Devoted to show business and the entertainment industry

G.R.i.T Boys album

a

Music acts are finding it increasingly hard to prove themselves to the powers that be. There is the increasing expectation that they must prove themselves and have a legitimate fan base before the big record labels will even think of inviting them to their rosters.

A number of acts are beginning to turn to mobile phones as the means of marketing to help launch their careers.
 
The G.R.i.T Boys are an example of those that are doing it. They are a hip-hop group that is being groomed and marketed by talent superstar Paul Wall. Seeking to go beyond their local Houston following, they were inserted into a reality series called "NEXXT," for the sole purpose of being distributed over a mobile platform.

The group's manager/producer, Pretty Todd of Mo' Betta Grooves, says "Labels these days do not invest in artists, they wait for artists to invest in themselves. You could be Tupac, but if you're not selling records or don't have a radio song, you're not gonna get a deal. You have to do something yourself to show the label something tangible."

They are not alone as many others are using ringtones as a means to relate to fans and maybe build a larger fan base.

"Mobile content developer UrbanWorld Wireless, for instance, has struck deals with several unsigned rappers to develop exclusive ringtones as part of its "Street Beatz" service. Among the participants are up-and-coming hip-hop artists Choir Boy, Papoose, Spaide Ripper and Swing. The company taps celebrities like Ice Cube to host mix tapes featuring these artists, and then creates exclusive ringtones as an extension of them.

"Cingular Wireless teamed with MySpace in April for its Mobile Music Studio effort. Acts can submit an original song to Cingular via a dedicated MySpace page, which the carrier then converts into a master ringtone. Artists can then post a link on their MySpace site that allows fans to buy that ringtone through the Cingular store."

As in any marketing endeavor, all of this is only one part of the campaign. As Xingtones CEO Jonathan Schreiber says "I don't believe mobile content is by any stretch the be-all, end-all, it's not even the beginning. There has to be a concerted effort where mobile, MP3s, T-shirts, concerts and images come together to accomplish the goal."