Fellas, Fellas, it’s time for me to shed light on ways to get in the industry, without picking up a ball or a mic at that! There are so many careers in the music industry that get no shine, but are just as important. Positions on the executive level such as marketing, publicity, and accounting are all careers that can take you to the top. Most of all there’s always the opportunity of being an entrepreneur, and working behind your own vision.
Being an executive can always guarantee you work because there’s always a need for someone to market artists; maintain their image in the eye of the public, and for someone to manage financial accounts. That’s why Aaron Reid, Jason Johnson and I founded the YEEC (The Young Entrepreneur Empowerment Coalition). Our mission through this organization is to help today’s youth become tomorrow’s successful leaders.
I’m not trying to discourage anyone from their dreams, just put you on to what else is out there in the hip hop/ music and entertainment industry besides being a rapper, producer, or even a DJ. If you are that “ball player”, what will you do after your professional ball playing career? Being a professional ball player or a rapper, has but only so many slots open. However once you’re an executive or entrepreneur, sky is the limit.
Being an executive has afforded me the opportunity to help others with their dreams and work with Hip Hop Legends like Russell Simmons and Rev Run on a project very dear to me, New Voices Tour.
[pagebreak]I am currently Co Executive Producer of the New Voices Tour with Chairman of Island Def Jam Antonio “LA” Reid, the Simmons sisters, (Angela and Vanessa), Reid brothers (Aaron and Antonio Reid Jr.) Check out the link in the bottom of my blog for more details regarding New Voices Tour.
Everyone knows Diddy, but some may forget that he started off on the executive level behind the scenes as an intern for Uptown Records. From there on, he climbed his way to the top and has been sitting there since. Diddy is still grinding with his record label, clothing/fragrance line and vodka company. He has branded himself and has become one of the” it” guys in mainstream society and pop culture. He isn’t just known in music and hip hop culture.
Look at Magic Johnson. He is one of the world’s greatest ball players, but also succeeded in being a leader for his community, by becoming an entrepreneur. His life after basketball has created jobs for thousands through his company Magic Johnson Theatres, specifically developed for urban communities. Bob Johnson Founder and former CEO of BET (Black Entertainment Network) is also a prominent figure in the music industry, especially as an African American male entrepreneur. You don’t see him in music videos or on magazine cover pages. He was making power decisions and introducing a black owned corporation to main stream America. He was the source of getting music to the people on television.
[pagebreak]Those are just a few names that you might even know because of the media. What about the names you may have heard your favorite rapper mention in a “thank you” speech and had no clue to who they are like Steve Stoute. Steve Stoute, founder and chief creative officer of Translation Consultation + Brand Imaging, is the driving force behind one of the leading and most influential brand marketing firms in the industry.
Before forming Translation in 2003, Stoute partnered with the legendary Madison Avenue guru Peter Arnell to establish PASS, a Manhattan-based ma
