Artist Management Plan

Artist Management Plan
By Joshua Schaeffer and Joshua Muhammad

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................................2
Introduction....................................................................................................................................3
Artist Mission/Vision Statements .................................................................................................4
Music Industry Overview..............................................................................................................5
Artist Background/History ...........................................................................................................7
Key Players.....................................................................................................................................8
Audience........................................................................................................................................10
Graphics and Branding...............................................................................................................11
Recording Project ........................................................................................................................12
One Sheet/EPK.............................................................................................................................13
Merchandise .................................................................................................................................14
Pre Release Promotions...............................................................................................................16
Mixtape Release Party.................................................................................................................17
Touring..........................................................................................................................................18
Booking .........................................................................................................................................20
Media Strategy .............................................................................................................................21
Fan Base Development ................................................................................................................23
Website/Technology.....................................................................................................................25
Distribution/Retail Strategy........................................................................................................26
Special Events...............................................................................................................................27
Partnerships With Other Artists ................................................................................................28
Video Production .........................................................................................................................30
Songwriting...................................................................................................................................32
Sponsors/Investors.......................................................................................................................36
SWOT Analysis............................................................................................................................38
Goals..............................................................................................................................................39
Financials......................................................................................................................................41
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................43
Appendix.......................................................................................................................................44
Appendix A: Business Cards...........................................................................................45
Appendix B: Venue Safety Checklist .............................................................................46
Appendix C: RIAA Statistics..........................................................................................47
Appendix D: Other Key Players.....................................................................................48
Appendix E: Survey Results ...........................................................................................50
Appendix F: Other Logos................................................................................................51
Appendix G: One Sheet...................................................................................................52
Appendix H: Merchandise ..............................................................................................53
Appendix I: Event Flyer..................................................................................................55
Appendix J: Websites ......................................................................................................56
Appendix K: Sponsors.....................................................................................................57

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Chicago native Avian Nalej represents the new generation of Hip-Hop. He infuses
samples of R&B and Disco music from the 70’s and 80’s and combines it with lyrics laden with
heavy emotion and intellectual rap. Due to his appeal he has performed in a stage play for street
violence awareness and the Rainbow Push Coalition.
Since Avian Nalej is a fairly new artist, a large portion of the artist management plan was
planning. Management has done numerous things that will benefit Avian Nalej’s music career. A
one sheet and EPK was created to help promote and book Avian Nalej. Plans were set up for a
future tour, a Mixtape release party, and for acquiring future media coverage. Also, an outline of
future merchandise was organized, along with a personal logo that could be used on the
merchandise.
Management was able to implement a sponsorship with Kickstarter.com. With
Kickstarter, Avian Nalej will be able to receive donations from supporters to help fund his
upcoming release. If Avian Nalej can reach the set goal of $3,000 through donations within the
set period of time, then he will receive that money and it will help greatly to get his music
produced and out to the public.

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INTRODUCTION
Management for Avian Nalej consists of Joshua Schaeffer and Joshua Muhammad
(Avian Nalej). When Joshua Schaeffer started looking for an artist for this artist management
plan, he wanted to find someone who was on a similar level as him, which is just starting out. It
came down to Joshua Schaeffer and Joshua Muhammad talking in the classroom. They both
agreed that they could benefit each other. Joshua Schaeffer could help to further Avian Nalej’s
fan base while Joshua Muhammad could help Joshua Schaeffer in furthering his knowledge of
working with an artist. What drove Joshua Schaeffer to work with Avian Nalej is not only his
music but his passion about his music. Through this plan, management intends to help further
Avian Nalej’s fan base and help him develop as an artist.

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ARTIST MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
Artist Mission Statement
To redefine what is termed as conscious music and to bridge the gap between hardcore Hip-Hop
music connoisseurs and casual listeners. Avian Nalej wants to fill the void of Hip-Hop artists
with edgy controversial lyrics while still delivering quality music.
Artist Vision Statement
To become an influential member of the new generation of Hip-Hop MC’s and build a strong
online viral presence as well as an underground following in all of the major U.S. cities.

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MUSIC INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
The invention of the phonograph in 1877 by Thomas Edison put forth in motion the
events that would evolve into a lucrative industry of music. The new Vinyl LP technology made
it possible to capture sound onto a wax plate and play it back, effectively mesmerizing the world.
The phonograph coupled with radio communications would redefine the way people experienced
music forever. The music industry of the 1800’s was dominated by sheet music publishers,
which gave people the opportunity to play famous classic music themselves. However, that
would all change come the 1900’s when phonograph records gave birth to the ―Record Industry‖.
This gave establishment to a variety of record companies, eventually being whittled down to the
current number of three majors and hundreds of independents. The late 20th
century saw the
invention of 8-Tracks, Cassettes, and CD’s, making production of Vinyl LP’s and record players
limited to specific trades and music connoisseurs.
The 21st
century has brought with it the ―digital age‖, making all previous music formats
almost obsolete. With more households adopting personal computers as a standard norm, the
ability to turn physical music formats into digital copies became possible. The formats known as
MP3, WMA, and WAV were the digital sound data of their physical counterparts. At the turn of
the century, a new online service called Napster had surfaced and allowed users to share files
over a network to other PC’s connected all over the world. This unforeseen development sent the
music industry into frenzy as record labels attempted to contain the illegal file sharing of its
music by seeking law action against Napster. In 2001, the record industry succeeded in its
lawsuit against Napster, effectively shutting the service down, but not before other clone services
began to surface. The record industry had been a step behind the times, and the mistake would
signal the end of an era.
By the mid 2000’s, the music industry began to adapt to the new digital era of music and
thus started creating online music download services such as Apple’s iTunes, Amazon MP3, and
even Napster so that consumers could pay to get their digital fix instead of pirating their music
from illegal services. The future of the music industry today remains uncharted and is now
awaiting a new model to be created in what is seemingly an untamable wilderness called the
internet.

