THEMOSTCRITICAL Talks Doing #OneTakeTwosday For 30 Consecutive Weeks
By: Omar Cook
West Coast rapper THEMOSTCRITICAL created a weekly visual freestyle campaign that has been going strong for over 30 consecutive weeks! This rising artist uses his creativity and an authentic approach to putting together lyrics to create a weekly challenge that people can look forward to. Check out what he had to say below about how this idea was put into motion!
“One Take Twosday (#onetaketwosday on IG) was an idea that came from me desiring to execute a more effective and sustainable marketing strategy/campaign than I had at the time, and to that point overall. In a word - I needed to get my name out there way more. That's every independent artist's dilemma to get to the next phase of their career to me. The compounded issue with that, you learn, is that sh--t is expensive af. In money or manpower. And the higher you aim to rise the more that it becomes an "and," not a question of "or."
To start though, most of us don't have either. I realized this demise time and time again: You pour your heart and resources, and money into a project - album, mixtape, or full-length single accompanied by the most industry-standard music video your budget can possibly afford (or more), release it to the world with the highest hopes that this is the one that's going to take you from this level to that level, or at least make you the hometown hero, then...6 months later...you still can't even get enough views to fill your small high school gym. Devastating. It's absolutely crushing. On top of that, since you gave everything you had materially, it's going to be another 6+ months before you can follow up with an equally satisfying effort.
The cycle repeats itself until you get too exhausted from trying to no avail, or too much time passes you by and you cannot gain or maintain relevance. So, you go live in the "real-world" because it's just not working. I've seen it firsthand and been on the edge of falling victim to the aforementioned outcome. All of this is the "industry" side of the music industry that we as true independent artists fail to grasp. There is a whole entire marketing department and engine propelling our favorite artist's given-project forward to our ears around the world. Still to this day even in the DIY internet age.
With that being said, if you want to have a chance in the industry on any level, you have to think like the industry, not just the musician. Unless you're fortunate enough to have an entity, or a team thinking like that for you. Again, most of us do not at first. That was the spark of the campaign. That level of understanding, finally. After countless unsatisfying results. The next inspiration was observing the current landscape of the ways music is consumed, marketed by my peers and contemporaries, and my place within it all, to determine what might work best for me in my world.
I came to a few conclusions based on my personal experience: 1) Instagram is the hottest social media platform out, currently, for consumers and brands alike (the brands follow the consumers, and the consumers love Instagram right now. If I wanted my brand to grow in trend with the times it had to have an active presence on Instagram. 2) The power of video is stronger than it has ever been in history, especially for musicians. 3) Content...rather CONSISTENT content is King in order for any brand to prosper on IG. 4) As an emerging artist or brand on Instagram, you must utilize it as a media outlet in the same way as (and in place of) TV...no one is watching television anymore, everyone is watching Instagram...and television broadcasts shows.
Therefore, an emerging brand such as myself must put on a show in some way, shape, or form to stand out in it's infinite sea of content. In so many words, you have to give people something to look forward to watching consistently. 5) Music videos are obviously the key remote marketing tool for a musician aside from the inherent music itself...but that shit can get EXPENSIVE as we've been over. And without outside investors or funding...it can get ugly when you're talking about trying to replicate the process in a consistent marketing campaign.
After witnessing the great success of a completed 30-day freestyle challenge on Instagram by LA-rapper Quincy White, along with the success of an attempted 365-day song release challenge embarked on by Black OC with a local artist, I was convinced that some sort of elongated weekly-release challenge, ideally, year-long, powered by IG's 1-minute video attribute was the most prominent, cost-effectively sustainable, and realistically achievable campaign that I could execute and replicate to market my brand best as I gathered the necessary resources for full-length releases.
Now, over 30 consecutive weeks-in, I can confidently say this one of the best and most effective ideas of mine brought to fruition. The quality and quantity of growth I've seen is amazing and often hard to believe. The reception has been more gratifying than I could've imagined. It's something that my fans will remember and smile on years from now, and talk about as something they got to see from-the-ground-up, no gimmicks or clout-schemes.
My Day Ones will always know that this was real and they witnessed it start from nothing. Because of its authenticity it's gained me some true, loyal believers. I've inspired many people in the effort, and inspired myself to go for the seemingly impossible like never-before. It's been affirmation, and reaffirmation, of my, and more importantly, our, power and potential to achieve whatever we desire. And that's the biggest reward of the whole idea made-manifest.”
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