Official DESIIGNER thread VOL. New English mixtape out

[trynafeelmink]

When sales are decling across the board...even with major artists...they are not the primary factor in judging who's hot anymore.

Young Thug is pretty ******* popular despite not selling millions of records. You gotta factor in a bunch of different variables these days. Its not even in the top few revenue streams for an artist anymore.

Looking at record sales to determine who's hot is like looking at PPG in the stats to determine who the best NBA players are.

I keep hearing this, but how then do you quantify this ??? sales & billboard charts are an indicator of every demographic, it shows that you aren't only popular in your niche but popular on a wide scale.

If Thug is very popular, then curren$y is very popular, Action Bronson is very Popular, chance the rapper is very popular, Joey Bad***** etc etc... You cannot be VERY popular if mainstream America clearly isn't supporting much of what you do.

Drake, Kendrick, Cole, Nicki, Ye,

Future, Sean, Asap rocky, Fetty, Wale, Meek Mill, Kevin Gates etc etc are people who are very popular... there music touches several different demographics and the people support it.

Dudes are completely disregarding portions of hiphop fans because they don't fit your criteria of hiphop fans.

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Where this song at

 

[Maximus Meridius]

I don't even get into "who's the hottest" that **** is real subjective. And it can be tricky. They tried to crown Iggy cuz she had hits. I used the Migos as a example that you can have low sales and still be hot today.

 

[armenexchange]

yup. apg. not sure how much of that atl a&r machine shaped gates but def under mike caren.

 

[$tacy]

U know how I know really Really and 2 phones are getting spins? I can spit both hooks word for word and part of a verse of 2 phones and I only played em willingly once when they got leaked.

 

[osek206]

the argument wasn't about influence... My problem is people saying so and so is one of the hottest rappers in the game & yet their records aren't getting constant spins on radio, people aren't buying the record and there actual following isn't that strong.

You don't have to go platinum, but your not gonna convince me that one of the "hottest" rappers in the game is constantly selling btwn 20-30K. and barely hitting top 50 on billboard. 2 chainz at one point was considered the hottest in rap, he ain't go near platinum, but his album wasn't doing no damn 30k, he had actual Charting HITS, Future last year same thing, didn't go platinum but had songs that were on the charts, his record is probably at gold & his influence was felt in all rap demographics.

It's like dudes just want free reign to claim **** without having anything to back what there saying. Migos & Thugga the hottest in the game... not because they sell the most, not because they singles get the most spins, not because they have touched every demographic in hiphop... there the hottest in the game because that's what i think and hear in my mind

100% it's all about influence not record sales in this current era. Somebody really needs to create a new formula that would stick I'm this current generation of sales.

IMO I know who's hot in the game but that might not be who you think is hot. Some of the name people throw around in this thread that's considered hot is laughable to me though.

 

[waukeganwill]

Yeah there are a lot of politics behind it but when you say "hottest" it's always gonna be subjective and dependent on your network and the circles you move around in.

Like I've heard maybe 3 of the top ten songs on the Hot 100 right now (Flo Rida WTF??? ).

The others don't get spins on the stations I do occasionally check or at the places I be at, but does that mean they aren't hot and getting spins elsewhere in different markets/venues or on different stations?

Edit: I will say that I've never heard Really Really when I'm out or on the radio tho   

Yeah same here. Like a lot of those top 100 songs Ive never heard. I dont listen to them stations so when I see Flo-Rida and beibs and what not I cant relate. But when it comes to the rap, like to see "really really" up there is wild.

I listen to the radio quite a bit. My boy stays with rentals and instead of hooking up the bluetooth we just ride out to the radio stations. Houston only has like 2 rap stations and Ive never heard "really really" in rotation. So to see it up there is weird to me. Maybe Im out of touch now lol

 

[str8drop]

I know at one point Gates was signed to Mike Caren. I'm not sure if he still is though. Or what their relationship is now.

Do your Googles.

He's still with Caren/APG

^^^Very true. And rappers like Migos and Thug aren't really "album rappers". They are more mixtape rappers...who put out hit singles.

Thug is real weird with the release of his "albums" because they double as free mixtapes as well. Idk what 300 is doing.

All of Thug's "albums/tapes" that dropped are up for free streaming on soundcloud. Barter 6, I'm up, SS3. He hasn't had one real album rollout yet.

Lyor and them ***** up. I think Thug could do like 80K first week of they had a real album rollout for him. Like what they did for Fetty to a lesser extent.

This is becoming an increasingly common way to drop free music now. It's like no pressure sales.

I look at it more like a "feeler". Use it to gauge interest i.e. see how many _'s are really willing to cash out for something they could hear for free and you make money in the process without having to press up CDs, etc

Atlantic was doing this with Gates. By Any Means did 17k 1st week in 2014 and it was free to download on Datpiff the whole time

With SS3 Thug did 38k ( 22k pure sales, 18.9m streams). You can stream his **** all day on Datpiff, SC, etc but if you really want download it for your iTunes collection or you just really **** with his brand you'll cash out. (I'm Up did have a download link for a lil min tho).

Gucci was actually doing something like this a long time ago with his tapes. He would do his lil deal with LiveMixtapes and drop it on there for free and then turn around and throw a No-DJ version on iTunes for the die hards. Hella people would cash out just to have the Non-DJ version. He said he thought it was crazy that many ****** was breaking bad and it made him feel stupid for going thru all the **** with LiveMixtapes and the DJ's just to have ****** buying the Non-DJ versions anyway

that's why all of his latest releases for the past 2 years have been straight to iTunes.

 

[wavycrocket]

He's still with Caren/APG




This is becoming an increasingly common way to drop free music now. It's like no pressure sales.


