In the music industry's current climate, where content drops faster than it charts, talent isn't always enough. Especially not in hip-hop. The artists gaining real traction today aren't just releasing songs; they're building stories, shaping personas, and curating identities in real time. Behind some of those names, often working behind the scenes, is Vincent de Boer, a 25-year-old marketing strategist from Groningen, in the Netherlands. De Boer's core belief is this: in 2025, artists—especially rappers—need to think of themselves as brands.

More Than Just the Music

"Your bars can be fire. Your flow can be sharp," Vincent says. "But if no one understands who you are or what you stand for, you're just a voice in between a couple of scrolls."

Vincent runs Socials, a full-service marketing agency based in Groningen. While its name might sound like it belongs to the startup world, its focus lies squarely in music and culture. The agency has carved out its space with emerging hip-hop talent looking to move from just making music to making an impact. Vincent says they found their niche with artists confident in their craft but unsure how to communicate it. That’s where he steps in—not just as a marketer, but as a quiet co-architect of their public voice.

"When I do it right," he says, "you don't even know I'm there. You just think the artist figured it out."

Helping Artists Find Their Voice

He describes his work as helping artists define their identity in a way that feels real while aligning with modern attention spans and digital platforms. "You're 18, hungry, dropping tracks on SoundCloud. Suddenly people are watching. Now there's pressure—to dress a certain way, post more, say the right things. But if you don’t take time to define who you are, that pressure breaks you. Or worse, turns you into a watered-down version of yourself."

Branding, he says, isn’t about pretending. It’s about remembering who you are—and making sure your content reflects it.

Building Structure Around Raw Talent

Vincent's approach is hands-on. He’s worked with MCs, trap artists, and producers at various stages. Most had solid sound, but lacked a coherent message. “You're already branding yourself,” he says. “You're just doing it by accident.”

He’s helped artists move from scattered visuals and low-impact posts to curated releases with intentional story arcs. One artist he worked with had under 1,000 monthly listeners and no clear aesthetic. They did a full reset—voice, visuals, tone. Within four months, the artist had their first festival booking, press coverage, and a growing base of real listeners.

"Sometimes," he adds, "the difference isn’t new music—it’s new clarity."

Branding Before the Buzz

He believes branding starts well before merch or label meetings. "Most artists treat branding like it's something you do after the album drops. That’s backwards. Your brand is the why behind the music. If you can’t answer why someone should care, they won’t."

His process is more excavation than construction. It’s not about adding layers—it’s about uncovering the real ones.

From Zero Followers to Real Presence

“Some of the best artists I’ve worked with started with no followers and no clue how to talk about themselves,” he says. “But once we cracked their voice—not the rap voice, the why-I-make-music-at-all voice—everything changed.”

To him, it’s not about aesthetics. It’s about gravity. Presence. That quality that makes someone hard to ignore. And to build that, you have to stop hiding. He’s even paused campaigns mid-way when he felt the artist wasn’t grounded in who they were yet. “I once asked an artist what they’d want written on their gravestone if the industry ate them alive,” he says. “They didn’t have an answer. That told me we weren’t ready.”

Style vs. Substance

He doesn’t advocate for polish for its own sake. In fact, he warns against overproduced visuals that lack soul. “You don’t need a photoshoot before you’ve figured out what story you’re telling. That’s just packaging. First, define the message.”

The artists who stand out, he says, are the ones who’ve done the hard inner work. Who know what they speak from and what makes them different.

Identity Under Pressure

The second your music connects, the pressure begins. That’s why his agency focuses on building identity before exposure. “Suddenly you're not a kid with a laptop—you’re a product. And if you haven’t built your foundation, you’re going to fold. Or worse, change into something you’re not.”

He’s seen what happens when an artist finally figures out their voice. One young producer he worked with changed everything—not his sound, but how he showed up. “Same beats,” Vincent says, “but now people felt him. The confidence leaked into the music. The collabs, the press, the trust—it all came after that.”

Meaning Over Metrics

Vincent’s not chasing trends. He’s helping artists build something real. “Music without meaning is forgettable,” he says. “And a brand without blood in it? That’s just noise dressed up in Helvetica.”

There are shortcuts—fake numbers, hype tactics—but he doesn’t believe they hold. “Eventually, that mirror cracks. And when it does, all that’s left is the truth. The question is—will you still recognize yourself?”

He hopes the answer is yes. And if not yet, he’s ready to help you figure it out.