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HIP-HOP HISTORY OVERVIEW
With the introduction of Hip-Hop music into the music industry as a viable market, the
recording industry would see its most profitable revenue in the genre, peaking in the year 1999.
The art form takes its roots from urban spoken word in New York City in the 1970’s, used to
convey thoughts and emotions from feelings of oppression and hardships. Soon the spoken word
became intermixed with music as DJ’s (Disc Jockeys) would mix disco and funk at community
block parties, isolating the break beats in old records and allowing the spoken word artist to get
on the microphone and ―rap‖ to it. As time progressed, the spoken word became more rhythmic
and melodic, as well as the subject matter which was more savvy and witty.
The art form began to grow even further as early rappers such as Big Daddy Kane, Kool
Moe Dee, Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy brought it mainstream.
The packed shows, sold out music, and high demand put Hip-Hop on the industry’s radar and
had began to look at it as a lucrative business. The art form went through many stages such as its
conscious era, gangster rap, glamour period, and thug image. The current state of Hip-Hop music
has suggested a growth, with artist focusing on only satisfying a ―rap‖ market declining in sales,
and the artists with more versatility and range rising as the faces of the new era. New school Hip-
Hop artists such as Drake, B.O.B., Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, Soulja Boy, and Wale are setting a path
for Hip-Hop that is giving it an international visibility and turning it into a world accepted
format.
See Appendix C: RIAA Statistics

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ARTIST BACKGROUND/HISTORY
Avian Nalej became a Hip-Hop artist when there was no other option. At the time there
were no other Hip-Hop artists that he felt were making music that had an impact. He began
writing songs at the age of 10 years old and had aspirations of being singer. It wasn’t until 2001,
at the age of fourteen, when he lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for 6 months, that he
discovered a connection with Hip-Hop. He had listened to an album by Hip-Hop artist Nas called
Stillmatic, and it was an expression of music that he felt was missing from the songs that he
wrote. Avian Nalej, who at the time went by his singing moniker Najee, began writing more rap
lyrics and listening to more Hip-Hop music. When he was a senior in High School, he performed
at a school talent show, singing a part of an original song and an original rap verse. To his shock
the crowd began booing at his song, yet he furiously adjusted by rapping his verse with rapid fire
passion. The crowds’ reaction did a complete 180, and he received a standing ovation. From that
moment Avian Nalej knew where he was most gifted at and decided to further his career as a
lyricist.
He attended Columbia College Chicago in the fall of 2005 and enrolled as a Music
Business major. During his time there, he began practicing the art of music production and
honing his skill to complement his style as an artist. He recorded his first track ―The Breathless‖
in 2007, a gripping tirade on the ills of urban society. The generally positive feedback from
immediate social circles and small open mics provided the confidence in him to see even farther
and possibly greater things in his future. He has performed in various venues and organizations
including The Rock Box Lounge, Rainbow Push Coalition, Nation of Islam events, and at the
Mayor Daley Center in downtown Chicago.

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KEY PLAYERS
Josh Schaeffer – Manager
Josh Schaeffer is originally from Kailua, Hawaii but is currently based in Chicago,
Illinois. Growing up in Hawaii, Josh was exposed to a largely diverse culture. This has led Josh
to be open to all genres of music.
Currently a Music Management Major at Columbia College Chicago, Josh Schaeffer has taken
coursework that has given him hands-on experience. In the class ―Writing for Managers‖, he was
fortunate enough to work with Fearless Records to help create business documents such as artist
biographies, album summaries, and a Warped Tour booth checklist. Also, in Marketing the Arts,
he worked with his class to implement an actual marketing plan for Laura Anderson Barbata's
speech about her exhibit Among Tender Roots at Columbia College Chicago. From marketing
the event, Josh has found that his biggest strength is in marketing.
After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, Josh wants to expose himself to various forms
of art. He plans on working with a Talent Agency that deals with all different kinds of artists. In
this agency he hopes to not only manage artists, but also assist in marketing and promotions.
Joshua Muhammad/Avian Nalej – Manager – Vice-President of C.H.I. INC.
Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Joshua Muhammad grew up as a quiet young boy
with aspirations of being a famous singer. At the age of 10, he started a singing group called
―The Phase‖ with three friends from grammar school and used his middle name ―Najee‖ as his
stage persona. His love for telling and writing stories also began to take the form of songwriting,
and would grow into a talented skill in later years as Avian Nalej.
After graduating high school, Joshua attended Columbia College Chicago in downtown
Chicago, Illinois. He is currently still enrolled in the class of Arts Entertainment and Media
Management as a Music Business major, and is set to receive his bachelor’s degree in winter of

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2010. In 2006, he interned at ICEE Records and was part of the promotions team behind artists
such as Dr. Charles G. Hayes & The Warriors (a gospel choir that had a major record called
―Work It Out‖), and White Boy (a Chicago artist that had recorded a song with new artists at the
time, Kanye West and John Legend). Joshua’s experiences at ICEE Records fueled a desire to
have a company of his own. In 2010, he started his own company imprint, Chicago Hip-Hop
Intellectual Inc., with fellow rapper affiliate Reginald Brandon, and a third partner in Dwight
Woods. The Company has primarily been focused on independent artist distribution through a
deal with IODA (Independent Online Distribution Alliance), with plans to reshape the company
into a focus on artist management.
For other key players see Appendix D: Other Key Players

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AUDIENCE
In order to get a greater idea of what Avian Nalej’s demographics are, management
created a ten question survey on Survey Monkey. The questions touched on demographics such
as age, ethnicity, education level, type of residential area, what kind of music they listen to, and
how/where they get their music.
For our survey, most of the results were expected but unfortunately only ten people have
taken it so far. The only thing that was surprising about these results was that for those that did
buy music online, it was split with four each for iTunes and ―Other‖, then Amazon with two.
What we can get from these results is where to focus in each category. From these results we
know that the best people to target are those within 18-25 yrs old that live in college or urban
areas that are African American. Since more people are attracted to lyrics over beat in a song,
that is should be his main focus. It would be best to have music available both online and in retail
since it is almost split. But we would want to not only put it on ITunes but on Amazon, along
with other online retailers. The reason we asked about what genres they listen to most is because
if Avian Nalej was to collaborate with other genres he would want to know which would be best.
From the results it seems that he should stick to collaborating with artists within his genre.
For survey results see Appendix E: Survey Results

