The recent growth of hip hop music has spread like wild fire throughout the world. I remember first hearing a rap song in the 1980′s on the radio. I was around maybe thirteen years old. I was immediately intrigued and captivated even though I could not completely understand everything that was being said, but I felt the raw message and the emotion of the song. There is something about the unsung, spoken word within the backdrop of a powerful beat that pierces through the soul and delivers a message in a way a melodic song cannot.Within the next few years more rap artists came out with a number of hits in the mid 1980′s. I became completely enamored with groups like the Beastie Boys with their wit and humor. I have even come so far as memorizing some of the songs from the rap group, Run DMC. Even though these groups were starting to make a name and putting hip hop music on the map, the movement was still limited to a small audience and select radio stations and did not achieve worldwide status the way rock, pop and country music did until a few years later. The rise was steady, however as some rap groups like Salt-n-Pepa and Kid N’ Play became more pop oriented during the late 1980′s and early 1990′s.

The revolutionary style of Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre with their chart topping hits from the album, The Chronic, marked a turning point for the rap movement, establishing hip hop music as a solid and marketable, multi-million dollar industry capable of expanding to a global audience. A handful of pioneers and entrepreneurs, including Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter, have risen up financially at the turn of the century, capitalizing on several business ventures inside and outside of hip hop music. With only a few hip hop producers becoming among the richest in the nation, the majority of aspiring artists will settle for less of the financial take. However, with growth of the internet, viral videos and social media have been assisting hundreds of musicians with a more affordable venue into reaching their audience and making at least a part-time income with their music.

As long as the video material is original and family friendly, you as an artist can create a unique user name for YouTube and with a little hard work, time and creativity, can earn some passive income from your videos via YouTube’s partnership program. More specifically, around 2010 YouTube launched their Musicians Wanted campaign targeted to this specific endeavor. So, the music industry marketing game has drastically changed. There is less financial opportunity through large record companies largely due to decreasing CD sales with the impact of the internet and of the easily accessible music downloading. However, because of this, the alternative for the talent-filled masses with a microphone and a camera, is the low start-up costs via online video marketing and the potential to reach viral audiences. The result is more small-time musicians are being exposed to a wider market.

For more information on becoming a hip hop star, visit: http://www.hiphopstar.org