The MC Lars Lit-Hop Academy
How can I become a professional musician and achieve my career goals?
What are the secrets to making my best work, marketing, and monetizing it?
What does it take to become a full-time DIY artist?
If you have ever contemplated any of these questions, you are not alone. With so much emphasis these days on algorithms, the merits of different streaming platforms, and monetization, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
I believe that with a small amount of technical knowledge, music theory, and passion, it is possible to find your audience and begin your journey as a successful DIY musician. My 25 year career is a testament to this and I want to share what I’ve learned.
With private one-on-one Zoom classes and in-depth, close collaboration on demos and promotional strategies the MC Lars Lit-Hop Academy has helped students of all backgrounds and experience levels.
If you are interested in applying for our upcoming semester, please fill out the form to the right. If it seems like we might be a good fit, I will email you back with a potential schedule and prices. Thank you!
Apply Here
Testimonials
“I decided to sign up for the Lit-Hop Academy in early 2020. Lars made it extremely easy to schedule, and he’s extremely flexible. The sessions are one hour long each, I ended up doing 5 total sessions. Out of the gate, he had me read some incredible literature, including a book called Other People’s Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America by Jason Tanz.
Each session, Lars would go through really anything I wanted to discuss, including writing techniques, obtaining beats, mixing/mastering, independent home production, marketing, merchandising etc. He would provide listening assignments which included some incredible albums by Nas, MF Doom, and many more. Then, you would have a writing/recording assignment to write and record a demo based on guidelines he sets (no spoilers!) due by the next class. I walked away from the academy with a nice little demo, which was super rad! I’ll probably be taking a song or two from that to the studio as well.
Personally, I have been doing live performance and recording for 20 years. Lars really pushed me to think more outside of the box and really work on writing. He’s extremely encouraging, constantly praising the work, but critiquing it to help give you ideas on how to make it better. It was nice getting some 1x1 time with one of the top players in the nerd rap game and getting that real time feedback. If you’re someone looking to tighten up the nerd rap laces, or if you’re putting those shoes on for the very first time, I encourage you to book ONE session and see how that goes. I guarantee you’ll book a second one.” - Ryan Francis (a.k.a. “Huge Euge”)
Let’s flow like Poe!
“I started my learning with MC Lars Lit-Hop Academy in February 2021 to understand more about songwriting and develop some musical ideas kicking around inside my brain. I have been around music for many years, have many musician friends, and play drums to some degree myself, but everything else was new to me. Moreover, a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, I’ve never been able to fully develop my own musical ideas because I simply couldn’t physically play or communicate them. As a result, I would often give up trying. What choice did I have? MC Lars changed that from the first time I met him.
When I told him I couldn’t expand my ideas, he simply encouraged me to write what I know. When I encountered obstacles learning the technology I use to articulate my ideas, he went through programs and software with me. Sometimes, we learned together. No matter what we learned; I learned. Where others might have told me to stop, he said, ‘Keep going forward.’ In doing so I’ve learned so much more than I could have hoped in the beginning. MC Lars put together a program that worked for me. He provides constructive feedback and insightful suggestions.
That’s the great thing about Lit-Hop Academy. It has structure, which helped me greatly too, but the program is tailored to the capabilities, needs, and desired learning goals of the student. I’m now working on my own album! That would have never happened without Lit-Hop Academy. Thanks, Lars!” - Rev. Chris Wylie (a.k.a. “DJ Pastor Rock”)