1 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business Varieties weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business and media and entertainment. Is 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: Variety Deputy music editor jem As Lot and with me 4 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: today is Kevin Lee, who is better known as Coach 5 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 1: k co founder of the multifaceted entertainment company Quality Control, 6 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: which includes a record label, music and sports management divisions, 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: film and television, and more. Its top artists include multi 8 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: platinum Max Like Me Goes, Little Baby, Little YACHTI, and 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: City Girls, and among the athletes in its sports division 10 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: are New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara in the 11 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: Detroit Lions DeAndre Slier. In just eight years, coach and 12 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: co founder Pierre Thomas have built an empire. There's not 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: only one of the biggest independent companies in hip hop, 14 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: it's also a strong force in the sports world as well. 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: But success stories rarely come without sack profits and coaches 16 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 1: is no exception. The Indianapolis native was a high school 17 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: and college basketball star, but had his sports career cut 18 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 1: short by a serious gunshot wounded in the early nineties 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: that required months of recuperation. During his recovery, he worked 20 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,559 Speaker 1: on pivoting to music, and before long he had moved 21 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 1: to Atlanta, the center of the hip hop world, and 22 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: was managing major rappers like Young Jeez and Gucci. But 23 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: he wanted to start a label, and in he approached 24 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: his friend Pierre Thomas, who everybody calls p who owned 25 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: a recording studio. The two formed Quality Control and within 26 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: a month had signed Me Goes. They also quickly branched 27 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: into sports with Alvin Kamar, who happens to be related 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 1: to Coach, and the rest, as they say, is history. 29 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: The Quality Control is more than a company. Coach and 30 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: Thomas often speak of it as a family, and they 31 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: also take care of their community. Among other charitable efforts, 32 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: Quality Control provided groceries for a thousand Atlanta area families 33 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: at the start of the pandemic, and those efforts helped 34 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: Coach to achieve something he'd never dream after his injury. 35 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: He had always hoped to finish college, and after taking 36 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: courses online for a few years, he finally got his 37 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: bachelor's degree last year. Well, like most of last year's graduates, 38 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: the ceremony was postponed, but when he walked with the 39 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: class of the president of his alma mater, Sandy Gustine's 40 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: University in North Carolina presented him not only with his 41 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: bachelor's degree in organizational management, but also an honorary doctorate 42 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: in humane letters based on quality controls charitable work. We'll 43 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: hear more about all of that, as well as the 44 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: company's growth. It's marketing magic, how it's become such a 45 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: success in the hip hop and sports world, and much more. 46 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: Coming right up. Good afternoon, coach, or should I say 47 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,639 Speaker 1: doctor coach? K, why don't you tell me how your 48 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: doctor it came about. I really appreciate that. I really 49 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: really do appreciate that. It's very interesting. Um. So three 50 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: years ago, um, four years ago, I want to stay. 51 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 1: Three or four years ago, I decided I used to 52 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: always go back to my home comings. Well, I went 53 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: to college and was supposed to graduate. I went to 54 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: college on a basketball scholarship, and my senior year of college, 55 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: I had a fatal accident where I had to drop 56 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: out of school and you know, rehabilitate myself. Um, and 57 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: I never made it back to college to get my degree. 58 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: You know, between then and me entering into the music industry, 59 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: my life took like a whole different you know, a 60 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: whole different trick Um and all my friends. We would 61 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: always meet up at homecoming every year. And one year 62 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: I decided, you know, I was I was there and 63 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: I was like, damn man, Like, you know, if my 64 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: accident wouldn't have happened, I probably would have finished college. 