I understand and I hear you offer.
I think what they are doing is none of that.
You receive, I receive, I receive, I receive I internalize
and absolutely threw it away because I don't think that's
what they digest. No, I just first if I throw it
away. Yeah, first you digest.
OK, I digest. Hey everybody, welcome to the
30% podcast. This is episode 60 of the 30%
podcast. We thoroughly enjoy you guys
being with us. I'm pretty sure if I'm agrees,
does if I'm agree. I I really much do.
Really much do spoken like a true, true English man, this
podcast is offered on Spotify. For podcasts, it's offered on
Anchor Podcast, It's offered on Google Podcasts, it's offered on
Apple Podcast, and you can get the episodes on YouTube.
We are also on social media. That's the 30% pod.
The 30% pod on Instagram, Twitter.
It's like no one cares about X Twitter threads I think, And
TikTok. Is there anyone I'm missing?
LinkedIn as. Well, and LinkedIn, we're on.
Well, yes, we're on LinkedIn. And we're in real, actual human
beings in real life. So you can catch us in in real
life IRL, Yeah alpha. What's up?
What's? Going on.
What's going on? Oh, what's going on?
Nothing much, man. It's.
Happening with you on this. 60th episode Nothing much on this
60th episode. Wow.
Big 60, Big 66 listen 60 seconds make a minute. 60 minutes make
an hour. 60 podcasts make. A.
What you Will 60 podcasts make a amazing time that you are
spending with the 30% Pod boys. But what's going on?
How's your week been? I guess we can get into that.
My week's been good. Been working on music, been
working on a release that's coming out next Friday with my
artist. Can you play snippets on the
podcast? No, we cannot.
But we will talk about it when it's out.
But yeah, yeah, so just been working on music for that, been
working on a bunch of beats, been working on another secret
project, which I can't really get into much details, but it's
really cool. So I'm working on that as well.
And yeah, yeah, the week, the year has started well.
So hopefully can take in or can. Oh yeah.
Oh sorry. And then also, I'm just waffling
here. The video with Little Minor came
out during the week, which was really insane, really dope.
The reception. Was really great.
I don't know that part actually. Don't I need to listen to this
again? Coco butter.
Anyway, yeah, the video came
out. I was in the video at the end,
which was so cringy for me to see myself in the.
Music video 100% support you. You know you're my guy.
But they didn't do you right. Go look at the video.
Look at the video. Go see what?
It's my fault. It's my fault.
It's like, why was I? Why?
Did you look so lost? My why did?
Yeah, what was I doing? Man look like he didn't belong
there at all. It was.
Crazy bro. Yeah.
Anyway, yeah, you can see my 2 seconds of fame.
Don't even 2 seconds. Probably less of fame on the
cocoa butter video by Little Minor And dance.
Yeah, shout out to him for putting me on for sure, bro.
So yeah, that came out. That was exciting.
Just seeing the numbers going up and seeing the engagement and
interaction and yeah man, hopefully I can't.
Here's too many more. Here's.
Too many more. Were you holding?
I was holding up a fake glass. No, no, no.
OK, here's. One.
Now you have a real glass. More.
Here's too many more. Because that glass is empty.
There's nothing in there, but you can toast emptiness.
Why? Why are you exposing me like
this? Come on.
I'm so sorry. OK.
How was your week? How was your?
Week It was good because actually it was really good.
It was very creative. I've I think I made an average
of. Everybody's so creative.
Yeah, I made an average of, I want to say 2 tracks a day.
Like it's been ridiculous. Like I've been sleeping at 2:00
PM, three PM, and I've it's been a while since I've been doing
that. So I've been really leaning into
it. I've been doing a lot of.
I'm a piano, which is fun. I'm a piano is a lot more fun
than I thought it would be. Like, I thought it just getting
on and making the same thing over and over again.
But there's so many different ways you can take it.
I particularly I'm working on an Electro piano type of deal where
it's more like EDME because I'm I'm also an EDM producer, so
it's more like an EDME take on it.
So it's very simple, almost almost structured it structured.
I'm a piano in an EDM way kind of deal.
So yeah that's cool. Reaching out to artists, sending
them stuff. A couple of people liked it and
then also been planning. There's there's a few people who
I'm working with that I'm just trying to plan their releases
and how we're going about their careers currently.
So I've been getting into that, getting into more of the
planning part of music, not necessarily like not producing,
but then the back end and all that stuff, which is really
cool. I think it's very cool.
It's very interesting, exciting. So that's really, honestly what
I've been up to and staying alive.
Nice. Staying alive.
Alive. Staying alive.
We're supposed to be together. Staying off beat.
OK. Anyway, bro, shout out to you
for staying alive. Shout out to me for staying
alive. Sam.
What? What?
What was captivating your
attention? Depends on what.
We're starting with music industry.
Should we start Zomba or should we start with seriousness?
Let's start with a mixture of Sirius and Somba.
So Sam, Yeah, MCSK, bro. It's the saddest story in
history of. Sadness.
That's like so. I mean going through, just going
through the interwebs and then I see, I see an article about a
tweet by Noonini. And if you don't know Noonini,
where have you been? He's a which is a legend in the
Kenyan industry. So anyways, he was just do you
know? Sorry.
