The Indie Playbook Presented by Focused Noise

This is a special episode from the A3C Festival and Conference in Atlanta, where I was invited to speak on a panel about touring, festivals, and shows. We also gave some helpful tips on how to grow a fanbase organically and how to build an artist's overall brand. Our moderator was MICxSIC (@MICXSIC). He can also be found at savagefam.com or youtube.com/savagefamproductions. Our panelists were Clarissa Reformina from Paradigm Talent Agency (@clrisaxplnsitall), Juels Pierrot from Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival (@juelspierrot), and Brent Tactic from Rogue Agency (@Brent_tactic).

Justin Hunte is the Head of Video Production & Development for Ambrosia For Heads, and Director of Content and Strategic Marketing at Empire Distribution. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of HipHopDX, Hunte is the architect behind DX's video platform and creator of popular series, #DXBreakdown. Hunte's also a weekly contributor to Shade45's All Out Show on SiriusXM. In 2017, he participated in a debate at the prestigious Oxford Union on whether Kanye West is more relevant than William Shakespeare. A graduate of Wofford College, Hunte spent 5 years working at Bank Of America/Merrill Lynch. He sacrificed a profitable investment banking career in order to follow his passion, with the goal of becoming the greatest Hip-Hop writer on the planet. Hunte has since covered music, politics, and culture for numerous publications, and is a great example for anyone who has a dream and a vision, but is hesitant to take the necessary leap of faith. Hopefully this episode inspires you to take the next step. Follow @TheCompanyMan on all socials. Show Notes: 3:16 Justin was inspired to give up a profitable career in investment banking 8:54 The goal of being the greatest Hip-Hop writer of all time 11:21 Justin talks about the start of his on air experience 16:05 How Justin manifested his career as a writer 28:18 Living at the edge of your capabilities and growing 29:58 Why Master P is the most successful person Justin knows 33:49 The importance of failure 39:11 The impact of Martin Shkreli’s interview with Justin Hunte 47:51 Creating deeper long form content 54:27 People gravitate towards extremes 58:21 Justin took a job with Empire to learn more about the Industry inner workings 1:07:28 Do artists need to live in a metropolitan music hub? 1:12:09 How Justin responded to being fired from his volunteer job at Brooklyn Bodega 1:20:15 The importance of maintaining your faith during the hard times 1:22:48 Everything is achievable 1:36:54 How Justin would spend a $10,000 album release budget 1:45:43 Justin doesn’t allow money to dictate his decisions 1:46:36 The perfection of Kendrick Lamar’s Damn album

KXNG Crooked (AKA Crooked I) is one of Hip-Hop's all-time most respected lyricists. Suge Knight once hailed him as the next Tupac Shakur, and years later Eminem signed his group Slaughterhouse (with Joe Budden, Royce da 5'9", Joell Ortiz) to Shady Records. But that doesn't even begin to explain Crooked's foresight and brilliance. Crooked built one of Hip-Hop's first online followings with the release of his Hip-Hop Weekly Series in 2007, releasing a new track every week for a year, and creating a trend that was later implemented by a number of successful artists. He has also continued to stay relevant by remaining innovative and taking frequent chances. This is definitely one of the best episodes yet, as Crooked shares invaluable knowledge, and he even provides a blueprint for up and coming artists to follow when releasing an album. In addition to being an incredible MC, Crooked is a born leader, social activist, TV producer, and an overall great person. I guarantee you will get some real value from this interview or I'll give you a full refund. Check it out! 6:25 Traveling expands your mind 10:50 Being inspired by the success of Snoop Dogg and Warren G in his younger years 13:01 Crooked took advantage of his first big opportunity 16:29 Being too smart for his own good 19:50 Why Crooked chose Death Row over Aftermath 21:44 Crooked ponders whether his friend who sells incense or Dr. Dre is the most successful person he knows 24:05 Suge Knight always led by example and was accessible at any time 27:16 Crooked has always tried to match 2Pac’s work ethic 28:49 Being an early adopter of technology and building an online fan base 32:05 Why so many artists stole Crooked’s formula 36:37 On aging well 39:06 The making of Slaughterhouse 43:10 The positioning used to get Slaughterhouse on Shady Records 50:00 Eminem’s work ethic is infectious 52:38 Why being creative will always have value 54:27 How a rock bottom moment solidified Crooked’s sobriety 58:51 Surround yourself with positive people 1:04:21 Never let ideas escape 1:05:13 Crooked details a great plan on how to spend $10K on your album release 1:14:17 Learn from your mistakes

