 Next topic though sales are extremely important when it comes to music or not. What do you think? Before you can get into it. What do you think? Yes The sales matter more than the music itself. That's a good question, man. No, I want to say no my heart my heart in the Four sides of the comments wants me to say no, okay All right, so here it is Academics explains why album number sales are important data Responding to Lil Yachty's comment saying that we shouldn't focus on the numbers. Let's play this clip Stop complaining about right the numbers are what they are and Yes, the numbers do like context, but the numbers are the numbers will prove if you're doing something. That's really special It's a reason why for example, nobody likes nobody likes If the first week projection comes out and says you're not doing that no one likes it But if you're projected to do fifty thousand After the first day and after the fourth day, you're projected to do sixty five thousand They love to point out the growth Why it shows that there's the numbers are gonna highlight the fact that there's a change in the culture based on the music And that's what the numbers do the numbers is signifies Who's consuming it? Let me ask you this question, right? This is an error question that goes outside the music Are we gonna stop it at that before you get into the abstract question tree falling woods and stuff like that? I think there's one comment that pretty clear. I had dream Raheem says artists love Numbers and sales until they start falling. Yeah fast like artists love numbers when the numbers are high for them Or they're going up and they don't like it when they can't play the game, right? But that's why I say it's a weird line to walk But I think if you are entry-level mainstream and the game numbers matter If you are not or not trying to play the games and numbers don't matter, you know, so for me I mean, I think there's a couple things that by what academic said Now, of course could be fishing you could say well, what are the numbers really mean if somebody was using bots? But the numbers really mean if it's about catching the algorithm and you have all these additional Like actors All right in the space and I think that's where artists try to disconnect the judge of quality of music and Numbers themselves, right? Mm-hmm, which is understandable, but something that academics mentioned later on in this clip When we talk about the music business Money numbers matter. Yeah, it goes back to that same point. Hey, bro Keep it to yourself. Keep it on your hard drive if you don't want to deal in the music business All right, we're just share it with your friends and you're in all that stuff Don't think about growing from a music business standpoint and navigating that if you don't want to think about the numbers That's just one thing that comes with it. All right, that's why people think numbers because they matter I'm not even talking about that person who's just trying to appear bigger than who they are but Literally when we talk about charts and all these other things, you know They matter in ways 100% right because you at least get to say that you had these numbers I just saw a clip where 50 cent in an interview was saying that Who do you use this reference future? right he said Yeah, I could perform my song Today and it doesn't really matter how the crowd reacts by these songs are number ones Right, I can get paid certain things because these songs are number ones but Somebody like future you might say. Oh, yeah, it's treats rock with me bored and hoe Right, and they're playing on me the more they're holds music It's great because it's true in that way today, but 20 years from now Without the number one attached to it if people aren't reacting the same you don't get to say Well, at least this thing was a number one. You also can't flip it this thing All right Because you can't say people like people hire They saw for those type of numbers because they want to look I want to I'm a company and I want to say oh I had some random artists that performed or whatever and look at how cool we are and say he's a number one artist Right, you get those type of accolades not a fugitive never had any higher charting things But 50 was referencing those specific songs. So numbers matter when we talk about real life. Mm-hmm period Now art itself and your judgment of it No, you shouldn't want it to matter in that way when you're talking about your artist bag in the quality of work per se You know, that's I think that's the thing that we go back and forth with. Yeah, I mean, there are lots of great music out there with no less than a hundred strings on it No, I've come across some every couple of weeks, but To me the numbers say Two things the typically tennis say two things me one They say that people out there like the music right that your art your art can can be enjoyed and consumed by others outside of Yourself in your circle and then to it tells me that you know how to play the music industry music business game Right, even if it is bothered even if it is inflated even if these numbers only how because you bar 20 bands from your cousin you were able to run a marketing campaign and That's boosted that still says those things right people like it enough for the work And you understand how to do the things to move yourself to the next level is that two things that like why yes They can't speak well, I guess the first one does kind of speak to the quality of the art, right? But they might not always speak to