65 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: So I would talk to the president and uh, I 66 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: read a script for school and started taking classes to 67 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: finish my undergraduate degree for my bachelor's and it took 68 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: me three years to probably get to probably do a 69 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: year and it has work for work. Took me three 70 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 1: years because I was taking online classes. Then I finally 71 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: graduated UM last year, which was class of but because 72 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: of the pandemic, we didn't have an actual graduation so 73 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: UM I had to start having these long conversations with 74 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: the president of the college just about you know, helping 75 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 1: with UM enrollment initiative initiatives, and you know, how do 76 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: we how do we get the school spirit back up 77 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: because I went to a historically black college, the HPCU. 78 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: And you know, she started, you know, just we start 79 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: working together and she was like, you know, you do 80 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 1: a lot of good work outside of you know, the business, 81 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: the music business that you're in, like just donating and 82 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: and and helping in the community. And she was like, 83 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 1: I want to I want to put your name in 84 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: the hat. If you don't, you don't mind, you know, 85 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: to the committee. I want to present you to the 86 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: board for honorary doctorate because you do a lot of 87 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: work in the community. And I was like, damn, that's 88 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: I never thought in a million years, you know, that 89 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: would happen. And uh, yeah. So I actually went back 90 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: this year to walk across the stage to get my 91 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: degree because they let the class of graduates come back 92 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 1: with the class. So I actually walked across the stage 93 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: to get my bachelor's degree and I got my honorary 94 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: doctor and it was a very very beautiful and beautiful moment. Well, 95 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: and that's quite an honor and it's very impressive because 96 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: I'll bet not a lot of people get their bachelor's 97 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 1: and their doctorates at the same time. No. Yeah, And 98 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: what was very interesting the when I sat in front 99 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: of the board, the board was like, I am the 100 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:34,919 Speaker 1: second alumni to get an honorary doctor from the college, 101 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: the second and a hundred and a hundred years of 102 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: the school being open. Uh that's amazing. Congratulations. So let's 103 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: talk for a second about um, what got you that doctorate? 104 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: Because we know that it was the hard work that 105 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: got you the bachelor's degree. I mean Quality Control is 106 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: a label, a management company, a music publisher, a studio, 107 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: a merchandise company, a film and TV company, an agency 108 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: encompassing music in sports. Did I miss anything? Now you didn't? Okay? 109 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: Did you always have a vision to start such a 110 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: multifaceted company? Um, you know that I have visions, But 111 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: it really started happening like um as we was building 112 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: Quality Control Music because okay, I come from the management 113 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: I come from the management space before we started the label. 114 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: You know, I managed artists for fifteen years before me 115 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: and my business part of me and me and Pierre, 116 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: me and Pete we started Quality Control Music. And being 117 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: a manager, you know, you you have to go find, 118 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: you have to take your artists and you have to find, 119 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: you know, and build their business artists business. So with 120 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: doing that, you know you're dealing with brands and you know, 121 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: film and television and UM merge and investments. So when 122 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: we started Quality Control Music, like I kind of was 123 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: experienced in doing that with with with my management um, 124 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: my my management role history and in the middle of 125 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: building Quality control. I call it culture. There was a 126 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: moment where hip hop music you started to see it everywhere, 127 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: and it was like I should say, like when you 128 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: turn on the television and you see a brand, you 129 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: would hear hip hop music. When you're watching ESPN and 130 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 1: you're watching a sports game, you would see hip hop music. Um, 131 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: a lot of the film companies, you know, to to 132 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: to to to sell the movie. You know, you were 133 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: here some type of hip hop music, and it was 134 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: like it started all intertwining. And at that moment, you know, 135 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: me and my partner, we were like, so we're building 136 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: this this we building this big music company and brand, 137 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: all the ancillary things that that attaches to music. We 138 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: have to be a part of it in some sort. 139 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: So you know, we started the film and television company. Um, 140 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: you know, we come from management, so we always had 141 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 1: that that in place. And then you know it's like 142 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: athletes they want the coolness of the artists. The artists 143 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: want to make the money that the athletes makes. All 144 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 1: that start intertwined. And then so the sports company started. 