Oh wait. Before you go on, do you know
this is how I found out his real name?
Really. He thought his name was no name.
No, I just never thought of asking of thinking of what his
real name? Yeah, yeah.
Anyway, sorry, go ahead. Yeah, so he's actually based on
the US. That's crazy.
Did he send him the money, bro? OK, let So MCSK decided if.
They did send him the money. It would equate to $8.
That's that's barely a dollar. So yeah, the, what do you call
it, MCSK got a little bit of money.
They came into some money and they decided that they were
going to share that money equally among all their Was it
16,000 plus? How?
Benevolent of them? How benevolent.
Oh man, there's so many things wrong about this.
They say they're going to share that money equally among the
16,000 plus, I guess artists that we have in that are signed
up to their platform. So I guess, I don't know, I
think it was maybe 20 something. I don't know the exact numbers,
but that came up to around 1200 and a whopping 1200 and a
crazily mind blowingly whopping 1250 shillings per head.
What some people are going to make 1200 Bob from their hard
earned music their hard imagine sums not like.
For years and. Think about this, Think about,
think about this sum. Yeah, you invest 100,000 doing a
music video. You you invest 100,000 into
recording the whole album with the mixing and master.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You invest around 60,000 just to
do the PR run, you know, just to, you know, to talk to the
press and everything. You do the whole 60,000, right?
You pay the people who do your artwork.
You pay the people who do your you know, just the random
visuals on your Instagram and social media and some all this
is building up to the big 12:50 that's going to come into your
bank account to justify all the hard work you did for your
music. Let's clap it up for MCSK, Sir.
Let's clap it up for them. Shout out to them now.
Amazing. Yeah.
Oh, so they're sharing. They're sharing 16,000,000, not
20. Sorry, I misquoted that.
They're sharing 16,000,000, which is a lot of money now.
MCSKCEO Ezekiel Muto shout out to you Sir, dismissed the
assertion saying the monies will be distributed in two ways in
general and scientific. AFAM please tell me what that
means. Bro, me when I saw them
describing it as scientific. I'm like, bro, this guy does
himself, doesn't even know what that means, so he doesn't even
know what that means. With science, don't you have to
have, like, a method to distribute these things?
You can't. Just like, hey, our method is
everyone gets it's Oprah, it's Oprah.
All of a sudden, everyone gets part of the money.
That's You get a car, you get top 50, you get top 50.
You get to get to Listen, Sam, this is the big this is the
biggest red flag. First of all, giving people a
general amount, that's standard. Just giving people every, like
everybody who makes music, that's a red flag.
That's a red flag. A huge one.
Because listen, in any industry, like, if they're giving you at a
oh, you guys will all get $10. That's a red flag because that's
you being finessed. It's like, okay, we'll give you
something and then you will feel like we're giving you something.
No, give me what I'm owed. Like if you're giving a dentist
who has earned 12150 for the year, that's that's fine.
But me, an artist who has done all this work and give people
the money that they have worked for essentially.
It's kind of don't give people, yeah, like as your scientific
system needs to be actually scientific.
Of course there was pushback. He said that of course we are
not just giving everyone money, which is exactly what they're
doing, but there's like we are going to award them royalties
based on how much they've played and all and we've seen.
So the problem with that is we've seen what has happened in
the past. So we don't believe you.
We honestly really don't believe these people and it seems like
we are being harsh on them. But this is a major way or
rather the way that's supported by the government, quote UN
quote, supported by the government that artists can earn
money. And if this is how people are
going about it, how on earth what do we have?
Like just of how what? Oh yeah, it's just.
It's ridiculous. Listen, listen.
MCSK is a is a joke and it makes and.
You know the thing they? Make they make the music
industry seem like such a but listen such.
A play thing. They don't take it seriously.
It's not, it doesn't look like that.
That's actually taking art seriously in that way.
It's more like, oh, let's just do whatever and you guys have to
be OK with it. That's like why?
Yeah. And The thing is, they collect,
they collect the monies that are generated from music very
efficiently. You know, they have all the
representatives or what do they call them, officers, who go
around collecting all these monies from the from the
matatus, from the restaurant establishment, from the clubs,
you know, permitting them to play music, But hey, when it
comes to actually paying out the artist.
It's not that serious. It's an issue.
It's not that serious. It's an issue, man, I.
Hope they clear it up. No, it's it's horrible.
Yeah, the sorry. Listen, no Sam, at this point I
this. Listen maybe this is reckless
for me to say. I personally don't care if
these. Views.
These views are Affirm and Affirm's.
Views. No, listen, I don't care.
Because as Kenyan artists, I can tell you they are very listen.
Nonini even stated that he left like he's he's no longer part of
MCSK. Whatever.
Like he. He he must.
He must have left money on the table too.
But there are multiple ways to collect your royalties outside
of these MCSK guys and it's it's just, this is the fact of the
matter, your MCSK are not going to save us.
They're not some look at me, they are not going to save us.
They're not. So listen, there are other ways
to collect your monies. There are other PR OS that you
can involve. Yourself.
