Artistes should utilise social media - Razor B

Our Star of the Month, Razor B, knows all too well the impact social media can have on an artiste's career.

The entertainer blazed on to the local dancehall scene when his song, Hot Up, went viral on various social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter. With that in mind, the artiste encouraged fellow entertainers to tune in to the benefits of social media, whether they consider themselves to be veterans or up-and-coming talents.

"In today's age where everything is made available with just a click, it is important that we artistes keep up with the different social media outlets," he said. "It is not only a way for us to keep in direct contact with our fans, but it can also be very instrumental in pushing your career to the next level."

The artiste explained that when his breakout song went viral on social media, he saw his fanbase on popular sites such as Twitter increase from 2,000 followers to more than 20,000 in less than a year, and with that increase in popularity came an increase in bookings, etc.

HUGE JUMP

"That was a huge jump and that would not have happened without the help of social media. If the dance did not go viral, a lot of people would not have known about Razor B," he said, explaining that up-and-coming artistes, especially, should not underestimate the power of social media. "I can't elaborate how important it is to keep up to date with these sites, especially for those who are looking to break into the business. If you are hoping to get your big break, then you need to stay connected. Do not take for granted how far you can go with social media, because it has no boundaries. It can open many doors for you because your stuff ends up on the worldwide web and there's no telling who will see your efforts and may want to work with you."

When quizzed about how vulnerable artistes become when they open their lives up to the public via social media, Razor B said it's a risk every entertainer should be willing to take. "With everything comes its downside. When you put yourself out there like that, you open yourself up to many risks," he explained. "There are persons who will create fake pages and will want to scam people out of money in your name, but when those things happen, you deal with them and move on. Everything comes with risks, and music is a business. Social media is one of the ways we promote our business, so putting ourselves out there is a risk that should be worth taking."

Razor B can be found under TheRealRazorB on all popular social media sites.