This Is Your Freestyle Blast #51
Because Freestyle is still writing its story.
Welcome to another issue of The Freestyle Blast Newsletter.
Every once in a while I like to remind both my readers, and myself, why this publication exists in the first place.
The Blast drops on the 15th of every single month, and believe it or not, we are now in our fifth year of publication. Not one missed issue. For me, that alone is something I’m proud of. Perseverance and consistency have always meant a lot to me, and this newsletter has become a reflection of both.
But the real reason this exists is simple.
I love to write.
Now don’t get it twisted, I’ve never claimed to be some “great” writer. I’m just someone who enjoys putting thoughts on paper (or on a screen). The proof is in the fourteen books I’ve published over the years, and in the countless posts many of you have seen across my social media.
The problem with social media though is that once something is posted, it quickly disappears into the timeline. If you missed it when it went up, chances are you’ll never see it again. And for someone who enjoys documenting the stories, conversations, and observations surrounding our culture, that always felt like a waste.
That’s part of what this newsletter fixes.
Each issue becomes a small piece of the ongoing story of our Freestyle community, who we are, where we came from, and how we’re all navigating life today.
And this month’s issue touches on a couple of topics that are very real in our world.
In the first feature, “Know Your Value,” I take a deep dive into something artists constantly ask me about: What should I charge? It sounds like a simple question, but in a genre like Freestyle, where nostalgia, reality, ego, and market demand all collide, it can quickly become a tricky conversation. Pricing yourself too high can dry up opportunities, pricing yourself too low can damage your value, and finding that sweet spot requires a level of honesty that not everyone is ready for.
Then in the second feature, we tackle something that has become unavoidable in the social media age, the modern day bully. The schoolyard tough guys many of us grew up with didn’t disappear… they just traded the playground for keyboards and fake profiles. And while most fans online are supportive and positive, there’s always that one miserable voice trying to suck the joy out of someone else’s moment. For artists especially, learning how to navigate that noise has become part of the job.
So this month we’re talking about value, perception, criticism, and reality, all things that artists and fans in this genre deal with every day, whether they realize it or not.
But beyond all of that, this newsletter continues to serve the same purpose it always has.
It’s a place where our community can reflect, laugh, debate, and sometimes even challenge itself a little. Because while the music will always live on through the records and videos, the stories behind the culture deserve to be documented too.
And that’s exactly what we’re doing here.
So without further ado… let’s get into it.
Know Your Value: A Pricing Blueprint for Freestyle Artists
One of the first questions I’m asked as a booking agent, usually by artists who are new, or those coming back after a long break, is:
“What do you think I should charge?”
Now that might sound like an easy question, but the truth is, it carries a lot of responsibility. And the real challenge is this… sometimes there isn’t a clear-cut answer.
Every situation is different. There are a lot of moving parts that determine an artist’s value in the marketplace. The biggest one, of course, is demand.
For example, a very popular artist who’s been MIA for several years can absolutely come back and clean up for a while. There’s curiosity, nostalgia, and excitement around the return. But even that artist has to handle their business right. Price themselves wrong, overplay their hand, or fail to deliver… and those numbers can dry up real fast, and once they do, they rarely return to where they were.
Now obviously that logic doesn’t apply the same way to newer artists who most people aren’t familiar with yet. With them, the conversation requires a completely different approach.
Let me be clear about something. I’m not an artist. But I’ve spent a lot of years behind the scenes setting, and enforcing, performance fees for some very notable acts. Not everyone has agreed with my methods over the years, and that’s fine. All I can say is that more often than not… my shit worked.
The nature of my business is booking artists for a respectable fee. And notice I didn’t say high fee. Because what might be respectable for one artist could be downright insulting for another. There’s no universal number that fits everyone. Pricing an artist can be tricky… sometimes even sticky.
But after being in this business long enough, you develop a sense of what the market will bear. More importantly, you learn how to price an act strategically, so they not only get what they ask for, but also have room to grow.
If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard me say, “The best deal is the one where everyone walks away happy.” and though sounds simple, it’s not always that easy. Because no matter how carefully a deal is structured, there’s almost always one side that feels like they got the shorter end of the stick.
So how do I price the artists I work with? The ones who trust me and allow me to guide them?
Well, even though I’m fortunate to represent some very viable acts, that can all change with one wrong decision. So strategy matters.
Think of a seasoned car salesman walking through a Walmart parking lot. You can point at just about any car and he’ll tell you roughly what it’s worth. Not because he has some magical talent, but because he has experience, and I’ve developed a similar instinct when it comes to artists in this genre.
