“Because we were having real dialogue with people, and there was no commerce element, except for us outputting money, yet you’re still gonna get reviews from people that have been in the game for 10, 15, 30 years…you’re gonna get real knowledge, and it’s why we think we ended up with the most talented people on Clubhouse. ” 

Written by Aram Mahserejian, Staff Writer UNSUGARCOATED Media

Clubhouse, the social media audio application, is yielding lots of opportunity for people to connect, network and build community.  It seems that all industries have converged on the app that has taken the world by storm, using the clever “velvet rope” strategy while in its current beta-testing phase, offering a unique opportunity to bring people together through the sound of our voices so long as they have been invited and currently have an iPhone.  

The 808 FARM is a Nashville, Tennessee based music production center that sits on 31+ acres of land.  It is led by Grammy Award-winning producer, Jim Jonsin, and operated by co-founders, larger than life music artist, producer and songwriter, Alexander King and his tour manager, former deejay and longtime friend, BMill.  For them, in mid January 2021, Clubhouse yielded an unexpected opportunity to inspire and provide education to music artists in a way they never imagined.

King, a seasoned artist, has penned songs that have placed on Billboard’s Top Ten Charts in both Rap and Country, and he is well versed in the music industry as an artist and producer.  Prior to 2020 restrictions, King was touring nonstop domestically and it was the pandemic that afforded them the opportunity to give more focus to the physical buildout of the 808 FARM studios.  Most recently, King worked with American Pop Artist, Austin Mahone, co-writing/produced two songs with the guidance of Jim Jonson, (LIL WAYNE, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Nelly, T.I.) on Mahone’s upcoming album at the 808 FARM studios.

In the virtual space on Clubhouse, King and BMill, along with industry friends and supporters, are not only providing an opportunity for artists to be given what they refer to as “flowers and nutrients,” flowers being praise and nutrients representing guidance—but the opportunity to win cash prizes with no strings attached. 

“It was just us in a room playing music,” says the calm, soft-spoken, BMill, who sits alongside King for an interview via Zoom.  They talk about enjoying engaging in jokes and conversation over the course of time, hearing the artists and audience open up to them and the incredible posse of like minded creatives they had selected as moderators (KD Rusha, Chief Rasta, Alura Staxxx, DjEDub, IamF.A.M.E, & DJ Earn Peso).

The Talent Tap In Show was born as a way to give micro investments to the artist bold enough to let their work be heard and reviewed.  What started out as $50-$500 cash wins on any given night, turned into a much larger $5K bracket-style show which scored an artist based on production and hit-potential criteria, thanks to the sponsorship and suggestion of friend Mephux, producer and co-founder of the Lord Mobb music label.  

On February 21st, the finale commenced.  After reviewing 3000 contestants, which led to the selection of 96 semi-finalists, and the finals which included 12 finalists, four wild card entries, and ultimately, $5,000 for whoever ends up on top. 

The artists had a chance to be scored and gain sage advice from a major network worthy judging panel of music veterans, including Tony Pizarro, named one of the “Top 50 Hip Hop Producers” of all time, Universal Music Group’s legendary, Candace Brown, Brian Latture, who often heads negotiations for label and music productions, Ian Burke who has managed artists such as TLC and OutKast, and mixing recording engineer, Josh Gannet, whose musical credits include WuTang Clan and Redman.

“We had seen other rooms, and they didn’t end up with the pool we did,” says King, discussing the talent level of artists participating in the  contests in comparison to what they had observed in other “virtual rooms” on Clubhouse.  “They weren’t as ‘pirate radio station’ as us,” he says, “with us, everything is based strictly on talent.”

According to King, they never charged for reviews, or charged to enter the contest, but they did expect the artists to spend the time and build a presence in the room, advocating the importance of building a network.  He feels that because they were having real dialogue and there was no commerce element, other than what the 808 FARM was paying out, along with being able to receive feedback from people who have been in the music industry for as long as 30 years—they were able to attract the level of talent they did. 

“You’re gonna get real knowledge, and it’s why, we think, we ended up with the most talented people on Clubhouse,” says King.

