Nobody is more Fastlane than Drake

[arcola]

Start at 5:00

The dude when from -$1000's of dollars to 30 mil by time he's 27. Think he makes superficial music? Think again. He is a hit engineer, he even said he makes music from a marketing perspective, but he also makes albums about the story, and the real life he lives.

Along with Sophia Amoruso, and Gurbakash Chahal, he is one of the leaders of the new school.

 

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[Ravens_Shadow]

iirc there was another thread about drake being fastlane. I do have a great respect for him. Though he took the music route, he obviously gave something the music market wanted.

 

[LOYD]

No new friends. No new friends. No new friends. No no new.

Personally, I like what he does musically and respect the fact that he recognizes the value in his brand. The Toronto Raptors brought him in as a global ambassador because of how big he's become internationally. Kudos to him.

 

[chrisbiz4444]

DRAKE = FASTLANE

 

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[theag]

He surely is very successful, but for me personally, the term "fastlane" is about achieving all this without a natural talent, which he obviously has. Thread title is bullshit btw. Most sidewalky video ever.

 

[Mbc]

Honestly he's successful and clearly people like him, but I saw him perform at Bluesfest once and I thought he was a terrible performer. Someone told me he's improved a lot since it was ~3 years ago. For me he's still more of an actor than a musician. I'd say 50 cent is a lot more fastlane for actually coming from the gutter and building an empire despite a shady past, he did what Drake did regarding releasing his music independently 10 years before him.
For that matter Master P was the first to start his label/recording company 20+ years ago and is worth 10x Drake (literally). He started as a nobody on a basketball scholarship with 10k he got from some malpractice suit after his grandfather died, he dropped out and opened a record store which he grew to an empire that generated 160M/year in 1998 already. I was never a big fan of his music but P is an entrepreneur more than a rapper. Tell me Drake is more fastlane than him.
Not to take away from Drake's success, he makes music people like.
I wouldn't dismiss it because it's "natural talent", he wasn't born an actor/rapper, he had to work at it just like anyone else.

 

[Daniel A]

DRAKE = FASTLANE

I never really looked into Drake much but that video gave me a good impression.

 

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[King Moist]

Don't forget Diddy and Jay Z... Some of the best rappers ever, yet they are arguably even better businessmen.

 

[ddzc]

Drake grew up in Forest Hill...he never "started from the bottom". Agree with theag.

 

[MisterBHZ]

Oh yeah Drake is definitely fast lane. Wiz Khalifa too.

Only downfall to his success is probably the fame. I know it sucks trying going into Walmart to get a couple items.

 

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[Formless]

The new school of rappers have the right idea. Leveraging the internet for EPs to build buzz. Only use record labels as a method of exponential growth, then break off and start your own label to control your IP AND to control the IP of other up and coming rappers who are looking for that same boost of buzz that labels provide (at the expense of IP and $$$ control.)

I disagree with @theag that this is built on a lot of talent. Rapping is not really that difficult, and nowadays it doesn't really matter all that much about how 'good' or 'lyrical' you are. You need ridiculous consistency, some little things to differentiate yourself by, and a focus on the right things. (So no, not writing the best verses, that's important, but definitely not the most important.)

Process.

 

[RBefort]

In the words of Jay Z, "I'm not a businessman...I'm a business, man" (errr something like that).

 

[RBefort]

In the words of Jay Z, "I'm not a businessman...I'm a business, man" (errr something like that).

 

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[Gabino Luna]

"i'm not a business man, I'm a business MANNNN!"

DIddy is the GOAT of fastlaners in hip hop. He can't really rap, and had a short lived successful rapping career. But he has started many ventures and is worth over $500 million.

 

[fuller]

I disagree with @theag that this is built on a lot of talent. Rapping is not really that difficult, and nowadays it doesn't really matter all that much about how 'good' or 'lyrical' you are. You need ridiculous consistency, some little things to differentiate yourself by, and a focus on the right things. (So no, not writing the best verses, that's important, but definitely not the most important.)

Process.

I actually was thinking about this the other day regarding sports/rappers being fastlane. Outside of your voice tone, almost all of rapping skills can be developed. I grew up around some guys who were pretty bad at rapping that became really good years later. Of course, from the outside, spectators always talk about how blessed they were, and how lucky they were while ignoring the process that they went through. These guys spent nearly every waking moment plugged into an ipod, studying their favorite rappers and practicing.

Same thing applies to athletes IMO. Height can't be controlled, but there are plenty of professional athletes who overcome height, lack of "natural" athleticism, and whatever else used to knock them down. Most people take in the events (making the big leagues, winning championships, setting records) and ignore the processes (hours spent in the gym a day, sacrificing their youth to do nothing but sports). The process that athletes go through is definitely fastlane imo. Slowlaners/Sidewalkers are just as likely to call a self-made entrepreneur lucky as they are a professional athlete. Ray Allen, one of the best shooters in NBA history, said that calling his jumpshot a God-given talent is an insult.