Especially since, especially since music is more global now
and a lot of it is not just within your region like you can
appeal to other regions because of the Internet.
Like, it's probably good to look at how to get your music
collected. I mean revenue collected in in
other places, not just you know locally, so.
Exactly. Listen, maybe I'm being a
pessimist, but like. You don't think it's going to
change? It's too much money they're
making, man. They're making too much money.
So even whether it's it's Ezekiel Mutura, whether it's the
next guy who comes in that money is way too much and and and and
it's it's always going to be a matter of contention.
And people, it has always been and it always will be pockets,
unfortunately. Yeah, they're going to line want
to line our pockets with money that we're generating with for
them for free. So how about we figure out our
own ways in which we can, you know, try.
Because, bro, it's what what are we going to do?
Like, listen, Sam, these leaders are going to be corrupt.
They're going to corrupt like corruption is going to.
Corrupt, you know, You know what's.
So you know what's annoying is that whenever they give out
information like this, like it's not clear.
Like we don't have a clear. This is what's happening.
Even the numbers are here.
I'm here in 16,000,000. Here I'm hearing 20 million.
I'm hearing they're giving out five. $1000 Taking out 1200.
It's already the red flag is already in them giving people at
a specific value of money. No other kind.
Other music industries. They'll give you what you're
owed. They won't give you at they
won't say at Now everybody gets $10.
That's how you know you're being finessed.
Yeah, it's looking a lot. And then we'll and then we'll
engage in scientific methods. What are those scientific
methods, Sam? What are they really?
What are they? You know what I mean?
So yeah, man, that's. I mean that's that's crazy.
We can't. You just we just can't.
We can't You just can't shout out to people who are thinking
differently and doing things differently because you're the
ones who are going to further. We can't be.
That's $8, bro. It's $8.
What am I going to do $8 after my music has been played?
Nothing. And why isn't that important?
Why isn't that an important form?
See now I'm getting to rant mode.
All right. Let's go.
Let's move on, man. Just you all need to act right.
Sorry, MCSKI know you all need to act right.
You just, you just have to and and if some of the information
being put out is wrong how about you give us clear, concise
information with the data to back it up that people can
actually say, OK, this is deserved and this is deserved
and this is deserved rather than coming out of the gate talking
about, oh, we're really happy that artists are going to earn
from the music. And then it's 1200 and we're all
in up and arms because we don't really know what that means.
Like what does that mean for my statistics as an artist?
Because artists are supposed to look at that data and plan their
future projects, plan their singles, plan the way they move.
But we can't plan anything off. Hey, everyone gets a dollar, you
know? It just doesn't make much sense
anyway. Well, it doesn't.
I don't know. We all have to hold their feet
to the fire and hope for the best because honestly, it's not
looking good. Fam it's not.
Looking good, fam. It's not looking good.
I have the audacity to even feel that.
Headline is making it's bringing bile.
It's bringing bile into my mouth, man.
It's bitter taste. It's not very tasty, distasteful
meals. Not at.
All literally distasteful. Meals.
Let me see. OK, so there's there's one thing
I wanted to bring up as well. So this is music industry
related. So a friend of mine, Benjamin
Otwal, he's yeah, he started a YouTube series called the Music
Business Academy and he actually just sent this to me.
So Benjamin Otwal, you know, he's worked at Boom Play, he's
also managed Saru and he's also done a lot of stuff like with
the, you know, the dance crews in the country, like they worked
a lot of of stuff with them on YouTube and just monetizing the
that type of content on YouTube and stuff like that.
But like, he's really, really building a niche in the music
industry for himself. And he's like I said, he started
a series called the Music Business Academy where he'll be
taking people through like what the music industry is about
financial literacy and just all that type of stuff.
Releasing music consistently, being, you know, aware of the
just the different facets of music, whether it's
distribution, whether it's publishing the.
Technicals of it. Exact the technicalities.
And yeah, he's, I've watched two of his episodes, his intro,
where he kind of just explains who he is and, you know, the
space that he occupies in the music industry.
And then I watched a different one where he just talks about
like the people he's worked with, his experience, as well as
just, yeah, just describing what The Academy Is going to be and
what he's hoping to achieve. So if you are in the music
industry and you're lost, cause bro, like the music industry is
very complex. There's so many moving parts and
it's very complicated. And so sometimes you need some
of these type of individuals who kind of break, break it down
into, you know, more digestible chunks.
So this is stuff you can find on YouTube for free.
So I I would urge you guys, if you are interested in learning
more about the music industry, to check out Benjamin Otual.
Yeah, I think he's doing some really dope.
Stuff. It's really cool.
I.
Wanted to highlight. That yeah, I checked out two
episodes. I mean it's always good.
It's always and it's partly obviously why we're we're we're
on here talking is to give information to artists.
Not to say that we know everything, but then just using
our own experience and and our opinions and what we've seen in
work is to give you information to artists that might not
necessarily be thinking that there is a whole world behind
just the studio. And so like being an artist
there's so many things involved and whoever currently for this
for this for our industry to grow we also need to have a lot
of information and a lot of people who know how to go about
some of these things in in in you know at A at a higher level
and how you do is start by just knowing.
