Martin Luther King A Monumental Leader

A great leader is not a title that is given to everyone in leadership. Leaders have to be proven through many tests and trials. Prior to the late 1960’s the African American community didn’t have a voice. They were in need of someone who obtained the skills necessary to communicate their concerns in the United States. Martin Luther King Jr. is an example of a great leader. Martin Luther King Jr. was a monumental leader because of his influence, vision and self-discipline.

Influence is one of the leading characteristics that Dr. king possessed. He was often times used to meet with President Johnson to convey the thoughts of African Americans. In the campaign in Selma, King met with President Johnson to discuss the right to vote. (Keophane, 2015) The right to vote for African Americans was granted in 1964. This was greatly due influence of Dr. King in the 1960’s.

Great leaders possess vision as a characteristic. In Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech the word “dream” can also be interpreted as vision. The vision was to rid the world of segregation and inequality by the unity of brotherhood. He used the platform in Washington D.C. to convey this idea speaking to over 250,000 people that day (Keohane, 2015). The results of his vision are evident today as the United States in that they no longer deal with segregation and have now elected it’s first African American president. On Jan 16, 2015, Jan 19, was declared a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Day (Obama 2015). Obama stated that he changed the course of history (Obama, 2015). King died in 1968 but he definitely laid the vision out when he spoke to the heart of mankind in expressing his dream.

Self-discipline is a characteristic of a great leader. King possessed this trait as he conveyed his message through acts of non-violence. (W.A.T.E.R., 2011) This trait was required in order to have peaceful protests among violent bystanders. In a New York Amsterdam article W.AT.E.R said, “His message was not to turn the other cheek but to rather to maintain discipline and stand up and rise above it”. Martin Luther King actually stood on the frontlines and was arrested 30 times for participating in non-violent demonstrations. (The Power to Persuade, 2005) Had King ever lost control in the midst of their demonstrations his leadership would have been tainted and the dream may have been lost.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a monumental leader because of his influence, vision and self-discipline. He is discussed in school textbooks due to his impact that he has had on American History. Today Americans experience equalities and freedoms due to the leadership characteristics this great man possessed. He only lived 39 years and was able to break down walls of hatred that existed in this country for years. Men like Martin Luther King only come once in a lifetime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Jonsson, P. (2013, August 28). ‘I Have a Dream’ speech: Obama calls to fully realize King’s vision. Christian Science Monitor. p. N.PAG.

 

Keohane, G. (2015). MLK, Civil Rights and The Fierce Urgency of Now. Time.Com,

N.PAG.

 

Obama, B. (2015). Proclamation 9228–Martin Luther King, Jr., Federal Holiday, 2015. Daily Compilation Of Presidential Documents, 1-2.

 

The Power to Persuade. (2005). Literary Cavalcade, 57(4), 28-30.

 

 

1. A. T. E.R ., 1. (2011, January 13). Dr. M.L. King Jr.: The peaceful revolutionary warrior. New York Amsterdam News. p. 15.

Negotiation and Deal Making Interview with Chance D Lynch Esq.

Hello Everyone,

Today I will be interviewing Chance D. Lynch Esq. and attorney from Halifax County NC. He is a graduate of NC Central University and has been practicing law for the last 6 years. He practices law out of Raleigh, NC and resides in Greenville NC. Mr. Lynch is currently the pastor of Faith Temple Christian Church in Greenville where he and his wife Christina serve faithfully. I have personally looked to him for guidance in starting my production company and his advice was right on the money.

Question 1

How do you separate the people from the problem when you are negotiating? What tips do you have for new negotiators who are trying to do this?

Separating the people from the problem can be one of the hardest parts. Your attitude has to adjust to whomever you are negotiating with to get the best results. Sometimes we get stuck on the feeling of winning. But good negotiation from my experience comes from letting the other person believe they have won, when in actuality, you did. If you are able to make them feel like they had their way, you can make the deal happen. Sometimes, people don’t really know what they want. So helping them identify what they want, how your way can benefit them, restating what they want so they can finally agree with you and sealing the deal. That’s it in a nutshell.

Question2

How do you handle positional bargaining tactics?