When I talk with an artist, especially one who’s asking for guidance, the first thing I usually ask is, “What are you trying to get?” Though truth is, I already have a number in my head. I’m just curious to see how close they come to it.
Most of the time they’re in the ballpark, give or take. And sometimes they hit it on the head.
But then there are the others. The ones who seem to be trapped in some kind of time warp… as if they don’t realize they’ve been out of sight - out of mind for twenty-something years.
Now don’t get me wrong. An artist returning after a long absence can absolutely create excitement. Some promoters might even perceive them as extremely valuable. But here’s the problem…
If that artist doesn’t live up to the perceived value, and most won’t, the chances of getting a call-back drops dramatically. And if that call-back does come, trust and believe, the offer will be a lot lower.
Look, I have nothing but respect for artists who value themselves highly. But value is subjective. Someone might be willing to pay your asking price once. The real question is: Can that number sustain itself?
And if every promoter after that first one rejects your fee, what then? Do you stand firm and wait for the world to finally see the light? Or do you start dropping your price just to get back on stage? Neither option is a winning strategy. And pride, in this business, can quickly become your downfall.
My role as an agent isn’t to judge artists. My job is to help them discover their true market threshold, so we can plan strategically. In other words, an artist’s price should have room to scale, not fail.
If you price an artist too high and promoters don’t see the value, they simply won’t buy. And once you start lowering your price to chase bookings… forget it. That downward spiral rarely stops.
We also have to remember something important about our genre. Freestyle is, at its core, an old school genre. Yes, new music is still being produced, and that’s a great thing. But until those new records start leading the way, Freestyle will continue to rely heavily on the classics.
We’re no longer in heavy rotation on the radio.
We’re not dominating the charts.
We’re not filling arenas the way we once did.
And if you noticed, mainstream media isn’t exactly knocking down our doors.
What we have today is something we built ourselves. And if we want to keep it going, we have to continue building it.
The reality is that many Freestyle artists are only a few dollars away from being treated like a commodity. In many shows, one or two names carry the draw, while the rest of the lineup helps complete the experience and justify the ticket price.
And let me be clear… this isn’t a knock on Freestyle. I love this genre. I’ve dedicated most of my life to it. This is simply an honest observation of where we are today.
We can’t build strategy around delusion. Just like a lawyer trying to defend a client who keeps lying, you can’t win without facts.
And I truly empathize with artists who once stood at the top of the mountain. Being treated like a superstar and then returning years later to a very different industry can be a harsh reality. I’ve seen it happen many times.
Some people laugh or make jokes about it. I don’t. Because I understand what that transition feels like.
Setting your performance fee is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make as an artist. It directly impacts how often you work, or if you work at all.
And one thing you absolutely shouldn’t do is obsess over what other artists are getting. Many of them never left the scene. They’ve been consistently visible for years. Thinking you can disappear for two decades and return at the same level is… well… a bit unrealistic. Sorry.
This is a delicate topic for sure, and I’ve never claimed to have all the answers. That’s exactly why I’ve included a comment section below.
Please share your thoughts, not just with me, but with the thousands of readers who receive this newsletter every month.
Many of your favorite artists and promoters are subscribers of The Blast… So they’ll be reading too.
GANGTAS and BULLIES and ASSES OH MY!
Growing up in the Bronx and Queens, New York, without a father in the house and with siblings who were already grown and gone, I was pretty much raised as an only child. And if you grow up like that in New York, trust me… you learn early how to fend for yourself.
From being bullied by bigger kids, to doing just a little bit of bullying myself, I’ve had my share of confrontations. Enough of them, in fact, that today I do everything I can to avoid any and all unnecessary bullshit.
Back in the day, bullies were such a common part of childhood that they practically became stock characters in TV shows and movies. You know exactly who I’m talking about. The oversized kid with the rosy cheeks, the wrinkled hand-me-down clothes that looked like they came straight out of a hamper, always pushing the smaller kids around. Those guys were the villains of Kid World.
And the funny thing about most of them? A lot of those big bully kids couldn’t actually fight. They relied on their size and intimidation more than anything else. Eventually though, their victims grew up, got stronger, and one day… the bully messed with the wrong one, and that’s usually how the story ended.
But here’s the thing. We’re not kids anymore. Most of us are well into adulthood now. Some of us even entering what we like to call the golden years. So you might wonder…
What ever happened to those bullies? Well, unfortunately, a lot of them are still around. Only now they’ve traded the schoolyard for laptops and iPhones.
Today’s bully hides behind a fake profile picture and a username that looks like it was created by a twelve-year-old. They sit safely behind a screen, throwing opinions and insults at people whose lives they know absolutely nothing about. And every now and then, I’ve actually uncovered a few, and what did I find?
More often than not, it’s someone still living at home, collecting a disability check, spending their days playing video games, watching porn, and trolling people online who are actually doing something with their lives. Maybe they shower once in a while… usually after roommates or family members start issuing ultimatums.
Now before anyone thinks I’m being harsh, let me say something important. I’m not talking about playful comments or friendly teasing. Those can actually be funny. Some of the comment sections online are downright hysterical, and I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I’m a fan.
What I’m talking about are the angry ones. The ones who show up just to poison the moment. Someone posts about a beautiful memory, a great night on stage, a reunion with old friends, or a moment they’re proud of… and here comes that one miserable soul trying to shame the happiness right out of them.
We’ve all seen it. Someone shares a joyful experience, not to brag, but simply to share something special… and for whatever reason, that bothers certain people.
But that’s nothing new. Misery loves company. And yes, the Freestyle community too, has its share of miserable people.
I’ve written about this before, and every once in a while I feel the need to revisit it. Mostly because artists, especially women, reach out to me about it more often than you might think. They ask how to deal with it. How to respond, and whether they should respond at all. The truth is, I don’t always have the perfect answer.
I’m not an artist, so I personally receive very little of that kind of attention. And the few times someone has tried to come at me online, I’ve mostly found it entertaining… maybe even a little flattering that someone would waste so much of their time thinking about little ol’ me.
But artists experience it differently. Take Lil’ Suzy, for example. I keep a pretty close eye on her comments online. And honestly, the vast majority of them are incredibly positive. Fans from all over the world still adore her.
Every once in a while you’ll see someone write something like, “She ain’t little anymore!” which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly breaking news. Time moves forward for all of us. But compared to what many artists deal with, Suzy’s comments are relatively tame.
My wife Angel gets her share as well. Some of them are actually kind of sweet, guys claiming they’ve been in love with her since the moment she first hit the scene. Then there are the anonymous profiles with questionable intentions… the ones clearly playing for the other team, trying to stir things up once again. But we’ve been there done that, and definitely not going back.
Over time, Angel has learned how to navigate it. She can spot certain opening lines a mile away. The moment she sees them, she simply scrolls past and moves on with her day.
And that right there might be the most powerful tool anyone has in the social media age… The scroll.
Not every comment deserves a response.
Not every opinion deserves oxygen.
A lot of these online gangstas are banking on one thing… attention, and once you give it to them, they’ve already won.
And here’s something else worth remembering. The people who are truly happy with their lives usually aren’t spending their time tearing down others on the internet. They’re busy living. They’re raising families, building businesses, creating music, touring, reconnecting with old friends, or simply enjoying the life they worked so hard to build.
The loudest critics online are often the ones doing the least offline. So if you’re an artist, or anyone for that matter, who finds themselves on the receiving end of this nonsense, remember something important: Your success will always irritate someone who hasn’t created anything themselves. That’s the nature of the world we live in today.
But here’s the good news. For every miserable troll hiding behind a fake profile, there are thousands of real people out there who appreciate what you do. Fans who still play the music, still show up to the shows, and still carry those memories with them decades later. Those are the people who matter. Those are the voices worth listening to.
So the next time some keyboard gangsta decides to flex their digital muscles in your comment section, just remember… Back in the schoolyard, bullies eventually got dealt with. Today, it’s even easier.
You don’t have to fight them.
You don’t have to argue with them.
You don’t even have to acknowledge them.
Just keep doing what you do… and let them keep typing from the sidelines. Because at the end of the day, the people on the stage never lose sleep over the ones yelling from the cheap seats.
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To all our Subscribers, Readers, Subjects, and of course our Sponsors, for being a part of this month’s issue of the Freestyle Blast Newsletter, Thank you all so much!
and until next time…
This was your Freestyle Blast!
Latif Mercado has been a part of the Freestyle Music scene for well over 30 years, as well as an integral player behind the genre’s continued success.
As a Booking Agent with a who's who roster of Freestyle Greats, as well as his managerial involvement with such industry icons as Lil' Suzy, Angel OCG, and The Cover Girls, rarely would you find a Freestyle event happening without Latif somewhere in the mix.
Latif loves hearing from his readers, answering questions, and sharing whatever advice he possibly can, whether it be on writing, or maybe something Freestyle-related, so be sure to reach out, even if it’s just to say hi.
So please Follow Him Everywhere @LatifMercado
What did you pick up from this month’s issue? What would you add to the conversation? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just soaking it all in, hit the comment button below and share your thoughts and opinions. Can’t wait to read it!
Value and perception aren’t always the same thing. Building a career is a long game, and consistency seems to matter more than pride. Really enjoyed this issue!
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