Connor Price Broke the Mold: How an Unsigned Rapper Built a Global Hip-Hop Audience

Oct 24

You Don’t need a Deal to Win

Connor Price is the proof that you don’t need a record deal to win in 2025. The Toronto-born rapper scaled from skits to stadium chants using a family-run operation, relentless content, and a collaboration engine that spotlights indie artists worldwide.

Why He Matters (and Why He’s Still Unsigned)

In a recent Billboard Canada cover story, Price spells out why he isn’t signing with a label: ownership, control, and speed. The same piece credits him with over two billion streams built on his own terms and documents how his DIY strategy became a playbook other independents study. It also traces the rise of his viral Spin The Globe series—pairing him with artists from Zambia to India—and shows how those collabs changed other artists’ careers, too.

The Playbook

Make the internet your A&R. Price iterates in public, pressure-testing choruses on Shorts and scaling winners—exactly the ethos he describes in Billboard Canada.
Collaborate to expand the map. The Spin The Globe concept didn’t just grow his audience; it pushed collaborators to radio and interviews in their home markets.
Keep the releases coming. With 100+ tracks out before his first LP, he primed fans for an album moment. His debut, About Time, arrived September 26, 2025.
Tour like a startup. He’s converted online demand into global dates, with new stops listed on Songkick and primary ticketing via Ticketmaster.

Impact by the Numbers

2B+ streams to date as an independent artist.
Viral series that regularly posts multi‑million‑view clips and spikes collaborator metrics, as outlined in the cover story.
Growing hard tickets across North America and Europe.

Key Releases

About Time (album, 2025) — debut LP after years of singles and EPs; announced and rolled out independently.
Standout singles from the Spin The Globe era continue to lead discovery on streaming and socials.

What You Can Learn

Independence is a system, not a slogan. Treat content like R&D, keep feedback loops tight, and ship often.
Collab with purpose. Choose partners who open new regions and communities—not just playlists.
Own the calendar. Without label bottlenecks, you can drop when momentum peaks (and pause when it doesn’t).
Build a family business. The people who know you best can be your most aligned team.

Keep the Momentum Going

If this blueprint lit a fire, back an indie today: save a song, buy a tee, or grab a ticket. And if you’re an independent artist, post a story with your latest link and the city you’re building in—then commit to one consistent release or content cadence for the next 30 days. Momentum starts with a single push.