Gary Ousdahl is the Owner and Manager of Advanced Management. He recently produced the upcoming Warren G documentary “G-Funk”, which premiered at SXSW this past March and will be released in early 2018. Previously, Gary worked as an agent at William Morris. He also worked side by side with the prolific Tyler Perry almost every day from 2008-2010. Gary is a master networker and dot connector, and he shares some of the methods that have helped him succeed as a film producer, manager, and business owner. He also walks us through the process of meeting Warren G and making the “G-Funk” documentary in just a matter of months. 7:50 How Warren G brought Snoop Dogg to Dr. Dre 11:07 Finding the right investors for the “G-Funk” documentary 21:46 How to involve the right people who will be excited about your project 27:24 How to become a person of value and connect good people with each other 28:34 How to raise money from investors 30:20 A few lessons Gary learned while working with Tyler Perry 32:45 Why Craig Robinson is Gary’s favorite person to work with 35:45 The importance of surrounding yourself with friends who inspire you 39:00 Always be in the outgoing call business 40:10 Struggling makes you stronger 42:53 Setting and accomplishing goals 46:38 Life is pointless if you’re not following your passion

Michael Chehadé is currently the Director of A&R and Creative Director with the Adler Music Group. Previously, he managed radio/ TV personality DJ Skee as well as Dash Radio. Chehadé was also a producer at Skee TV, which aired on Access and Fuse TV. Additionally, Michael is a known tastemaker, championing and promoting many of your favorite artists before the general public becomes aware of their music. Life has brought him a number of ups and downs, but his faith has been his driving force is navigating the bumpy roads. Mike's an extremely passionate person, and it shines through in every conversation, including this interview.

Adam Hamilton is an accomplished, well-rounded musician who was discovered by C.C. Deville from Poison, and was the former bass guitarist for L.A. Guns. He's worked with everyone from Angie Stone to Vanilla Ice to William Shatner, who he continues to work with on a regular basis. Hamilton also owns and operates Palm Ranch Studios in LA. Additionally, Adam has an endless list of film and TV credits, as his music has appeared everywhere from The Bourne Identity to Saturday Night Live to The Simpsons. We delve deep into publishing and Adam breaks down the pay structure and benefits of placing your music in film, TV, commercials, and more. This is a great episode for any aspiring musicians or artists, and especially anyone interested in publishing (which should be all musicians and artists). Show Notes: 1:53 Having to fight for your credits 8:36 The only musician to work with William Shatner and Vanilla Ice 9:26 The importance of moving to LA 12:53 C.C. DeVille from Poison gave Adam his first big shot 13:34 Taking advantage of opportunities immediately 19:49 The positive effects of getting sober 22:48 Breaking down the business of publishing and TV/ Film placements 32:53 Don’t ever sign a contract without having a lawyer reviewing it 35:02 Being kind pays 36:58 William Shatner’s motto is “say yes to everything" 42:53 You are the company you keep 43:29 Adam never had a backup plan 45:00 You can turn a number of tools into multiple income streams 48:00 Putting stressful situations into perspective and solving them one step at a time

Dame Ritter is best known as the co-founder of the successful Indie Hip-Hop label Funk Volume (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jerren Benton). After the dissolution of the label, Dame founded the Music Entrepreneur Club, a music business educational platform. Dame also continues to work with a select group of artists, including Dizzy Wright and their Still Movin' Movement. After all of his accomplishments, Dame continues to keep striving for more success, and both his persistence and business acumen are on display throughout the interview. This is a great episode for anyone interested in building their own label, brand, or business. Take notes. Show Notes: 5:07 Funk Volume focused on the fans 5:51 You don’t have to take huge risks 7:15 Put out content and tell your story before you waste money putting out an album 8:50 Focus on visuals 10:01 You might have to become your own team until you can attract a team 17:52 The transition from Funk Volume to the Music Entrepreneur Club 22:00 How Dame got into music education 23:45 Dame's side hustles while building Funk Volume included substitute teaching 26:27 How to be a true leader 28:14 Dame finds out about the dopest artists from the fans, not directly from the artist 30:32 Early conversations with Russ 33:05 Sometimes artists overlook the uniqueness of their own talent when they give advice to others 34:22 Your branding has to be consistent 35:06 Giving back to your community 40:52 Starting the day with small wins 43:32 Building the Music Entrepreneur Club 48:56 At some point you’ve got to jump! 53:49 Figure out what your passion is before you can follow it 58:35 Donald Passman’s book All You Need to Know About the Music Business is only relevant for artists who have achieved at least limited success

