Cash Kings 2012 (Profitable Pathos)

Cash Kings 2012 is a list of hip hop's top earners of the year. It features legends the likes of Dr. Dre and Eminem, and boasted a collective income of $415 million in 2012 alone. Wiz Khalifa was in the top 10 earning artists on that list. This is just three short years after launching his DayToday series, which was evidently critical to his success based on the quantitative data of his Twitter following.

So What?

Profitable Pathos

As addressed on the DayToday link on this wiki, pathos is especially important to the success of Wiz's series. His fans are able not only to relate to him and his lifestyle, but be inspired by his success living it as well. While everyone has their own idea of what success means, the idea that profitability is central business success is common for most organizations. Based on Wiz's lyrics and digital series, this idea is the cornerstone for his philosophy. That fact that he has joined the ranks of the highest paid hip hop artists on the planet today answers, at least to some extent, the so what? question that extracts the value of any statement. Success as he seems to define it has been achieved on some level for him. The same could happen for any other artist willing and able to put in the commitment, consistent effort, and novel enthusiasm necessary to succeed in today's industry.

The keys to success are numerous, and vary based on each artist's individual strengths. For some such as Wiz Khalifa, being an animated character seems to work. His keys to success were audience engagement, sensual stimulation, and the offering of a vicarious thrill. The process of finding your own individual strengths is a personal one.

However, it is clear from the evidence of Wiz Khalifa's financial success that the use of digital media can be a lucrative route for musicians and artists wiling and able to make the connections necessary to generate quantitative results in the areas of sales, followers, and all areas reflective of one's market value. Use digital media to your advantage, and you may be the next to enter the ranks of the highest earning members of your field.

References:

"Cash Kings 2012: Hip-Hop's Top Earners - Forbes." Information for the World's Business Leaders - Forbes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Dec. 2012. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2012/09/05/cash-kings-2012-hip-hops-top-earners/>.

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