WTF Are We Doing?
If you’re 21 years old, you were only in 4th
grade when we launched Makin’ It Magazine.
We’ve distributed over a quarter of a million
publications since then, but there’s still a
The Magazine…
12 years ago, when I started Makin’ It Magazine,
there was practically NOBODY looking
out for independent artists. I had successfully
built a modest career as a rapper
and was making at least $40K a year from
music. While I wasn’t a great rapper, I was
getting paid shows, paid features, and radio
play. I was successful because I understood
business and wasn’t afraid to work. After
moving to Atlanta, I came across so many
artists WAY more talented who were making
NO MONEY from their music. I didn’t under-
and started Makin’ It Magazine to provide
indie artists with information and resources
to help them win.
newsletter than a magazine. It was only
four pages printed in black and white, but
each issue was full of marketing tips, lists
of industry events, and helpful information.
I would personally hit 10-15 open mics and
industry events each week to pass out copies.
I would hit Club Crucial religiously for the
Hustle & Flow Open Mic then drive through
Fulton, Dekalb, Rockdale, & Newton County
at 4AM to get home... Yeesh!
“industry folk” had a problem with me giving
away information they were charging for.
I even found myself “black balled” in certain
circles because of this. I’d love to say it didn’t
and my ability to grow the team. It was hard
enough being a transplant (not from Atlanta)
and an industry outsider, but now I had people
actively working against me. That was
the cost of trying to help indie artists.
years weren’t so bad because I was doing
something I loved. I was on a mission to help
people turn their passion into a paycheck.
But as the publication grew, the amount of
time it was consuming without providing a
paycheck was getting out of hand. I often
whole generation of artists that only know
us from Instagram. Many have a hard time
understanding why we go so hard for the
independents, so let’s start at the beginning.
tell my consulting clients, “It doesn’t matter
how much you love doing something, if it’s
not making money, you won’t be doing it as
much as you’d like.”
While I never lost on an issue, the magazine
wasn’t making enough to justify the money I
was risking or the 60+ hours per week I was
working. With a wife at home and a growing
family… something had to change.
I was turning down A LOT of money because
I didn’t want to sell write-ups to artists. I felt
there were enough music magazines and I
wanted to focus on the business of music.
Our readers were people pursuing careers in
to sell enough ads to the companies that
served them… WRONG!
Sadly, small businesses don’t spend much
on advertising, and indie artists weren’t interested
in buying ads when other magazines
would sell them an article or their cover. Reluctantly,
I had to start selling write ups.
While I compromised my vision, I didn’t com-
pieces to stroke advertisers’ egos, I consulted
them and put together strategic marketing
pieces that honestly told their story and
helped sell their brand to our readers. We
assisted hundreds of artists, producers, and
DJs in making new contacts, landing work,
The time invested started making more sense
on the table because of my principles. I don’t
take money from people if I don’t genuinely
feel I can help them, and that often has more
to do with their character than their music.
In this industry, it’s far easier to make money
when you don’t care about people or the
culture. Unfortunately for me, caring has always
been my Achilles’ heel. I took plenty of
and for a time I considered shutting this shit
down at least once a month. Trying to walk a
straight line on a crooked path is incredibly
frustrating, but my wife, Kim, was there to
keep me motivated.
One day while sitting in the studio watching
-
lantic Records thumb through the latest issue
of the magazine, I couldn’t help but think
of all the talented people who deserved to
my mind to coming up with a solution for this
problem.
The Mimbership
At every event someone always asked,
“When you gonna put me in the magazine?”
-
ly kill a pointless conversation. They didn’t
have a problem with us spending over $15K
to promote their brand in 100 markets, but
somehow spending a couple hundred dollars
to advertise was inconceivable.
At the time, there was ONE artist I’d see
at least twice a week and he’d always ask,
“When you gone put me on the cover?” One
day I just asked, “Are you even subscribed
to the magazine?” He answered “No,” and
I replied, “Why you wanna be in a magazine
that you don’t even subscribe to?” As he
struggled to come up with an answer, a light
went on in my head. I had found a solution
to featuring indies who didn’t have a budget.
Our subscription was only $26 per year, and
as long as an artist had a subscription they’d
be eligible for free coverage based on their
talent and grind.
I posted my new motto on Twitter and the
concept went viral, “Support those that support
you!”
It was a simple idea that allowed me to be
more hands on with helping artists. It took
in, creating value for those who needed it re-
-
ing subscribers free beats, tutorials, and
resources. We began partnering with pro-
4 | Makin’ It Magazine MakinItMag.com
/MakinItMag.com