BeatKongs.com is a new site for producers and artists to come together to collaborate on projects. Of its many benefits offered, the site features options to purchase and lease beats, a blog giving production tips on aspiring tracksmiths, and a unique option to stream beats by genre, a station network for instrumentals so to speak. We were fortunate to sit down with the founder Anthony Bass and talk shop in our latest edition of On The Blade.
ON THE BLADE WITH
ANTHONY BASS
C.E.O./ FOUNDER OF BEATKONGS.COM
On The Blade is Razor Tongue Media’s interview series where we talk shit with underground Hip Hop personalities, both long-established and up and coming. This month we stray a little out of our box with a profile on a new business aimed to assist producers from all backgrounds.
Tell us how BeatKongs came about.
Believe it or not, about three and half years ago I was working outside at a custodian job. While working, I would always find beats on Youtube and write songs in my head to them. That particular day I said to myself, “Damn, I’m tired of browsing through all these Youtube pages for an hour to find one damn good beat.” Then instantly the idea hit me! Like wait… “How fucking dope would it be to have streaming stations that play beats all day!” Immediately I called my guy Chris George with the idea. His response was “The Pandora of beats?” I yelled “Exactly!” From that day the process began. And I have to add, much credit goes to my co-founders Chris George and Chris Denson, both on ideas and funding.
What prompted your team to put together the site?
Well, when we first sparked the idea I had to go into research mode. I believe I spent over two months just searching and searching the web trying to find out if any other website had put this concept into motion. Of course, I came across all the beat sites that we know today and the ones no longer around. After exhausting myself in the search, I realized this was a unique idea that has not been thought of yet. At that point, we knew we had to pursue this.
How long did it take to build and how long has it been since you launched?
Figuring out the overall design, designing the blueprint for the site, detailing how each feature would function, creating the logo, finding a talented coder, it all took some time. The complete process took almost three years to make it to the launch date. We had launched a few websites in the past but approach it the wrong way. This time we vowed to move smoothly and strategically, take our time, and do things the right way. We launched the first week in September of 2020.
What were some of the issues you had during dev and what are some of the challenges now?
I’m sure the issues we experienced were those that most dealt with. During the developing process, you want to make the best decisions on how the coding functions. Providing users with the easiest experience on the highest quality designs. People don’t understand there could be 50 different avenues you could pursue to make one feature operate. Have to think of your consumers and how to make the process fast and simple for them.
What goals do you have set for Beat Kongs in the future?
In each meeting I have with my staff and associates, I like to end the same. Reminding them we set to always fight and represent the little guy. If your a producer or artist who has the connections and network base, it’s a little bit easier for you to learn and expand. Beat Kongs wants to always thrive off the idea of helping those who need it. The 19-year-old producer fresh out of high school who is talented but needs that helping hand. Hand to provide him that sound kit his needs, tips for building his studio, networking platform to help him gain a fan base or even read up on knowledge on the industry. That’s the goal we set to reach.
Biggest wins so far at this point in the site.
Biggest reward thus far in the site is the positive response we have got. In the first month, we had over 300 beats uploaded, 200+ registered members and 500+ likes on Facebook. Everyone seems to respond positively to the design and flow of the site. Most popular feedback we receive is people telling us, “You guys really got something good going here”. Those words make us very grateful for the hard work we put in.
What’s the next move? Any news / info you want to share? Other projects?
Next move is always expansion. As our audience grows, more features will be coming for BeatKongs. Currently, the Android and iOS apps are in development as we speak. We’re excited about the apps and what it will provide for our members. Sound kits, bulk sales, and a few other features we can’t speak on yet are coming too. We just hope our members stick around for the journey with us.