With SXSW just a week a way, and with time running out to prepare, this helpful set of tips from rapper Kosha Dillz outlines eleven different ideas for those who find themselves completely unprepared and in the thick of Austin’s biggest festival.
____________________________
Guest post by Kosha Dillz
Spring break is one week away aka SXSW and you are not even ready yet, and neither am I, so here is the minimalist way to crush the SXSW instead of getting all the fire power for guerrilla warfare. We are gonna do it different this year. Lets just say you have forgot everything for SXSW. No Cds. No stickers. NO business cards. No Flyers. No Money.
No shows. No work. No place to stay. I have a trick for you my friends, and you only need a lil bit of cash, hustle, and you don’t even need to be a musician.
Are you ready? Of course you are not! That is why I wrote this. But here we go…
Battery Powered Sound System: The biggest people in the world have busked. Justin Bieber did it. I got a $50,000 commercial doing it, and also earned over a million views with Roman Atwood. I meet people all the time, and fund lots of my downtime travel with it. It cost about $200 bucks, and you can play it with an Aux cable and a mic. Get ready to play SXSW like never before. You can play outside for hundreds of people and inside for 20 people. You can play 8 shows this week, or play 1. The people from Jimmy Kimmel hit me back on the email because I told them I did this. Not because I have a single on Billboard. Trust me. The big people are all playing
A place to stay: If you dont’ have a place to stay I think you should just stay outside of town a bit and get an air b n b or a motel. Stay out of town about 30 minutes or even 45 minutes and kick it. If you need to sleep in your car, there is nothing wrong with that. You can go out of town to a rest stop, keep the AC on, and take a $12 shower the next day at the rest stop.
Hand Craft 25 business cards for your trip: It is too tough to order and ship and meet you and all that mumbo jumbo. GO to the store right now and cut out cardboard paper and handwrite your info with a quote on white poster board. Very simple. Cut them out in different shapes. Some hearts. Some squares. Some circles. Write your @koshadillz your email, number, and a quote on the back. If you run out, email the person.
Follow everyone: Don’t be so concerned about helping yourself. Lots of artists are like “follow me” and so obsessed with numbers. If you are at that level, you are thinning wrong anyway. It is an easy way for them to contact you if you are interested or they are. It makes a lot of people happy, as we validate ourselves through following and being followed a lot.
Interview people that are new: I don’t know what you’ll use it for, but I have been interviewing people for like 7 years at SXSW. From Murs to Tech 9 to random people. Email it to the person. Great way to follow up with them, and create a special bond. If it is Nardwuar, tell him you know Kosha Dillz, and he’ll probably let you do it.
Hello My Name Is stickers: Go buy the stickers and rock n roll with them. Write your name on them and actually stick them on people. You can also wear it so people know who you are if you are shy. Put them on poles. 100 of them cost about $5 bucks in staples or office depot. A permanent marker and your fine.
Burn a few blank cds in your computer: If you don’t do this, don’t think you need a great cover. You don’t need some gangster mixtape cover like 6th street rap music cds. You can get the Deli Magazine pages or Austin Chronicle and put tape around your burnt CD and give to a band that you want to tour with. As a burned CD in a newspaper, you will stick out from the 80 cds people of the press get. Give that to NPR.
Buy them tacos not tequila: Don’t worry about buying someone a drink man. I have been clean and drink-less for over 12 and a half years and I have yet to buy people drinks. Be creative. Meet someone and buy them tacos or metal pizza. People appreciate you nurturing their stomach. It is a thing to do.
Home Depot poles for two posters: Walk through the street with a utility pole and your posters. Use big permanent marker to advertise your brand or set time and walk through the street with it. You can totally do that!
Daily Notes and tag your emails: I tag my notes daily and can always search them in my email. “Nice to meet you at SXSW john.” When I search that in my email it always comes up. When you run out of stuff, you can always follow up with people. “You’re awesome SXSW human being. Nice to link.” Save that note and then you can see how many people you emailed. Staying in order is more important than having 5 million fliers, although that has it’s efficient way of doing things.
Automated Email response: People may be emailing you left and right. If you have an automated response, it is better than a secretary you’d have to hire. You can at least get them the right info of how to reach you with your number and cry for help within said automated response.
“HI. I will be traveling to SXSW in Austin and you probably just met me. If you want to reach me hit me at 732-555-555. For any booking contact my agent eva@fatabooking.com. If this is my landlord, I’m not paying rent. If this is my mom, call me mom, don’t email me.” Relieve yourself of all duties so you can focus on being present, but also, be available if it is seriously that important.
I think this is a powerful way to hustle your way to the biggest and most exciting event of the year. I go all the time. I don’t think I will ever miss it. I might get married at SXSW, during the keynote speech one year. But seriously, if you want to come to an amazing show this year, check out oyveysxsw.splashthat.com on March 16featuring the COOL KIDS , Smoke Season, Kolars and more…plus my free show on friday and shabbat dinner. Sxshabbat.splashthat.com
Kosha Dillz is a hard working super jewish rapper artist going on the OY VEY USA Tour. He is available for consulting about life at rapperfriends@gmail.com , and also helps people in life for free. He has a Ted Talk caled Freestyle Rap Saved My Life and has a cool new music video and also an amazing TOUR VIDEO. You can see his official SXSW profile here. His Event OY VEY SXSW, is an event that showcase Israel, Jewish people, and all kinds of other genres of music for cultural understanding and awesomeness. He is also playing Flood Fest with Noga Erez and the Black Lips on Friday March 17 at 11 am, and will give you pickles if you come early.