California Knows How to Party

Yes, yes, y'all...and it don't stop.


This past month has been BUSY (hence the long delay in updates).

First, we released a new song of my homie, K. Vincent's album, "Shit Iz Real". The track is called "LUXURY" and features Realm Reality (bka actor, Rick Gonzalez from Old School, Coach Carter, and many more). Check it out below.



Copywrite's tour is coming along well and I'm really excited. I'm waiting for a few agreements so I can post the updated tour flyer BUT it looks like he'll be in San Diego x San Bernadino x Tempe, AZ x Las Vegas x Santa Fe x Albuqurque x El Paso x Durango, CO x Fort Collins and a few more in the works before heading back to the coast.



And in a few weeks I'll be back in California at the California City2City Music conference


It's nothing fancy but I made this commercial for the conference (Word to Ken Burns).




Tonight we just aired the 7th episode of Urban Tribe Radio with my homegirl, DJ Kachina.

Urban Tribe Radio's Cloudcasts on Mixcloud

I have a few other projects in the works including a November showcase to send a performer to SXSW, an event bringing ThisIs50.com, Konvict Muzik, and more to St. Louis, and the first release from Royal Heir Records on our new Digital Distribution Deal.

My new EP is coming out soon, too with DJ Likkle Platinum in London...as you can see I'm trying to end 2012 Strong (even though my Mayan ancestors might destroy everyone).

Shows + Radios + Conferences

Update time! I've been a busy beaver since my last update. The biggest move is with Urban Tribe Radio! I'm working with my beautiful co-host, DJ Kachina and we'll be doign this show weekly. Broadcasting from the UK on Tuesdays and a second show Saturdays on Revolt Radio. If you miss those just subscribe to our feed on iTunes. We'll be there. Catch the first episode below.

Urban Tribe Radio's Cloudcasts on Mixcloud

Also, I'm continuting my worki with Hunid Racks energy drink (got a case of drinks and cigars today) and we're presenting the CALIFORNIA CITY2CITY MUSIC AND NETWORK CONFERENCE. BIG shout out to my partner, Push. He's doing amazing work with the conference and we're doing a few other things together. Here's the flyer: 

Next weekend is the annual Ohio Hip Hop Awards in Columbus! Not only was I asked to speak on a panel at the conference but I will be an award presenter, too! I have a few more things in the works but I'll reveal them when the time is right. Stay tuned.

Back on my Grizzind

Wow, I've been busy re-adjusting to midwest life since finishing my projects in CA and coming back but I've been in the proverbial 'beast mode' since I got back. Event planning on overload.

As some of you know I moderated the Digital Money and Music Power Summit in Cleveland August 4th and from that new opportunities came and we're looking to do another in the northeast soon (details TBA but we had a brief convo last night about the location). Also working on DVD documentary and I'm now a writer for Get Signed Magazine based in NY with my "Music Business 101 with Essince" article.

Here's my schedule:
September 1 - HipHop Workshop, CSU Cleveland (speaker)September 21-23 - Ohio HipHop Awards, Columbus, OH (speaker on music industry panel)
October 13 - RocBar, Cleveland, OH (co-promoter, performer)
October - CA - Central Cali Music Conference (promoter)
November 3 - Festival. Details TBA, Cleveland (co-promoter, performer)
November 4 - Conference speaker, Cleveland
November - Boston (conference)
2013 - Big 3-Day tribute festival to 2 of hiphop's greatest fallen soldiers, Detroit.

THAT's just the events. It doesn't include My EP (which is in the recording process now and scheduled for a mid-October release). Nor does it include clients. We're still working on Copywrite's tour as well as now officially working with Amar'e Stoudemire's artist, Judge da Boss. Royal Heir Entertainment. is working!

 

 

I reached out to Jeezy's new artist, Tone Trump and set up the endorsement deal with him and Hunid Racks Energy Drinks. I'm excited about that. Cigars are coming out and we're offering samples (I don't smoke but if you're an adult and that's what you do go'head. I can hook you up).

Out with the Old and In with the New

The Old

I'm finishing up my work here in California and heading back home for a bit (2 weddings, concerts, family things, etc)

I'm not staying too long but I like having Ohio as my home base and just traveling. Since October I've been to:

• Tokyo
• Bangkok
• St. Louis
• LA (4 times)
• NY
• Chicago
• Oakland
• Detroit
• Columbus
• Pittsburgh
• and on tour up the west coast (Reno, Frisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Whistler) and that's just the business trips... 

