Since I launched my Universal Indie Records site, I get tons of inquiries from artist wanting me to check their music out and to sign them. They mistakingly assume that my label is connected with the Universal Music Group. That’s a good thing.

See a lot of people starting labels don’t really put any thought into the naming of their labels, especially on the hip hop side of things. Too many times hip hop moguls in the making tend to go with names like Crackhouse Records, Strong Arm Music and the like thinking that they’re “keeping it real” while not really looking toward the future.

So lets say Crackhouse Records has a huge hit. Record sales are already going down the tube so the average label has to look to other means to generate revenue. Endorsements is a big one but I don’t think Coca Cola or Nike will be funding much dollars to Crackhouse Records’ artists. I don’t think so.

By playing more to what you think your hip hop fans accept as “realness” you needlessly limit the overall success of your label. Death Row and Murder Inc. are prime examples of this. Each label has produced numerous huge records but both eventually changed their names to more corporate friendly entities, ie: Tha Row and The Inc. respectively.

With the launch of Universal Indie I thought long and hard about the company name and image that I wanted to put out to the public. I decided on a name and logo similar to that of the Universal Music Group because I felt it would help in the success of my label. The last press release I sent out generated more responses and press than almost anything I had sent out under my other label, Hoodgrown Records.

More people opened and reported on my release due to the fact that they initially assumed that I was a division of Universal Music Group. That’s exactly what I wanted. As an indie it’s all about using whatever means you can to get noticed and so far it’s been working for me.

So keep naming your labels, “Ghetto Records”. You’ll make it easier for me to get my message through.