The range of songs and artists performing varied and the competition overall was genreless, but some songs definitely stood for their inspirational or social impact message that wasn’t missed when reviewing the songs by one of the panel judges UNSUGARCOATED Media’s founder and former A&R music executive, Aalia Lanius.

“I quickly realized that this is about social impact when you’re creating a safe space for artists to get feedback and an opportunity…$5K can do a lot for an artist who has an idea of how to put that towards packaging, distributing, and marketing,” says Lanius.

Lanius says she was largely inspired by her experience with the competition, being moved by the stories and social impact messages coming through the music.  From the rapping opera singer, aged over 60, to cancer survivors that once lost their ability to speak, all the way to one young girl’s message about her sexuality, and mental health— Lanius says, “this was something I definitely feel honored to have been part of.”

The reality is that we create social impact through acts of kindness and while there are plenty of competitions,  808 FARM and everyone involved was genuinely partaking to spread a bit of goodness with the genuine hopes of helping other artists, not just solely by finances but by helping them flourish as part of the process. 

“The hard thing to do is tell an artist something they don’t want to hear about their music, on how to make it better.” BMill explains on giving “nutrients”.  

“I think that is something that sets us apart—we take the music seriously, so we want to teach you how to make it better.”

“I feel like I’ve seen them grow,” says King, with a sense of pride. 

To show the diversity of the talent and connection to social impact, we invited a few of the referenced artists to be highlighted, each being interviewed via Zoom to share their experience and how it has immediately impacted them.

Karma the Artist

“808 Farm is a discovery zone to me where they can find some hidden gems and those who have been doing it and never got that recognition or the new ones that are looking for the reassurance that they can do it.”

LA-based musician, Karma the Artist, was the competition winner with her song “Love Again,” showcasing an angelic vocal range with her production.  She only happened upon the competition after only joining the virtual room to support a friend, who was getting her own music reviewed.  

“It was just really a happenstance of supporting a great friend in a great room,” Karma explains about how she found her way to the Talent Tap In Show.  

Benefits outside of the cash prize have been rolling in since the contest for the young artist and music entrepreneur, “I’ve been connecting with a lot of great people both off and on the app in regards to my career…I’ve gotten a lot of press,” she says, further adding that she even got to host a virtual red carpet event.  

“The Talent Tap In kind of gave me a lot more spotlight…the energy, the support and the network has been great.”

Speaking on her personal story, and having been raised in South Central, she says, “I come from very humble beginnings.  But I always knew that I had other things I wanted to do with my music…and I dreamed big.  My journey has been about betting on myself.”  

Focused on not using gimmicks to advance her music career, Karma tells UNSUGARCOATED Media that she, “wants the music to speak and to have a platform that really pushes for artistry and music.” 

A former educator turned artist, and now business woman, Karma says that the inspiration behind her company, Treble Girl Ent., which has legs in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Tampa, is a culmination of desire to create something that would be a “new light” for women in the industry.  Speaking on how she didn’t always have the best experiences as a female artist, she is passionate about creating a melting pot of good energy, “it’s our soul back into the industry as women, to make sure we leave it better than we found it.”

Being her only sole investor and working on her music and branding full-time, Karma feels that the $5K prize will help enable her to open up more marketing opportunities and says that the winnings gave her a sense of reassurance that it was worth the investment into the music she is making.

You can check out Karma the Artist and presale the song she won with, “Love Again” at www.karmasings.com and learn more about her at www.karmatheartist.com.

RyAnne Walters

“Even though I didn’t win, it boosted my confidence.”

Currently attending UC Santa Barbara on a NCAA Basketball scholarship, but living at home due to the pandemic, finalist RyAnne Walters is an athlete with a heart for music.  

Tapping in from Sacramento, California, the 5’6” Communications Major typically plays point guard or shooting guard, but quarantine provided an opportunity for her to shift her focus to a suppressed love of music writing.  The song that she made it to the finals with, “Making My Way”, is a moving and easy to love song with a very clear representation of a young woman embracing her identity as a member of the LGBTQ community.   

On discussing her inspiration on a song which had brought Lanius to tears while judging, Walters reveals that she often felt shunned, struggling to be herself with portions of her family that were very religious, afraid to reveal that she herself is gay.

“I was perceived as being negative for being gay,” speaking on how it was for her when she finally did come out to her family. 

Yet, it was through her music, and the very song that advanced Walters, that she was able to build a bridge of expression, which according to Walters, her mother loves.  While others may not accept Walters, through the song she sends a heartfelt message that speaks to the souls of any person who feels like society has tried to reject them. 

When asked about how it felt to learn she was a finalist, Walters says, “I was so excited, but scared though…but I was like, WOW! Out of 3000 people, I made it [to the finals].  And so many people loved it! It gave me more confidence to keep writing and keep pursuing music after I get done with college.”

Walters says she aspires to be a ghostwriter that can one day hear iconic singers sing the lyrics she pens and is grateful for a space like Clubhouse and 808 FARM, which allows her to test the waters of her desires, while becoming part of a community. 

“The Clubhouse [app] is a good avenue for people who are trying to network and get the big opportunities that they want to and I really think that.” 

On the 808 FARM and her experience with the Talent Tap In competition, “it was very genuine, organic, and fun.  They actually valued us as a person, and not just an artist.”

Rayshun Lamarr

“Put what you think is your best record and believe in yourself with the best foot forward; just make sure you believe it.”

Rayshun Lamarr, who resides in Waldorf, Maryland, has familiarity with music competitions, and has previously placed 8th place on Season 14 of NBC’s The Voice.  He stands out as an example of the quality of artists that found their way to the finalist category.

Finding himself on the Clubhouse app, Lamarr, joined the 808 FARM Talent Tap In on a whim.  He says he saw a significant difference in the genres being presented compared to the song he shared in representation of R&B music.  Nonetheless, he entered the competition to share his music with anyone willing to listen. 

“They’ve all been in the game and are where I am trying to get to,” he says, finding himself sitting there night after night, listening and learning, “everything they had to say, I took it in like a sponge.”

Lamarr’s R&B style song, “Can’t Hold Back” was a panel favorite and had people at home dancing in their living rooms, per feedback, including King himself, who had shared that he had inadvertently himself locked outside of his house while listening in rainy weather.  Despite the glum circumstances and donning socks and Nike slides on his feet, King described how the song moved him so much, “I couldn’t help but dance in the rain…wandering outside of my house trying to get back in!”

Similar to the vibe one gets from hearing Pharrell’s “Happy,” the song bursted through the phone with a hit worthy beat that easily gets your feet moving and fingers snapping. Lamarr’s lyrics exhibited a sense of resilience and passion for life, making it easy to tell that there was more to the story.  

When asked about his source of inspiration for the song, Lamarr speaks of a difficult time in his life, when he was diagnosed with lymphoma and multicentric Castleman’s disease, a rare genetic disorder. Lamarr lost much of his hearing, vision and voice. After two years of intense treatment, he is currently cancer-free and has regained his sight, hearing and vocals, enabling him to start performing again.

“I was going through chemo and I told myself that if I get out of this, I won’t hold back,” he says, while sharing that it was while he was admitted in a hospital that it came to him.  Part of what he says, was a response of hope and personal commitment to see better days ahead.

He hopes that through his music he can relay a message of inspiration, letting others know that we can all be in a down place, but that there can be silver linings in even such a place, “being in that space helped me to write this song.”

Similar to Karma the Artist, Lamarr has received increased visibility and opportunities with his music and having never heard of 808 FARM prior to being on Clubhouse, Lamarr says, “I feel blessed to have been able to be part of the competition.”

Astrid Van Helden

“People want to be heard…if you’re a rapper, you want to be heard.”

Contestant Astrid Van Helden is another example of how far 808 FARM influence is reaching; hailing from The Netherlands, and donning a last name (Helden) that translates to “heroes” in Dutch, she definitely provided inspiration for the breaking stereotypes as a 60+ year old classically trained opera singer that raps.

After a colleague mentioned Clubhouse on Twitter, Van Helden managed to find a way through a friend to find an invite to get on the app.  While she’ll sing several styles, she finds that she is happiest collaborating with Hip Hop artists.  Influenced and surrounded by a multicultural family, she has been rapping and performing for the last twenty years with a dream of impact through her music style. 

“I think it’s very important to bring the cultures together,” she says, believing that her voice can build a bridge for rappers…I go on stages that rappers don’t come,” wanting to have a combination of her voice, street language and opera, considering all these elements together a high form of poetry.  

Once on the app, Van Helden was pleasantly surprised to find herself with an opportunity to be in the Talent Tap In competition, and while she has established a base around Europe, she has needed a guide to explore the states, which has come in the form of Clubhouse.

“The power is in my voice, and I knew immediately when I came on Clubhouse, that my voice will be heard,” she says, explaining that she has been performing since the age of eight.  She has spent decades mastering her style but hopes that someone like Alexander King and others, will help form a new style influenced by her musical prowess.

With her style and uniqueness placed in the semi-finals, when reflecting on the advantages of her for being a contestant despite not winning, she finds that she is developing opportunities to collaborate with other musicians and drive forward an opportunity to expand her agency business operations into the United States.

On the subject of breaking stereotypes, Van Helden feels that Clubhouse enabled her to be judged on the strength of her voice, unlike Instagram, where she felt the pressures of beauty and image as an older woman, she knew that Clubhouse would be a place where the power of a person’s voice is what is going to advance them.

“My voice is my inner strength,” she says, confident that she can develop a program that will allow her to be on the stage with rappers in America, she finds herself passionate about giving people the strength and courage to go on, especially to women.  

DJ VU

“The lyrics have their own story but overall it’s an overcompassing idea to get out of that mental state.”

Finally, we come to another finalist Producer, engineer and songwriter, J Pierson, or DJ VU, who entered the competition with his song, “War In Your Head.” 

“If someone was to ask me what the song is about, I would say, ‘It’s about your head’, and getting through certain things, DJ Vu.” Explaining that the lyrics have their own story, but the message is intended to inspire others.

During the course of the interview he discusses how important it is for society to accept that in order to address certain issues, especially where mental health is concerned—we must first acknowledge them. The track, which had a unique sound that combines Reggae and world music, was another panel favorite, also bringing a couple of judges to tears.  

Garnering praise from others on the social impact message that it hit on, DJ VU explains, “with many of us going through the motions of the pandemic…people should learn to take a mental break, because it’s important.” 

Really hoping that the song will resonate with people in the mental health space, DJ VU says that several friends who have listened felt that they experienced breakthroughs and continue to play the song daily.

“With that being said, there are multiple types of war that one can wage in their head, and hopefully we can help get them through it.” 

A newbie to Clubhouse, he found himself getting “pinged” to the room where the 808 FARM was conducting the competition.  Waiting patiently, when his song played, it was quickly noted to stand out and advanced to semi-finals and finals.  A local to Nashville, he actually had once before met King at another studio that DJ VU runs.  

While gaining some insight, DJ VU says he never entered the competition intending to win.  He was more enthusiastic about the opportunity to hear feedback, network and continue to work the record.  Now, he is pleasantly surprised when he pops into the ‘pirate radio version’ room of 808 FARM, and he hears they are still spinning his record, leaving him to know that people want to continue hearing the song.  

Traditionally less inclined to perform on stage because he knows the strains of physical performance, he says, “this is a song that speaks for itself and I have to back it..I gotta be there for it because somebody’s going to want to hear this song live, so I have to get ready for that.”

 

The 808 FARM Club has certainly begun something very special on Clubhouse and due to another infusion of cash sponsorship, beginning March 20th, they will continue to hold contests that offer cash prizes with no strings attached and a promise to give lots of “flowers and nutrients.”

“Instead of having one mentor, you got a room full of them; you hang out long enough, you’re gonna get enough.” says BMill.

Be sure to find the 808 FARM Club, as well as Club UNUSUGARCOATED if you’re on the Clubhouse app so you can be part of the incredible thing being facilitated there! 

Stay Connected!

Alexander King on Instagram or @imalexanderking on Clubhouse

BMill on Instagram or @talenttapin on Clubhouse

Published March 21st, 2021