the quality of the art itself are still like very important If you are someone trying to play that game So that's why I say like my biggest frustration with the numbers argument Typically comes from artists who claim they want to be successful artists It's like you can't want to be successful without looking at numbers Even if album sales aren't the numbers that you're looking at once you decide you want to be serious You're looking at some type of number all the time, right? You're looking at maybe merch sale streams clicks on your ads Like it's always gonna be numbers in this shit and you have to learn to care about numbers to run a successful music business Right, it's a lot of math in this shit man Well, people people realize it or not and so that's my grind man If you don't care to do that like you someone listening you just like making music for the fun of it And you just like putting it out and you think it's cool. Yeah, bro Like don't worry about none of this shit, bro Make your thing make your music do your thing But you are someone that was like, hey, I would like to live off of this and you gotta care about numbers, bro You have to Yeah, I mean, I think the more correct statement that people should think about if anything is The connecting with people is the thing that matters most Numbers don't not matter. It's just that they shouldn't be the primary focus because they're a symptom, right? They're not the source. So You do what you're supposed to do the right number should occur and then even if you do a little You know Hacking or whatever You still is even that is something that the numbers reflect, but it's not the root of so Hey, alright focus on making the best music the best product right focus on connecting with people and then you'll get what Which you um You know, you'll get what you want out of the situation because of course We do know if we want to talk about the way that numbers do not matter clearly outside of just whether art is good or not is not You could get numbers make something say something And then not have that reflect real life. Oh, I got a billion streams But what does that really mean if five people don't show it to my show? Yeah, right in that way They don't matter for sure So I don't know that I I feel like this numbers conversation is It's gonna stay a thing just because there's always on people be people who are influx today I'm happy with my numbers cuz I'm up but then all of a sudden I'm unhappy and now I got to figure out this way to Validate and not feel bad about where I am If then I'm up again, and I'm not even having this conversation All right last clip for the day yay how Paul Mira, I'm thinking I'm pronouncing this right. I hope I am interview usher And he talks some artist development talk now if you talk want to talk artist development Me usher is one of those guys that you want to hear from because he really done been through in the old school fashion old school Did he beat you down the kid? We can leave that with a love of the performers of the 70s and 80s Even though you're not from that era technically like as a as a musician And I always like every time I see a show even before the residencies or anything It's you know, you're up there singing. There's lots of choreography Dan sing theatrics I just want to know how do you have the energy to be able to pull this off? Especially if you're gonna be doing it like night after night No, no, I'm one of the last of them. He gives me Yeah, even though I was a rocking with Prince and you know and rocking with Sammy Davis Junior a rocket with Michael You know, I came from the same, you know school of thought Where I work and I and I really built up the stamina to be able to do that And the expectation that that's what being an entertainer is considered Like you can't consider yourself an entertainer unless you sing and dance And yes, your mic has to be on, you know, I'm saying like you have to literally sing into your mic And you have to still perform and give energy and presence and be mindful of what you're wearing And think about, you know, lighting techniques and all of the things like that That it only accelerate what your song is about Whether it's storytelling through the using people or either dancers and performers Or either you just standing at a microphone The levels that that's what I got watching those performers and theatrical moments through the 50s And maybe something happened between right this theatrical theater world and entertainment And in the segue between the two is part of the reason that we love Michael Jackson And we love Gene Keppler, we love Fred Astaire, we love, you know, those earlier performers The Nicholas Brothers and Sammy Davis Jr. And the fact that they were doing these really cool things because that's what it was That's what you had to be in order to be considered an ultimate entertainer You had to be able to act, you had to be able to dance, sing And compose incredible things So you feel a mouthful right there It's a lot, but So I want to say the area that I want to focus on personally is just to study in the game Right, because people aren't investing in artist development like that these days period So you can't even fully put it on artist this have somebody to learn from in that standpoint I'm just saying like in the infrastructure is not there Like where is it for you? You can't go to a Motown and then have them put you do their assembly line today Yeah, but you can look at Instagram and be like that's what I'm studying Yeah, all