So it's really good. Like I watched two episodes.
And I'm definitely looking to to see what like I'm genuinely
interested in my own to learn to learn from what he's he's done
and. Bro, one thing about this music
industry, you never stop learning more.
Like some and I some and I. The other day, let me expose
this a little bit. We were kind of like going
through how producers should make money.
Oh yeah, I know. Like we should.
We should. Definitely.
Know we should know the answer. But we don't like even us.
We were like. Super technical and there's just
so many things I thinking about. Thinking about all the
percentages, what's actually acceptable in the industry like
this is information that some it changes all the time.
It's different here and there. Like the way things operate here
in Canyon is not the way things operate like in general.
So just like knowing all this type of stuff, it's hard.
And yeah, you you sometimes you do need information need.
Yeah, so it's cool. It's cool that there's people.
Who are doing that, willing to share?
Yeah, it's cool that there's people who are who are, who are
doing that, especially people with a lot of experience in
different areas and in different fields too.
Because he's not just music he's done.
He's worked with like dancing he's done.
He's worked with some video. So he's yeah, it's really cool
to see my child to him. I really hope that your goal
with it is reached. I guess that's the most
important thing. So yes.
Yep. Oh, OK.
So the last. So for me, this is the last bit
of news that kind of caught my eye.
I know. Last podcast we we shared the
open calls from go to institute and there's another open call
brought to you by the Nawiri fellowship.
It is, I think, Nawiri It's brought to you.
Yeah. By now we fellowship brought to
you by the Nawi Afri Fem Collective and they're looking
for artists for its first fellowship programme to take
place on the week of Monday, January the 29th to Saturday,
February the 3rd of 2024. The deadline for application is
January 23rd by 11:59 PM. Oh, 1159 past.
Ah yeah, oh man. Anyway, but anyway, this is a
fellowship. It would have passed by the time
this podcast comes out, but this artist fellowship is brought to
you by now a collective. And they're a group of African
women who believe that the economic systems and policies
guiding our countries and the global economy are anti poor,
anti labour, anti women, anti joy, anti beauty, anti
sustainability and therefore fundamentally at odds with life.
We are collective helping to build a community of African
women researchers, writers, artists, healers and dreamers
committed to analyzing, giving language to changing the
language of, and influencing the policies guiding our
macroeconomic systems. So essentially, during this
multi multidisciplinary fellowship, artists will be
inspired to create very hard art that explores the effects of
economic policies on the communities we live in and the
effects of the political economy on our everyday lives.
You are eligible to apply if you are an artist or creative
exploring art and culture. This includes, but are not
limited to fine artist, musician, graphic designer,
poet, writer, songwriter, photographer, ETC.
And you are female or non binary Kenyan available to meet in
Nairobi within the program dates and between the ages of 18 and
33 there will be a stipend that would be afforded to you
probably. More than MCSK is going to give
up. Oh yeah, definitely way more
than MCSK is going to give you. So if you feel like you fit the
criteria you should definitely check them out.
Obviously the deadline may have passed by the time this podcast
comes out, but I do urge you to look into their website and and
maybe just e-mail them their Their e-mail is now we
nawearyfellowship@gmail.com. Double NAWIRI Fellowship.
You Should not spell fellowship. Yeah or info at nawi dot Africa
and you can just hit them up and and and bro.
Like for me personally I want to see the the art and the
creativity that comes out of being.
You know of if you do get a scholarship scholarship, if you
do get a grant or a stipend from these guys that you know affords
you the ability to like create and everything.
I'd love to see the art that comes out of that.
So yeah, definitely do apply and that's dope, look and yo.
Just dope just dope and and sorry just to add on on that
like so it there are usually at the beginning of the year a lot
of these come up. So as an artist it's just to be
cool to look to be on the lookout and and like apply like
yes it's not it's not kept for a specific you know what you call
it type of person or anything like it's just good to try and
apply especially if you if you if you meet the criteria.
So I'm just look out for more of these.
This one will have maybe the deadline might have passed, but
then I'm sure there's there's a lot more that you can really do
research because some of these things having help in that way
would help you push your music in different ways and your art
as a whole. So it's just good to look, look,
look Exacta Mundo. It's good to look those up.
Is there anything else that you've seen that's been?
Yeah, there's something I wanted to bring up.
This is not, this doesn't necessarily apply to the Kenyan
market, but I found it super interesting.
I think there is some crossover, so.
The I need. To navigate this properly,
there's an artist who is popular for stealing people's
boyfriends, I. OK, OK, OK, my name is.
My name is. Ariana Grande which is really?
Oh no, I'm not doing that. No, there's there's too many bad
jokes in a row. Ariana Grande Rodrigo suddenly
released a song called Yes and which she tends to be taking a
direction in terms of her naming, like the last one was.
What was it? Because of what was it?
I don't know. I'm.
Not clued up on. Ariana, you're not you're not up
now. I have to find it.
It was. Thank you.
Next. There we go.
Thank you. Next to us.
No thank you. Next.
Came out a while. Ago, OK And then positions and
then yes. And so she's kind of continued
that. You're sounding like you're
sounding like. It's very good.
