One of the main problems I encounter with artists is the price point of beats and using free beats. The number one thing to remember is as an artist you are trying to stand out from the crowd, using a free beat which hundreds of rappers have is putting you in the same pool as the competition.
Think about the influential artists of our time right now, the ones that you like. What makes you listen to them? One of the biggest things is that they have their own sound that doesn't really sound like other artists. That's what makes a Lil Wayne or a Jay-Z special. If you sound like a copy of someone successful why would someone listen to your music instead of going straight for the source which you stole the sound from?
This concept goes for beats too, you do not want beats that are easily accessible by everyone and make you blend in. Most free beats are recreations of beats that are already popular pushing you towards someone else's sound. Major labels are not going to invest in you if you are not willing to take the steps to show that you are original and are not a carbon copy. A head of a label does not want to sit through a beat that hes heard 10 times that day and listen to it again. A $25 dollar investment in a beat of your own that is fresh and new will push you a lot further than a hot song over a beat which has hundreds of other remixes. It is going to make your song memorable and gives you that much needed push in the right direction of what people are looking for.
While a free beat is tempting, the downsides of it outweigh the positives any day if you are serious about your craft and making it in this industry. Building your own sound and setting yourself apart from other artists is vital and very necessary. Invest in yourself and you will make it that much further and be a lot closer to reaching the goals you strive for.
