As CEO of American Talent Agency, one of my principal job demands is to secure tours and promotional opportunities for my artists including Akon, T-Pain, Big Boi, Missy Elliott, and Busta Rhymes, along with many others. But business aside, touring often has greater, more profound social ramifications in many of the countries we visit.
As CEO of American Talent Agency, one of my principal job demands is to secure tours and promotional opportunities for my artists including Akon, T-Pain, Big Boi, Missy Elliott, and Busta Rhymes, along with many others. But business aside, touring often has greater, more profound social ramifications in many of the countries we visit.
Until the early 2000s, Africa was a continent largely ignored by big name international talent. War, violence, corruption, and poverty scared away much-needed business and tourism. However, as an agent and entrepreneur, taking my artists there made perfect sense. The continent has over 1 billion people and for many hip hop artists Africa is the motherland. I also think urban music speaks to African fans—they relate to its themes of struggle and are inspired by its message of hope. The artists embody survival and triumph—the power of the human spirit.
At the dawn of the 20th century, some countries, like Angola and Uganda, had recently emerged from years of civil unrest, and reputable promotion companies were working with governments to produce big concerts as a means to secure favorable press, drive tourism, and stimulate the economy. In 2007, American Talent Agency booked 50 Cent for a concert in Angola that defined to me what our work is all about. The country had been organizing a series of events to showcase their post-civil war development. On the day of the concert, the stadium was packed. As 50 took the stage and his beats swept over the stadium, people hugged each other, cried tears of joy, and high-fived one another. Fathers lifted their sons onto their shoulders to get a better look; college students hoisted their cell phones into the air for photos; women fainted. People who did not speak English as a first language rapped along with 50 Cent, who, by the looks on his face, was bowled over by the love of his fans halfway around the world.
50’s concert in Angola was a landmark, not just for us, but for the country. After his show, the government poured millions of dollars into infrastructure, building a new stadium, hospitals, schools, and roads. Companies came in and introduced cell phone service. And it was just the tip of the iceberg for ATA. Over the years, 50 Cent has returned to Africa multiple times. And Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, R Kelly, and Akon, our Senegalese king, never miss an opportunity to do so. After years of hardship in so many of these African nations, it has been amazing to see our artists involved in their rebirth, kicking off the dawn of a new era.
My experiences touring Africa have proven to me the power of urban music as an agent of positive social change. In many of the African countries my clients have played, ATA’s artists have been instrumental in stimulating the economy, growing tourism, changing perceptions about a destination, and aiding in the development of infrastructure. I’ve witnessed our artists bring light into people’s eyes and forge connection and understanding where there was once none. Now I go back to places I visited years ago—Angola, Nigeria, Uganda— and while things are by no means perfect, I see tangible improvements: new roads, hospitals, and schools. We’ve directly impacted people’s lives. Is there anything more rewarding than that?
I am proud to bring American Talent Agency’s artists to Africa, especially as our roster grows to include artists like Busta Rythmes, T Pain, Sean Paul, and Kelly Rowland. We are all proud to be a part of the sea of people united by the language of hip hop.