Hurry. So anyway, she released her, her
little single called Yes, and just move.
Just walk quickly, walk quickly past it.
Don't. Think about it.
OK. OK.
Yeah.
That didn't happen. That didn't happen.
Yeah. So she leaves a single called
Yes and and I think, I think it was 2 weeks ago she released it.
But then now recently this past week cycle released I think it
was Friday. She dropped a couple more
versions of the song. Now we've seen this happen in
in. Why do you think that is?
We've seen this happen in in, in music where people would drop,
then they'll probably drop an edit to it, or they'll drop the
acapella, they'll drop the instrumental, you know, just to
create more buzz, this young lady has dropped 8 new versions
of the song. All right, so we have this main
song, we have the edit, we have the extended mix, we have the
Speed up version, we have the acapella.
Hey, in case you didn't like the Speed up version, we have the
slowed version, We have the instrumental, then we have the
extended mix instrumental. Now there's rumours that that
she does 14 different versions, but officially on Spotify
there's just eight. OK On streaming there's just
eight. I was looking at it and I'm
like, it makes sense, all right. It makes sense to drop.
But then my feeling that I automatically went to thinking
about why you would do this because Ariana Grande has the
numbers. She doesn't need to at first.
The song was released maybe I want to say 2 weeks ago, if not
a week ago. And it's on 66 million plays on
Spotify alone, right. So that's she she brings in her
numbers. Why afam, let's, let's, let's
hypothesize here. Is that a word?
Let's, let's let's do some thinking.
Why would you think she would? I wish she hadn't said it.
I wish she hadn't said it because now I feel dumb.
That's hypothesize. Why do you think she would drop
88 versions and a possible 14 in your brain in Afam's mind?
So I think what they're trying to do with Ariana Grande, I
mean, OK, at this point, these guys have a lot of analytics,
right? One thing I know a lot of people
have been releasing slowed versions and speed up versions
to really increase engagement on social media platforms.
So there's this one song called Tekkit by Kafune that really,
really did well on TikTok, especially the Speed up version,
like the Speed up version did so well, like that's actually, I
think that's the first version I had.
I watched the moon make it run my mood.
That's how it goes. So I so I I think I heard the
the Speed up version first before I even heard the actual
version of the song and it did wonders for them.
We've also seen Victoria, Tony with Soweto.
Oh yeah, Speed up versions, Slow down versions, like.
So one angle would be the they're trying to increase
engagement, right. Tiktoks then.
So Tiktoks using the slowed versions and the speed up
versions then when it comes to like instrumentals, acapellas,
that's for us, you know that's for the producers, like
producers that that's really an invitation is.
It really because you can't really do anything with those
though. You can't.
But like people do still people will still use those
instrumentals and acapellas and make mixes and post them on
YouTube and it just spars engagement in that, right?
So, so I think 1 angle would be definitely to increase the life
cycle or the life, it's just the life of the song.
It's in itself because all these iterations of the song are
coming out. Another angle, which maybe like
like you kind of glanced on would be to increase the
streams. But then again, you look at the
numbers, the numbers don't really correlate, although one
of them broke a million, but yeah, because the main song is
the one that's done most of the the bulk of the streams and.
There was a super low compared to that like the, the, the,
they're, they're not. But, but, but but then again you
know we live in a time when you know streaming.
To do well in streaming you have to have a high volume of
streams. So it could be that that's
that's kind of like even the the matter that a lot of artists
were doing. You look at like the Chris
Brown's and whatever releasing albums that have 24 songs, It's
all a whole streaming game type of thing where you're you're
trying to game the system. So it could be a bit of that as
well mixed into it. But yeah, so for me those are
just like the surface level. It's really, it's really
interesting on your point. It's really interesting that
even artists that are at that level, like Ariana Grande is
like top 10 pop artists currently, right?
Maybe even higher than that. And they still have to if, if
that's where we're going, they still have to result to doing
the things that they that the the the bottom of the pile would
be the. Peons.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You know, don't put me. I don't know why you just just
jumped to putting. Me in that room, the peons like
me, the peons. Now, now, I shouldn't have
pointed it out. I should have.
Just like, because now it looks like I'm trying to be elitist
and I'm not really elistic elitist musically, which is
stupid. I understand, and I hear you
often. I think what they're doing is
none of. That you receive I receive.
You receive what? Is I receive, I internalize and
absolutely throw it away because I don't think that's what I
digest. No, no, I digest no first.
I just first before I throw it away.
Yeah, first you digest. OK, I digest.
OK, so so now here's here's, here's my thoughts.
OK. I do think well from so I I came
up across someone else's opinions and then opinions on it
and it made sense. I think what they're trying to
do is because because labels and artists place a lot of value in
being in in numbers not numbers in terms of like streaming, but
then being like a number one or winning that Grammy and and all
that stuff. So I do think that partly what
they're doing, if they are 14 versions, I think what they're
doing is first of all 14 versions, bro.
Like, that's crazy. What they're trying to do is
increase the increase their chances of getting like on a
billboard and they're probably trying to do that quickly, you
know, And that's one way to do it because the more she's on and
she occupies, she would occupy a lot of spaces on on that list.
