A Hustler’s Ambition
Daniel Grskovic

            I knocked on Jarred “All-Star” Haynes’s door on the night we were scheduled to meet. He opened it a crack and said, “I’m recording but you can come in.” The words were music to my ears. This is what every journalist wants, an inside look at their subject; and what I heard next, the music in my ears, was refreshing. Real, intellectual hip-hop; lyrics that carried meaning which he recited with passion. Jarred Haynes helped me realize what is missing in the hip-hop segment of the music industry these days. The originality that once existed in this genre is lacking, yet Haynes refuses to let the art depart.

ALBANY, December 14, 2006 – The music industry is one of the most cut-throat industries in the modern world; partly because the pursuit of fame and wealth can make people do things they would not normally do. It is a fast paced business that will overwhelm an artist if they are not prepared for it. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the music industry is getting your foot in the door and being recognized.
            However, it seems as if it takes less talent these days for an artist to be successful in the industry. Instead, if an artist creates an image for them self that a record executive thinks the public will buy into, than they basically have their ticket to fame.
            According to Jared “All-Star” Haynes, “It’s hard to find rappers that are actually about something these days. I’m about something so I consider myself a unique rapper.”
            The rapper’s uniqueness is reflected in the subject matter of his lyrics and one of his standards for his songs: no cursing. This alone is enough to catch a record executive’s attention, considering how much profanity is used in hip-hop. Haynes also draws from his spiritual background when creating music and incorporates his beliefs into his songs.
            Although these aspects do help Haynes to stand out in his pursuit of a record deal, they do not guarantee that, upon receiving one, he will sell records. According to Haynes’ marketing manager Jarome Garett, “Record executives are looking for artists that will fill a role. They want someone that has that specific look that is popular at the time in order to help sell records.”
            “Industry reps don’t want to put out real hip-hop,” said Haynes. “If you don’t have a dance to go with your song right now, then you’re not getting any attention.”
            This is a sad but true fact. The intellectual hip-hop that once was is now dumbed-down for the enjoyment of the public. There are no more groups like Public Enemy or Wu-Tang Clan who incorporate political ideologies or vocabulary words most people have to look up to understand. Today we have very few artists in the mainstream culture who really get the listeners to think. This is the result of true lyricists being ignored because they do not have the resources or budgets to create a buzz for themselves prior to getting a record deal.
            According to Jared Adams, an aspiring musician, much of the music that is released today is watered down and lacks true meaning. Adams said, “There is an overwhelming amount of artists that clutter the business these days and because of that, the real music often gets lost.” This makes it extremely hard for up and coming artists who treat their music as a craft to gain recognition.
            Radio and television sources such as MTV are flooded with the same act repeated over and over again. Audiences will eat up anything with a beat and a catchy hook. Why?
            “Because it sells,” Haynes said. “The industry is more directed towards making money now and has lost all sense of art.” Haynes says the result of this misdirected focus is mediocre music, and that is why he aims to differentiate himself from other artists by creating music that has meaning to it.
            Musicians such as Haynes that try to produce quality music do not think it is fair that music based around images steals the spotlight; and it may not be, but whatever brings in the most money is what record executives are going to be looking for.
            According to hip-hop producer Anthony “Che Rhythm” English, “Money is what the industry is all about.” It’s not like the old days when record labels may have seen some potential in an artist, signed them, and built their careers. Back then, labels were willing to invest some time into musicians. They were willing to take a chance and see if they could build an artists’ career. “Today, if an artist has a gimmick that can be marketed to the public, they’re good to go,” said English.
            This is especially relevant in hip-hop; as one of the most dominant types of music in popular culture, commercial hip-hop is all about the “flavor of the week.” Artists are no longer developed over time in order to create a fan-base and establish themselves in the music industry. The fan base is already waiting these days, not for an individual artist in particular, but for that same regurgitated style.
            Nichole Nigro, who has been singing since she was a young girl, once had dreams of becoming a star. However, as she grew older and began to realize what the music industry is truly about, she had a change of heart. She decided to give singing one last chance in the summer of 2006 when she auditioned for American Idol.
            After a 10 second audition, Nigro was rejected from the competition. “The people you are auditioning for know exactly what they are looking for,” Nigro said. “If you didn’t fit the image they had in mind, then you had no chance, even if you are talented enough to make a career out of music.”
            Since an image is the main concern for the marketability of artists, record labels no longer put the same time and money into up and coming artists. If they have not already created their own fan base by performing in shows or showcasing their music on their My Space page, as well as already selling thousands of independent albums, then the labels are not interested.
