Based Music Producer Needs To Know This."http://www.diymusicbiz.com/. N.p., 25 May 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

Bennett, Shea. "Marketing 101 – Social Media vs Traditional Media." http://www.adweek.com. N.p., 13 July 2012. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

“It was all a Dream” 3 Business Networking Skills Biggie Taught Me

by Khary Frazier 

‘It was all a dream

I used to read Word Up magazine

Salt'n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine

Hangin' pictures on my wall

Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl’

Juicy by Christopher ‘Notorious BIG’ Wallace

I was born in 1982 to Jan and Greg Frazier on Detroit’s Westside. My parents were (and still are) a hard-working, loving, and committed African American couple building business and family. My father is a CPA. My father and mother have built a practice that has grown to abundant success. Greg Frazier CPA has reached point of capturing long standing relationships with international clientele.

Being born in 82’ in a predominately Black neighborhood placed me in a position to witness the growth of hip-hop culture. As a young Black male witnessing performing artists close in age, with representative styles and communication skills resonated with me. This was uniquely balanced by watching my parents develop a professional practice. Interestingly, I have found many parallels in both worlds.

Notorious BIG (Christopher Wallace) is recognized universally as one of the most talented and skilled hip-hop performing artists. His first nationally recognized single ‘Juicy’ is an introspective narrative of his appreciation for hip-hop. Sharing stories, names, and moments throughout his understanding of hip-hop is what this song is about. As a hip-hop performing artist myself I appreciate the song. Developing my marketing firm today I apply lessons from this song in business. I have the competitive advantage of combining my 10 years of business acumen with my parents 30 years of business application as well. Notorious BIG’s ‘Juicy’ is an example of 3 great business networking skills.

Three Business Networking Skills I Learned from Notorious BIG’s ‘Juicy’

I.              Edify and Introduce: Notorious BIG’s ‘Juicy’ song begins with him sharing rap lyrics with the listener about his adoration and introduction to hip-hop. By presenting his understanding of hip-hop as ‘a dream’ it takes the listener to believe his relationship with hip-hop is almost euphoric. In business to humbly present the best qualities you initially connect with others is extremely advantageous. For, compliments and positive attitudes galvanize and populate the minds of all people. Doing business you’d rather interact with someone who sees potential and talent between one another.

II.            Functionality: Notorious BIG lets the listeners know he played tapes, listened to the radio, posted up posters, and bought magazines while connecting with hip-hop. In business networking establishing what, how, and why are in business are essential. For meeting a potential client, partner, or connection to both is only useful if he/she knows what you do.

III.           Visualization: ’50 inch screen/ money green leather sofa/ got two rides a limousine and a chauffer’ Juicy by Notorious BIG. Those rap lyrics are examples of the visual elements Notorious BIG would offer listeners. Communicating while business networking will draw attention the same way. The more descriptive language you can use while using reasoning behind your descriptions will connect with everyone.