Life Wide Open with CboysTV

Episode: "Viral Rapper Connor Price Doesn't Need A Label"
Release Date: April 11, 2023

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, the CboysTV crew sits down with viral rapper and songwriter Connor Price for a candid discussion on music, career pivots, the independent artist grind, and building a brand in today's social media-driven world. The conversation flows from Connor's early start as a child actor to his breakthrough as a music artist, his innovative use of social media, the realities of the music business without a label, and maintaining authenticity. The tone is light, open, and often humorous, with insightful anecdotes for anyone interested in content creation or the music industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Meeting Connor Price & Early Career

• CboysTV introduce Connor Price as their frequent YouTube soundtrack artist and viral rapper (01:32).
• Connor's unique background in acting is discussed, beginning at age 6, leading to early exposure to LA and eventually to his music journey (03:02–07:56).

Growing Up as a Child Actor

• Connor reveals how growing up in a family of five, with two twin siblings, influenced his start in acting and later, in music (06:27).
• The crew debates the pitfalls for child stars, parental involvement, and the setup of Coogan accounts to protect young actors’ earnings (08:08–10:55).
  • QUOTE (Connor Price, 09:57):
    “Finally someone knows because I talked about this... there's this famous child actor named Jackie Coogan... his parents spent it all and he was broke by the time he was 18. So they set up a Coogan account.”

Transitioning to Music: Influences & Mindset

• Connor describes his early love for hip hop, inspired by his older brother, listening to artists like Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, and discovering the independent scene on YouTube (13:30–14:03).
• His early music was released anonymously due to fear of judgment and wanting to prove he was good on merit, not just as "the actor guy."
  • QUOTE (Connor Price, 16:16):
    "My number one regret in life is, is I genuinely was worried about what people would think. I was worried about what my friends would think... if I want to start rapping, I just knew all the eyes would roll, and rightfully so.”

Breaking Out on Social Media

• Connor details the critical role his wife, Brianna, plays in his team, from marketing to management, and the fully DIY approach to content and music production (22:07).
• The origin of his viral "Spin the Globe" series:
  • Idea sparked by Brianna to market a collab song with Zambian artist Killa, which became a format for discovering and promoting underrated international artists (21:32–25:32).
  • QUOTE (Connor Price, 22:43):
    “She’s the one who... her background is in ... marketing. So now she treats my songs as the products. She’s full time my manager, we work together, and that's... all I have on my team. I’m independent, no label. It’s just me and her.”

Power of Virality: “Spin the Globe” Impact

• Series exploded on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram reels.
  • First “Spin the Globe” video did 70 million views on TikTok and transformed both Connor’s and featured artists’ careers (21:32–27:31).
  • Connor gives all international collab artists primary artist status on Spotify, granting them much larger growth and royalties (25:55).
  • “Spinning” became the #1 song, particularly in motorsports Instagram circles.

Independence vs. Labels: The Independent Ethos

• Connor breaks down why labels don’t appeal to him:
  • He enjoys creating and marketing his content (30:14).
  • Labels generally offer advances that are loans, take large cuts, and recoup first, often leaving artists with little revenue (32:04–33:07).
    • QUOTE (Connor Price, 32:04):
      “The way that advances work is, it’s recoupable. It’s technically a loan. So... they take 80%.... You’re left with 20%... but the first million you make off your 20 goes to them.”
  • Labels have “gatekeepers,” while being independent gives full creative and release control (35:30).

Streaming Revenue Reality Check

• Connor gives real numbers on streaming payouts:
  • $4,000 per 1 million Spotify streams; his catalog did 60 million streams in the last 28 days.
  • Monetization is strong only if you have high volume and own the masters (35:31–36:10).
• Comparison to YouTube revenue and how ad length, content type, and category matter (36:21–37:15).

Branding, Originality, and Staying Ahead

• Maintaining authenticity (not swearing in music) expanded his audience and set him apart (49:43–51:21).
• The importance of innovation—Connor resists being boxed in as just “the remix guy” or “the globe guy,” and strives to keep developing new formats (44:36–46:45).
• Handling imitation:
  • Other artists and creators copying his viral formats. Team discusses flattery vs. frustration, and why real success comes from authenticity and consistent innovation (53:34–56:36).
    • QUOTE (Connor Price, 56:36):
      “That’s why I’m thinking of... doing something different and something new... people are always playing catch up with me. And at the end of the day, your legacy will be innovators.”

