Today we’d like to introduce you to G Dash.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started in music as an artist myself and decided after I had my 1st kid, that I wanted to be in the business part of the music game. I started by researching the business by reading a book titled “everything you need to know about the music business”. I had an r&b artist I was working with, and my homie Michael Watts was doing mixtapes. Watts started doing the slowed down mixtapes & he put the new hot young artist on these mixtapes. I thought that I would recruit the artist of the mixtapes & sign them to my label, but the tapes blew up so fast that we became partners.
We created a shipping and distribution department for the company & were distributing CDs to mom & pop shops all over the U.S… Swishahouse was initially a big clique of the artist, that ended up being downsized to 4 or 5 artists which included Mike Jones, Magno, Paul Wall, Archie Lee & Coota Bang. Around 2003-2004 we put a project out called “The Day Hell Broke Loose 2” which included the hit song “Still Tippin” which garnered national radio play.
The video also appeared on bet uncut & MTV sucker free before we signed a deal. In 2004 we signed a deal with Warner Music Group. We have 2 platinum plaques on the wall and were still involved in the music business. It’s a lot less stress these days with everything being digital & the internet is more of a tool for promo & marketing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
For the most part, it was a smooth road, although it’s just like any business starting from the ground up it takes hard work & being dedicated to whatever you’re trying to accomplish. The majority of the people involved with our clique were hustlers.
A lot of money was being made, so the only minor struggle we had was transitioning the brand from an underground mixtape hustle to a legitimate record label. We began to focus on putting out more commercial releases, to get the sound scan numbers, which showed how many units we were moving, & this solidified us as an independent record label.
Swishahouse – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Swishahouse is an independent record label that specializes in southern hip hop & screwed and chopped music. We develop an artist and distribute their music. We are known for breaking some of the biggest artists out of Texas, like Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, & Chamillionaire just to name a few. We also signed S.U.C. captain Lil KeKe to our brand which was a big move for our city, because of the north side, south side rivalry.
I’m most proud of the platinum plaques & the accomplishments we made during our major label run, which wasn’t the best move, but we made the best out of it. You have a lot of labels that have come and gone.
What sets SH apart from others is that we’ve been in the game for 20 years,& were still involved in the music culture in the south, We still sell SH music, merch, DJ services & we also consult labels & new artist wanting to be in the business.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I personally define success as being happy & being able to live life with no stress. Success to me is also the many relationships I have made along the way,& knowing that the moves we made in our business allowed for artist & people that worked with us to be in a position to branch off & be successful on their own.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.swishahouse.biz
- Email: swishahouse@outlook.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/swishahouse
- Twitter: twitter.com/theswishahouse
Image Credit:
B. Guidry, Mike Frost
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
