Internet Money is hard to define. Is it a label? Not really, although Taz Taylor’s company has a sub-label deal with Interscope and Alamo. Are they a media agency? We’re getting closer, especially since it’s been announced that the crew has commissioned a reality show pilot from the people that brought you Keeping Up with the Kardashians…

Established in the L.A. mansion that type beats bought, Internet Money is a de facto roaster gathering up-and-coming artists of the hip hop world under one roof. In recent years, this entreprise has become a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, partly because its members - which include notorious beatmakers such as Nick Mira and E-Trou - have refused to play by pre-established rules.

Not only Internet Money is ahead of most so-called “internet producers”, it’s also catching up with a lot of big producers in the game. Here are the couple reasons the enterprise is ahead of the pack :

HUSTLE TO FLOW

Taz Taylor has a clear origin story. A high school dropout, he started making beats to help his sick mother. He was encouraged by his first sale, but instead of being satisfied with a few hundred dollars a month, he took this new hobby as a chance to hustle and get his name out there.

Taylor gained notoriety by contacting as many rappers as possible on Twitter, as well as uploading his beats on YouTube. He is clear on the subject, in today’s industry, you can’t simply upload your beats online and hope to get discovered. You have to get your name out there and create connections with artists by making the first steps.

As talented as he is, Taylor is the first to recognize he is where he is today because of his business skills, more than his creative talents.

Some more established producers see this as one of the main cause for the decline of the traditional music industry. Many have come out against “type beat producers” in general, and Internet Money in particular. This kind of controversy shouldn’t surprise anyone who is familiar with the history of art. Progress is hardly welcomed by those it leaves behind.

COMPANY ETHICS

So, a lot of hip hop producers are getting screwed right now, often being denied credits on a track, or having to fight to get the money that is owed them. Taz Taylor certainly has his reservations about the music industry, having had is fair share of tribulations, and that’s perhaps why he is fighting to force the mentalities to evolve.

Internet Money has clear ethics, putting the producer forward has a crucial player in the game. The company always make sure artists and producers gat what is owed them, and with a catalog including Drake, Juice WRLD and Rich the Kid placements, they’re starting to have an imposing voice in the industry.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Taz Taylor doesn’t believe in the cult of the producer, and doesn’t think the producer should ever overshadow the artist. This way of thinking separates him from all the beatmakers who want to be as respected as Metro Boomin. He has often stated that he would rather be the next Jimmy Iovine, the next big executive / A&R.

Taylor says he spends less and less time working on music, which doesn’t mean he doesn’t produce. The term producer can mean different things in the music industry. It completely varies from a musical genre to the next. A rock producer, for instance, will rarely pick up an instrument; it would be seen as an insult.

The Internet Money roaster try to keep the beat simple, just enough to suggest a mood or a vibe to the artist, while maintaining plenty of leeway for additional production, or simply for layered vocals. Otherwise said, a producer can overwork a beat and cumulate overdubs, but the track won’t start until the artist gets on it.

COMMUNITY FIRST

Another strong suit of Internet Money is the community that surrounds it. As well as beat leases, the company has provided producers with drum kits, VST expansions and other goodies that help aspiring artists to reach their goals.

You can also see a lot of tutorials and sessions for free on YouTube, an extension of Internet Money former initiative to invite producers from major cities to small conventions held in AirBnbs around the US.

In the same vein, Taz Taylor has transformed his mention in a true creative hotspot, inviting established artists and up-and-comers in their built-in studio.

In a few year, Internet Money has managed to build a faithful following that will only grow from here.