145 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: And then with film and television, you know storytellers, so 146 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: we start doing these documentaries on our artists. So boom, 147 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: Now we're in the tim film and television space, right, 148 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 1: and then you know there's quality events, you know, then 149 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 1: there's this our investment company that we invest in a 150 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 1: lot of tech, and then it's our you know, our 151 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: like it's our publishing company. Um, you know when we 152 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: signed producers, a lot of producers, so it just all started, 153 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:26,319 Speaker 1: all started touching each other at one time, and you 154 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: know it was a learning experience, but we're bill for it. 155 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: Quality Control expanded into sports really pretty quickly. What gave 156 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: you the confidence in the connections to make a move 157 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: like that? Um? Who I was an athlete, you know, 158 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:50,679 Speaker 1: like and what really gave what really like tip tip 159 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:56,719 Speaker 1: tippy was Alvin Kamara because our our first client, um 160 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: I was actually I was actually my nephew. So when 161 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: he was in high school, you know, started knowing noticing 162 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: how good of a player he is, No Alan pretty 163 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: much you know, like he was like, man, uncle, you 164 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: know I trust you. Um you're very savvathe savvy. You know, 165 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: I'm very savvage businessman and I've watched everything done to 166 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 1: build you know, to build QC. He was like, can 167 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 1: you just guide me? You know, so from every college 168 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: visit every like I didn't miss a high school game 169 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: his junior and senior high school and then um, the 170 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: college business started coming. You know, all the schools were 171 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: after him. He was he was like top running back 172 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: in the country, you know, five star running back. So 173 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: all the colleges was after him. So he was like, 174 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: can you please go on these visits with me? So 175 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 1: that was the moment where the spark of sports grab 176 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: me again, you know, because if I rewind it back, 177 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: like I said, I played basketball in college, but my 178 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: senior year college, um, I was fatally I had I 179 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: was fairly shot. I had a gunshot wound to my 180 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:19,320 Speaker 1: leg that ended my basketball career and I spent a 181 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: lot of time in the hospital and a lot of 182 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: time rehabilitating myself, and I kind of lost the love 183 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: of sports. But I fell in love with music, and 184 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: that's where my life kind of drifted to music. But 185 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 1: I would say, like a k gave me the spark 186 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 1: to want to get back into sports. Mm hmm. And 187 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: do you see a lot of similarities between working in 188 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: music and working in sports or they just completely different worlds. 189 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 1: I don't think they're completely different worlds now, you know, 190 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: because it's just like it's like finding a young talent. 191 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:02,199 Speaker 1: You know, it's just like finding like an artist, right, 192 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: you know, you go out and you search and you 193 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: look for these artists. And I know we do because 194 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 1: we developed, we developed talent, right, so we try to 195 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: find an artist early before it's it's um, you know, 196 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: before the bidding wars started, you know. So you find 197 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: these artists and you see something in them and you 198 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: sign them to develop them. The same thing with sports. Sports, 199 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: you know, you see an athlete, and you know, athletes 200 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: is a little bit different because you know there's there's 201 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,760 Speaker 1: a um most of the athletes that they have a 202 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: special talent. They're gonna you know, you're gonna hear about them, 203 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: are are you gonna see you know, you're gonna be 204 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: able to see it, you know. So it kind of 205 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: like intertwined and especially now, I mean like I feel 206 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: like music, hip hop brung all of it together, where 207 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: like these kids now in social media, like as kids, 208 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 1: you could go to their socials in a way that 209 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: that they bring you into that world or bring you 210 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: into there there there. You know, they're special talent, whether 211 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: it's on the basketball court, whether it's on the football field, 212 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: whether it's on the soccer field, whether it's on the baseball. 