Atlanta has a had a tight grip on the music industry for years now, dominating both the internet and the airwaves. ATL artists and the sound has influenced a wide range of artists in and out of the south. From snap music, to crunk, to trap, Atlanta has always been able to hold its own in a regionalized genre such as hip-hop. Producing big names like T.I., Young Jeezy, Lil Jon, Future, and Gucci has attracted aspiring artists looking for their time to shine, making Atlanta a hub for musical talent. Like New York or LA, there are talented artists around every corner, but how does the city decide who becomes famous? In other cities the formula for getting your record heard is more traditional. Send your song to as many radio stations as possible, convince club DJs to spin it and try to get as many blogs to post their mixtapes, and there is a chance you’ll catch a spark.
In Atlanta the process is a little different. Strip clubs hold curative power as to who’s song gains popularity. With Atlanta being the strip club capital, places like Magic City, Diamonds of Atlanta, Blue Flame and Onyx, all clubs that have been mentioned in multiple songs by many artists, bring in a lot of traffic. Locals and out of towners, from the common man to celebrities’ flock to these clubs for their reputation of having the best live adult entertainment and hospitality. Consistent foot traffic means more exposure and for a new artist the more people that hear your music the bigger your fan base becomes.
How exactly does one get their music played in the strip clubs? The saying goes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. It helps to know someone who works at the club to pass your music to the DJ. Although the DJs control the tunes that are heard, the true A&Rs of the strip club are the reasons you go to one in the first place - the strippers. They have a keen ear for what they like to dance to. The women who hit the stage every night dictate what songs get played frequently. Of course, having a good song they can shake a** to isn’t the only thing you need to have. Money makes the world go round and making it rain while the girls dance to your song can convince the entire club that you have a hit. It’s a chain of events; when the girls like songs, the harder they dance, which leads to more money in the air, which leads to your song getting more spins.
One of the latest success stories to come out of the Atlanta strip club scene is Future. Future befriended DJ Esco, the in-house DJ for Magic City, the most notable strip club in Atlanta. GQ magazine briefly touched on how they used the strip club to make a name for themselves and launch their international stardom.
Anyone who wants to make it in the music business in Atlanta most likely will have to pass through the strip clubs before making it to bigger platforms. It has proven to be an effective system that has launched the careers of our favorite ATL artists.