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GRAPHICS AND BRANDING
Before working with management, Avian Nalej did not have a logo. Avian Nalej wanted
a logo that was simple yet sleek. On the logo you will see his name in ―Motor Oil 1937 M54‖
font found on DaFont.com. Under it you will see a book with wings. This represents ―Higher
Learning‖ which is the meaning of his names. Management created various different logos but
the one below is the one that was chosen. It can be seen in both black and white, which can be
useful in various merchandise. The book with wings logo is seen throughout this plan in the
header and footer. Management plans to place this logo on any document relating to Avian Nalej
and on the future merchandise.
For other logo considerations see Appendix F: Logos

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RECORDING PROJECT
In the winter of 2010 and 2011, Avian Nalej will be in the studio recording a project
called ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖. The project will serve as his first Mixtape or EP. The
majority of the recording will be done at Columbia College Chicago’s Music Center in Room
407. The project will be mostly produced by Avian Nalej with executive production by
underground Chicago producer, 5ifth Element (see Appendix). The key engineer on the project
will be local Chicago producer/engineer Jo Blow, a seasoned engineer that has done work with
many notable artists such as Bump J and The Cool Kids. The project is to be completed by the
end of winter 2011 for a possible release in early spring 2011.

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ONE SHEET// AND EPK
Avian Nalej did not have any form of a one sheet or EPK. Management created both a
one sheet and an EPK on Ourstage. The EPK on Ourstage is your normal EPK. It has
background on who Avian Nalej is and has a sample of his music. Also, links to his Twitter and
Myspace are given on the EPK. The one sheet is similar to Avian Nalej’s logo in the sense that it
is simple and sleek. It features a short background about him, lists some major accomplishments,
previous venues he has played at, and how to contact him and management. The EPK and one
sheet are not directed towards one specific purpose but it will likely be used to help promote and
book Avian Nalej in the future.
For the one sheet refer to Appendix G: One Sheet

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MERCHANDISE
Music
A compilation album ―Blood off Our Hands‖ from the company CHI Inc. features Avian
Nalej in 7 of its songs and will be available for physical purchase. The price will be five dollars
and the compilation was previously sold for $7.00 exclusively at the Nation of Islam’s annual
Event ―Saviours Day‖, in which over 70 copies were sold and distributed in one weekend.
T-Shirts
Promotional T-Shirts will be sold at shows after the release of the Mixtape/EP project.
The shirts will come in two sizes, adult large and adult medium. The shirts will be priced at
$10.00. We will purchase the shirts in bulk via www.blankshirts.com. This website has a variety
of blank clothing that has quality and low affordable pricing.
T-Shirt Size Color Pricing Quantity Cost (per
shirt)
Cost
(Total)
TOTAL
SOLD
Avian
Nalej
logo/
Cover
Art
Small White $10.00 10 $1.98 $19.80 $80.20
Avian
Nalej
logo/
Cover
Art
Large White $10.00 15 $1.98 $29.70 $120.30
TOTAL $49.50 $200.50
TOTAL
PROFIT
$151.00
With the purchase of a shirt, fans will receive a limited edition physical copy of the
project. All shirts will be printed up by C.H.I. Inc. working in conjunction with 621 Productions.
The company 621 productions have their own T-shirt printing press and silk screen. Each shirt

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will have the over artwork for each of the Mixtape/EP. On the back of each shirt will be the
Avian Nalej branding archetype and the logo (a book with wings).
Buttons
At shows and as a promotional tool, we will have buttons with the Avian Nalej logo and
Archetype. The buttons will be sold at five dollars each and will be a great selling companion
with the free Mixtape/EP.
Button Size Pricing Quantity Cost (per
button)
Cost (per
button -
bulk)
TOTAL
SOLD
Avian Nalej
logo
Standard 2
¼ inch
$5.00 50 $2.45 $1.74 $250
TOTAL $87.00 $250.00
TOTAL
PROFIT
$163.00
DropCard
Since 2004, Dropcards has been the brand name synonymous with music download cards
— a high-quality, custom card with your band's own artwork and a unique code that fans can
redeem online for music, video, and more! Dropcards' affordable, turnkey product includes
download card manufacturing, media hosting, and top-shelf reporting all backed by their first
class customer service. The cards will be given out at shows as promotional material. The
downloads will be of three song cards and full mixtape cards, all free downloads. We will
purchase 100 cards for the price of 0.49 cents for each card (around $50.00).
See Appendix H: Merchandise

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PRE- RELEASE PROMOTIONS
In order to promote Avian Nalej’s mixtape, Management plans to use college and online
radio, along with blogs to help get the word to a wider audience. Management will contact each
of these resources and ask that they do a feature of Avian Nalej, talking about who he is and
what he has coming out. Additional to that we will constantly update fans through social media
about the progress and release of the mixtape.
For example resources for promotion see ―Media Strategy‖ section.

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MIXTAPE RELEASE PARTY
Muhammad University of Islam
In the spring of 2011, Avian Nalej will have a Mixtape Release Party will be held at the
Muhammad University of Islam in Chicago, IL. The school will be the perfect setting since
Avian Nalej grew up and graduated from there, adding to the feel of and tone of the project. The
school has a gymnasium with a stage and a sound system. This party will be for fans that have
supported shows, local press, and general public. Cover charge will be $10.00 and the mixtape
will be provided for all attendees for free on drop cards. Volunteers will be people who are close
to Avian Nalej and those who wrok in and for his company. The music performed by Avian
Nalej would be 5 tracks from his project ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖. He will begin the
set with the music and end with thanking all the key players and the guests. The opening acts that
will perform will be affiliate artists B.I.G. REG, Strilla Da God, The Ranks61, and L.S.
There will be no cost in holding the event since Avian Nalej is an alumnus of the Muhammad
University of Islam. The sponsor will be Shawn Michelle’s Ice Cream which will be served
before and after the performance. Food will be served by caterers at the school and a donation
or portion of the cover charge will be negotiated. The food will be served at the end and will
give opportunity for networking between artists and entrepreneurs. The show will be held on a
Saturday between the hours of 7:00 and 9:00 p.m.