213 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: You know, they make their little sizzle reels of their 214 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: moments with music and I all intertwined. We'll be right 215 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: back with more from Quality Controls Coach k After these messages, 216 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: we're back with variety strictly business podcasts. Speaking with Quality 217 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: Controls Coach Kent going back to when Control Music was 218 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: first starting out, what was it, What was your first 219 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: success and what was your validation that the plan you 220 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 1: and was was starting to work? Um, we signed Amigos. 221 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: You know, we started Quality Control in March and we 222 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: signed Amigos in April. Yeah, and you know I remember, 223 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: I remember like it was yesterday. So I was like pee, 224 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: you know, like I went to p he had a 225 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: studio and he wasn't he he had a record label 226 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: before me, Matt, I mean before we became together, before 227 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: we came together, sorry, before we came together. But um, 228 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: you know, he didn't have I won't say to you know, 229 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: too big of success. So it was kind of like 230 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 1: two two masterminds coming together. So I was like, I said, man, 231 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: you know, I've been managing these artists and developing these artists, 232 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: and I feel like, you know, the only thing that's 233 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: really been getting in my way. I was like, man, 234 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: you got the studio. I was like, I want to 235 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: start my We should start a label. He's like, man, 236 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: I don't want to start in the label won't have 237 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: any artists. And I was like, if I can get 238 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: the Megos, you know, would you be down to start 239 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: a label. He was like, you can get the Megos 240 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: because Amigos, their names was popping, you know. I was like, yeah, 241 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: I had already met with Amigos a couple of times, 242 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: you know, and I was like, yeah, I think I 243 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: think I can get the Megos. And two weeks two 244 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: weeks later, we met with the Megos and we got 245 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: to that we signed them. We signed them, and we 246 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: just and like it's like I had planned everything out, 247 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: you know, how to how to do promo, what type 248 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: of tour I was gonna take them to? Which college is? Like, 249 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: we had it all planned out, and so so we 250 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: started working on this mixtape on the Megos and we 251 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: signed him in April and Birthday Bass, which is like 252 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: the New York summer jam of Atlantis. It's called it's 253 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: called One of Seven Nights. It's it's our Birthday Bash, 254 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,719 Speaker 1: our big radio show. So DJ Drama had a set 255 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: on the on on the show. So we put this 256 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: mixtape out, We put this this, this the me Goes 257 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: first at the Wire and we put this mixtape out 258 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: a week before Birthday Bash and we did this crazy 259 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: promo for and I mean instantly we put that out. 260 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: The streets started playing the record, play playing the mixtape 261 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: and Birthday Bash was a week later. So the me goes, 262 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 1: I'll never forget this. So me they got invited. DJ 263 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: Drama was like, I want to invite you. I want, 264 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: he called me as a coach. You know, I want. 265 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 1: I want the me goes. I want to bring him 266 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 1: out on my set. You know, I do this set 267 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: where I bring all the hot new artists out. I 268 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 1: was like perfect. So me Gooes came out and did 269 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: it set. When we got off the stage that night, 270 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: Drake was the special guest. To Change was to Change 271 00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: was the headline of that night and Drake was the 272 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,639 Speaker 1: special guests right, And Drake walks up to me and 273 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: he says, he said, coach, he said this show group. 274 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,440 Speaker 1: I said yeah. He said, hey man, I've been I've 275 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 1: been listening to the mixtape since it came out. And 276 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: only been out a week and he quoted lyrics. This 277 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 1: is how much I know Drake pays attention to everything. 278 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: He quoted lyrics to a couple of Like, Drake quoted 279 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: lyrics to like two of the songs the mixtape and 280 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: only been out a week before that, right, And he 281 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: was like, man, So we me and we exchanged numbers 282 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 1: and we talked and he was like, man, He's like, 283 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: send me one of those records. I want to I 284 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 1: want to get on the song. And I sent them 285 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: three records and he jumped on the Versati record. He 286 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:51,360 Speaker 1: sent the Versati record back to us and we put 287 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: it out as a remix. And that was like the 288 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: moment where I knew. I said, oh ship, he goes 289 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: about to change the game, and we are about q 290 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: C quality Control. We're about to be in the game 291 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: that moment, and then there's another moment. So we used 292 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: to go to New York, you know, to do promo. 