you can do at least ready. That's what I'm trying That's all you can do if you can find value in that because usher Obviously went through some stuff, but he named some names. He named Michael Jackson, right? He named Fred Astaire, Jane Kelly and these are bad boys. You know Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly are Probably they're like You're a tap dance very old school best and like no back where were suits the boys are cold one Um, Gene Kelly is I'm sick. Yeah, I'm a rare. Okay, right usher copy his video. Oh, except he didn't skate So whatever they they were some cold dancers and Michael Jackson watched the same guys, right? and then of course every era has more people to watch and What? to me I Don't I can't imagine being an artist and not having somebody To be infatuated with and inspired by because they're just so good at what they do Not just cuz I like their music and I think that's Something that people can't differentiate sometimes like the recognition of mastery versus the recognition of just connecting with somebody It's like it's nice that you connected with this person But is it ours really cold at something and if they are what is the thing that they're cold at not just all every single thing They're doing maybe they're great performer. Maybe they're great. The lyrics. Maybe they got great hooks or whatever you look at like Gene Fred Michael Bobby Both of them right Brad You just watched them and you cannot even really be a Dancer and realize that oh shit, like they're great at this. You know something different, right? And Then you tie it back to being a former which is a greater conversation that us just sticking on what entertainer right That's when your value goes up. Yeah, I think it's a this is very much a lost art Because I can't like who's the most entertaining artist we have today Who's who's on that level where like this next generation is looking like I want to be like Bet me. Oh, I can't make nobody. You know, thanks. Just make some click in my head the way you asked that Alright, you said who's the most entertaining and I just thought of it literally That easily goes into personality for entertainment versus the old school I'm actually able to entertain on stage. Yeah, okay I'm saying yeah, and I think that's where a lot of the photos. How can I just put on a show versus? putting on a show there, right and You know, of course, there's always gonna be old school new school Saying one is better than the other but even or even to the old school shit They were acting and stuff too. Yeah, it's every table tree was acting and stuff to is not even like they they didn't Care about those things and you know, some of its generational because you had Usher mentioned like oh, yeah I'm taking care of like the way I dress like every detail. That's basically what you get from that pay attention to every single detail but then We're a regeneration now. Oftentimes it's like but why does it have to be this way? That's it. It's the way we resonate the way we click right people like to be entertaining man I think like he to me he kind of touched on the way I never thought about like the the kind of the pillars of entertainment, right? Like acting dancing being able to sing live and then dress pretty much, right? Those are four things maybe dance isn't as strong today as it was back then because that could that could depend on the genre But the other three are gonna be big if ever, right? You can act you can you can at least do great vocals live I mean you can you can put your style together and then yes Like figuring out what elements of today of entertainment value today. You kind of need to add on right? So in arts of his generation Maybe dead didn't feel the need to master. I don't know. Let's say Being that great on camera because they're so used to doing things. I'm kind of pulling something else because they did So there's not a lot I can't even say that but versus like let's say ours today is like oh I have to be I have to figure out how to be entertaining on my Instagram live stream, right? So different skill a skill that really only makes sense for the day But still goes like right underneath those kind of like core Artists like entertainment skills. I think everybody has to have and like, you know, I'm a I'm a show enthusiast I love going to concerts. I love going to like underground artists shows and like I maybe see one out of every like 50 acts Maybe a hundred if I really thought about it like and body like those things, right? And there are some that Love it. So what you love it cuz to me that sounds like damn I'm putting myself through all this shit just to get to the ground And in a different lifetime, bro, I was meant to be a Developer for ours and a lot of performance, but I'm telling you man Like I'll be I've seen so many shows and performances. I could I could coach somebody on being a better performer I know I could hit him up. No, don't do that. Don't hit me up Take my chance for this video and run with that But but a lot of those things you talk about things that ours don't do but a lot of ours Don't talk to the crowd Right, which to me goes into acting like you even if you're not even if you're nervous Are you you can act your way through it? You know saying you build this character a lot of ours don't sound the way That's crumbling their thoughts and that's not a lot of that goes back to the vocal performance thing A lot of my book is ain't dancing nowadays, which is I can give dance in the past We're you know