FUBU The Collection began around 1992 when CEO Daymond John hocked his house and with the assistance of his three partners-Keith Perrin, Carl Brown and J. Alexander Martin, began making T-shirts and hats for street consumption. By co-founder Keith Perrin’s admission, it was tough for the first five years. “We didn’t think we were going to make it. The first five years was us starving.” A break at a trade show in Vegas netted $300,000 in orders. Unable to secure the capital to fulfill the demand, they pitched an advertisement for sponsorship that Samsung America fielded. The privately-owned multimedia conglomerate reported revenues of $385 million in its last public financial disclosure in 2000, in a five billion dollar industry. Much of the company’s success lies with its clever strategy of licensing everything from men, women, and children’s apparel to the beach, bath and bedding products in The Home Collection in over five thousand stateside outlets and thirty-five freestanding stores in such impossibly far-flung locales as Poland, Saudi Arabia and an unheard of place called Umhlanga.
FB Entertainment was launched two years ago in order to “lend their creative talents to the development of music, film and television” and released their first CD, The Goodlife, September before last featuring a heavily rotated joint with L.L. Cool J, Ludacris and Keith Murray. “We been thinking about it for three four years now,” Brown says of their long-range plans. “We had no intention of just making clothing. We had intentions of doing music and whatever else fit into the brand’s lifestyle.” He acknowledges that although they have a short track record, they plan to approach the music business like they approached the apparel business. “Hire the best people from the industry, the best in the country, and we got the right team to make this major.”
The strategy has proved successful. Establishing FUBU Records earlier this year and inking an exclusive deal with the leading independent distributor of music in the country, FUBU is positioning itself as a major player in the business. Koch Entertainment saw potential in the unique opportunity to cross-promote and merchandise on the market strength of FUBU’s clothing line. But game recognizes game and Brown also saw the opportunity for its worth. “In order to work it has to be someone that’s gonna give us the freedom to do what we do naturally,” he carefully explains before Perrin cuts in. “Being an independent, you don’t have to worry about other label mates and not getting any attention cause you basically running your own show.”
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In July the company added the 54th Platoon to its roster for a million dollars. The New Orleans-based quartet, consisting of JS, Nu Black, Nut and T.L., are set to release the label’s second album this winter. “These cats are growing and they’re gonna do big things,” Brown beams. “Everyone in New Orleans knows. I’ve been in studios with artists makin’ platinum hits, trying to get it and can’t, and take days. These cats come quick. If I put them in the studio I can get two songs a day.” The album includes production from Cash Money’s Mannie Fresh, Lil Jon, Tye Fyffe, and Megaherts. As executive producers of the album, Brown and Perrin nod to additional factors that make the project as significant as the first. “You know how funny producers are. If they tryin to make money they gonna give B-list product but these cats was actually givin A-list,” Perrin exclaims in a momentary lapse of ice-cold composure. “We went down to New Orleans, Atlanta, Houston, then did most of the tracks here. We made a connection.” Brown couldn’t agree more. “A lotta producers heard about this and called. I was surprised to see how eager they were to work on it.”
But growth has come sporadically in the midst of unrelenting struggle. The speak carefully when discussing the challenges they face. “I miss makin shirts,” Brown jokes. “Shirts don’t talk back.” Asked how the business of music differs from its counterpart in fashion, he pauses before responding. “It’s how you handle the product. You got people’s careers you’re messin with so you wanna do the right thing. It’s not just makin a record and puttin it in stores. After it’s in stores you walk the product through more than with clothing.” Perrin maintains that it will always be a struggle characterized by trial and error where respect can be the key to overcoming obstacles. “There’s a lot when tryin to cut the high prices for these relationships. You’re new to certain people, whereas others have been doin it a while and’ll do something free to keep a relationship good.” Nevertheless, he’s confident they’ll weather the storm. “The Goodlife made me. Us not being in the game and able to come in and put every song together. All were new or remixed songs that were never out.” He likens the venture into uncharted waters as sink or swim, and sums up their latest endeavor as a market capitalization of sorts. “If we was to wait five years and cooled off and decided to put out an album would we be taken seriously? When you’re doin things and you’re hot you have to take the opportunity and make the most of it.” Brown leans in to add, “We have intentions of making FUBU Records twenty times bigger than FUBU clothing. This is not a hobby or a side job. We have intentions of making this as big as any major out there.”
Like E.F. Hutton, when these young visionaries talk, people listen because they’ve consistently beaten the odds in brilliant and vivid fashion. Time will only tell if the music is any different.