293 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: You know you had to go do you know you 294 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: had to do all the you know, the the Double 295 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: X sales, you know the Faders, the complex, you know, 296 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: we took me goes up on on on a on 297 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: a run on on a um publicity run right. And 298 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 1: I never forget we were sitting in Complex because when 299 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: we signed to me Goes, they was like quality control music. Man. 300 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: They were like, man, man that that that just sounds 301 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 1: too corporated. It sounds like, you know, they couldn't get it. 302 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,160 Speaker 1: They couldn't get it right. And we're sitting in Complex. 303 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: It was a me Gooes at the time where the 304 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: kid was signed to the label. We had probably like 305 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 1: four or five other artists. We just took everybody up 306 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: to New York and we're gonna do a big promo run. 307 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: And we were sitting in the Complex office waiting for 308 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: them for for the writer to come in to do 309 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: the story on Amigos. They're all sitting around the table 310 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: and they start freestyling, right, and everybody's just spitting rhymes. 311 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: And I never forget ri Kid said, you see the 312 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: label money on the table. That was the first time, 313 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: like while the control it sounds, it was like you 314 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 1: see the label, and that's when it was like, Okay, 315 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: we got a brand here. You know that It spoke 316 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 1: out then and after that it was like Amigoes. You know, 317 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: like on on song maybe Howland Q see the label, 318 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: you know, like actually putting the brand of the of 319 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: the label in the song, so so the brand was 320 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 1: getting known. Those are those moments just like that. Well, 321 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: I have two questions spinning off of that. The first 322 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,400 Speaker 1: one is how did you have that kind of relationship 323 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 1: with Drake? Did you know him from Money or Magic, 324 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: Gucci Man and others? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, I'm 325 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: I'm knowing Drake. I know, I'm knowing Drake from like 326 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,479 Speaker 1: Drake used to come to before he got signed. He 327 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,199 Speaker 1: you know, he would come to Atlanta shopping his his 328 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: music around. Like I had met with Drake like two times, 329 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: you know, when I was managing gee This before Gucci Man. 330 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 1: When I was managing Jeezy, I had met with Drake 331 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 1: before you know, you know about his music, so we 332 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 1: knew each other. And then you know, once he got 333 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: signed and you know, like I had Gucci and you know, 334 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 1: since we all you know, it's the community, so we 335 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: all knew each other. M M. And the other thing 336 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: is this actually uh ties into a question I had 337 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: written down to ask you, and that is you guys 338 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: play so much value on promotion. I mean, that's obvious 339 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: that that's necessary, but Guerilla marketing played a really big 340 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: role in your early years. What kinds of things were 341 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: you doing to get your name out there? We just 342 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: had I just it's so wowed man, Pete. We had 343 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,959 Speaker 1: a meeting last night, uh with with with the friends 344 00:22:03,600 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: that our publicist Catherine introducers too, and we were telling 345 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: the story about, you know, when we built quality control, 346 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: we built it off artists development and guerrilla marketings and 347 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: where you know, like growing up growing up in music, 348 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: when I first came into the business, you had like 349 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: how can I be down? You had Jack the Rapper, 350 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 1: you had these these music symposiums are are like these 351 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: um they were kind of like these music events where 352 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: everybody came, you know, to showcase you had the impact. 