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TOURING PLAN
As of right now, Avian Nalej’s tour strategy is to stay relatively close to Chicago.
Avian’s genre is Rap/Hip Hop and his greatest audience is within urban areas and colleges. The
plan is to perform at colleges and some venues around Chicago. The course of the tour will be as
follows:
Venue Address Contact Capacity
Reggie’s Music Joint 2105 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60616
Brendan@reggieslive.com 101-200
University of Chicago
(Hutchinson Venue)
1212 E. 59th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
sergang@uchicago.edu 350
University of Illinois,
Chicago
1040 W. Harrison St. MC-
255
Chicago, IL 60607
dpa@uic.edu N/A
Depaul University 2250 N. Sheffield Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
dab@depaul.edu
ahaney2@depaul.edu
500
Columbia College
Chicago
600 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
npage-lieberman@colum.edu N/A
The locations of the venues are planned out to be a loop around the city. Starting out in
the city at Reggie’s Music Joint, and then on south to the University of Chicago. Next would be
west of the city to the University of Illinois, Chicago. After that would be north to Depaul

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University, and ending the tour would be back in the city at Columbia College Chicago. The
reason the University of Illinois, Chicago and Columbia College Chicago have ―N/A‖ for the
capacity, is because we have not yet determined a suitable location for a performance. Also,
Avian Nalej has good relations with other artists within his genre and would talk with those
artists to arrange package deals for venues in order to fill the larger capacity venues. Keep in
mind, this tour is still in the research and development process so no venues have been set yet,
but when we feel it is appropriate for Avian Nalej to go on tour, then it will be arranged. As for a
time frame of the tour, it would most likely all be within 2-3 weeks, depending on scheduling
and availability of Avian Nalej.

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BOOKING
Through the course of the semester, Avian
Nalej was able to procure a booking at the
Vaughan Lounge in Chicago, IL on
October 23rd
, 2010. He was fortunate to
perform with affiliate artist L.S. The show
was produced and promoted by Star 7
Productions. It was booked with the help
of artist L.S. through a contact of his, Ms.
Monica (CEO of Star 7 Productions). The
event was an elegant red carpet themed
event, with formal wear as the dress attire.
The crowd consisted of a more mature
audience between 25 and 40 years old.
Avian Nalej performed three of his songs
with the subject matter consisting of
socially conscious issues relating to police
brutality and urban violence. He was not
satisfied with the show because it was not
his target demographic (18-25 years old).
For flyer of the event see Appendix I: Event Flyer

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MEDIA STRATEGY
Currently, Avian Nalej has not had any media exposure. Most hip hop on the radio is Top
40 material so it is often difficult for an upcoming hip hop artist like Avian Nalej. The best fit for
new hip hop artists is through college and online radio stations.
The Columbia College radio station WCRX would be on the top
of the list since Avian Nalej is a Columbia College student.
WCRX offers specialized programming that includes hip hop.
We would submit a request to the station to have Avian Nalej’s
music featured within the hip hop programming at the station.
There are many online radio stations throughout the internet but
after research we have found a great website called Underground
Hip Hop. There are a large amount of online hip hop radio stations
that are featured on this site. Underground Hip Hop’s content
consists of hip hop music that hasn’t been featured on
mainstream radio stations, which makes it a perfect fit for Avian
Nalej. We would submit Avian Nalej’s music to any of the
numerous stations on this site and would likely be considered to be
put on air.
In current times, blogs are one of the most important ways for new
artists to get exposure. There are thousands of blogs created
everyday from all sorts of categories. The person who writes the
blog posts has the power to make or break a new artist. It is
important to target blogs because it could lead to great

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opportunities. A blog that we would target is Swagger R Us. It is a hip hop blog that mainly
focuses on mainstream hip hop news but because we have connections with the founder of the
blog, we could possibly convince them to write up a feature on Avian Nalej.
Here is a list of other blogs we are interested in:
http://hiphopmusic.com/
http://indyhiphopworld.blogspot.com/
http://www.indiehiphop.net/
http://www.pigeonsandplanes.com/

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FAN BASE DEVELOPMENT
The fan base for Avian Nalej is essential to building the brand and spreading the music.
Avian Nalej likes to interact with his fans through various new media tools. The city of Chicago
offers many interactions with people from industry socialites to the average music lover.
Provided here is a list of tools Avian Nalej will use to further nurture and expand his fan base:
 Twitter – The social networking site that is used to write short status updates in 140
characters. Currently, Avian Nalej has 23 followers on his twitter and 59 followers on his
personal page. The plan will be to merge the two or to have the personal page followers
add the artist page.
o Updating fans on Avian Nalej progress, performances dates, exclusive new music,
offers, secret shows, music videos, images, interviews and video blogs.
o ―Tweet for a Track‖ program will be used to allow the download of a track but the
retweeting of it to the fans follower list as well.
 MySpace – Social Networking site that has recently shifted its focus to entertainment
media. The site is the number one domain for artist band pages that temporarily substitute
for an official website. Avian Nalej’s page will have many useful tools for fans to stay in
tune and interested in the brand.
o Music Player – Plays 3 to 5 songs from upcoming Mixtape/EP
o Biography – Informs about Avian Nalej
o Artist Performance Widget – displays upcoming shows
o Email Sign-Up Widget – gets fan emails in order to send updates
o Images
o Videos
o Influences
o Contact Information
 Facebook Page – Not as popular as MySpace for discovering artists and music but still
useful to connect with Facebook users.
o Music Streaming App

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o Contact Info
o Bio
o Images
o Videos
o ―Like‖ button – similar to having people add a person as a friend, the ―Like‖
button is a subscription to the page and becomes a community when many people
like the same page
 Email Client
o Emails will be collected and stored in a Gmail account until there have been 50
collected. At that point there will be a Email client used to store the emails and
create newsletters to send to fans.

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WEBSITE//TECHNOLOGY
A website will be developed for Avian Nalej in the summer of 2011. In the meantime, his
MySpace page and OurStage profile will be used as his go to web sites with other social
networking tools supporting. Avian Nalej will also use partnership tools provided by
IODAalliance.com.
Artist Websites
 MySpace
o Myspace.com/aviannalej
 Ourstage
o Ourstage.com/profiles/aviannalej
Online Tools
Audible Treats is a Brooklyn-based entertainment marketing and publicity firm
specializing in print and online media coverage. Audible Treats creates customized, effective
marketing and publicity campaigns for countless clients, ranging the spectrum from Grammy-
winners to self-funded artists including T-Pain, Del The Funky Homosapien, and K'Naan.
NYC-based music and lifestyle marketing powerhouse, Giant Step, has been instrumental
in breaking some of the best artists of the last two decades. With roots in underground clubs and
experience as a former indie label, Giant Step works closely with major and independent labels,
providing vital support for releases while increasing awareness and loyalty through community
development. Giant Step's uniquely tailored music marketing services include online promotion,
DJ and tastemaker marketing, street/guerrilla initiatives, and beyond.
For snapshots of websites see Appendix J: Websites

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DISTRIBUTION//RETAILSTRATEGY
Avian Nalej plans to release his first project as a digital download. There will be limited edition
physical copies of the project that will only be sold at shows. Only 100 of these copies will be
pressed and distributed.
Live Show Distribution
Limited Edition copies of the project will be distributed and performances and
appearances. There will only be 100 copies of the project pressed for CD’s and the rest will be
distributed via Drop Cards for digital download.
Online Music Stores (iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon MP3, etc.)
The singles from the project that have no samples in the music will be mixed and
mastered, then sold on online digital music stores. The pricing will be from 70 - 99 cents
perdownload. The link to download the song will be placed on pluggers distributed at shows.
The plugger will have an image of Avian Nalej, an image of the project cover, Title, Artist name,
contact info, and the online music stores it is available in.
Website Distribution
The project will be downloaded for free on all artist social networking websites.

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SPECIAL EVENTS
Avian Nalej has an extensive record of being involved with the community in speaking
engagements, performances, and mentoring. He consciously chooses to take an active role in key
issues and being a positive image and role model instead of succumbing to negative influences.
Special events include:
Chicago Juvenile Correctional Facility – Over the summer Avian Nalej visited a Juvenile
Correctional Facility in Chicago for a workshop with troubled inner city youth. The workshop
was an experiment to give the juveniles positive influences and activities. Avian Nalej performed
a song with fellow affiliate artist B.I.G. REG entitled ―Hope‖. ―Hope‖ inspired the juveniles to a
positive outlook on life. Afterwards Avian Nalej spoke with them discussing life principles and
educated them on how to change the conditions of their lives and immediate environment.
Blair Holt Stage Play – On August 8th
, 2010, Avian Nalej was fortunate enough to perform as the
lead actor in the stage play ―Blair’s Story‖. Blair Holt was tragically killed on May 10th
, 2007 as
he shielded his friend from a bullet while riding home from school on a CTA bus. This play
celebrated his bravery and is a call of action for all to become involved in efforts to promote a
culture of peace in the community. Avian Nalej also performed several of his songs during the
play, two of which were original creations, and the other was a rap written by Blair Holt before
he was murdered. The play caught the attention of the media and Avian Nalej and the cast,
including Blair Holt’s father (Chicago Police Officer), were invited to be on the local radio
station WVON.

28
PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ARTISTS
GEMSTONES
Raised in Jeffrey Manor/South C on Chicago’s south side, GemStones (formally known as
Gemini). Being part of a musical family was only the beginning for the south side native. He
went on to nurture his craft at Bowen High School, where he was a student in the visual and
performing arts program. After graduating high school, In early 2001, GemStones had a chance
meeting with then unknown rappers Lupe Fiasco and the late Stack Bundles. Fiasco, who had his
own company 1st and 15th Recordings, was impressed by the rapper/singer and later in that year
decided to sign GemStones to the 1st and 15th label. GemStones spent many years writing and
preparing for his time to showcase his talent. That time finally came in 2006 when Lupe Fiasco
featured GemStones on four out of the sixteen tracks (including a track which features Jay-Z) on
his debut album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. GemStones was also featured in Fiasco’s video
for the first single off the album ―Kick, Push‖. In that same year GemStones was given the

29
opportunity to headline the soundtrack for the MTV special ―My Block: Chicago‖, where the
Chicago MC/Singer was featured. From that GemStones released and shot a video for his buzz
single ―Got What You Need‖. With the success of Food & Liquor and the feature on MTV it was
time for GemStones to release his own project and he did just that. In 2006, part five of the
Fahrenheit 1/15 mixtape series named Untamed Beast was GemStones solo effort and formally
introduced the MC to the hip hop game. The mixtape was featured on all the major hip hop
websites, receiving a 5-star rating, and is still getting downloaded via his MySpace page. In 2007
GemStones released his first single from his debut album ―Troubles of the World‖. The
single ―We On‖ features Lupe Fiasco and generated a massive buzz, gaining GemStones fans
andsupporters from across the globe. Following the release of ―We On‖ Gemstones was featured
once again and even wrote on Lupe Fiasco’s sophomore LP ―The Cool‖. GemStones was
featured on ―Dumb It Down‖, the first single from that project. In support of the album Fiasco
embarked on a nationwide tour, where GemStones served as one of the featured artist on the sold
out venture. He’s received plenty attention from the press, being featured in prominent hip hop
magazines such as The Source and XXL. Eventually, GemStones parted ways with FNF due to
creative differences. After joining the promotions team GoSity Entertainment in 2010, presently
Gemstones has just released his follow up mixtape to ―The Testimony of GemStones‖ entitled
―On the Road to Glory‖. His highly anticipated album debut effort ―Troubles of the World‖, has
an as of yet to be released date. Avian Nalej has previously performed at several shows that also
featured GemStones in Chicago. There will possibly be package deals in the future for touring
after the release of Avian Nalej’s first project.