And so, like, she's inevitable to be #1.
Now that's cool and that's fine. And we know the music industry
runs off numbers and it's not really about the art.
But personally, I feel like that kind of dilutes music.
When we're chasing numbers, I feel like it dilutes music.
So it's cool, like, and we've seen singles that have come out
with different versions. You have the edit, you have the
speed up window. But then when you have just a
whole bunch of things that obviously, well, to me obviously
looks like you're trying to trying to game the system in
that way. It just comes off as all right,
so at what, Do you guys really care about the music or are you
just chasing that number one spot?
And that's kind of where I'm stuck.
Like I I appreciate a few versions.
I just don't know where the thought process lies.
Oh, the thought process lies in going for the number one rather
than making the music itself greater.
Like that's what I would think would be more important.
I don't know if you have an opposing view, but that's kind
of what I mean. That's how I think about it.
Games. Just weird.
System man. Game The system?
Game the system? What do you mean like?
Like what do you mean Game The system.
Like, first of all, yeah, get all the number ones.
And first of all, Billboard is like, they just come up with
rules. Like today they decide bundles
are not a thing, tomorrow they decide you know what bundles.
But isn't that, isn't that what do you call it?
an A point to not think about that anymore?
Because they're really just sleeping and waking up and
thinking, oh, let's do this, let's do that.
Like that makes it. Yeah.
Unstable. Yeah, so even me, I can.
Even me, I can. I can decide to play a game.
So I'm going to decide like, even like with Kenna Taylor
Swift, when they decided to sell, what did they do?
The four. You had to buy four different
albums. Yeah, no four different vinyls,
but they had, it was the same album, but all of them.
You were building like a clock, so you had to buy four of them.
And I mean it's the same music, but you're just really like
gaming the system. They found a innovative way to
make people purchase more and therefore their numbers were way
up. You know what I mean?
Do you think play the game, You need to play the game like also
for Ariana's team, right? If you if you if you have like
and this is for all the music people like if your if your
music debuts top ten, number one.
If you get the number one album whatever that greatly impacts
your leverage for the next projects.
Because you see these people are in, are in they're in deals with
labels and so you go to the label you say listen my previous
project, my previous single, they build a number one.
This is how much I'm worth. This is how much you guys should
be investing in my next my next releases my blah blah blah blah
blah. It gives you so much more
leverage when the numbers are on your site.
At what point does the start become important?
The art is always important, but the business is important.
I'm sorry, I'm. I'm joking.
A little bit.
OK, OK, I'm joking. But I'm really not.
I'm. I'm joking, but I'm really not.
Like, that's just the thing. Music business is a huge thing
and there's a lot of money to be made.
That's really, honestly, a game is what it is.
It's annoying. There's so many careers at stake
outside of just the music, the artists themselves.
So yeah, man, there's there's a lot of money to me.
And these things can really greatly impact like, you know,
like you got a number one, you got another #1, then they put in
way more so then also, but also listen, it goes back into the
art because if they're investing, like if they would
have invested 100,000 into your next single, but then you got
the number ones, you have the meetings, they see, OK, you know
what, your high value will invest 200,000.
That gives you the leeway to create even better art with
better facilities. Have more studio time, right?
Right. So even the art can be.
I don't know man. I don't know.
I just don't agree. I just, I hear you.
I just don't agree. So, so I'll just read something.
So someone had had commented on this and like while while this
is not new to to, it's not new to artists, right?
Like this is something that's done so it's a common practice
these days for major musicians to employ this plan to ensure
that the biggest debut possible on the Billboard charts, which
we know. So that means that the sale of
all 14 versions of high. Yes and will be grouped together
into one release. So it's it's again, it's it's
still the numbers game. Even though they're playing for
the number one or whatever. They're still that number one is
still going to bring in money, right?
So fans have the option to buy all of them.
However, the problem with this it's it's once when they do
this, very obviously it takes away from the organics and the
magic of the wind and organics and magic is is is closer to
artistry than the business side of it.
I don't know if that makes sense.
It's just, it's like, it's just it seems like a very obvious,
like you can look at it and you're like, OK, this is
obviously a play. So now artists are like, all
right, I know what your goal is here.
And it's not, It seems like it's not just the music.
And some people don't mind. Other people are like, I don't
care. I'm of the mind of the of the
side. I mean, I'm at the side where
like, I don't know. I feel like I don't know, bro.
Listen. Hey, I get it.
Listen this. Song, I get it, but I just don't
like it. That's it.
I get it. I just don't like it.
And that's fair. Yeah.
Listen, Sam, I receive what you're saying and I you have
received it to your point of view, Have you internalized it?
I am currently. Digesting it all right, Yeah.
Anyway, Speaking of music, I don't know if there's anything.
Of music, new music, Sam. What were the artists from
Canada? We need to bring back remixes.
Compelling. Like remixes have fallen off.
We need to bring back remixes bro.
Just give us like a remix version.
Don't give us a slow version, a speed up version.
Just give us the song and the remix.
Still going on about that Mia was already.
In new you had moved on. Oh my bad.
Hey new music. Shout out to Casey of course we
will load him here on the podcast.
