HipHopDx published a fantastic article on social media yesterday titled The Laws Of Success: 8 Ways An Independent Artist Can Use Social Media To Get Ahead which featured commentary from some of the industries biggest names including !llmind, J Hatch, Frankie Vegas, Bun B, Rob Markman, Ty Cannon, Kathy Iandoli, and DJ Pain 1. What makes this article so great is that you get insight from successful artists, producers, managers, bloggers, marketers, and major labels. HipHopDx asked 8 social media based questions to each of these industry greats and their answers were spot on. I agreed with most of what everyone said but obviously have my own opinion so I am going to answer the questions myself. I work professionally as a social media marketer and have been using social media personally and for UHH for over 4 years so I am very familiar with trends. To read the full article on HipHopDX click here.

#1 Realize How Social Media Has Changed Everything
How do you think social media has changed Hip Hop and music in general?

Social media has given independent and upcoming artists the ability to do so many things that were never possible before. It has allowed everyone to share music for free and connect with people across the world. I've seen worldwide cyphers take place over social media. Now that's powerful! Most recently I sent a tweet asking for someone to make a video animation and within 10 minutes I already had 4 people ready to work and 48 hours later I had what I wanted. As social media becomes more popular and new apps/services come to fruition, we will have the ability to do almost anything.

#2 Use Social Media To Build Your Brands
With that said, how do you use social media to improve your personal brand or clients?

I have built my brand strictly on social media and I'm grateful that I have been able to do it for free. If you look at any of UHH's social media profiles, you will see our branding all over it including our name, logo, tagline, same cover photo, etc. Social media allows everyone the chance to build something from scratch and become a millionaire or superstar. We have seen it happen hundreds of times. Make a plan and stick to it.

#3 Check Yourself On Social Media For Your Own Good
What do you wish rappers would stop doing on Social Media?

Negative comments. Sometimes I can't believe what I see in the comments section of videos on YouTube and other social networks. There is no reason to intentionally put down other people, period. If you don't like something please keep your comments to yourself. Spamming your music everywhere can be annoying but we always direct everyone to our website submit form.

#4 Improve Your Personal Brand By Heeding This Advice
What do you wish rappers would do more of on Social Media?

Engage with fans, friends, media outlets, everyone! That is what social media is about. In my experience, the more you engage the faster your account will grow and the more committed people will be to your brand. Try to take 10-20 minutes a day engaging with people. It will pay off, trust me.

#5 Pay Close Attention To The Work Of Those Who Are Successful
What is the best social media campaign you have seen from a rapper/hip hop brand?

Only Hip Hop Facts recently stepped their game up in a major way. Everything from their branding, website, and social media presence has passed a professional level and is leading the hip hop industry in my opinion. Every graphic, article, and post is top notch and it's time for other brands to catch up. Chris Webby and his team also do a fantastic job with his social media. His latest campaign for Chemically Imbalanced was executed very well and professionally. They created everything from promo cover photos to countdown graphics.

#6 Pay Attention To Which Social Media You Choose For Your Message
What is the #1 social media platform in your opinion? Why?

I'm not sure if I can pick a favorite but if I had to I would say Twitter with Facebook a close second. I like Twitter the most because I have had success there. I've met people all over the world and became with friends with them because of one single tweet. Everyone should have a Facebook page for their brand. Facebook now gets over 4 BILLION page views a day. No other social network even comes close to that. Facebook also makes it easy to build a community and share stuff with like minded individuals.

#7 Don’t Be Afraid To Get Discovered On Social Media
Have you ever found any new artists on social media?

Yes. Thousands. If it wasn't for social media my blog wouldn't be as big as it is today.

#8 Make Sure To Anticipate Where Social Media May Be Heading
Where do you see social media and hip hop in the next 10 years?

That's a tough question. Social media is still a very new concept for all of us. New apps and services pop up every day that take the world by storm. I think the future of social media is headed is in good hands. We are starting to see strictly social media music services, simplified social media sites, and an entire array of cool new services.

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