353 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: You had impact how can I be down? And you 354 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: had Jack the Rapper and all these artists they would 355 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: come to showcase. Labels would be there, Labels would showcase 356 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: some of the new artists, you know, and you have 357 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:56,640 Speaker 1: these uh panels. But I remember like going to these 358 00:22:57,280 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 1: and seeing like the early days of like bad Boy 359 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: and Loud and Loud Records, where street team was like 360 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: very very like like you you if you didn't have 361 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: a good street team, you wasn't really gonna win it was. 362 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: It was It was one of those things you know, 363 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 1: because it touch, it touched the it touched them. I 364 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: would say that that core audience, you know what I'm saying, 365 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: like it talked to that core audience. And and then 366 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: and then there was a moment where it stopped. When 367 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: everything went digital. You know, it was all about buying banners, 368 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:36,080 Speaker 1: you know, and and and and the internet, and everybody 369 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: forgot about you know, the days of you know, walking 370 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: up to a person, you hand them something that they 371 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 1: can take with them, you know, And we didn't. We 372 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: didn't stop that, you know. We we we took on. Okay, 373 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: we still have to buy the banners. We still have 374 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:57,719 Speaker 1: to do everything digitally, but you know, in the Southeast market, 375 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: you still have to go touch people, you know, you 376 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: have to touch them. And so we took on that. 377 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: You know. It's like because I remember, like yesterday, like 378 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,880 Speaker 1: when we used to do promo like for Geez take 379 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: our g Z album and watching bad Boy in them, 380 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: how they used to come in it was incredible. So 381 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: we took that on and one of the one of 382 00:24:23,400 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 1: the big moments was like every year we took pride 383 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: on ourselves. We broke an artist for the last nine 384 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: years we've been in business. Every year we broke one artist, 385 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: which is very good, you know, and it's in this business. 386 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: So we used to go to south By Southwest. That 387 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: was the start UH promo season basically, you know, you 388 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 1: got your new artists. We go south By south As 389 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: as the spring that's beginning, you know, you go down 390 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: in your showcase and you break your artists before we 391 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: get into summer, right, and we were sending to tour 392 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: busses down there. We were seeing three UH Sprinters with 393 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: all our promo gear, you know, posters, flyers, t shirts, sweatshirts, 394 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:13,199 Speaker 1: and we were mobbed out. And we always we make 395 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: a name like when people came to south By Southwest, 396 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: they're gonna know who Quality Control is, and they're gonna 397 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: know who every last one of the artists that signed 398 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 1: a Folly Control, whether the me goos or whether you're 399 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: a new up and coming artists, you're gonna know, you know. 400 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: And that's what we took pride on and we never 401 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 1: stopped that. We still do it, you know, to this day. 402 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: And it's crazy because it came back around without at 403 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: home when when streaming happened to pre streaming you know, 404 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: it was all digital downloads, so everybody was online. But 405 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: then when streaming happened, you watched Spotify, you watch, you watch, 406 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 1: after you watch, everybody go out of home and you 407 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 1: started starting seeing billboards come up, and you start, you know, 408 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,959 Speaker 1: you start using this because it's like if you see it, 409 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,119 Speaker 1: then you go to your phone and streaming instead of you, oh, 410 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: the old way. So it's like it was like it 411 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: was like the crash of the best of both world 412 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,719 Speaker 1: side streaming happened and we were still doing our guerilla marketing, 413 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: and it just made it a big thing where like 414 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 1: a lot of labels. Man, I remember having a conversation 415 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: it was like, man, you guys spending money on promo 416 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: and posters, and I'm like, hell yeah, man, And next 417 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 1: thing I know, I looked up and they were doing 418 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: the same thing. Yes, that is really interesting though, because 419 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 1: I mean I remember those days you were talking about 420 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: where like somebody and threw the c D or andrew 421 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: set and posters and stickers and all that sort of stuff, 422 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: and all you've really done is cut out the c 423 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 1: D exactly, just cut the c D out, you know, 424 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 1: and you give them something that they could look at 425 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, just to remind them. Okay, damn okay, let 426 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,280 Speaker 1: me if I see this poster, this sticker, let me 427 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: just go to my phone right now out and check 428 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,280 Speaker 1: it out, you know what I'm saying. And once you 429 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: do that, you have them, you know, because that's all 430 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 1: you want them to do to get to it once 431 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,959 Speaker 1: you you know, I take pride. We take pride, like 432 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 1: we take pride to quite until like it's not you know, 433 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,919 Speaker 1: like we we we we we you know, we make 434 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: quality music. So it's like if I can just lead 435 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 1: you to that just to get you there. Once I 436 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:23,919 Speaker 1: get you there, I know I got you, you know. 437 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: So that's yeah, yeah, that's great. So you're in peace partnership. 