DJ Many is one of the few artists in the Caribbean not solely focused on reggae, dancehall, or soca; instead, he is reaping financial success by forging his own path with a Minecraft song.
Many, who is from St. Croix Virgin Island shares with WMV how the power of optimizing the internet can make things blow up. He also shares the story of his evolution—from his early days on internet radio, working with Delly Ranks to get dancehall tracks viral on YouTube, to now, the unexpected success of his collaboration with YouTube rock band Terabrite and Tobuscus and the viral and song, “I Can Swing My Sword.”
The animated song which has a Minecraft style music video to match has been streamed on 120 million times on YouTube and has more than 10 million Spotify streams. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association Of America on December 7, 2023 for selling 500,000 units in streams and sales equivalent units in the US – Many’s first certification in the US.
There is something uniquely new wave about a song made for a game being certified Gold, but artist like Travis Scott have built entire virtual worlds and hosted concerts with millions of people online using Fortnight.
Over 12 million participants in the battle-royale video game Fortnite attended a 10-minute virtual concert featuring a digital representation of Travis Scott. During this unprecedented event, the virtual Travis Scott traversed a beach, ascended a tower against a dramatic blood-red sky, and propelled audience members into outer space.
Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, hailed it as the game’s most significant event to date. Over the course of three days, with four replays included, a staggering 27.7 million unique gamers engaged in the digital concert, accumulating a total of 45.8 million views. The remarkable success of this virtual experience played a pivotal role in propelling “THE SCOTTS,” by Travis featuring Kid Kudi which premiered during the Fortnite event, to debut at the top of the Hot 100 chart in May 2020 Pitchfork reported.
Minecraft has also etched its place in history as the best-selling video game, boasting a staggering 300 million copies sold and amassing a dedicated player base of nearly 140 million monthly active users as of 2023. This unprecedented success has prompted the game’s adaptation to numerous platforms, solidifying its influence and cultural impact.
Who are you and where are you from?
I am DJ Many from the Virgin Islands, St. Croix to be exact.
Is there a big music scene there?
We have R. City, etc.
How did you get into the music industry?
I started off with internet radio about 15 years ago. Always loving music, I would dig online to find hidden gems. I worked extensively with Delly Ranks in 2010, launching dancehall into the YouTube sphere. Dancehall didn’t really have a place on YouTube in 2010; there were no dancehall riddims back in those days. We really helped push that.
What was your first upload?
It had to be a Delly Ranks riddim. I was talking to him about the importance of YouTube. The rest is history.
Tell me about the song “I Can Swing My Sword” featuring Tobuscus and Terabrite.
The song was originally produced by Terabrite, a rock band that’s big on YouTube. I did my verse and the distribution. Terabrite lives in Florida. I hooked up with them online through Tobi. It was on YouTube first, then I put it out on streaming after seeing it do millions on YouTube.
Who are the fans of this music?
People who love games, people who love Minecraft.
You’re deep into Minecraft?
It’s a game I like to play off and on. I am still deep into the music more than anything.
Have you gotten any record deals since your success?
Never got a record deal. Labels will call, but it’s never anything substantial.
How much money have you made from selling 500,000 records?
It’s a lot, upper six figures. There is a YouTube version that Tobi has control over, and I would say Tobi is over a million dollars because YouTube pays more than Spotify. The money is crazy.
How many streams does the YouTube music video have? Do you get any of the YouTube money?
120 million combined, and I don’t care about that; that’s his bread. As the record label, we make so much money on the streaming side. We’re not here to say ‘let me touch that.’
Who owns the masters?
The masters are on my side. As the record label, I own the masters on the streaming side, and Tobi owns them on the YouTube side.
Do you have children?
No.
What drives you to keep making music?
Just the love of the music itself. I want to take my time, focus on my music, build my thing up.
What do you have coming in 2024?
There is a huge record label that I have a crazy collab with. I am still independent, not signing anything like that. Just imagine how me and Tobi did it, but me and one of the labels gonna team up with their artist and make something happen. Still independent though unless I hear something that sounds right. If it’s not doing right, we don’t really need it.
So this is a lane you carve for yourself?
It’s a lane I was forced into. It’s funny; I wanted to get a deal when I was younger, and it never came, that deal never came. That is something I want to tell the younger youths because sometimes the music you’re making is not commercially acceptable to these higher heads, so you have to do your thing and maintain your own ship.
What is one luxury purchase you have made since getting your gold plaque?
I am a humble youth, not caught up in the flashy things. I might take trips here and there, but I am not really trying to buy a fancy car. I drive a little something, but I have a business to manage. A lot of artists, their downfall is when they get an advance, they might get a million from their label and they buy the biggest chain, the fastest car, and the biggest house, but that money is supposed to be spent to invest in your music. I have seen the pitfalls of a lot of artists because I have been in this game for over a decade, so I learn not to do those types of things.
How do you optimize your YouTube so it takes off the way you and Tobi have?
It’s an algorithm thing. Post it on Reddit to get your video to go viral and share it organically on Twitter with the link. Reddit is a key place; it’s really underrated and a powerful place to get something to go viral. Probably millions of rooms on Reddit, and if it has a catchy element, it’s gonna catch.
How can other artists sell Gold like you?
Be strategic and have more control over their music. A lot of dancehall artists have no control over their career. I was watching Nicki Minaj Kai Cenat stream; that will get you to the next level to bridge the gap to the next generation. Same thing Delly Ranks did with me. If you keep trying to look for the next thing, you are gonna see success.
Watch full interview here:
