Degree Project: Week 2 + 3

REPORT

I continued my research. I focused on creating the fictitious artist, came up with a back story detailing the artist’s career so far. I decided to go with a hip hop artist. For my English speaking audience’s sake, I chose the setting to be both the American and Hong Kong music scene. After I have created the artist, I start to think about the album. I listened to many mainstream rap songs to find out what is popular. I compiled a list of ten songs and composed one song to work with. Then I researched about album packaging and came up with the contents for the album packaging. I chose to exaggerate the packaging to bring out the parody effect.

Emcee Hao

BUILDING THE CHARACTER

Emcee Hao is a Hong Kong hip hop star, song writer and producer. He has been one of Hong Kong’s most commercially successful musicians since the late 1990s. Emcee started his music career with the Cantopop boy band called Heavenly Kings in the mid 90s. The band was an one hit wonder and achieved only a little bit of success. In 1999, Emcee left the group and started his solo career while the other Heavenly KIngs eventually left the music scene. Teaming up with big names in the HK hip hop world—DJ Tommy and MC Yan, Emcee’s first single was an instant hit. By early 2008, Emcee became the best selling male artist of all time in Hong Kong. With his success riding high, Emcee will try to expand his fan base to an international level by releasing his debut English album in the winter of 2008, simultaneously in Hong Kong and America. The album will be produced by both DJ Tommy and Emcee himself. Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, Three 6 Mafia, and many more American hip hop artists are set to make an appearance on the album.

MAKING THE ALBUM

Style
mainstream rap songs with catchy tunes

Selling points
ridiculous amount of guest appearances, deluxe packaging, a bonus DVD with music videos and behind the scenes footage, access to exclusive contents online.

The Tracklist
CD

1. Juicy
2. Big Ass Booties
3. Money Money Money (feat. Snoop Dogg)
4. One Night in Pure (feat. Usher)
5. Hello, Kitty (feat. Paul Wall & Mike Jones)
6. Straight Outta Canton (feat. Jackie Chan)
7. HK Hoes (feat. Three 6 Mafia)
8. How We Do (feat. Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, & P Diddy)
9. Chinese Gang$tar
10. Luv Will Let You Down (feat. Outkast)
11. Big Ass Booties (Mega Booty Mix)

DVD

1. Big Ass Booties (music video)
2. Juicy (music video)
3. Money Money Money (music video)
4. Behind the Mic (making of)
5. Interviews with guest stars (Snoop Dogg, Usher, Three 6 Mafia, and Outkast)

ALBUM COMES WITH

1. 24″x18″ poster
2. photo booklet
3. secret password for online site to download 9 more remixes and unrated versions of the music videos

VIRAL MARKETING

I started working on the MySpace page. Opened up a musician account.

Emcee Hao's Official MySpace

TIMELINE*

*subject to change

09.18.2008
+building the artist
+creating the album contents and
packaging specifics

09.25.2008
+list of deliverables
+develop concepts for design

10.02.2008
+1st mock up of album package

10.09.2008
+1st revised album package
+mock up of poster and billboard

10.16.2008
+2nd revised album package
+1st revised poster and billboard
+mock up of online interface

10.23.2008
+3rd revised album package
+2nd revised poster and billboard
+1st revised online interface

10.30.2008
+3rd revised poster and billboard
+2nd revised online interface
+start building social networks contents

11.06.2008
+4th revised album package
+4th revised poster and billboard
+3rd revised online interface
+continue social networks contents

11.13.2008
+final deliverables

11.20.2008
+show

11.27.2008
+mock up of process book

12.04.2008
+revised process book

12.14.2008
+final process book

TO DO LIST

• Photo shoot for album arts
• Package design
• Poster
• Billboard
• Online interface
• Social media promotions

~ by mikemai on September 25, 2008.