Rollout Roundup: Breaking Down the Best Rollouts of the Week - 9.13.24
This week we dive into the rollouts of Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, and Nemahsis.
Welcome back to Rollout Roundup, where I break down the best (and worst) marketing rollout moves of the week. If you’re new here, thanks for reading! My name is Olivia, and I own a music marketing company called Amethyst Collab, where I work with GRAMMY-winning, Billboard-charting artists on creative rollout strategies with a focus on digital marketing. Let’s dive in!
Kendrick Lamar - (Single)
Strengths: Coming off some of the biggest moments of his (already impressive) career, Kendrick’s single drop arrived just in time. Earlier this week, Apple announced Kendrick Lamar will be headlining the Super Bowl in 2025. He used his announcement video to throw an extra layer of shade on to Drake, letting him now he won’t get a chance for a “round2” after losing his beef with Kendrick earlier this year. His use of visuals and tendency to drop music via YouTube first, announcing with a direct link on Twitter, has gotten fans excited for a more active year from the rapper. Kendrick has been more active with singles this year, and fans are already speculating an album is near.
Room for improvement: Kendrick has found his groove this year, and I’m not sure there’s much more left to be desired from his exciting rollouts. However, for the album, I would love to see a rare sit-down interview with Kendrick to unpack the legendary year he has had. This would be most impactful in video form, with someone thoughtful, maybe even in a barber shop episode with Lebron. IYKYK.
Playboi Carti - ALL RED (Single)
Strengths: Playboi Carti has the power to stop the world, or at least the internet, with his mysterious hints and anxious fan speculations. But this time around, Carti has taken a new approach. He has done some street interviews during fashion week, and been active on social media, a rare move from the rapper who has spent the past few years in ghost mode. It’s great to see his fans getting fed again, and is an example of the wider trend in music marketing: fans no longer want mystery, they want to know you.
Room for improvement: Carti is overdue for a new set of professional press photos. I would love to see a few concept shoots from him too, given his knack for creativity and fashion. I could see a, “Artists on Artists” type of interview with him and a peer of a different genre (maybe collaborator Camila Cabello?) being a fun step outside of the box for Carti.
Nemahsis - Verbathim (Album)
Strengths: This rollout is a masterclass in overcoming the hurdles that independent artists face, and pulling off a successful, truly independent rollout. Nemahsis has consistently shown up with visuals, photo eras, and a strong social media presence to engage her core fan base leading up to the release and her mainstream debut. However, there’s more to this story than meets the eye. The arrival of this album comes after Nemahsis was dropped from her label just days after signing, due to her being visibly Palestinian and Muslim. Not only did she not let the trauma of that horrific moment of racism stop her, but she emerged stronger. I have faith this will only be a footnote it was is likely to be a long and triumphant career for the budding artist.
Room for improvement: I saw her do some great video interviews with Canadian platforms, but this is a story that deserves to be heard far and wide. I would suggest doing a full editorial shoot with a notable international magazine, where Nemahsis sits down with Palestinian designers and a Muslim interviewer to thoughtfully break down how this album defines her.