GrindEFX

It’s a rare feat these days to see unique marketing techniques in Hip Hop, labels are scared to try anything new and most independent acts just follow their lead like sheep on a rainy day. But one artist that has never been afraid to try something new, from his experimental music to his successful on-screen career, is Mos Def.

The rapper/musician/actor released his new album, The Ecstatic, on June 9th and along with the usual CD, vinyl and digital formats, he is also planning on releasing the album on t-shirt.

Mos has teamed up with LNA Clothing to bring to the public the first “Original Music Tee”. The t-shirt will feature the cover of the album on the front, the track listing on the back, and a download URL on the tag.

I think this is a great idea, because not only will people be buying the album, but they will be promoting it by wearing the t-shirt in public. Free advertising is every artist and label’s dream! That is of course if people buy it, which brings me to some reservations I have about the idea.

My first problem is the price, the t-shirt will retail at $39, that’s over $30 more than it costs to buy the album on iTunes. Even putting the current economic crisis aside, that price is way too high. It needs to be less than $20. I am going to buy this album (it isn’t released here in the UK yet) because I am a big Mos Def fan and I support creative and well thought out music, but there is no way I’m paying 40 bucks for it! Sorry Mos.

My second problem, and probably the biggest problem, is that the t-shirt is being released 5 weeks after the album. In 2009, an albums ’sell-by-date’ is a month at most, after 5 weeks not only has everyone who will buy the album already bought it, but even they have forgotten about it and moved on to the next thing. This is think will be the downfall of Mos’ idea.

I must applaud Mos for coming up with a unique and exciting way to market and sell his album and not being afraid to go left when everyone else in the business is going right, I think more artists and bands need to being doing this. However due to the heavy price tag and late release, I’m afraid I can see Mos Def sitting in his living room surrounded by boxes of unsold t-shirts. Great idea, poor execution. I really hope I am proved wrong though.