On a side note, my college personal statement was actually titled the process, and it was about the trials and tribulations of my high school basketball career. Funny how things come in full circle lol

 

[AubreyJ]

Drake was on a show called Degrassi when he was young and he came from a wealthy family. I think Drake is obviously a very smart guy, but he started making a lot of money at a young age because of his acting career

 

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[Formless]

As for starting from the bottom...

'All marketers are liars tell stories.'

 

[bboyu]

I had a question about this some time ago, how do rappers/artists/indies etc know what they are saying is what the "market" wants? This is at the beginning...how do they know what they have to say is even needed in the world? Do they follow the CENTS formula too? I want to know what is their premise to craft something in the confines of their mind so that it will sell? What is their market research? What gap do they fill? Each one of these artists even the ones that are not so big are really wealthy whats their "process"? Can some of the seniors shed some light on this?

 

[perdanny]

 

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[Worldisyours]

too funny, \\thanks for the laugh

 

[Worldisyours]

I had a question about this some time ago, how do rappers/artists/indies etc know what they are saying is what the "market" wants? This is at the beginning...how do they know what they have to say is even needed in the world? Do they follow the CENTS formula too? I want to know what is their premise to craft something in the confines of their mind so that it will sell? What is their market research? What gap do they fill? Each one of these artists even the ones that are not so big are really wealthy whats their "process"? Can some of the seniors shed some light on this?

I pretty sure most of them follow, luck and survival of the fittest attitude. keep in mind there is probably 100-200 making decent profits, out of the millions.

 

[bboyu]

I really want to know the premise they come from? I mean we all love music but these people are unorthodox entrepreneurs...majority of them have all the odds against them be it race, criminal records, unemployability, what would somebody like this do in terms of research to know it'll pay off...? There's so many in different countries doing their own thing in the global music industry can their process be put down into steps? they all say "oh the songs i write are about what i am going through and living at the time" why is that so important and your perspective so needed in the world that i now will part with my money? Or is that not how they design and create their music / products? Business principles transcend over industries...so what is the case here? I think music and the clothing industry are quite similar and that if you want to create a clothing brand doing what artists do with music can make you successful? Mj zen******* any insights please? How do such people put their material out without asking the market? And then the mainstream ends up going to them?

 

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[vtlambo]

Drake was on a show called Degrassi when he was young and he came from a wealthy family. I think Drake is obviously a very smart guy, but he started making a lot of money at a young age because of his acting career

He made about $30k/year from those TV shows.

 

[Formless]

How do such people put their material out without asking the market?

It's 2:32am so I'm gonna bullet-point this. I was deep on my way into this so I have some understanding of how it works

- There is a limited amount of wiggle room. E.G. - You can be 'fringe' but as long as it's within the box. So let's look at current Hip Hop. The necessary components of THE BOX

- THE BOX consists of things like: 808 kicks, 808 snares, 140 - 160bpm (double-time), a CLEAN, LOUD, BASS HEAVY mix & master, simple melodies/chord progressions, simple, catchy, repeatable choruses (lamborghini mercy, yo-yo chick she so thirsty), A few GOOOOOOD videos (flesh, cars, parties, codeine syrup in plastic cups, new clothes, color correction, sometimes themes, like parties, greek or egyptian mythology, symbols etc etc.)

- WITHIN THIS BOX, you can be creative. You can TELL 'customers' what's cool. They want you to show them.

- Consistency. This is where most people lose. Sheer numbers and consistency of tone, sound (yes, this includes the mix and master) Look at the big guys and look at how much content they've put out.

- You have to perform live in good locations, frequently. This is not a vaccum. It's for people. People go to parties and get drunk while listening to 20hz sinewaves, hopefully your 20hz sinewaves. Be in a big city and do anything you can to play

- Use the internet. Youtube, soundcloud, bandcamp etc. There are tricks on soundcloud to get plays. There are promotional channels which promote you for free too, use them, there is nothing to lose from them, they want nothing in exchange.

- Realize that music is not 'a message' it's not 'content'. it's a certain 'brand' a 'feeling' a 'vibe'. Your job is to create a vibe consistent enough.

Now it's 2:46am, and I'm delirious. I hope this makes sense, it does in my head at least.

 

[nategoddard]

Who's Drake?

 

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[sportf190]

DELETE

 

[Operation_OPM]

Title made me LMAO!

Slim and Birdman are the OWNER'S/fastlaner's. Drake is a branded employee.

 

[sle3pyguii]

It's interesting because it seems like this generation of artists have an interest in growing their wealth, like Diddy, JayZ, 50, Drake. They looked beyond just music to expand their influence and network. It's pretty amazing to watch.

 

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