saying personally knows and depending on the type of ours you're I can give dance in the past, but still Performing singing rapping whatever they're having your breath and putting on a full performance. Yeah, it's crazy That's a real thing you got to train for what she basically say you prep myself for but Even if you aren't Dancing right you can go back to I don't know when you used to look the bad jobs today. You can look at it. Dell Jay-Z Jay-Z on dance Jay-Z is anytime everybody's lost at the variable on stage. Well, vocal K dance and band to carry the same as Kalyak No, I can't say that. I can't it's the same concept Not they are the same level of quote-unquote performer, but he's not a great performer, but he makes a great show He makes up what was said is on he's That's my point But I don't feel like I don't feel like Jay-Z tried to compensate for I play just kind of like this is me Take me as I am walk on stage be cool. Not to that same Degree no by no means but we does do well if command a room Yeah, right and navigate those conversations in the crowd in a way that Still take some level of training and get your skills up. Yeah, right Yeah, but yeah, he's about the the artist thing to that degree isn't his thing Yeah, sure But yeah, but the guy is just yet another example paying attention to other elements Even if I'm not dancing I still have to entertain in Salah. Yeah Do you go to the ultimate somebody like Michael Jackson who was doing all the kayak shit and doing all the Chris Brown shit, you know, I'm saying yeah, and then singing like I Know Beyonce or something, you know, whatever. I don't know those technical levels We all would but like that's why somebody like him got looked at in that way Yeah, that's just crazy when you think of it that way That's just crazy like you're doing all of it on a high level and in Dallas the way they looked at it today I think people don't care and there's some people don't even want to do like we know if a lot of people don't even want to Perform and what's the motivation because that was how you got to the bag today We could get to the bag and so many different ways stay at home Yeah And and and there's more but since fans are so like in their favorite artists lives now the entertainment is Is that artist like individual personality in life? Yes, you don't have to entertain me so much at the show Yeah, because I'm already enthralled by the rest of your brand seeing you in different places and I'm kind of just here almost as a Validation of the rest of our relationship How to make sure you were real That's almost what it is. Yeah, it's almost a formality. It seems like it's always It's weird like even when you look at the shows where fans don't know all the lyrics Which look I'm not somebody who knows all the lyrics every single song. I've never been that guy and I'm horrible with song names I'll know full song and never know the name of it but The macro I thought consider myself an outlier Most people right when you look at them losing the cause it seemed like they they took more Pride in knowing that stuff now Yeah, it's like I will go to your show and I know your stuff and it not just be like a hey I'm on an adventure. I'll go to your show and consider myself as somebody who loves you and not know your shit I'm guilty of that You're not an outlier so you don't so you count That's a reflection. I'm like every every third every third episode. I realize I am the problem I'm like damn I do that I Isn't it me Red Hat that fan relationship is different man. It's like I forgot who we were talking I feel like we're talking with somebody buried up right when we said Mexico and he was like you a fan of I don't want to say the artist, but you wrote yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry He was like you a fan of ours named three songs and I couldn't I'm like bro. I love this nigga Well, I take it we saw Because we get caught up in the story But that shows you how powerful a story and packaging is marketing will literally Make you feel like you love something that you hate and make you feel like you hate something that you love But it's all about how it's percent. It's the same concept of a how come you listen to his advice When he said that he said the same shit I said he came from a different direction. Yeah different packaging. That's all it is and that different direction Literally could just be a different place But this is all this game is so then when you see the values that strong on the packaging on the story Then you start to say dang where is her? He's a grilly lie in the grass game, but they He really they love him He can't name his music Meanwhile, he playing five of my songs daily basis. Don't even know my name I That's that's what we are That's what we are because we're going back to like touch tangibly like look at your project just to play it Well, you know, it's absolutely like we don't have to do that Yeah, I think that's what it is, but back in that area to see that you got to look and go I'm on track six. Yep. Oh, that's that's this song now. Let's get right through it But it's come up in the shuffle exactly because you just remembered it just from doing it not from trying to remember Yeah, exactly. Yeah Hey, man, look She is the game today We don't have any encouraging uplifting advice from there. Just that's just the reality like me gonna keep doing Like I said, I know a lot And and that's no other labels necessary episode 36 or 37 I can't remember right now I'll shine. I'll cover it. We out