Three years ago, my good friend and “play cousin” Xavier (Chief Xcel from Blackalicious) Mosley and I had this brilliant idea to develop a new concept in record label. It made sense afterall. Xavier, is a successful artist/producer/entrepreneur who taught me a lot about how his group and business partners (incl. DJ Shadow) became successful using a “Long Tail” approach to the music business. And myself, well I’m a current agency guy- former record business guy who was thinking about the next, next thing in the mid 90’s and because of my inability to execute and do visionary work in a corporate structure (Columbia Records) drove me to broaden my horizons in my career outside of the record business track I was on. We even went so far as to discover a group; a talented and at the time, unknown duo called J* Davey from L.A. Our concept was to merge a “Long Tail” approach to breaking the act and utilize my relationships and experience with Fortune 500 brands. I took my uncovered gem of a band to my friend DJ Jazzy Jeff and we were off and running–so I thought. In the end after offering the band a contract for a deal, the banded opted to …
Posted on Nov 26.08 to Music 1.0, Uncategorized Comments
R.I.P. Shakir Stewart
My Friend
Father, Son, Music Industry Change Agent
We had over 500 people (see archived show below) listen in last night as we remembered Shakir Stewart. From Japan, LA, Oakland, New York they called to laugh, cry and even get angry about my guy who always greeted you with a “get at me.” I mentored him from the time he was in college until the day he passed. He was a very good man, ambitious and focused. He unfortunately decided to take his own life, something many of us will never understand. I pray for his family and children and commit myself and challenge my colleagues to stay connected to each other. The music industry is like a big family and community and though I am not working at a record company, it’s a connection I will have for the rest of my life. Shakir Stewart was like a little brother to me. Like so many of us from the Bay Area, we dream big. I’m so proud of the achievements and accolades but I was most proud of the passion he had being a father. He will be missed.
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Posted on Nov 03.08 to Music 1.0, News, Uncategorized Comments