Content Creation Tips & Mindset

• Advice to aspiring musicians and YouTubers:
  • Don't focus on gear–start with what you have (iPhones are fine).
  • Consistency and self-education are crucial. If you don’t want it badly enough, you won’t follow through daily (41:55).
  • Innovate and add your own spin, rather than copying trends (57:02).
  • Shadow people you admire and offer value to learn (59:35).

Collaborations, Networking, and Dream Projects

• Connor's collabs with artists worldwide (Idris Elba, Nick D).
• His dream collaborations: Drake, Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), Russ (72:25).
• Nick D’s meta-advice: “You Don’t Want It Bad Enough” (41:55).

Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |-----------|---------|----------------| | 09:57 | Connor Price | “...this famous child actor named Jackie Coogan...so they set up a Coogan account...” | | 16:16 | Connor Price | "My number one regret in life is, is I genuinely was worried about what people would think..." | | 22:43 | Connor Price | “She’s the one who...her background is in ... marketing. So now she treats my songs as the products. She’s full time my manager...” | | 21:32 | CboysTV | “I remember when you dropped the Spin the Globe challenge, and that was like the first video that went like, viral, viral, right.” | | 25:55 | Connor Price | “I own the masters. And so I’m giving all these artists, a percentage of the song, and they're all earning off. Off of the song.” | | 32:04 | Connor Price | “The way that advances work is, it’s recoupable. It’s technically a loan. So…they take 80%.... You’re left with 20%...” | | 36:06 | Connor Price | “...my catalog has done 60 million streams...” | | 44:53 | Connor Price | “[On breaking out of the remix box] ...I just stuck with it and soon enough the content ended up working. But yeah, definitely go, go all in on your original music.” | | 51:21 | Connor Price | “I started to realize that I swear as, like a crutch…now writing’s more difficult, which is fine, because now I'm challenging myself.” | | 56:36 | Connor Price | “...keep innovating...so that people are always playing catch up with me. And at the end of the day, your legacy will be innovators...” |

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Connor’s Background & Move to Vegas: 02:55–05:47
• Acting Childhood & Child Stars Discussion: 06:27–12:14
• Discovering Hip Hop & Early Music Attempt: 13:30–15:38
• Anonymous Beginnings & Overcoming Fear: 16:01–17:47
• Viral Breakthrough: “Spin the Globe”: 21:24–26:46
• Music Business Insights & Anti-label Mindset: 30:12–35:30
• Streaming Payouts and Monetization: 35:30–37:15
• Content, Innovation, and Series Burnout: 43:11–46:45
• Swearing, Positivity, and Songwriting Process: 48:28–51:21
• On Copiers & Staying Original: 53:27–56:58
• Advice for New Creators: 57:02–59:19
• Final Thoughts, Collaborations, and Aspirations: 71:27–74:18

Memorable Moments

• Connor’s “Spin the Globe” honesty: Admits the viral challenge was a planned idea, not random fate, revealing the behind-the-scenes of viral content (22:39).
• Heartfelt gratitude to CboysTV for early support and their role in expanding his audience (19:04, 20:31).
• On innovation: The entire crew and Connor agree “don’t get stuck being ‘the globe guy’ or ‘the shifter cart channel’”—always evolve (44:36, 56:36).
• Family-friendly rap pays off: A personal story about how avoiding swearing enables parents to share his music with their kids (51:21).
• Transparency about streaming income—rare in such detail (35:31–36:10).

Takeaways

• Full control as an independent artist triumphed over the temptation of label deals: Connor’s team is just him and his wife, keeping overhead low and output (both musical and content) authentic and agile.
• Social media has democratized music: One viral trend can connect cultures, launch careers, and break artists globally overnight.
• Authenticity and innovation win: Stay true to yourself, create consistently, and keep evolving to avoid stagnation or being overtaken by imitators.
• Provide value, be persistent: Success in content or music creation is more about consistency, adaptability, and hustle than expensive gear or initial connections.

For More

• Check out Connor Price’s music on all streaming platforms.
• Follow him on Instagram: @connorprice_
• For aspiring artists and creators: Review his Spotify playlist for copyright-free tracks, and keep an eye out for collaborations with CboysTV.