Fans of No Limit Records releases from the late ’90s might remember Master P‘s numerous 1-900 numbers to get information on Snoop Dogg, Fiend and the rest of the gang. Now, you no longer have to pay toll charges, because from 50 Cent to Soulja Boy to Yung Joc, your favorite rappers are calling you.
Say Now, started by CEO Nikyl Singhal and VP Brian Mandler, is a service that has the Hip Hop industry, among other genres, buzzing with its marketability and interactive approach to staying up on your favorite artists.
“What we found, when we started the company, was with digital services, whether Myspace pages, email lists or text messaging groups, that fans are looking for a closer, more personal way of connecting with their favorite artists,” Singal told HipHopDX. “Artists are also looking for a closer way to engage the fans and connect with them, personally. Our service is a phone number that we give to [artists] that they can present to their audience to build a phone-based communication. Voice is the core piece of our product.”
Hip Hop artists currently using the service include Guru (917.338.4081), Styles P (914.202.4738), Plies (813.964.3813) and 50 Cent (646.233.3789).
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“Every artist is different,” said Mandler, a former Capitol Records executive. “For one artist, an ideal usage of our service may not work with another.” Say Now uses strategies such as contests, giveaways, and interaction with the artists to drive user interest. Yung Joc, for instance, recently asked his fans to call and leave a message answering the question, “Why are you a G?” Mandler sums up that, “In the world of Hip Hop right now, it’s about trying to get back to the base.Say Now is providing a unique tool to do so.”
Statistics prove positive. Soulja Boy‘s messages have been played 8.3 million times, according to Singhal. The Interscope star received over 700,000 messages from fans. Within that, 100,000 of those messages were left for other fans, creating a social network that may be viewed as a telephone equivalent to Myspace.
To see a full list of artists as well as consider the services for you, visit Say Now [click here].