30
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Production Company: 621 Productions
Director: Marcus Martin
Song: Color Me Black
Description: The video opens with Avian Nalej sitting in a chair with a backdrop as the music
comes in. At the beginning of his verse we are treated visuals replacing the white background of
different video montages behind him. The videos will be from various eras of history regarding
African-American’s and their struggles. The video will highlight prominent historical black
figures and events. Close up shots of Avian Nalej will be taken as his passionate lyrics are
coupled with the striking visuals to create a powerful effect. Avian Nalej’s profile will
occasionally flicker to a completely black silhouette reminiscent of the famous iPod
commercials. The ending will see Avian back to the all white background as his silhouette is
switched to black with the text ―Color Me Black‖ appearing above his head.
The budget will be minimal if any as the green screen and camera technology will be provided
by 621 productions working in conjunction with C.H.I. Inc.
The timeline for the production will begin in early February of 2011. Editing will be underway
by mid February with a tentative release in March 2011.
Promotional Plans for the video will be to have it posted on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and
Youtube Channels for Avian Nalej. The video will also be submitted to relevant blogs and sites
such as AllHipHop.com, Worldstarhiphop.com, Fakeshoredrive, and Nahright.
Other sites that will be utilized for promoting the video will be:
HIP Video Promo
HIP Video Promo is a full service video promotion company. They work with major labels,
small labels, and independent musicians. Once you have a video they will for a fee submit your
video and try to get you airplay with national video outlets (MTV, Fuel TV, etc), regional TV
outlets (Video Hits, JBTV, etc) and internet video outlets (Singing Fool, MTV.com, Yahoo

31
Music, etc). They also can help you convert your video to quicktime format so they can submit
your video to sites such as MySpace and YouTube.
Current TV
Current.com is the place to share your music videos with music fans. It connects to Current TV,
a global cable and satellite TV network.
Uncensored Interview
On line video platform for indie musicians and fans to interact in their truest form – uncensored
and real. They supply interviews, fans upload the v-sponses and you experience the rest.
Singing Fool
Singing Fool is a leading independent music video website with over 15,000 music videos and
over 200 new videos added every month.

32
SONGWRITING
―I come from nothing so I’m a born ruler
Out of the deepest darkness you feel me? No Lunar
Pitch black like a young Griffey Jr.
Yeah this world so freiza but I am king cooler‖
These are the first four bars of lyrics that introduce the world to Avian Nalej on his first project
entitled ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖. The project is influenced by an episode of The
Twilight Zone under the same name. The episode was one of the few that dealt with racial
themes and was initially a response by the shows’ creator Rod Serling to the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy. Avian Nalej is not a shy songwriter by any means. He delves into
the world through his eyes; through his own experiences. His story is familiar, yet tinged with a
new perspective that has yet to be told; a young man who has grown up the controversial Islamic
organization, The Nation of Islam. Even with his background the lyrics never seem bombarded
by that fact, more so an added detail. It is the journey that Avian Nalej seeks to take the listener
on, and with his first project he may successfully do just that.
Copyrighted Material
Currently, there are no songs on the project that have been copyrighted. With the completion of
the writing of the 12 to 13 at the end of 2010, the plan will be to have all material copy written in
January of 2011. All songs are expected to be exclusive to Avian Nalej.
Lyrics
The first single for ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖ is the appropriately titled ―Color Me
Black‖. This song has subject matter that deals with Avian Nalej and his self view of being a
young African-American black male versus the world view. The chorus/hook plays off of the
events that occurred in the Twilight Zone episode. The music for the song is a sample of soul
singer Willie Hutch’s ―Brother’s Gonna Work It Out‖. The production was done by Avian Nalej.

33
Color Me Black
Verse
We the people who are darker than blue
Black as the night
Even if I'm lighter than you
That's the new white
Some of us choose variant hues
Depending on the variables
Color by numbers
Color by class
Mix us with white give us a pass
Give us the vote
Dumbo or ass
Stupid I guess cause neither is best
No matter which party we just the guests
Color me blind
Color you lying
Pass the litmus test to the jury of nine
With no peers of mine and see if they distinguish the line
Between them and I
Even if I ain't do the crime
I guess I'm doing time
In these dark days of the black plague
We in the dark age
Where we slave just to get paid off of minimum wage
Guess it’s hard to say if we'll ever see a brighter day
Waiting for the light
Come take the darkness away

34
Hook
I Am the night color me black
They took away my light
Now my sun never comes back
I'm feeling like the people
Say they people under attack
But will we ever learn how to act, act, act
Verse
We the people who dye our hair
Bleach our skin
Funny cause on the opposite black face is in
2010’s, Black President post racial, No!
We are in the most racist time behind closed doors
Face it though bailouts are for the rich not the poor
We can't even bailout our men so the prison grows
Living in this hell that we in
Yeah we burning slow
Kind of like a frog in a pot
You would never know
Paint me something that I'm not
Something horrible
Hate me, make people believe what they don't even know
We don't read It's only show and tell like we only four
Jealous cause they living more
Lavish while we savage folks
We are more than moes and folks and foes
We are Generals
Rows of soldiers rose from the dead
Born for this war

35
Battle with our heads not the steel till they break our doors
Steal our women children, never though
Cause I'll be fighting till the
Hook
The night colors me black
They took away my light
Now my sun never comes back
I'm feeling like the people
Say they people under attack
But will we ever learn how to act, act, act
Avian Nalej is offering Hip-Hop listeners something that has been missing in the genre since acts
such as Public Enemy, Tupac, and Nas reigned supreme, a voice. His lyrics find a way to address
the racism that is still prevalent towards the African-American community without pointing a
finger towards another race or ethnicity. There is a strength in Avian Nalej’s lyrics that if given
the time to grow can possible evolve into some of the most reflective music of our time.