438 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: Who does what? I know that. I'm sure you're doing 439 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,600 Speaker 1: an awful lot together. But how do your roles divide? 440 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 1: And which one of you is the marketing? Jesus? Is 441 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: it both of you? It's both of us? Man? He 442 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: I mean like he is dangerous man, Like I would say, 443 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: like early on, because I came from that, I was 444 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 1: I was more hands on, you know, early on. Now 445 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: he is, like I tell him all that time, like man, 446 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: you're that guy, you know, because I mean we you know, 447 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 1: like we have a ten year difference. So it's like 448 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: there's certain things where I would go in and just 449 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: get my nose dirty, you know. But as getting a 450 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: little older, you know, move a little different now, you 451 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,320 Speaker 1: know where he's like, Man, I'm talking about nose all 452 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: the way in it, you know what I mean. But 453 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: but we but but it's it's a year and the 454 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: year it's like we we we we balance each other 455 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 1: out so much, you know, but we're in it. There's 456 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:37,159 Speaker 1: some artists he leads, you know, he leads it all 457 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: the way and and and I'm I'm kind of the 458 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: balanced guy where it's like, okay, I got it to 459 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 1: a point. What do you think I need your ear 460 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 1: on this. I need to look at this. And then 461 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 1: there's some artists that I had, you know, some artists 462 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: that we have that I lead. You know what I'm saying, 463 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:53,600 Speaker 1: I'm I'm gonna lead and and and you know, and 464 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: then some artists we just both go, you know, and 465 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 1: then we and we and we passed it to each other. 466 00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 1: But we are most definitely both very hands on. And 467 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: I mean because that's that's still just the love. You know, 468 00:29:06,040 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: we have so much love love, what we do, you 469 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: know that, you know, just think about it. Labels, they 470 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: don't artists. It's the arts developing anymore. You know. It's 471 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: it's all you saw, numbers and data, you know what 472 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: I mean. So we really take pride in that, you know. 473 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: And yeah, we're very hands on and you know, like 474 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:31,600 Speaker 1: I said, some he leads, some of my lead, you know. 475 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: But it's just such a good balance. You know. But 476 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: we both you know when it comes to marketing and 477 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: and R were sit in those rooms together and pick 478 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: those records, you know, and all those ideas you know, 479 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: we have We have a we have a team, but 480 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: we're in it with with the team for sure. What 481 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: was it in your background? Was there anything in your 482 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: background in your personal history that made you a good 483 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: businessman and be regard to what we were just talking about, 484 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 1: a good leader and boss and just inspiring person to 485 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: kind of mentor these people because your artists talk about 486 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 1: you guys mentors very much. Um No quality control. Were 487 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: kind of like a family man. It's it's really tight, 488 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,080 Speaker 1: you know. So we look at all our artists like 489 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: nephews or nieces. You know, I always say this. We 490 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: play so many roles, you know, we played the father, 491 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: the uncle, the brother, you know, the mentor, the manager, 492 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: you know, the CEOs, the the psychiatrist, the therapist. You know, 493 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: it's it's just you know, it's just so it's just 494 00:30:45,000 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: the row when when when you when you know when 495 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: you have a family. Because we really want to see 496 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: our artists win, you know, like and and to the 497 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:58,160 Speaker 1: point where we'll go over and beyond to make sure 498 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:07,120 Speaker 1: that they win. M you've been listening to Variety Strictly 499 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: Business podcast with Quality Controls Coach k. This is the 500 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: Variety Deputy music editor Jim Maslot. Thank you for listening 501 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 1: to