Let's just go ahead and put it out there. With the exception of meeting peeps at live shows, few other places have consistently given me fodder for this column than Myspace Music.
It's like going to Wal-Mart, for me; I've got my mind set on what I've come looking for and end up spending hours there and leaving with way more than I expected.
It's good, though, and I love it.
Someone else who loves it (maybe even more than I do) is Pleasant Grove rhyme spitter Major Rayne. The guys posts at least three bulletins a day.
But hey, I can't knock his hustle. People are out there, and the task is for the hungry to get their music heard. Slowly pulling together his album, regular performances, and working on a group effort as part of the Dark Matter Hybridz crew gives him plenty to talk about.
So it seems like Myspace is your chosen forum of promotion. Why's that? Well, it's definitely a benefit to artists who are serious about their craft. It's a lot easier to reach out to people and it's cost efficient.
What's been your most popular song on your page? The most popular song would have to be “Reminiscent,” a track about me and the fam back in our younger days. It's pretty self-explanatory. It's a smooth jazzy, laid-back track produced by my man Chris Prythm at Ill-it Records. Big ups to Chris, and my man Bart Sweazea--gotta be one of the dopest engineers I've met thus far. What up, homie!
Of all of your "friends" on your page, how many of them do you actually know? [Laughs.] I know them all. I get a lot of talk about why someone isn't on my top frieds. Yo, I don't really get into the order of who's where, and it's mainly my peoples I run deep with, or those who are promoting me as well.
About how many hours per day do you spend on Myspace promoting your music? Well, the page is up 24/7 so it runs itself. Lately, as I've stepped it up and am still growing and am learning about my craft, I've gotten mad plays. I've been blown away by them at times. I love my support! Hold me down and I will for ever return the love.
How many bulletins did you send out this week? Yo, I used to post them like every 30 minutes to promote my shows and other lines of business. I had a lot more time on my hands then. Now, it's usually an hour a day so, like, two or three [posts] a day. I have help with that as well.
Is Myspace tried and true for you? I mean, does it really work? Yes, Myspace really works. I love being able to listen to the flava all around the globe. Beats, songs, etc... Lotta great talent out here getting slept on. Also, I get a lot of positive feedback from the world as well. Definitely a phenomenal feeling.
What other outlets/sites are you using to promote? None really. Just Myspace... Oh yes, and the streets. Big ups to Eddie D. at 89.3 FM for spinning my sounds and holding me down.
Have any Myspace contacts turned into gigs or collaborations? Yes, they have, actually. Great ones. Of course, a lot are in the making but soon to be released.
Tell me about your current projects. I have the Dark Matter Hybridz mixtape in the works. That's a group project consisting of myself, Heir Max and Brice Lite Year. Words aren't designed to describe the essence, the grind or level emceeizm! [That's] a new word i just created. Then, of course, I'm collaborating with a select few local artists. And then you have my album, 100% Chance of Rayne. Look out world: It's major.
Major Rayne performs Friday, Oct. 3, at Torche. --Quia Querisma