36
SPONSORS//INVESTORS
A Kickstarter Project has been started for Avian Nalej. The project’s focus is to raise
money for Avian Nalej to create a full length album. The goal is $3,000. On Kickstarter there are
rewards for each amount that a backer (supporter) chooses to donate. We have decided that for
$10 the backer would receive a digital copy of the album when it is released. For $25, the backer
would receive a digital and physical copy of the album. For $50, the backer would receive a
digital and physical copy, plus free admission to a performance of Avian Nalej in their area.
Then for $100, the backer would receive the above, plus be featured as a background extra in a
future music video of Avian Nalej.
Shawn Michelle’s Old Fashioned Homemade Ice Cream is quietly churning as one of the
best Ice Cream Venues in Chicago, even capturing the attention of the Chicago Tribune as one of
the ―Best Things‖ to eat on Western Ave. In order to create a memorable and unique experience,
Avian Nalej will have the Ice Cream Shop be a sponsor at shows and any release parties. Having
once worked at the shop as an employee, the shop has already agreed to be a part of the music
events. Flavors of Ice Cream available will be Baravk Supreme (Butter Pecan and Chocolate),

37
Vanilla Supreme, Banana Pudding, Honey Cinnamon Graham Cracker, Melanin Magic
(Chocolate), Burst of Strawberry, Lemon Pound Cake, and A Taste of Heaven (Bean Pie). The
main location is located on 11925 S. Western Avenue, Blue Island, IL.
For Kickstarter screenshot and sponsorship letter see Appendix K: Sponsorship

38
SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths:
 Digital Music Store distribution with Ioda alliance
 Connections with other artists
 Has a large amount of music content
 Has connections with promotions and distributions through C.H.I. Inc.
 He writes and produces his own music
Weaknesses:
 Small fan base
 No merchandise
 Weak communication skills
Opportunities:
 Has a large amount of content to be recorded
 To build a fan base
 Booking recording time
 Columbia College resources and network
Threats:
 The economy
 The large indie hip hop scene in Chicago

39
GOALS
3 Month Goals:
Begin recording Avian Nalej project ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖.
Get at least one paid show booked
Have at least one photo shoot session
Create a professional Electronic Press Kit
Consider new merchandising ideas to be used upon completion of songs and project
Create a professional Bio and One Sheet that well represents Avian Nalej
Establish a project release date
6 month:
Complete the recording and mixing of ―I Am the Night, Color Me Black‖
Discover and nurture connections within the music industry and other art fields
Book 10 paid shows and venues in Chicago and outer areas to build awareness
Drive fans to websites and social networking
Create merchandise to be sold at show performances
Make artist videos for youtube, stickam, and social networking to keep interactivity
Produce a music video for first single ―Color Me Black‖
Draft a marketing plan for the project
Create an organized team that will help market Avian Nalej and execute goals of management
plan
Have music being played on college radio
1 year:
Acquire a venture capitalist to help fund a potential album project
Record an album demo
Shop Avian Nalej production and demo around to prospective labels
Build leverage as an independent artist by building a large fan base through music and fans

40
acquired through shows and online social networks
Have a presence in all Hip-Hop music websites and communities
Create an organized team that will help market Avian Nalej and execute goals of management
plan
Travel out of state and play at least 3 shows
Have interviews with local radio and publications
Make a more efficient marketing and management due to adjustments
3 year:
Acquire marketing, promotion, and possibly a label deal.
Have an agent that will book shows for Avian Nalej
Become one of the most talked about newcomers in the Hip-Hop music world
Release two albums in a three year time span
Get acting lessons for Avian Nalej and an agent to book acting roles
Be apart of a tour with similar artists
5 year:
Establish artist as a brand
Have Avian Nalej involved with charity organizations and fundraisers in predominantly black
and minority poverty stricken areas throughout the United States
Set Avian Nalej on a path to be an entrepreneur in other business ventures such as clothing retail,
real estate, venture capitalist, and more
Tour frequently through the United States and begin touring internationally
Become involved in speaking engagements and community activism

41
FINANCIALS
Musicians & Singers
Continuing Education Auto Travel (In miles)
Coaching & Lessons Expense $ -Audition Travel $ -
Dance Training $ -Business Meetings $ -
Music - Arrangements Continuing Education $ -
Tapes, CDs, & Recordings $ -Job seeking $ -
Training $ -Out-Of-Town Business Trips $ -
Rents - Rehearsal Hall $ -Purchasing Job Supplies & Materials $ -
Tickets - Performance Audit $ -Professional Society Meetings $ -
Voice Training $ -Parking Fees & Tolls ($) $ -
Other: ______________________ $ -Other: _______________________ $ 86
Promotional Expenses Travel - Out of Town
Audition Tapes, Videos, CDs & DVDs Airfare $ -
Business Cards $ 30Car Rental $ -
Film & Processing $ -Parking $ -
Website Development & Hosting $ -Apartment Rent (jobs lasting less than 1
year)
$ -
Mailing Supplies - Envelopes, etc. Taxi, Train, Bus & Subway $ -
Photos - Professional $ 200Lodging (do not combine with meals) $ -
Resume’ and Portfolio Expenses $ -Meals (do not combine with lodging) $ -
Other:_______________________ $ -Laundry and Porter $ -
Supplies & Expenses Bridge & Highway Tolls $ -
Uniforms & Formal Wear $ 90Telephone Calls (including home) $ -
Cleaning (uniforms/formal) $ 10Other_________________________ $ -
Recording Studio Costs $ 300 Telephone Costs

42
Dues - Union & Professional $ -Cellular Calls $ 120
Gifts - Business ($25.00 maximum per
person per year)
$ -FAX Transmissions $ -
On-Line Services
Insurance - Equipment $ -Paging Service $ -
Interest - Business Loans $ -Pay Phone $ -
Strings, picks, cords, reeds, etc $ -Toll Calls $ -
Instrument & Musical Supplies $ -Other: _______________________ $ -
Meals - Business (enter 100% of cost) $ 100 Equipment Purchases
Photocopy - Music, etc. $ -Answering Machine $ -
Postage & Office Supplies $ -Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) $ -
Sheet Music $ -Audio Systems & Amplifiers $ -
Publications - Trade $ -Musical Instruments $ -
Rents - Office, Storage, etc. $ -Pager and Recorder $ -
Rents - Equipment, etc. $ -Software $ 300
Repairs – Instruments & Equipment $ -Speaker Systems $ -
Secretarial & Bookkeeping $ -Computer & Printer $ -
Commissions - Agent/Manager $ -Tools & other music supplies $ -
Other: ________________________ $ -Other: _______________________ $ -

43
CONCLUSION
After creating an Artist Management Plan, Avian Nalej is now more prepared to be a
successful music artist. Previously, he had no plan, no Electronic Press Kit, Bio, or One Sheet to
aid him in his further progress. Now that one has been created, he is on the verge of setting up a
potentially buzz worthy project. With Josh Schaeffer as manager and Joshua Muhammad (a.k.a.
Avian Nalej) as the agent and artist, they have made a plan that uses innovative ideas and tools to
build Avian Nalej into the beginning stages of a viable brand.
The two Josh’s worked together to produce an artist management plan that sets the bar
higher for Avian Nalej as an artist and a brand. Our group has implemented a Kickstarter
campaign with a goal of 3000 dollars for an album project. Also, we set up a plan for Avian
Nalej to have a photography shoot with a Columbia College Chicago Alumnus for the month of
January 2011, came up with a set of goals for the next 6 months to 5 years, a new logo design, a
one sheet with biography, and an EPK. Equipped with all the work of this semester, Avian Nalej
has the potential to be very successful and capture the attention of listeners and industry
professionals for the foreseeable future.

