Various industries are changing drastically as the modern world progresses. Independent producers are making more and more music for the masses. Thanks to social media and digital media, giant labels no longer have the final say in what can and cannot be released. This allows musicians like Mike Vallejo to express their creativity more freely and control their sound more fully. Portland-based, Mikey Vallejo knows about adaptation, as he wears multiple hats in music and in business. He recalls freestyle battling in the high school cafeteria in front of his student body, crushing challengers while dreaming about when he would be able to drop his own EP.
A talented songwriter and producer, he deserves recognition for his unmatched skills. Both music enthusiasts and fans have praised him for his impeccable ability to put words together. The marketing and promotional strategies he has employed have also demonstrated a remarkable understanding of business. Lyricists also took inspiration from producers like Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and others.
His belief that artists should be able to handle distribution, marketing, and overall engagement processes involved in building a good brand prompted him to hone his business skills. To thrive in the fiercely competitive music scene, Mike emphasizes that one must possess an entrepreneurial mindset in addition to talent. He compares the music industry to a fight game in which labels invest 90% of their efforts into thoroughbreds and 10% in artist development.
By utilizing NFTs, a gifted hip-hop artist is taking things to a whole new level. An innovative individual explained the inspiration behind the idea, saying, “I developed and tested specific engagements for music platforms like Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music. Some labels were using outdated models in some cases. Today, leading artists are using cryptocurrency and NFTs as integral parts of their marketing strategies.”
He went on to add, “An interesting strategy to leverage is offering NFTs in lieu of other checkout methods, giving fans the rights and license to the music to promote, leverage and reuse at their discretion. Through this methodical approach, artists can raise upfront liquidity which in the past was loaned out by the label, where artists would be incentivized to just work harder to earn more.”
The visionary believes a decentralized platform in the music scene will effectively give back authority to artists and level the playing field. Furthermore, he realizes that NFTs can help eliminate the discriminatory nature of giant music labels towards new artists.
Mike Vallejo is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air in the music scene who advocates for himself and his fellow musicians who are striving to find their place in the industry. Moving forward, the outstanding hip-hop artist plans to continue making captivating music. But, more importantly, he remains steadfast in his mission of building an industry that welcomes all kinds of artists and fosters creativity.
For more info on Mike Vallejo, visit his social:
Instagram
Spotify
