As a musician, you’re taught having a record labeling backing your every move is vital to becoming a major player in the music industry. Chance The Rapper is breaking records and dispelling that notion with his rising success. Not only has he succeeded in becoming a popular rapper without a signed label, he has also become the only unsigned artist to appear on SNL live.
Chance The Rapper began by streaming almost all his albums for free online and playing free shows in high schools. Now he’s headlining at Lollapalooza and turning down deals from TDE, one of the most well known labels for rappers. Below are a few things all musicians can learn from him and his unusual success.
1. Never stop working.
Chance The Rapper’s passion for music was obvious from the very beginning. During high school, he was making music and always had mixtapes in hand to pass around to his classmates and people on the street. He never turned down an opportunity or chance to be recognized or remembered when he was younger.
Chance The Rapper begin by playing for high schoolers for free, which lead to a growing audience with the youth, who are the biggest demographic for rappers.
2. Music streaming is important for getting your music out there.
Streaming your music, especially for free, might sound like it’s not the best business strategy.. The cost of producing your songs can be high, and gaining no profit once you release it is disappointing.
Chance The Rapper didn’t let that phase him. He posted song after song, and then album after album, for free. A mixture of faith and luck was what grew his fanbase. As the number of downloads increased, he began to get attention from festivals and concerts.
3. Build a strong team to support you.
Chance’s success can’t be talked about without mentioning his publicist, Dan Weiner. Chance got Dan’s attention in 2012 and became his manager soon after. Having experienced success in rap music through managing artists such Childish Gambino, Dan was the one who pushed Chance into rapper stardom.
Although they are only a two person team, Chance’s passion and skill for rap and Dan’s experience and ability to sell an unsigned rapper to venues and more is an important aspect of the rapper’s success. Building a team, whether it be two people or ten, can you help you overcome any boundaries in your way.
Chance The Rapper made a bold move when he made the decision to stay unsigned. It’s tricky to make waves in the music industry when you’re an independent artist. However, Chance pushed through and delivered his passion in spades, which got him the attention he needed without a record label.
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Barbara Kandek enjoys writing stories and listening to music. She also loves traveling the world and taking pictures of her adventures. You can find her on Instagram @b.vd.k
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