He’s co-manager of the hottest producer/MCs, Kanye West and singed an artist who was being scouted by Eminem, as Associate Director of A&R at Jive Records Mr. Monopoly is defiantly on the move.
What was your strategy for building Kanye West’s career?
Kanye and I used to be production partners. We used to make beats together in high school. I was 16. He was 14. We were called the Knumbskulls: John Doe and Kanye West. Then I started getting into event promotion, throwing parties and concerts. I was getting older and I needed to figure out a way to provide for myself. I got more focused about making money because we were making beats for the love of hip-hop. I produced a commercial for the Black Light Film Festival. Little things. I established myself as a good promoter in the scene. I had always planned on being somehow affiliated with Kanye, whether it was me managing him or shopping his music or whatever. Eventually, I ended up being his first manager. I started going to the New Music Seminar and to all these events, Gavins, trying to politick from the relationships I built through doing my parties and concerts. I was trying to meet with A&Rs and shop his beats. We ended up going our separate ways for awhile. But even when I didn’t manage Kanye, I managed his group the Go Getters which is like how Nelly has the Lunatics. I put out an independent single for them about 5-6 years ago. Me and Kanye have always had a genuine respect for each other. We’re both from the South Side of Chicago and we were very serious about making it in the music business.
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How did you get Kanye signed to Roc-A-Fella Records?
I wasn’t managing him then. We’ve always been good friends. Like when he did the “Knock, Knock” record, I was in charge of finding Missy tracks to write to. I wasn’t involved in the Roc-A-Fella deal but I have always supported him in coming up. A couple of other labels were interested in Kanye and Dame, as a smart businessman, didn’t want to let another label benefit off of an artist that he had a hand in developing their career.
What was your first big break in the business?
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My first concert was when I knew I could make it in the business. It was ’92 at the AC Club, and it was sold out. It was with the Beatnuts who were signed to Violator. And it’s ironic because Chris Lighty and Mona Scott are the people who really put me on in the game.
How did you hook up with Jive Records?
When I was managing the producer No I.D. [Common Sense] in ’99, a friend of mine from L.A. was cool with Chris. I explained what I was trying to do and she thought Chris might want to link up with me since I had a lot of access of talent out of Chicago. She set up a meeting, which led to me meeting with Mona, who at the time had agreed to co-manage No I.D. with me. But she was really overwhelmed. This was when Violator was a smaller unit doing their thing working out of the Def Jam offices. From that relationship, I stayed in contact with her and continued to do good business with her, which over the years increased her comfort level as far as making our relationship closer. So when it was time for her to start a producer/management division, she said she wanted me to come work with her. And at the time, I had just done a publishing deal with Puff Daddy for a writer that I was representing, so I was starting to do some things that helped to validate me. From that Mona offered me the position.
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What are your responsibilities at Jive?
Violator III: The Good, The Bad, the Ugly is done. Me, Chris and Dave did that. And the Dirtbag CD is done. I’m working on Nivea, Syleena Johnson and Tony Sunshine. As an A&R, I’m here to find hit records, the best records that match up with where we’re trying to go with an artist. Whether it’s Syleena’s new sexual appeal. Nivea trying to redefine her movement. I’m trying to match up the right records with the right artists. And of course, I’m trying to find stars.
What caught your eye about your artist Dirtbag?
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Dirtbag as a rapper has this country flow. There was something about him that was special. His flow, cadence. He has three different personalities. He’ll switch rhyme styles, voices. You believe he’s different people. When I heard him, I told Chris Lighty we have to sign him. And then Eminem ended up hearing him and he was trying to sign him. And Def Jam. There was this bidding war. At one point we lost and he was signing with Eminem. But I just begged him and they gave us an opportunity.
What do you think makes you so successful at what you do?
I think my instincts that come from me being a party guy. If the bottom falls out I can go be a promoter. I’ve done hundreds of parties all over the country. I started very young. I was always in the mix with DJs, in the clubs. There is a certain sensibility that you get from being around. Throughout the years I was always a real host, always dancing, laughing, socializing and I paid a lot of attention to crowd reaction. I would co-DJ every now and then. I knew what worked. That’s how my ear was trained. You got to know what works. Know your room. I think because I’m from Chicago we never leaned on one particular side. You could hear a Snoop and a Jay-Z record in Chicago. Because we embrace sounds from all over, it gave me a general perspective of what the masses want.
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Does coming from Chicago make you hungrier than say, someone from New York?
Yes. These opportunities don’t exist where I’m from. There’s nothing where I come from.
Do you plan to return to Chicago?
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I have a condo in Chicago. I have every intention to go home within the next couple of years and open up shop and try to create opportunities for the talent there.
What’s your advice for people starting out in the business?
Just, especially if you’re a writer or producer, just focus on trying to be persistent without being pushy. Don’t call or e-mail an A&R every day. Make sure you pay attention to what they’re looking for. Stay very focused and driven. It’s not really rocket science. You create relationships with people. You try to treat people how you would want to be treated. Be as honest and forthcoming as possible. And if you have what it takes, you’ll make it.
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What’s in the future for you?
Kanye, the two directors of the Through The Wire video and myself just started a company called Hustle Films and we just finished the new Two Words video for Kanye. We’re working on some stuff for Slum Village, Dwele. I’m really excited about the company. We have some film scripts in the works too.