Casey. I mean Casey.
If you don't know Casey Casey has who was who was on Kanye's
Donder album he's been on. He's worked with numerous
different people up there and he recently just released a song
with Joey Bad. I say Joey Bad.
Oh man, that's bad. Called passports and suitcase,
suitcases, Passport. I want to get it right.
I just found. I found his real name.
Can I do I put his government? I don't know.
Dog, Do you? I don't know.
But it's right there. It's on Wikipedia.
Oh, OK Well, if it's public information, then we can make it
public, I guess. Mark Macora, Bogo.
AKAKC Pluto. Yeah, yeah, there's actually, I
watched an interview of his. I watched an interview of his
where he, he he explained the name Casey.
I don't particularly remember it, so I probably shouldn't have
brought it up, Brought it up. But you said.
I think he got that from his Mama.
Shout out to Casey, man. Shout out to Casey.
Passports and suitcases. It's just cool to see.
Winsborough, man, I listened to this and I was like, this is so
familiar and obviously they they used the instrumental, what they
added like the drums were different but they used the good
and plenty instrumental by Alex Isley.
There was also a remix with Alex Isley and Marsejo.
Marsejo, it's Marsego and no, no, it's you're you're supposed
to pronounce it Marcel like that.
Anyway, he said he did. He.
Yeah. Anyway, the song was originally
produced by Jack Dine. Jack Dine is so fired.
Like, I've literally spent hours trying to produce like Jack
Dine. But yeah, shout out.
Shout out to everything that happened to make this release a
thing. Fire Sarul is a song called
Pande Pande Ile. I was going to say pande Ile,
but pande Ile. I think it matters how you say
words in Swahili. That side.
That side yes shout to her Bien and it's Yaba released a song
called Nashanga is produced by So Fresh is on the beat.
I really like that Nashanga. Are you shocked when you
listened to the song? No, I wasn't.
I wasn't. Not.
Not at all. Jeez.
So it's Saba, It's Yaba. Rather it's Saba, it's Yaba.
Says that he has his. He's trying to do well.
His version of music is called Benga.
Oh no. Was it called?
Let me not get that right. That that wrong.
Is it Roomba Cane? Not Benga cane.
I don't know what I was saying. Benga Roomba cane.
Oh, Roomba. So Roomba and sugar cane,
apparently, is what it's in the bio.
Because it's sweet. Sweet, sweet music.
So I really enjoyed that. BN is always a good listen.
I think they they they did a really cool it was.
It's a cool collaboration, man. I enjoy that.
I'd like to listen to that outside Boutros booty.
What's what is the nicknames? Do you know does he have any?
OK, so Boutros Boutros released a song called Intro Freestyle.
If it's called Intro Freestyle, then I think we can think, oh,
we have the the the, what do you call it the the free reign to
hypothesize, hypothesize that maybe, I don't know why.
I just feel like there shouldn't be extra syllables on that word,
but they are so intro freestyle by Boutros.
Is that the intro to the album? Could it be?
Yeah, I think so. I think he mentioned that
Contendo is on the way. That's fine.
So definitely looking forward to that.
Looking forward to the the, the jobs and the eventual project.
So yeah, that's super cool. What else?
Nick Agessa released a song called Susanna that was
interesting to listen to. Share it here by Dark Lord
Colossal music and landmark that was also released.
Did you say Lady Fiona? I did in fact, not Saudi soul as
well. I did not.
No. Yeah, Saudi soul.
So I saw still dropping music. I thought they disbanded.
Yeah, yeah, what? But it is still didn't drop in
music. It's a different sort of soul.
There was Lily by Kushman. Yeah, received that with the
mixed received. Internalized.
Received. Digested.
Oh yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
There was Jungle Walk by the angels.
Aziz and Kellerkind actually. It does this released twice
because the 2nd. Is game.
Limbi oh Limbi by Barnino Lackwister and it Aziz.
That was my I was popping to that.
Yeah, bro, that was my cup of Chinese bro.
That was just so like the melody.
Just everything. I I really, really enjoyed
listening to that man. So shout out to everyone who was
involved in fire. I don't even usually listen to
EDM like that, but like that one was like that was.
That's cool man. Dance stuff.
Yeah, that was cool. Shout out to it, hopefully you
can get you can catch one too. Oh, and then lastly, I listened
to 925 with Liki and Mr. Wright, Mr. Wright from Brooklyn Boys.
So yeah, that was hard. It was a it was a tough listen.
So shout out to them. Fireman fire I think for the for
for of course we didn't mention it so Blinky Bill is is coming
out with his. I mean it's coming out he's
dropping his. I think it's next week, this
week, this week, Friday. When you're listening to this
this week, Friday, he's dropping.
Sometime this month. Yeah, he's dropping.
We cut keys. I think that's the name of it.
We cut keys too. So yeah.
So he dropped a single off the project.
It's called Get the Paper and I Boy, oh boy.
Should I tell you the funk on this was crazy.
Like the bounce, the swing. It's produced by him and another
artist, Emok who I don't know if you've talked about him before.
I don't think we've talked. About.
Him. We've got him backwards.
