Moonsatellite is a hip-hop artist who plugs together samples to create spacey, out-of-this-world jams. When he’s not conjuring up beats or releasing EPs, he’s a blogger. Culture King is an eclectic voice of hip-hop news, unique pod-casts, and digs from Bandcamp musicians. I set out to find what it’s all about, its origins, influences and what its like working in a crowded blogosphere.
-What are you listening to now?
I fill my music device up with the content featured on Culture King (http://cultureking.wordpress.com). Every two weeks, I change around my playlist. On the weekends, tho, gotta add some P-Funk in there.
-Where do you go to find new music?
New music really finds me, and that’s how it’s always been, even back to the days of tapes. If something’s a standout piece of art, there is usually a temperature around it.
-How’d Culture King come to be? One day you just say, ‘I think I’m going to start a music blog’?
I’m a media nut, so instead of just bookmarking what I liked on my browser, I decided to share it.
-Did it start out with the intention of being a hip-hop focused blog?
It’s focus came about organically and continues as such.
-Have its intention changed at all?
No.
-In five words or less how would you describe the music blog culture?
Plenty of new content available. also: Hip-Hop was never dead.
–One thing I know about music blogs is that there are a lot of them, tons, some genre specific, others more far reaching and several that are successful. You see the crowded field, with that in mind, what’s it like when you’re starting up a music blog?
Liberating, because the new blogger can create a voice among the crowd.
-Who were the first artists you worked directly with?
The interesting thing about that is I almost immediately involved myself with artists due to my background in different US regions as a musician, magazine writer, & more. So it was a community vibe very quickly. Great minds think alike and dwell in the same creative spaces.
-How do you think Culture King and music blogs in general, benefit the artist?
Exposure and networking, which artists should be prioritizing in the current climate.
-You’re an artist yourself. As Moonsatellite you’ve recently released StrangeDimensions EP, a spacey, hip-hop sample pack. How do music blogs help bring new people to your music?
Having a blog post an artist’s music gives visitors that vital opportunity to discover something new and follow that artist’s career as it develops. It’s a crucial process.
-Can blogs work against the artist sometimes?
Not really, unless the blog site carries itself in an unprofessional manner.
-What advice would you give to upstart bloggers?
Figure out your identity, then take risks. And have fun.
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