45
APPENDIX A:: BUSINESS CARDS

46
APPENDIX B: VENUE SAFETY CHECKLIST
Venue Safety Checklist Yes No Comments
Ample emergency exits, are not blocked
No loose cables on floor of patron standing area.
Fire extinguisher visible and available on or around stage.
Lighting fixtures secure
Lighting in venue is at a reasonable visibility
Find out capacity of venue
Find out how many attendees are coming
Make sure any flammables are contained.
Venue has multiple exits.
Fire Alarm/Smoke Detectors
Eye Wash/ First Aid Kits
What are warm up/cool down times for lighting
Will security be provided by venue, if so how many?
Venue has an evacuation procedure
Check stage capacity
Make sure any stairways are not blocked
Venue is in a good location
If an outdoor venue make sure hanging rigs can hold weight
Sprinkler system is up to code
Do exit doors swing outward
Do they have a venue license
Is the stage and/or wings permenant or temporary
Venue Manager
Date
Signature _______________________

47
APPENDIX C:? RIAA STATISTICS
http://76.74.24.142/8EF388DA-8FD3-7A4E-C208-CDF1ADE8B179.pdf

48
APPENDIX D: OTHER KEY PLAYERS
Reginald Brandon/B.I.G. REG – President/CEO of CHI Inc.
Reginald Brandon is the acting President and
co-CEO of Chicago Hip-Hop Intellectual Inc.
Formerly a member of a little known
independent Chicago Hip-Hop group ―The
Ranks61‖, he parted ways with the group in
2007 in order to focus on his own music career.
Under the rap moniker of B.I.G. REG, he
joined together with Joshua Muhammad to start
the label imprint C.H.I. Inc. and went on to release a compilation album entitled ―Blood Off Our
Hands‖, featuring Avian Nalej, B.I.G. REG, and The Ranks61.
5ifth Element – Producer
Producer/DJ 5ifth Element adds more accolades to his trophy
case by being named Chicago's mix-tape "Guru" by Rolling
Stone Magazine. When asked about how he felt about the
praise, 5ifth said "It felt good to be honored" and "It's a
blessing". Since releasing Soul Wunderful Vol.1, which was
also highlighted in the article as the mix-tape to check out,
Soul Wunderful Vol.1 was also named the best mix-tape in
Chicago by New City Magazine. "The buzz from Soul
Wunderful has turned into a national buzz, and soon it'll be a worldwide buzz".

49
Joe Blow – Music Engineer
Known as ―Joe Blow the Sample King‖, Joe has been
building a name for himself in Chicago for over a
decade. His music production and engineering has
reached acclaimed Chicago artists from ―The Cool
Kids‖ to ―Bump J‖. His engineering is adept in
underground mixing sound and will be mostly doing
his work for Avian Nalej in his home studio in Pilsen,
IL.

50
APPENDIX E:? SURVEY RESULTS
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z62K3PD
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being not at all, and 5 being a lot) how often do you listen to
these genres?
1 2 3 4 5
Hip
Hop/R&B
0% 11.1% 0% 22.2% 66.7%
Rock 11.1% 22.2% 33.3% 11.1% 22.2%
Pop 0% 22.2% 44.4% 33.3% 0%
Jazz/Blues 55.6% 11.1% 11.1% 11.1% 11.1%
Country 66.7% 11.1% 11.1% 0% 11.1%
Question Results
What is your age? Under 18 – 0%
18-25 – 90%
26 and over – 10%
What is your gender? Male – 40%
Female – 60%
What is your ethnicity White – 20%
Asian – 0%
Black or African American – 80%
Hispanic – 0%
Other – 0%
What type of area do you live in? Rural – 10%
Suburban – 40%
Urban – 50%
What is your level of education? High School – 0%
College – 100%
Not in School – 0%
What interests you most about a song? The beat – 30%
The lyrics – 70%
How do you get your music? Online – 80%
Retail – 20%
If you do buy music online, where do you
get your music?
ITunes – 40%
Amazon – 20%
Other – 40%
Would you be interested in buying a
merchandise bundle that included songs
from Avian Nalej?
Yes – 100%
No – 0%

53
APPENDIX H:? MERCHANDISE
8000
Gildan
Ultra Blend™ - T-Shirt
Descriptions
* 5.6-ounce 50/50 cotton/poly
* Air Jet spun yarn
* Seamless double needle collar
* Taped neck and shoulders
* Double needle bottom hem and sleeve
Finished Garment Measurements
Size S M L XL
Width 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32
Length 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

56
APPENDIX J:? WEBSITES
MySpace: www.Myspace.com/AvianNalej
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/AvianNalej

57
APPENDIX K:? SPONSORSHIPS
Kickstarter

58
Shawn Michelle’s Ice Cream Sponsorship Letter
Dear Yahya Muhammad,
As a former employee of ours and a huge of your Shawn Michelle’s Ice Cream I would
like to request your sponsorship in some future events I will be producing. I am currently
creating a management plan for myself as the Hip-Hop performing artist, Avian Nalej. I will be
planning some intimate performance sessions and a music release party and I would like for your
shop to sponsor the event by having your incredible ice cream products available. I will also
have your shop’s logo on the flyers as an official sponsor in order to drive customers to your
business as well. You may contact me via phone or by email which is provided below. I hope
that you will accept if you are able to and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Joshua Muhammad
Hip-Hop Artist, Avian Nalej
Contact:
j.najee@gmail.com
(708)674-2796

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