I did what I came to do and will continue traveling where I'm needed.

I had to sever ties with a company because it took up too much of my time without the money that was promised and my business suffered because of it as did my personal health (remember this?).

My site www.Essince.com's viewer numbers went DOWN 1,100 last month alone!....if something as small as a blog gets hit that hard you can imagine what it's done to the other things in my life. I got a pretty nasty response to my departure which twisted my words but honestly, I could care less. I wish them and all their future endeavors the best. God bless them but it's not right and not right for me. I feel no regrets for what I'm doing.

The New

The work with the energy drink is going well and I set up a sponsorship deal with Young Jeezy's newest CTE signee and we'll be starting a new campaign soon.

We signed some new clients to Royal Heir and working with a conference in Cleveland coming up.

My new business cards are in, an agreement was signed in booking a tour for a national artist, and one of my business partners and I are going over a VERY exciting proposal with someone major out here in CA...

Sorry for the delayed post but as you read earlier I didn't have much time for anything else (I won't go into details and would like to leave the past in the past) but I'm VERY excited for the second half of 2012!

One Month Later

It's about time for an update, right? Seeing as I've finished my first month here in California.

 There were a lot of struggles and successes. I've been working 50+ hours/week at a place and had some issues of being taken advantage of for my services. I love this business and I'm always willing to work and learn but there are times you need to understand your value and your worth. You need to know when to pay dues and when dues need to be paid, ya dig?

 Last weekend I spoke on 2 panels at the California Music Industry Summit in Oakland, CA. I was asked to stand in for Michael Brandvold who did marketing for KISS. So that was an honor (and I talked to him later because we follow each other on twitter which is just as cool if not cooler).

After the big festival we're doing this is one of the projects I'm helping put out for the Real Life Gangsters DVD series.

Be careful what you wish for.

So I was talking to a friend about how I wanted to have some time off from work because I've been working long 10-12 hours days and it started taking it's toll on me. 

 I woke up at 3:30 with one of THE most intense pains I've ever experienced in my life. I lost feeling in my hands and they turned pale, my legs were wobbly, I couldn't breathe, I was lightheaded and my left kidney felt like it got stabbed. One ambulance ride/ER visit later I'd passed my second kidney stone. I got home at after 6am, ate a McDonald's breakfast and crashed til after noon.

BUT good things came.

The Routine

I think I'm finally comfortable enough with my routine that I can really get some things done. I live far enough away that I can still take a nice walk to work (save gas $ and get exercise).

There is SO much going on, though. Not only with the clients I have at Royal Heir Ent but with my work at Indie Power. From the Indie Entertainment Summit to and the DVD series, there is a lot to do. PLUS I'm [still] waiting on my site to be done and I'M updating the Indie Power sites (some of which are in desperate need of makeovers).

 The main focus is on my clients, though. Some people are just so IMPATIENT that it's frustrating. No one "gets discovered" anymore. Paying for followers doesn't make you famous. Paying for YouTube views doesn't make you a star. If some exec IS dumb enough to sign you off that then you most likely get a crappy deal and won't last long.

 It's not worth it.

I'm working on some tour flyers for an artist we're working with named Copywrite for his west coast tour (possibly more dates). His new album God Save the King got an XL from XXL mag and broke the Billboard top 100.

. Earlier I spent the day with a pimp named Slim Diamond who was in the office with our designer on the cover of his new book. You may remember his documentary, The 10 Pimp Commandments.

Working on finally finalizing a deal with a drink company. I'm excited to see where this will go. I'm sitting in on a meeting but I've been in the office for 10.5 hours so far and I'm just tired.

Til next time.

What You Don't See

With many things there is always a side you don't see. Like with my last post, even. I tell you all the things I'm working on but you don't hear about the hiccups along the way, the inconveniences, the difficult clients who argue, won't pay, or just have no understanding of business.

One of the projects I took over last night is a DVD documentary series called "Real Life Gangsters" which is pretty much just what it sounds like; exclusive documentaries and soundtracks about Real Life Gangsters (freeway ricky ross, BMF, etc).

Their website made no sense. The "buy the dvds now" image isn't a clickable link, there were DVDs and CDs that weren't under the right tabs, the original creator wouldn't give the password to fix things so when we finally got it I had to go thru and fix (what I could) but I still have a bit of work to do (no videos, bad descriptions, etc).

