Unique Hip Hop Trading Cards for Music Marketing

Merchandise plays a big role in music marketing. Record companies print posters, t-shirts, and stickers to promote artists’ albums and concert tours. Independent musicians usually don’t have the cash for elaborate promotional campaigns, so they need to be sure they pick the right advertising tools that will appeal to their fan base.

For my money, custom trading cards fit naturally within hip hop culture. Almost all of the popular rappers wear sports team jerseys and write about their favorite teams. For example, Wiz Khalifa’s hit song Black and Yellow (2011) celebrates his favorite football team, the Pittsburg Steelers. Since athletics are an urban staple, it’s a safe bet that tons of fans grew up collecting sports cards of their favorite players. Competition is another common theme in the rap scene. Trading cards are competitive in the sense that people brag about who has the best set or a rare limited edition print. You don’t really see this type of social behavior with posters or other items.

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Rapper trading card design ideas

CD cover art would be an easy choice for consistent branding on your trading card project. But if you’re not releasing a new album, you can explore other creative possibilities. Here are ideas for fresh graphics to keep your fans wanting more!

Graffiti hand lettering – Street art and hip hop go hand in hand. While graffiti inspired typography looks cool, there’s no substitute for real painting. Have an artist friend create hand lettering with your stage name or take photos of a local mural that fits your style.

Headshot with lyrics- Pair your dopest lyrics with a nice clear picture of your face so nobody doubts who wrote those words.

Live event/performance photos- You’ve just finished playing an awesome show, and now you’ve got amazing shots of you rocking the mic on stage. Share the pictures with fans on social media as a teaser, and then release special edition prints! Better yet, use Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, etc. to find fans with cool pictures from your performances and show them some love by printing their photos on a set of cards. Get their permission first, and be sure to use hi res images only.

Hometown city theme– Rappers always talk about representing their neighborhoods. If your city comes up in several songs, pay homage to the streets in your card designs.

Music video scenes- No still shots? As long as you’ve filmed an HD music video, you’ve got material to make your own trading cards. You’ll be working with a 2.5 x 3.5″ size space, which means you don’t necessarily need large images to get a pro look. Just be aware that still shots from video might not be as sharp as regular photos.

Baller MC promo card examples for inspiration

Truth be told, there aren’t a lot of hip hop heads doing the pocket sized CMYK thing. That means up and coming artists trying to stand out won’t face heavy competition from major labels. The only mainstream examples I can find come from the Platinum League Interactive Hip Hop Series, featuring classic artists, such as Biggie Smalls, Tu Pac, and Snoop:

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Source http://hiphopmoneymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/hip-hop-trading-cards.png

Our own underground artist Andrew Conweezie created cards for the unleased Ego Issues album. He sells the set of 4 cards individually or in a fan pack with loaded with stickers, a magnet, and a free song download. Rock on!

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Click here to see the cards on Conweezie’s site.

Published by Katherine Tattersfield

Katherine is a professional copywriter and social media manager at PrintFirm.com. She fell into online marketing in 2010, and built her career around this dynamic field. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Northridge (Summa). When she's not writing, Katherine enjoys photography, skateboarding, graphic design, and chasing her dog around with her husband. Connect with her on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus.