Kamal Jabbar on Building the BlackMarket Records Brand “It was real hard work...”

Kamal Jabbar  Photo Courtesy Palace Music Group

“It was real hard work,” says Kamal Jabbar, CEO of Palace Music Group, LLC. “Listen making product on your own from the creative concept, then marketing and promoting the CD, hiring a staff, finding your own distribution, collecting your own royalties, as well as, dealing with promoters.” “You’ve got work to do.”

“When I started in the music business it was with Black Market Records they had just inked a deal with Priority Records to manufacture and distribute their records. Prior to that, Black Market Recs was a true independent. We manufactured and sold records and cassettes tapes out of the garage, the trunk, the backyard, you name it. We did 4 x 6 postcards and poster marketing of the Black Market brand product. Then finally came and office and warehouse,” claims Kamal.

“At Black Market we soon discovered the difference between an independent that manufactured pressed and marketed its’ own product and one that recorded music and then strikes a deal with a major distributor or record company.” “Profits!” Kamal states.

“I came in as the GM to the CEO and continued to push the underground music independently, it was a harder grind with less visibility but it garnered greater profits. Ced liked me because I could collect from distributors. I know how to send out invoices, and letters professionally. I have excellent follow-up, he says. “I created my position to go beyond money.” “When you market underground you don’t go to the parent company (Priority) for money. They don’t tell you which single to release either. You’re not set to a bunch of limitations or restrictions they tend to set per fiscal year.” “When I think back,” Kamal explains. “Those early years, where the most informative years for me in the music business. I learned to market and promote our products and manage budgets and then had to decide with the help of CED, "Cedric Singleton", whether to spend the bulk of the independent profits on marketing or production. We would spend the budget on magazine ads and stickers as well as posters. Remember, we where independent, nothing for the record company to recoup, but everything we earn is now gross. You have to remember, to deduct your advertising, the expenses for making the CD, any marketing, we under went from the $8.00 per CD.” Kamal says. “All we really wanted to do was make music, earn money and have Priority supply tour, production, distribution as well as, media support. With that we figured we would be able to boost our buzz creatively. And work our way up to some good dough.” “But it was a grind. Now days, these kid’s have got the internet to grind on. But it’s just that, a grind.”

“Rapping simply isn’t enough anymore. These days Hip Hop artist have to hustle and develop name value. I’m old school I think you have to dedicate time to developing artist. The artist who develops his or her craft of putting together an outstanding performance should get the deal. Now days more artists are signed before the artist are ready. The time spent on the grind makes artist seasoned in the game. This seasoning can be seen in all big artists with superstar status.” 

PALACE MUSIC GROUP, LLC ®