I’m uncertain as to how effective positional bargaining is. If it requires you to neglect your personal underlying interest and feelings as positional bargaining does, I’m not sure if you can really reach an agreement that would be satisfactory. Maybe it’s possible. However, I think that if its used, you’ve got to show them how your way is better. Being sure you can get them to “buy in” to the possibility of employing your way and then quickly getting them to agree before they change their mind.

Question3

Can you give me an example of how you worked toward mutual benefit when you were negotiating a deal?

Family Law is not my favorite. In fact it’s one of the worst areas to practice other than real estate to me. There are a ton of emotions and personal interest between the husband and wife. He wants this…she wants that. Bitterness and all of the above. But it’s been a successful negotiation process because I pick a subject or area that they are both connected to and make them focus on protecting that mutual interest instead of their own. And that area is their CHILD. If I find an area that’s more important than their wants to both of them, I can get them make everything else revolve around that. So the child is always the center point. Once they agree on that, I can almost get them to bend more on the other less important stuff.

Digital Media and Music Distribution

Digital

Source: Digital Media and Music Distribution

Digital Media and Music Distribution

Choosing the right way to get your project to the world can be one of the most important decisions an artist or company can make. Once your project is completed you then have to decide which medium you are going to use for distribution. All distribution companies charge you in some way or another. It is important to know how the charges work before getting into a distribution deals.

With so many streaming services available the money that can be made on a project has declined if you choose the traditional marketing strategy. A strong digital marketing strategy is going to be needed for true success. Even cars made today have provided some way for you to download your music digitally. In 2014 according to the International Federation of Phonographic Industry digital revenue grew to 6.85 billion and the physical CD’s fell 8 percent down to 6.82 billion

Social media is now playing a major role in the advertising of music sales because it is free advertisement but it should never be your only option. Facebook alone has 149 billion active users and it gives a great platform for promoting concerts as well. 91% of Facebook users are from the age 15-34 years of age. This is a great number to consider when considering your target audience and the best strategy to use.

CD’s are still in play. They haven’t completely gone out but it is very clear that eventually music will be completely going toward the digital market. Apple’s latest computer models don’t even have the cd drive. This is a very clear message that music is being pushed toward digital downloads. Only time will tell what the next trend will but as for now it is clearly impossible to have a successful campaign without social media and digital marketing.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/15/8419567/digital-physical-music-sales-overtake-globally

Becoming a Complete Producer

In today’s age everyone thinks they can produce. The truth is there is more to producing than just recording. Hit records are not hit records because of the singer; they are hits because of the producer. Education does not make you a complete producer. A complete producer can run the session, acts as a therapist when needed and they keep the authenticity of the music. An incomplete producer will lack 2 or more of these skills.

Running sessions means controlling all aspects of a recording session. This doesn’t mean that they are recording anything but they act as an overseer. This producer pretty much knows what they want to hear but the may not have the skills to operate a DAW. There is nothing wrong with being this type of producer actually Sean Combs produced in this way.

There are times in production that the producer may need to act as therapist. The artist may be having a bad day or maybe not feeling the song. In these cases the producer will do whatever he has to do to get what he needs from the artist. It then becomes his job to inspire or motivate the artist. This is generally not something you expect or sign up for but those people skills need to be there.

If you are recording a certain genre of music it is important to keep the authenticity of that genre. It is the producer’s job to ensure that the song sounds and feels like what they are producing. There is such thing as creating your own sound but if you fall under a genre there are certain aspects that listeners look for in the music. When asked to stay in a certain box the producer should be able to do it and still be creative.

The aspects of producing are not limited to this but I’ve learned that when artists are looking for a producer all of these aspects can be expected. Even if you are missing one of these aspects having a team of people can help. I can utilize what I’ve researched in the production side of my company. There are times that I may need to run the session act as a therapist and ensure that the genre authenticity is kept in tact.

References

References

Gregory, S. (2004). SEAN COMBS. Time, 164(25), 135.

Mallory, L. (2014). ESCAPE FROM BAND LIMBO PART 3: GET YOURSELF A PRODUCER. Canadian Musician, 36(4), 42-45.

3 Keys to Marketing Gospel Music

In order for anyone to have success there needs to be a successful marketing strategy. Gospel music is still a growing industry and the average person won’t buy a song that they have never heard of. Raising the awareness and drawing attention to the works will help its success. 3 keys to marketing gospel artists are 1. Utilize videos, 2. maintain positive relationship with the church and 3. Simple music.