            Because of this, the use of My Space as a resource for up and coming artists has become very popular. Artists are able to create a profile page for themselves and upload their music for viewers to listen to. Although most artists think this is a great idea, there are skeptics. Haynes’s marketing manager, Garett, does not believe My Space can truly showcase a musician’s ability. “A musician has to be seen in person, performing live, for someone to truly gage their talent level,” Garett said. “If you saw someone such as Jay-Z on My Space you wouldn’t really be able to tell if he has what it takes to rise to the top.”
            Haynes does use My Space to showcase his music and it has garnered him some attention. Violator Records contacted him through his page and displayed interest in signing him. “They contacted me a second time and said that they wanted to see 1,000 more plays of my songs over the next month,” Haynes said.
            Obviously Violator Records wanted to see if Haynes had the ability to create some hype around his own music, saving them some of the dirty work. He has not heard back from them since.
            This does not mean that Haynes has not been working to create a buzz around his music. According to English, “Jarred is a work horse. He is constantly working on tracks and recording verses or performing a show someplace.” As part of his mission to get signed, Haynes recently released his newest album Music Evolution.
            “The feedback has been ridiculous, everyone is loving it,” Haynes said. “Not only does it exemplify who I am, but it’s what music should be, it has meaning to it.”
           The Wyandanch, Long Island native added that he’s “just trying to put it in the right hands now.”
           These “right hands” Haynes speaks of are the people that may be able to help him get somewhere in his career, the “higher-ups” as he put it. He is looking to sign with a major record label and is avoiding the independent labels because he claims that these smaller labels are at the same spot he is.
           For this reason Haynes is in the process of starting his own record label, White Light Entertainment. The licensing to make it all official is expected to be finished in January of 2007. It is necessary to go through the procedures of licensing for marketing reasons, this way Haynes can use the title White Light Entertainment as freely as he pleases.
           Haynes believes that starting his label will not interfere with getting signed to a major label. “I’m focusing on my business, my label, my team. If [a record label] wants me they’re going to have to take the whole package.”
It seems as though Haynes has the confidence to take his dream all the way and gamble that a major record label will be willing to sign White Light Entertainment along with him.
           Yet Haynes knows that in order to get a record deal, he has to get his hustle on in order to gain notoriety. This makes for a very busy schedule for the 20 year-old. He performed at the SUNY Albany “Rock the Vote” concert on October 7, which had a turnout of more than 400 people.
           He also performed at the “King of the Mic” in Oneonta recently, which is a rap battle between MCs from around the area. Haynes won the competition which earned him the title “King of the Mic,” however the real victory for Haynes is that the competition was broadcasted over an Oneonta radio station. It is publicity like this that helps to build an artist’s fan base and get them signed.
           Haynes recently organized and held the second “Albany Idol” at The College of Saint Rose. His ability to manage events such as this is another appealing skill that he possesses. He also organized and performed at the second “Rated Next” concert on December 1 at The College of Saint Rose, which incorporated various artists from the school.
           Among those artists was Victor “Toro” Tolentino, who has been making music with Haynes for about a year. Tolentino believes that one of the most important things an up and coming artist has to focus on is creating publicity for them self. “It is important for an artist to get their name out there and be recognized,” Tolentino said. “Without a fan base an artist is nothing, so you have to make sure you catch the public’s attention early on in your career.”
           Omar “President” Lopez also performed at the Rated Next concert and appeared on Haynes’s latest album, Music Evolution. According to Lopez, “The music industry is a tough industry to get into because it involves knowledge of business, sociology, and music.” He added that, “Artists need to be true to themselves and make music that touches them if they want to have any chance of making it touch someone else.”
           Karri Diomede says that the knowledge she is gaining about the business as a Music Industry major at The College of Saint Rose is vital. She knows how tough the business can be on artists as well as anyone else trying to get into it. This is where going to The College of Saint Rose helps.
           “Students who graduate from The College of Saint Rose have an advantage getting a job in the music industry over students from other schools,” the junior said. “Since it is such a small school where students are able to gain a lot of hands on experience in every field, people in the industry recognize this and are quick to hire graduates.”
            However, Haynes is not a Music Industry major and knows how tough the music industry is, so he is constantly working to build his career as a rapper to garner attention from record labels. The talent is there, there’s no doubt about it. Haynes is a triple threat: he raps, sings, and produces his own music. The problem is that he has not yet created a large enough fan base for record labels to be interested.
           And because making the music and performing is not enough, Haynes recently sent out a press kit to some record labels that have shown interest in him such as Rawkus, Violator, and Kingdom Come. He is hoping the press kit, which contains a demo of Music Evolution, will motivate the labels to invest a further interest in him.
“I know I have the music,” Haynes said, “So once [the record labels] listen, there’s no doubt in my mind that something will happen.”

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