I look at it like at it more like a "feeler". Use it to gauge interest i.e. see how many _'s are really willing to cash out for something they could hear for free and you make money in the process without having to press up CDs, etc


Atlantic was doing this with Gates. By Any Means did 17k 1st week and it was free to download on Datpiff the whole time


With SS3 Thug did 38k ( 22k pure sales, 18.9m streams). You can stream his **** all day on Datpiff, SC, etc but you if you want to download it you gotta cash out (I'm Up did have a download link for a lil min tho).


Gucci was actually doing something like this a long time ago with his tapes. He would do his lil deal with LiveMixtapes and drop it on there for free and then turn around and throw a No-DJ version on iTunes for the die hards. Hella people would cash out just to have the Non-DJ version. He said he thought it was crazy that many ****** was breaking bad and it made him feel stupid for going thru all the **** with LiveMixtapes and the DJ's just to have ****** buying the Non-DJ versions anyway that's why all of his latest releases for the past 2 years have been straight to iTunes.

You smart.

You get it.

My *****.

 

[alexody]

Happy for Thug but boi that Paris/Tokyo chick or wateva gotta be hot she aint rock wit the kid when he reached out

Alotta yall arguing about the "hottest" somebody told you was like the person who told looking at the charts like that

 

[illphillip]

U know how I know really Really and 2 phones are getting spins? I can spit both hooks word for word and part of a verse of 2 phones and I only played em willingly once when they got leaked.

Really Really has 205 total spins in the US in the last 7 days.

That is not really a significant number for the charting it has.

Probably a gang of streams on it.

2 Phones is moving for sure though.

 

[$tacy]

Really Really has 205 total spins in the US in the last 7 days.

That is not really a significant number for the charting it has.

Probably a gang of streams on it though.

2 Phones is moving for sure though.

Idk how I know that **** then Cuz I didn't really like the song but I've been reciting the hook and bridge word for word and I literally only played it once. I know the whole last verse of 2 phones and same only played it once. My 4 year old knows 2 phones tho so I know they spinning that joint heavy here.

 

[illphillip]

2 Phones is massive.

But Really Really isn't even close to that. Some good mix show play. Couple of stations. Mostly SiriusXM Hip Hop Nation.

Only 2 spins in Detroit in the mix from Channel.

 

[wavycrocket]

2 Phones is massive.

But Really Really isn't even close to that. Some good mix show play. Couple of stations. Mostly SiriusXM Hip Hop Nation.

Only 2 spins in Detroit in the mix from Channel.

Now post Cut it or Best friend...which its charted higher than?

Funny in the light

 

[illphillip]

Cut It has 4472 spins in the last 7 days.

Best Friend 2822 spins in the last 7 days. But this one is on it's way down.

One thing I will say though, is I'm seeing more and more songs do absurd download #'s with zero airplay. Organically.

Which would absolutely skew Billboard numbers. Along with streaming #s.

 

[doctor love]

He's still with Caren/APG




This is becoming an increasingly common way to drop free music now. It's like no pressure sales.


I look at it more like a "feeler". Use it to gauge interest i.e. see how many _'s are really willing to cash out for something they could hear for free and you make money in the process without having to press up CDs, etc


Atlantic was doing this with Gates. By Any Means did 17k 1st week in 2014 and it was free to download on Datpiff the whole time


With SS3 Thug did 38k ( 22k pure sales, 18.9m streams). You can stream his **** all day on Datpiff, SC, etc but if you really want download it for your iTunes collection or you just really **** with his brand you'll cash out. (I'm Up did have a download link for a lil min tho).


Gucci was actually doing something like this a long time ago with his tapes. He would do his lil deal with LiveMixtapes and drop it on there for free and then turn around and throw a No-DJ version on iTunes for the die hards. Hella people would cash out just to have the Non-DJ version. He said he thought it was crazy that many ****** was breaking bad and it made him feel stupid for going thru all the **** with LiveMixtapes and the DJ's just to have ****** buying the Non-DJ versions anyway that's why all of his latest releases for the past 2 years have been straight to iTunes.

Facts.

If 20 million people bother to stream your ****....you are pretty ******* popular.

 

[dat dude chris]

Ive never heard Really Really before...

 

[$tacy]

Idgt was bigger than both of those songs imo

 

[wavycrocket]

Idgt was bigger than both of those songs imo

FACTS. Like I heard IDGT everywhere....that song rarely charted. That's what made me think the numbers are a lil funny...and well. They are .

 

[Peep Game]

I heard the vine of IDGT and him talking about eating booty way more than the actual song

 

[waxface]

I heard the vine of IDGT and him talking about eating booty way more than the actual song

lmaoooo so true.

 

[Belgium]

Gates' numbers surprised me but I don't think there's anything fishy going down there. I think his marketing strategy really helped broaden his audience.

Likeability and proper marketing goes a long way. Gates really appreciates his fans, or at least gives that impression, and is constantly using social media to market himself and his music.

Look at Logic or G-Eazy's first week numbers. Pretty sure those blew away everyone's expectations too.

 

[Belgium]

Since this is now the music section TAN:

Idk what drugs Wayne is on now

 

[$tacy]

Since this is now the music section TAN:
Idk what drugs Wayne is on now

View media item 1985413

Damn... son done got to the krokodil

 

[alexody]

Look at Logic or G-Eazy's first week numbers. Pretty sure those blew away everyone's expectations too.

If you know their fanbase and how wide it is, nah.
When they drop one project a year, it might feel like they came and went but the fans supported.
I am surprised that both G-Eazy's albums are considered Gold