Dirty Swift from Midi Mafia and Erika Nuri Interview Pt 1

Here's an exclusive video from me! Watch as I interview Dirty Swift from Midi Mafia and Erika Nuri, a Grammy-nominated songwriter, both of whom wrote "When I See You," the second hit single off of Fantasia's self-titled album. In this exclusive interview, Dirty Swift and Erika Nuri speak about the power of networking in the music business and how they came to work together.

Interview with Chris Blackwell, President of Island Record

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From artistmusichouse.org,

Here's an interview from Chris Blackwell about how to get your music heard as a new and up and coming artist, how to get a music executive's attention, and how to create your own buzz. It's a great video!

Chris Blackwell is the founder of Island Records and one of the most successful entrepreneurs in music-industry history. From relatively humble beginnings in an office in Jamaica, Blackwell grew Island into an international force, finally selling the label to A&M records in 1989. Along the way, Blackwell and Island were responsible for changing the face of pop music repeatedly. Bob Marley was an Island discovery, and the label was the driver of reggae’s rise to a global cultural phenomenon. The label was also home to U2 from 1980-1997, and shepherded them from their Dublin pub beginnings to the apex of their stardom. Under Blackwell’s long tenure, Island became known as a haven for creative and quirky artists, releasing landmark albums from artists as diverse as Traffic, Tom Waits, Fairport Convention, Robert Palmer, The Pogues, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Anthrax. Blackwell now heads a new venture, Palm Pictures, which is a film, music and new-media company that focuses on world and electronic music, independent film, and internet-delivered content.

Stephen Hill's Interview on How a Hit Becomes a Hit

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Recording artists, musicians, garage bands, rock groups, rappers, and singer-songwriters often ask how a hit becomes a hit song. Watch this November 2006 video of Stephen Hill, who is the Vice President of Entertainment and Music Programming for BET (Black Entertainment Television). As noted on artistshousemusic.org, in 2004, Stephen Hill was named number one on The Source magazine's 2004 "List of Most Influential Executives" in the music industry. His responsibilities at BET include managing, directing, developing and producing music programming for the network.

Irv Gotti on How To Get Your Music Heard

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From artistshousemusic.org,

Many artists, songwriters, rappers, and producers ask how to get their music into the right hands and be heard. Well Irv Gotti talks about how he discovered Rapper Rick Ross.

Irv Gotti's Interview on Running A Label

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From artistshousemusic.org, check out this video of Irv Gotti as he talks about wearing multiple hats as the head of a record label! Want the full 411 on who Irv Gotti is? Click here

Jimmy Iovine's Interview

Wikipedia reports that Jimmy Iovine, the Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, signed, found, and/or produced records for some of the biggest named artists to date: U2, Dr. Dre, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Gwen Stefani, The Black Eyed Peas Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Three Dog Night, Stevie Nicks, Dire Straits and Patti Smith. He discovered Eminem after watching Eminem place 2nd (not first) in the Rap Olympics. Eminem gave Jimmy Iovine a demo tape, which Jimmy then presented to Dr. Dre. The rest is history! In 2002, Iovine co-produced the hit Eminem movie, "8 Mile" and in 2004, he and Paul Rosenberg signed a first-look feature deal with Paramount Pictures and MTV Films for their Interscope/Shady/Aftermath banner.


In this interview, Jimmy Iovine gives artists tips on making it now under the new music business model. This is truly some good info!

Kanye West & Timbaland in the studio, making Stronger

Kanye West, a producer himself, explains to Timbaland what's wrong with the track and what he wants to hear. The studio engineers chime in on having to remix the song. Timbaland gives Kanye what he wants.




Thedy B
Hits A Million, LLC

Jermaine Dupri Making a Beat for Nas

Watch Jermaine Dupri make a beat for Nas. Jermaine Dupri also talks about writing for artists. Just in case you've been living under a rock and don't know who he is: go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jermaine_Dupri

Johnta Austin's Interview and Performance

A songwriter, arranger, producer, and vocalist, Atlanta's Johnta Austin initially stepped out on SWV's Release Some Tension, broke out as the songwriter of Tyrese's 1998 Top Ten hit "Sweet Lady," and, by 2004, hit a hot streak that involved collaborations with Mary J. Blige ("Be Without You"), Mariah Carey ("We Belong Together"), and Janet Jackson (much of 20 Y.O.). Signed to So So Def, the label founded by close associate and Virgin urban head Jermaine Dupri, Austin released his debut solo album -- Ocean Blue -- in late 2006. At the time, he was only in his mid-twenties. Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Watch this video and discover his songwriting tips:

Ne-Yo's Interview

Grammy Award-winning Ne-Yo talks about his song placements.

