On May 19, a rapper you’ve never heard of announced that he’d be headlining a show at D.C.’s top music venue, the 9:30 Club. On Twitter, he wrote, “if i do a show at 930 clun [sic] in 14 days..can i sell 900 tickets?”
On Wednesday, that rapper — D.C.’s own, Wale — got his answer. He didn’t sell 900 tickets in two weeks.
No, in two weeks, he sold out the place, 1,200 tickets in all.
And consider this: less than two years ago, when The Washington Post called him “The Great Rap Hope,” he hadn’t even released an album. Two years ago, he was still living at home with his parents.
So how’d he reach this point in his career? It’s the subject of this week’s “Things Journalists Can Learn From….”
1. Brand Yourself. In The Post’s 2007 article, a business partner said, “He’s like a one-man marketing machine.” On Wednesday, Wale — a frequent Twitterer — asked fans to Tweet him song requests during the show. He’s also famous for “The Mixtape About Nothing,” a Seinfeld-themed album that he released for free online. One of the special guests on the album: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It’s all a part of Wale’s effort to build his own name and associate himself with top-tier talent.
2. Repackage Your Content. Wale’s biggest single to date was 2007’s “Nike Boots” (video available here). But then Wale came back with a remix of the song, and made sure that it got attention by featuring Lil Wayne on the track. Rap fans who didn’t notice the song the first time tuned in for the remix. The point: great original content should be delivered via multiple platforms to reach the largest audience possible.
3. Network. Wale’s new album, “Attention: Deficit” features production work from Mark Ronson (of Amy Winehouse fame) and TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. He’s signed Jay-Z’s Roc Nation to manage him, and he’ll be touring with Jay-Z this summer. Then there’s his new single, “Chillin’,” which is generating buzz thanks to the backing vocals of Lady Gaga. Wale might not be a household name just yet, but with support from a network like that, you know you’ll be hearing his songs on the radio soon.
H/T to D.C. Fab for the photo of Wale at the 9:30 Club on Wednesday.