Why hip-hop tops the ringtone pops

The former owner of the successful US hip-hop music label Def Jam, Russell Simmons, tells The Guardian about his successful formula when it comes to selling ringtones.

Last year, Simmons, known as the godfather of hip-hop, launched Def Jam Mobile in the US, offering mobile services, such as a hip-hop news service and hip-hop e-greeting cards as well as polyphonic ringtones, mobile street games and wallpaper. He sees hip-hop music and mobiles living in perfect harmony. "Hip- hop artists are not only good at branding the technology and making it cool, but as the new technology comes out they are the first to play with it," he says.

Hip-hop and urban music has featured heavily in the weekly ringtone chart in the UK. Simmons' plan is to bring his Def Jam Mobile services over from the US to make the most of the European hip hop scene and he also plans to sign new artists to RSMG. "In America, 80% of the people who buy hip-hop are not African American," says Simmons. "What's special about hip-hop to me is that it's poor people of all colours - in fact, there aren't enough white rappers; we need poor white kids from the trailer parks talking about their struggle because there's a connection with black kids in the projects."

According to Informa Telecoms & Media, ringtones are worth almost $5bn and this could rise to nearly $7bn in five years. The UK ringtone business is expected to top £100m this year. Simmons expects to be at the heart of such growth figures and the phone carriers are keen to figure out ways of earning extra income with him. But it is not only content that makes Simmons's entertainment products and ideas so attractive in the new media marketplace, it is also the fact that the music he represents is a strong fashion statement among youth, just like mobile phones.

Related:
-- Hip hop-ify your cell phone.

Regine | 10:11 AM | Real Music |
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