Timbaland Interview

SuperProducer Timbaland, producer for Fall Out Boys, Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, talks about his customized production stations and how they have helped him create chart-topping hits.




Timbaland and Keri Hilson in his mobile studio, a Verizon Wireless Mobile studio, demonstrating the equipment he has and uses in his mobile studio.

P. Diddy Interview with Westwood

Diddy discusses his journey into the music business, how he networked, interned, the artists he worked with, the effect of Biggy's death on him, getting fired, etc.

Jason Blume's Interview

Jason Blume’s songs are on Grammy-nominated albums and have sold more than 50 million copies. One of only a few writers to ever have songs on the pop, country, and R&B charts, all at the same time--his songs have been recorded by diverse artists including Britney Spears, the Gipsy Kings, Jesse McCartney, the Backstreet Boys, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and country stars including the Oak Ridge Boys, Collin Raye (5 cuts), and John Berry (“Change My Mind,” a top 5 single that earned a BMI “Million-Aire” Award for garnering more than one million airplays). In addition, his songs have been included in major films and television shows including “Scrubs,” “Friday Night Lights,” Disney’s “Kim Possible” and “First Kid,” “Barbie of Swan Lake,” “Dangerous Minds,” “Kickin’ it Old Skool,” “Fame,” “The Guiding Light,” “The Miss America Pageant,” and many more. Blume is the best-selling author of 6 Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs, Inside Songwriting: Getting to the Heart of Creativity, and This Business of Songwriting, (all published by Billboard Books). Acknowledged as one of the nation’s top songwriting instructors, Blume teaches workshops for BMI and the Nashville Songwriters Association and at colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and internationally. For additional information visit http://jasonblume.com

Big John Platt's interview

Big John Platt, President/West Coast of EMI Music Publishing discusses:

1. What advice would you give a young songwriter?
2. What do you think the landscape of the music industry is right now? and
3. When should a songwriter seek out a publishing deal?

Go here to see the interview!

Swizz Beatz's Interview

Grammy Award-winning Swizz Beatz has written hits for music's top artists including Beyonce and Britney Spears. In this interview, Swizz Beats answers the following questions:

1. What is the best lesson you've learned in the music business?"
2. What mistakes do you see new artists and writers in the music industry make?
3. Do you have some words of advice and encouragement? and
4. Where do you see music going?

Go here to see the interview!

Bryan-Michael Cox' s and Sam Thomas' Interviews

In this interview, Bryan-Michael Cox talks about his start, Making the Band, the downside to making a hit record, his influences, the making of his own album, working with Jermaine Dupri and much more! sam Thomas shows how he engineered the session for Making the Band IV's theme song.

Lil' Wayne Interview with DJ Vlad

DJ Vlad's Exclusive interview with multi-platinum rapper Lil Wayne and with Baby. Lil Wayne breaks down the hip-hop game, being the president of Cash Money Millionaires, how he makes music, his record label, and his relationship with Baby.

Doug E. Fresh's Interview with JaWar

JaWar interviews Doug E. Fresh, Hip Hop Legend during the Get Your Money Right Music Conference organized by Russell Simmons Hip Hop Action Network in Atlanta, Georgia. Doug E. Fresh gives a candid interview about music and money. JaWar regularly consults and speaks on how to make money online, personal achievement, the music business and self-publishing. If you'd like to schedule JaWar as a featured speaker during your next event, visit gojawar.com or call 678-887-4656

My first interview

I was recently interviewed by JaWar, the author of the Music Industry Connection series book. In this interview, I discussed what inspired me to write the tune, Cops 'n Robbers, my thoughts on sex in music, why Cops 'n Robbers is a different type of song, and who inspired me to write it. Check out the video and let me know your thoughts!






Thedy B,
Hits A Million, LLC
myspace.com/hitsamillionllc
hitsamillion.blogspot.com
hitsamillion.ning.com