I'm NOT a web guy. I can DO these things but that's not my area of expertise and this combined with difficult clients really slows everything down.


You'll see the finished product but not sit in on the angry meetings with clients who threaten to sue US if their CD ends up online for free (newsflash: there's nothing you can do to stop that).


But that's the business. It's not all platinum plaques and steak dinners, sometimes it's 30,000 unsold CDs in storage and mac&cheese for dinner at 11:30pm. But dues must be paid in order to weed people out. I'm blessed to be where I am and learning from the mentors I have.

Meeting with Krayzie Bone tomorrow so that should be cool. And I woke up to a paid invoice which is always nice.

So Many Hats

Here is where it gets crazy. I feel like I need to wear a lot of hats. The problem is making room for the hats without letting my head get big. Here are SOME of my current projects.

MY CLIENTS (Royal Heir Entertainment)
The two main people we're working with are Iron Solomon and Owey. I'm always taking more and we're in the process of signing a few more right now but these are the people we really believe in and support.

I do midwest marketing and tour managed for Iron Solomon on a successful west coast tour with Boot Camp Clik to promote his debut album, Monster (featuring Talib Kweli, Paul Wall, Cassidy, DMC from Run DMC and more).

We're working on a big marketing/branding campaign with Owey for the next installment of Donks, Dimes, and Diamonds. I'm designing a logo for him and producing a web show for him.

COMING SOON
On June 16th we're presenting the 2Pac's Birthday Celebrity Basketball game in Venice Beach. More details coming soon.

Indie Entertainment Summit 5 day music seminar featuring the industry's best in over 80 workshops and seminars from August 1-5 in N. Hollywood.

My new CD is in the final recording stages. This has been 3 years in the making and I'm so excited to show how I've grown. I love this cover that Vinnie Scullo did for me. He's a wizard.

I'm also finishing up my first book, "Do You Have Any Advice" and will be posting a sample chapter soon. Here's the cover done by my girl, Gabby in London. I can't wait for her to come visit the states soon.

We're distributing/promoting a documentary series in a new company called Real Life Gangsters with exclusive soundtracks featuring the best in hiphop (snoop, jeezy, etc) and documentaries for BMF, Freeway Ricky Ross and more.

I'm also working with Get Signed Magazine to produce A&R showcases in the midwest and will be writing a monthly column in their magazine and am helping a midwest recording artist book his west coast run. Details TBA.

I know I'm forgetting something but yeah...those are the main focuses right now. If I didn't have my main team (Bryce & Cam in Ohio and Charles in St. Louis) I'd be sinking right now. Not only do they work their asses off they keep me focused and support me.

I know this will sound like a lot but ask anyone in the business and this is just a normal day.

I can't wait to eat something and go to sleep tonight.

- @Essince

P.S. Did I mention I'm co-developing a clothing line?

Going Going Back Back to Cali Cali

What's going on, everyone. My name is Essince. I'm an artist and entertainment professional who recently relocated to Hollywood, CA.

When I was 11 I wrote my first rap verse and started playing sax. I haven't played my sax in about 2 years but I've been performing a lot since. I toured Japan twice and performed in Thailand and the Philippines. I've interviewed Slim Thug, Chuck D, Treach from Naughty by Nature and tons more and did transcription work for the critically-acclaimed "Ghostride the Whip" documentary about the hyphy movement in California. I also wrote MGK's bio before he was signed.

This is Me (que guapo!)

I learned everything in the industry from personal experience and through mentors and in 2008 I started Royal Heir Entertainment which specializes in Marketing and Branding and music business consulting.

I have a few clients (including hiphop star, Iron Solomon. We do midwest marketing and tour management for him) and also doing marketing for entertainment company, Indie Power. I'm preparing to help market Chino XL's album, Ricanstruction and promoting the new, 5-day entertainment seminar, the Indie Entertainment Summit (august 1-5, 2012).

I started this blog as a journal of my experiences here in Hollyweird. The ups the downs the successes and the even bigger successes.

Welcome to E's True Hollywood Story.

- @Essince

With Nelly at the private grand opening of his new school. STL

Flyer for my most recent show in Tokyo

with B-Real [Cypress Hill] in Hollywood when I interned for the Latin Rap Conference in 2008