Mike Zombie. (Image via musictrainonline.com)

If you're a rapper or hip-hop artist who thinks all you can do to get noticed is throw your mixes on SoundCloud for free and hope for the best, keep reading. There are other opportunities – and more hopeful ones – out there for those willing to work to find them. Fortunately, you have access to the wisdom of those who made it before you so you can learn and access those opportunities more quickly.

Since starting his career at the young age of 14, rapper and record producer Mike Zombie has made massive moves. Now 23, he's already been named one of BET's "10 Young Producers on the Rise," produced songs for mainstream sensations like DJ Khaled, and dropped his debut album this past January. This October, he'll be performing at the A3C Hip Hop Festival, the massive Atlanta event that serves as a platform for artists, academics, and organizations within the industry to come together to talk about hip-hop's place in music, film, fashion, and culture as a whole.

In a #SonicbidsChat on August 12, we asked Mike Zombie questions on getting started in the industry, staying motivated, pitfalls to avoid, and much more. Check out the great advice he gave below.

As the summer starts to wind down, one of the biggest hip-hop festivals you don't want to miss, the A3C Hip Hop Festival, is now just around the corner. The five days in October in Atlanta are really a festival and conference rolled into one, as there will be both hundreds of live performers and industry vets using the event as a platform to talk about developments in the hip-hop community, speaking on topics such as brands, the media, film, and its place in our culture as a whole. A3C has featured huge hip-hop artists like J. Cole and B.o.B., and this year will bring headliners De La Soul and Rakim to the stage. If you'd like to share the bill and take advantage of an amazing networking and learning opportunity, apply now for free before the application fee increases to $50 on September 1, 2015.

Since 2005, A3C has featured over 130 Sonicbids artists, and a lot of them have gone on to do even more great things after performing at the fest. Check out a handful of the success stories below. They'll be sure to inspire you.

Sy Ari Da Kid. (Image via respectthenext.com)

Making it in hip-hop ain't easy. When everyone in the industry is clamoring for attention, it seems like the best thing to do is post your mixes on SoundCloud for free and just hope for the best. But there's a lot more you can do to get noticed, play the shows you want to play, and make meaningful connections.

Hip-hop artist Sy Ari Da Kid built his music career through festivals A3C in Atlanta, which creates a huge platform for artists, academics, and organizations within the industry to come together to talk about hip-hop's place in music, film, fashion, and our culture as a whole. This year, Sy Ari will be performing at the event once again, showcasing just how far he's come.

In Sonicbids' first-ever Twitter chat on July 1, aspiring artists used the hashtag #SonicbidsChat to ask Sy Ari their burning questions about making it as a hip-hop artist, standing out, and having the right attitude, among many other topics. Check out the great advice he gave below.

Image via chanceraps.com

In a contemporary world of digital music consumption, mass piracy, rising DIY careers, and free music, hip-hop artists are releasing both albums and mixtapes to gain fans and profit, but the line is blurring. Which is more valuable for an aspiring rapper: a mixtape or album? Fans or profit? And, maybe most importantly, at what point can an artist begin to profit?

Image courtesy of Jeary Sylves

Blending his love for poetry, teaching, and music, hip-hop artist Jeary Sylves offers a deeper look into the soul. After playing the 2013 A3C Hip Hop Festival in Atlanta, GA, Sylves went on to headline the Dunkxchange Sneaker Festival in Hawaii. More recently, Sylves has been working on his upcoming release, Abstract Expressionism. Through personal hardships and balancing a career as a college educator and musician, Sylves let us in on how his passions and dedication to inspiring others drive him to create.