Words from Atlantic A&R and So So Def Publisher -

Artists and producers pay attention - Here is an article posted on Serge's site www.exclusiveaddict.com about what he is seeing in the music industry and what he is looking for:

"HAS THE BAR BEEN SET TOO LOW????

I'VE BEEN JUDGING AND ATTENDING A LOT OF SHOWCASES LATELY. I'VE BEEN TO A FEW BEAT BATTLES AND IT SEEMS LIKE I'M ENCOUNTERING THE SAME ISSUE. THE COMMON DENOMINATOR BETWEEN THE SHOWCASES AND THE BEAT BATTLES IS THESE ARTISTS AND PRODUCERS ARE COMPARING THEMSELVES TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. NO DISRESPECT TO SOULJA BOY OR GUCCI MANE BECAUSE I'M A FAN OF BOTH, BUT ARTISTS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE MUSIC THAT'S SIMILAR TO GUCCI AND SOULJA BOY AND FEEL LIKE THEIR MUSIC IS HOT. THEY FEEL LIKE WELL MY BEAT IS BETTER THAN "CRANK THAT" OR MY SONG IS BETTER THAN "BRICKS." THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT SOULJA BOY AND GUCCI HAVE PERFECTED THEIR CRAFT AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SOUND. THEY ARE GOING INTO THE BOOTH AND TRYING TO MAKE DANCE SONGS OR VERY SIMPLE RECORDS OVER CHEAP SOUNDING BEATS AND TALK ABOUT MONEY AND DRUGS AND FEEL LIKE, "IF GUCCI CAN PULL IT OFF, SO CAN I." THEY TRY TO OUTSELL MORE DRUGS THAN JEEZY OR RICK ROSS.


INSTEAD OF LOOKING UP TO GUYS WITH LONGEVITY LIKE JAY-Z, LL COOL J, OR KANYE WEST. SOME MIGHT FEEL THEIR MUSIC IS HOT BECAUSE THEY REALLY DO WHAT THEY ARE RAPPING ABOUT. THE PRODUCERS ARE LOOKING UP TO SOULJA BOY, SHAWTY REDD, DJ TOOMP, AND THE RUNNERS, WHICH ARE ALL GREAT PRODUCERS. BUT THEY FORGET ABOUT DR. DRE, TIMBALAND, AND THE NEPTUNES. I FEEL THE PROBLEM WITH MUSIC RIGHT NOW IS THAT THESE NON SUBSTANCE RECORDS ARE MAKING THERE WAY THROUGH THE AIRWAVES. IT GIVES A LOT OF THESE ASPIRING ARTISTS WITH NO TALENT HOPE THAT THEY CAN MAKE SIMILAR TYPES OF MUSIC AND MAKE IT BIG IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. THEY GET THEIR LOCAL PRODUCER WHO JUST LEARNED HOW TO DO BEATS ON FRUITY LOOPS WITH MINIMAL KITS, COME UP WITH TERRIBLE RECORDS, RECORD 20 SONGS, PUT 'EM ALL ON A CD, CALL IT A MIXTAPE, PRESS UP CDS AND PASS 'EM OUT TO EVERYONE AND FEEL LIKE THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING, OR HAVE A MOVEMENT (LOL). WHAT IS THAT???? I WANT TO KNOW DO YOU GUYS AGREE THAT THE REASON WHY THE QUALITY OF MUSIC SUCKS RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE A LOT OF GARBAGE IS MAKING ITS WAY TO THE AIRWAVES AND THE ARTISTS AND PRODUCERS ARE LOOKING UP TO AND COMPARING THEIR MATERIAL TO THE WRONG PEOPLE? "


Check out Serge's site www.exclusiveaddict.com