Getting Your Music Heard: Learning From Freestyle Music by John Parker

I’ll start out by saying that I love Freestyle Music. That isn’t a surprise to those that know me. I helped play a lot of it on the radio when if first came out and I got to work with a lot of the artists on the label sidein the 1990s to 2010s. Currently I still support the music via my mix shows on Freestyle Live Radio and am partners in a label called “Freestyle Pop” that is putting out only pop cover songs with Freestyle production elements. So I feel I have a somewhat unique take on this music having been involved from it’s origins until today.

One of the things that helps keep the music alive are the live shows that still happen every weekend in markets like NY, Philly, Miami, Chicago, various cities in Texas and California to name a few. The music is 40 years old and people still come out to hear the 1st generation stars of the genre do their thing. For the most part, it’s the same songs in the same order, show after show, year after year. And people don’t care. They love it. They dance, they sing and more importantly are brought back to a feel good time in their lives.

I was at the Freestyle Feast on July 27th 2024. It’s one of the bigger outdoor shows of the Summer at Amphitheater at Bald Hill on Long Island. Put on each year by veteran show producer, Brian Rosenberg and Music Industry legend, Sal Abbatiello, 8,000 passionate fans (mostly women) came out to celebrate the music of their youth in a party atmosphere. It’s an amazing sight to see but not surprising.

People want happiness. People want familiar. Freestyle music always delivers these things and that’s why the fans come out all year long to the shows. But live shows alone aren’t the driving factor behind the longevity of the music. There is a massive Freestyle community on social media where friendships are formed and new music gets exposed and older tunes get remembered. There are also internet and streaming stations that are dedicated to the songs of that era. The biggest songs from back in the day still get played on terrestrial and satellite radio as well. They all contribute to keeping the sounds of Freestyle alive and well.

One of the things that Speedy, one of the hosts of Freestyle Feast and a friend of mine since college, said on stage Saturday night, and it’s 100% true, the music brought, and continues to bring together people like the Latin and Italian communities in NY back in the 80s. The communities that usually stayed within their own spaces, were able to go out and have fun in a world that had a lot of challenges at the time. Music once again brought people together and continues to do so today.

Let’s go back to why the songs remain so memorable for people decades later. Let’s be honest, like so many songs that came out in the 80’s and 90’s, they are well written songs. Memorable hooks. Latin love songs done to an infectious percussion and electronic rhythm that were mostly made for the dancefloor first. Sure, a lot of the singers of the music got knocks for not being amazing singers but the were amazing enough to be a driving force of these tremendous songs that worked with the people they were intended for. Freestyle artists have also kept themselves going by doing something really smart when there weren’t any great songs to be had during the post Freestyle boom, the cover song.

Cover songs can be tricky for an artist and are a lot of the time were just used as album filler back in the day when albums sold but along the way some of us, as label execs, figured out how to make them work for artists in the world of Freestyle. Familiar songs done in a way that makes people’s ears perk up is never a bad thing. I’ve worked with a bunch of Freestyle artists that have had major success with doing cover songs. Even at the live shows, if they haven’t put them out as singles they do use cover songs as a part of their shows. People in the crowd love the sing a long vibe they get from songs they know and love and they don't care it's not the original artist singing it.

What doesn’t work at the live shows, for the most part, is live bands. I don’t remember ever seeing a Freestyle artist performing at a live show with a band where it sounded better than a show tape of instrumentals that the singer will sing over. And I love live music. Also, from a page of giving the people what they want, the artist at the shows are not just present at the shows for the fans to take pictures with, but a lot of them get to know the super fans that come to all the shows on a more personal level.

Freestyle artists go above and beyond for their fans. Social media has been a driving force for this and Super fans drive revenue for the artist and not just from shows, music streams and sales. Some of the artists like Cynthia (Dreamboy/Dreamgirl) have created additional revenue streams from lifestyle things like creating a Freestyle Cruises where fans go on a boat vacation with the singers. Taking care of the Super Fan is something that this community knew way before it became the flavor of the week for the suits and their data driven businesses. The streets, as they always are, were way out in front of this. And make no mistake, Freestyle music came from the streets. It rose up along side of Hip Hop.

I think there are a few take aways that artists and labels can take away from the world of Freestyle and apply to their own situations to build a supportive fan base, especially since radio airplay or viral success is not something that one can bank on. First off, and I’ve talked about this before, you have to build a community. You earn your true fans one at a time. Respond to legit messages and comments in your socials. Create opportunities for face to face encounters with fans. It creates memories and social media opportunities to spread the word about your brand.

The next thing if you are doing live shows, be sure to remember that you are an entertainer. Look the part by dressing like a star. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen artists show up like they just walked out of their house and onto the stage. You need to shine so put some effort into your look. Make it memorable. Put a cover song that will get people talking into your sets. Something that will get the crowd singing along with you. Get out into the audience during and after your set. Meet the people that are there to support you. Say hi, take the pictures and smile like you want to be there. Make your merch something that is fun to wear. Remember that the more a person wears your gear, they are a walking billboard for your brand. Give them something that they want to put on proudly.

And most importantly, take control of your career. Find out who the gatekeepers are and bring them into your world. Don’t get involved in the behind the scenes nonsense, something that a lot of Freestyle artists should also learn. Word does get around and the negativity can keep you from getting work and it just creates unnecessary drama. No one wants to be around that.

In the end, you would think that after 40 years Freestyle music would be dying down but it’s not. There are plenty of 2nd generation Freestyle lovers that go to the shows, the biggest problem is that the artists are getting older and getting the torch passed to the next generation is not looking good as the songs and productions need to be much better. Hopefully, we will see that turn around but for now, enjoy the classics while you still can. For some of us this music will never die until we do.