Consumer Remixable CD On the Way

I’m all for pretty much anything that puts more power and flexibility into the hands of consumers. If the recording industry continues to add value to its product, it may survive:

FABOLOUS HITS THE STREETS NOVEMBER 4th WITH MORE STREET DREAMS PT. 2 THE MIXTAPE

Groundbreaking ‘Mixable CD’ Format Lets Consumers be DJs and Remix Fab’s Tracks on Home PCs Using Included PCDJ Software

Brooklyn, NY – For those music fans who don’t know that Brooklyn superstar Fabolous caught his first big break in the street-scorched world of underground mixtapes, his new album should set the record straight in more ways than one. In a first-ever offer to music fans, purchasers of Fabolous’ More Street Dreams Pt. 2 The Mixtape , will receive, bundled in the CD, a demo of the much buzzed about PCDJ (Personal Computer Disc Jockey) software that will enable fans to do their own custom mixes of the new Fab song “Now Ride,” right from the CD itself, transforming their PCs into their very own DJ booths. It’s the perfect added value component for an album that pays homage to the rawness and enthusiasm of the combustible scene that helped launch the charismatic hip hop icon.

On November 4th, Fabolous will be rolling out his much-anticipated mixtape album – a fitting companion disc to this year’s Street Dreams (which was recently certified platinum) and his platinum-plus debut, Ghetto Fabolous . The album offers 12 new songs, including the first singles “Make You Mine,” (featuring Mike Shorey) and “Think Y’all Know.” Other guests on the album include Desert Storm artists Paul Cain and Joe Budden.

The new Mixable CD, developed by DJ software maker Visiosonic, lets music fans edit and rearrange the CD’s vocal, rhythm, and instrumental tracks to create DJ style mixes on home PC’s and laptops. The ultimate in music buyer participation, Fabolous fans who purchase More Street Dreams Pt. 2 The Mixtape are also getting the jump on music buyers who will have to wait for the holiday season before the PCDJ player is made available in stores.

Fans will get a chance to win the PCDJ boxed version of the software (retailing for $299) in a “More Street Dreams Pt. 2 The Mixtape” giveaway contest involving 300 participating radio stations across the country. In a related contest, club remixers and DJ’s are being sent a Fabolous DJ Mixpak(tm) which features a “Now Ride” remix competition. Radio Programmers have also been given their own PCDJ players to remix the Fabolous song “Now Ride” with other songs from their desktop MP3 players.

Fabolous maintained his role as a multimedia entertainment threat in 2003 having added Lipton Brisk, Sean John, and another round with Reebok to his ever-growing list of celebrity endorsements deals. He also scored a homerun in the ringtone game with “Young’n (Holla Back)” garnering tens of thousands of downloads in one week, making it the fastest selling ringtone in Warner Music Group history. Fab spent the summer “rockin’ the mic” with 50 Cent and Jay Z and just wrapped up 50’s “No Fear. No Mercy” tour of Europe. In addition to receiving 2 platinum certifications within months of each other, Fab now joins an elite class of rappers (50 Cent, Jay-Z) who flex the kind of hip hop muscle that demands 2 album releases within the same calendar year. You can catch Fabolous in a stunning TV performance with label mate Tamia on the upcoming 2003 Source Awards, slated to air on BET on 11/11.

Beyond the always fascinating marketing hype, this is pretty cool. This is just a demo – of course Visiosonic wants you to buy their software – but giving away demos is an excellent way to market, one the RIAA should be encouraged to try more and more – say through the file sharing systems.