Shout out to him this, I really enjoyed man.
The instrumental, the instrumental of this, of this,
of this joint. First of all it just gets you
moving immediately. I can just get you moving.
It wastes no time to get you to the groove.
So yeah, I really enjoyed get the paper and just makes me
excited to see what he's he has for the project.
Of course, Blinky Bill, if you all don't know is is is it one
quarter 1/3? I should get this right of just
a band. The legendary.
The legendary Just a band. So it's always cool.
It's cool to hear music from either one of them.
Jim at the last a couple last last year it was the end.
Jim. Jim Tutu released some music.
It's good to see Blinky Bill releasing music.
Remember, we played, we played just about in the podcast.
Yeah. So from the echo I think the
thing was called echo. Yeah, it was.
And Jim released solo music. Also released solo music.
We also talked about that. Yeah.
So I think for this episode we shall play Blinky Bills.
Get the paper. It's a fire song.
Shout out to you, Blinky. Here is Get the Paper by Blinky
Bill, wake up.
Time to get the paper I've been sleeping on myself.
I see that fashion killer under 14.
Tell him on a joke but looking at the time.
Put it in the land. Something in the air is a
magical place that he helped the
Oh yeah, wake up.
Time to get the paper that was got the paper by Blinky
Bill. Extremely, extremely funky
music. That bass line, bro.
And then the random really like the random horns.
The random sound like French horns.
They're just so fireman. It sounds very well produced,
sounds very well produced. Shout out to him and shout out
to him levelling up the production game.
Yep, Sam, how does it feel to complete yet another episode of
the 30% Podcast? 60 minutes of fame are over.
Yeah, I was 60 minutes of fable over, but before they completely
end, I wanted to just point. The completely.
Attention. One more thing before they.
Completely end one more thing. Did did you ever watch Jackie
Chan? That's that's a reference.
One more thing, Eddie glad to see we can relate.
We're we're men of the culture. Men of culture, Men of culture.
But seriously, one more thing. I mean, we we, we can't oversee
the just the the recent state of affairs, especially affecting
women within the country and just wanted to point out that
it's unfortunate that women have to like, experience these
things. And you know, all as we can do
as men is support and empathy because like, you know, for me
as a man, like I don't, I have have to do so much mental maths,
just living my life for women do when they're when they're
entering maths, when they're when they're walking outside and
all that type of stuff they have to do, all this type of stuff.
And it's unfortunate for the, you know, the women that have
lost their lives. In the past few weeks we've
heard about the Airbnb stuff that happened and that stuff is
definitely despicable. It's it's it's evil and
craziness and it's femicide like the women have been pointing
out. And there is a March on the
27th, which is a Saturday I believe next Saturday I believe
organized by Usikimi. And essentially it's a walk just
to kind of end the femicide that's been going on.
And Sam and I just felt like it's something that we should
just point out and and just kind of see and bring to attention
using our platform and femicide in Kenya and let's protect our
women, let's let's just be more responsible with how we care
about women and how we treat women and.
Be more responsible with life overall, I think.
Yeah, with live. Yeah.
So we just wanted to point that out and just point out the the
March that's happening. And yeah, but yeah, Sam, you
know that was this was 60. That, that that was.
Unfortunately, it's this. But hey, back.
I mean, not, not that it doesn't matter, but then let's end it
till now, yeah? Yeah, I know.
But bro, listen, Episode 60 episode.
We're now in the 60s. We're now in our 60s.
The building is really showing. We're now a psychedelic Oh,
actually I didn't think of when our psychedelic era like you
know how people did psychedelics in the 60s LSD, like the culture
was on the. Rise Was that in the 60s?
Yeah, that was not. The 70s, I feel like.
I feel like the Hebrew wasn't the 70s.
No, it was the 60s. That's when it started.
Part of telling me that very 60s is very, very sternly.
So I'm guess I guess it's telling the truth.
Yeah, matter of Factly. Yes, Sam, Like I am saying, I am
internalizing it. I have digested it and I agree.
And you're receiving, I've received it night.
Yep. Nice.
Why can't I? I said Rice and then I said
night. I I can't speak anyway.
That might be an indication to end the podcast.
That is an indication. It's also because I'm hungry.
It's lunchtime. Stomach is wrong.
Don't say that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I will beat. You guys like yawning?
Well, you see one man hungry. All right, man.
Let's end, Let's end. Let's get out of here.
But hey, thank you everyone for listening to this.
We, we are, we we do this, we can you know highlight Kenyan
music in the Kenyan industry and.
Guys like you're because it's contagious.
Sorry. Yes.
So we can, we can. So we can you know highlight
Kenyan music and put some of some some of the things that
aren't on the map, on the map. If you know people who are
influencers and you know who are who are influencers in the music
industry, these are conversations to have with them.
There's a you can point them to the broadcast.
Hey there's two guys talking about it online.
But yeah, we just we we really enjoy doing this and bringing
this to you and we hope that our goals in just and playing our
part to make sure the Kenyan industry grows and and just is
better for all involved. We hope that yes.
Sorry Bob are achieved. Thank you for listening.
Bye. What's wrong?
Yes, sorry, Bob, what's that?