Perfect your craft. Continue to push yourself as an artist and always think of new ideas to break out of the typical mold. Carry a notepad around if this is not a habit already. Write down any possible song ideas or rhymes that come to your head.
Release a demo. Produce a demo on your own or go to a studio and have yours produced for a fee. Although the equipment to produce a solid demo is expensive, it will save you money in the long run. Check Craigs List ads in your area for local producers as well. Go to the Record Production website (See References) for producing techniques and equipment.
Book shows. Go to clubs in your area that create the most buzz. Give your demo CD to the owner. Continue to perform even if you may have to start out at unknown venues. Once you create a buzz you will have a greater chance of opening for a big name act.
Post your music on MySpace. Go to the MySpace website and click "Sign Up." Click "If You are a Musician, Click Here." Create a profile and upload your songs. Add record labels as friends. Link your MySpace profile to other social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This will create buzz for your material as well.
Create a YouTube profile. Go to the YouTube website and click "Create Account." Use a webcam or invest in a high-end video camera. Upload videos of you rapping the songs off of your demo. If producers like what they see and hear they may send you a message. Go to the Web Video Zone website (See References) for how to upload videos.
Sell your demo on the streets and at shows. A solid price is between $5-10 depending on the quality and the amount of money that you invested in the production.
Acquire contacts. An overwhelming majority of record labels sign artists from word of mouth rather than by listening to demos received in the mail. Go to the Get Signed website (See References) to purchase a list of contacts for producers and labels. This list contains cell phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses of some of the top producers in the game.