With the emerge of YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and other social media, artist Gospel music is now more personal. When you hear Tamala Mann’s song, “Take Me To The King” you can literally see her face and feel what she is singing. This is a way of relating to the audience and the video is and has been a powerful marketing tool for gospel. People are emotional creatures and the video is a way to show your target audience what you are feeling, which will generate sales.

A positive relationship with the church is key especially since they are the majority of your customer base. Eddie Long is a pastor/artist who experienced the negative effects of the relationship with the church. When he was accused of molesting young boys in the church he experienced a decline in church membership and record sales. (Chaney,2013) Although the church can be forgiving, a negative relationship with the church could kill the career of a new artist.

You can’t help but notice that gospel music shifted from complicated choir music to simple CCM. “Take me to the King” was the number one gospel song in 2013 and it is a CCM song. The church is like a radio station in a sense and choir directors of today teach songs that their choirs can sing. This trend may change but as for now the simple music is running the show.

3 keys to marketing gospel artists are 1. Utilize videos, 2. Maintain positive relationship with the church and 3. Simple music. I have a marketing and production company and can now see the direction for my company a little more clearly. Utilizing these strategies will put me on the right path toward helping someone become a star. The gospel industry is a very picky industry and my research will help me to avoid stumbling blocks in the future.

References

Chaney, C. (2013). Who is David and who is Goliath? The Eddie Long scandal and the black mega-church. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 16(1), 58-78. doi:10.1080/13674676.2011.645224

GOSPEL™. (2013). Billboard, 125(35), 62.

Price, D. E. (1998). `Praise & Worship’ Music Extending Its Retail, Radio Reach. Billboard, 110(49), 3.

Management Benefits in the Music Industry

Having a strong management team can play a huge role in the life of an Artist in the music industry. The average deal for mangers in todays industry ranges anywhere from 10-20% of either the net or the gross. This depends on the negotiation of the artists and manager. The benefits of hiring a manager are that they act as the middle man ,they work to generate income for the artist, and they protect their clients from bad deals.

The focus of the artist should primarily be on singing. It would be a tragedy if an artist had to book his own performances and make financial deals. This is the job of the manager. The manager assumes the responsibility of serving the artist to ensure that they are able to perform at a high level

If the artist doesn’t get paid then the manager won’t  get paid either. This means that if the manager wants to get paid then he will work hard for the artist. The focus is to make their artist a main stream artist. 10 percent of 10,000 is far better than 10% of 100. If he’s a hard working manager then more than likeley he will want to ensure that  the artist’s pay is maxed out.

Managers also protect  clients from bad deals. Managers are knowledgeable about what or who they are managing. U2 signed a twelve year multi-rights deal this wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for management. (Waddell, 2008) The truth is most artist don’t understand the music business and neither do most attorneys. (Donnelly,1999) Lawyers generally know the legal system and they protect you from illegal acts.

The benefits of hiring a manager are that they act as the middle man,they work to generate income for the artist, and they protect their clients from bad deals.It was very important for me to understand that there are some benefits to having management. Without management it becomes a “do it yourself deal”.This research gives me leverage when talking to independent artists that think it’s better that they handle everything. I can now show the benefits of hiring me to mange your career.

References

Donnelly, B. (1999). Managers Shouldn’t Be Endangered Species. Billboard, 111(8), 4.

Waddell, R. (2008). Behind The Deal. Billboard, 120(16), 17.

Branding for Success

A brand identifies who or what you are as a company. It is important as a company to make sure that your brand identifies exactly what you want your company to represent. When the public see’s your company name,  what images or slogans come to mind? When starting the branding process it is important to identify your target audience, utilize social media, and to keep your name in the public.

Identifying your target audience is a way of identifying where the bulk of your clients will come from. Once you identify them you want to ensure to appeal to their language as well as be abreast to the latest trends. Keeping in mind that these are the people that you are trying to get your product in front of so you want to appeal to them.

Social medial has become the way of today. Facebook, twitter and linkedIn  are positive social media sites that can ensure that people know who you are. Facebook is the most personal because it allows the most information. Twitter allows the sting of brief messages. Building this network can be a quick way to get your company’s message out.LinkedIn has over 225million users and is actually an essential personal branding tool (Poeppelman, T., & Blacksmith, N. (2014).

It is very important to keep your audience aware of what you are doing. Advertise what you are doing using all of your resources. Listing your events and sending out invitations to them will also keep your name in the eyes of the public. Even if they decide not to go, it is still an opportunity to blast the public with your presence. Give away free things when possible.

When starting the branding process it is important to identify your target audience, utilize social media, and keep your name in the public. An unsuccessful branding campaign can really limit the growth of your company. In my  Production, Management and Marketing company, I really need to ensure the success of the entire company. I’ve learned the important factors as well as some valuable keys toward successful branding.

References

Poeppelman, T., & Blacksmith, N. (2014). Personal Branding via Social Media: Increasing SIOP Visibility One Member at a Time. TIP: The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 51(3), 112-119.

TERO, M. (2012). THE LOGOTYPE, FUNDAMENTAL UNIT FOR A BRAND’S VISUAL IDENTITY. Scientific Bulletin Of The Petru Maior University Of Targu Mures, 9(1), 64-68.

Fantasy Band

I created a fantasy band using The J.B.s as my band and Snoop Dogg as my performer. The band would be constructed as follows…

John Starks- Drummer

Bootsy Collins- Bass

Phelps Collins- Guitar

I would create a live Hip-hop recording. Hip-hop in the 90’s was primarily sampled from groups from the 70’s. I would allow the artists to be themselves and creative. Hip Hop listeners are still looking for a funky baseline, which Bootsy Collins mastered in the 70’s and a solid pocket drum beat.

This fantasy band would create a controversial song concerning weed called “I Smoke”. I can actually see Snoop and the J.B.s performing this at halftime of the Super Bowl.

As I producer I understand and respect the work that they have done in their era’s and would allow them to be themselves. You don’t have to tell any of the artists to think outside the box because that’s what made them famous. I would give the band some time to shine on stage as well as Snoop especially during live performances. Knowing that Bootsy Collins actually became a star in the 70’s with Parliament I would make him the music director and let them go to work. As a producer I understand that it is very important that I allow them to be creative in order to come up with a sound never heard before.

 The name of the band would be Funkizzle. The name Funkizzle would compliment the style of music played by the band and also the  “izzle” endings in which Snoop likes to place on words.

I would market Funkizzle using the common marketing tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and music videos.  After seeing what Beyonce recently did in releasing her latest album without a label I would do the same thing. Snoop is popular worldwide and with the right promotions we are guaranteed success.  A video would help market this recording especially since this would be the only way fans would be able to see them regularly. Due to their age they are not expected to do much touring.

Michael Jackson’s, Off The Wall album was released in 1979 with Epic Records and produced by Quincy Jones.  Off the Wall was the first solo album from the artist we know today to be the, “King of Pop”. Before Off the Wall Michel was the lead singer for the Jackson 5. Michael left the group the Jackson 5 in 1975. Michael wanted creative power over his music and was tired of the same sound. After playing the role of the Scarecrow in the Quincy Jones film The Whiz, Jones and Jackson developed a friendship. In 1978 Jackson would begin working on his Off the Wall record.  Collaborating with Song writers Rod Temperton, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Tom Bahler, Carole Sager, David Foster Louis Johnson and Susaye-Greene-Browne would definitely change they way listeners were use to hearing Michael. Jackson was the first solo artist to have four top ten singles forms the same album. Off the Wall had sold five million copies in 1981. Selling records during that time was starting to be difficult due to the rise of other entertainment sources. Today this album has sold over 20 million copies and the numbers continue to grow.            

            Michael Jackson proved to the world that once given creative power he could make great original music. Music videos were becoming very commercial during this time and there were three music videos released with this album. Don’t Stop til You Get Enough”, “Rock with You”, and “She’s out of my Life” were all in the top ten on the charts and they all had videos. Being able to see Michael doing the dance moves while listening to the song made a big difference. I remember watching “Rock with You” and trying to emulate the moves from the video.

I think most of all this album influenced Michael himself. He spent hours in the studio working on his next project. The success of this album only made fans eager for the release of his next album, Thriller. Thriller is the number one selling album of all time.  I am constantly reminded that hard work pays off and to never settle. As a producer it is important to allow the artist to create.