Jen Deleon is a perfect example of the Indie Playbook lifestyle. She has proven her willingness to sacrifice money for her happiness in order to follow her dreams. She inspires a number of people daily through video content that allows her fans honest access into her personal and professional life. Jen has also accomplished a great deal in the music industry, as an interviewer, personality, publicist, consultant, agent, and tastemaker, and it's obvious that she is only beginning. When Jen says she will have her own TV show one day, you know it's going to happen. Her self-awareness and growth mindset are exemplary, and I hope her confidence and willingness to sacrifice for her vision inspires everyone who takes the time to listen to her story. Show Notes: The importance of speaking things into existence 13:29 Jen had to fall back from her professional goals to do work on herself 15:40 Jen’s biggest lesson learned from Oprah 21:33 You don’t always need to respond to everything immediately 24:41 Jen’s parents gave her the freedom to figure out her own path 29:57 God makes things happen for you when they’re supposed to 35:30 Jen doesn’t ask artists things that can be googled in her interviews 40:50 Jen is open about all of her mistakes in order to inspire others 43:41 Jen tricks people in order to inspire them 49:44 It can be a lonely world when you’re working to accomplish your goals 53:15 Follow your own path instead of trying to do things the traditional way 57:10 How to connect with brands 57:36 How Jen created her own campaign for Postmates while driving for the company 1:01:58 Going from driving for Lyft to partnering with Lyft 1:06:39 The challenges of being a booking agent 1:14:05 Utilizing a planner and goal setting 1:16:58 Why Jen would turn down a $5 Million salary if it meant working a corporate job 1:23:23 Embracing failure and learning from it 1:28:38 Be yourself 1:37:26 Why the move to LA was crucial

Jamie Adler has become a powerful force in the Hip-Hop world, but it wasn’t always that way. Born into a rock n’ roll family as the younger brother of Guns n’ Roses co-founder and original drummer Steven Adler, Jamie initially utilized his family connections to secure a position as a rock agent. Jamie went onto work with rockers Flock of Seagulls, Wang Chung, Motorhead, and Danzig, and eventually R&B and Hip-Hop artists Tyrese, Bobby Brown, Ol Dirty Bastard, and Guru from Gangstarr. Adler is perhaps best known for his long running position as agent/manager for the legendary Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and DJ Quik, and agent for Dennis Quaid & The Sharks. In this episode, Jamie balances unbelievable stories with the expert advice of an agent who has been around the music business since he can remember. We discuss everything from working with stars to career advancement to drug addiction to taking risks to being the person your friends can rely on. Jamie has a great heart and it really shines through in this episode. He’s helped me tremendously in my career, and he offers advice that is invaluable to anyone searching for happiness, success, and life balance. I HIGHLY recommend this one! Show Notes: 2:09 The time Jamie was kidnapped by a man he thought was the manager of The Rolling Stones 16:09 Adler always told his friends growing up that he was going to manager Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (which he ended up doing) 23:33 Motorhead’s manager concocted a brilliant plan to get Jamie a job at the Agency Group 29:33 How to find that perfect balance between being persistent and not annoying 37:49 If you’re the smartest person in the room, run! 38:38 How Jamie recovered from a rock bottom moment 44:53 The moment Jamie stopped relying on friends and became the person his friends could rely on 47:36 How soliciting Bone Thugs-n-Harmony without permission led to our great working relationship 50:43 Agents should be working together instead of being selfish Health is wealth 56:53 Jamie prides himself on telling people what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear 59:18 The importance of taking risks 1:00:28 Some of the richest people are the most miserable 1:01:47 Build your own identity and find your own success 1:02:01 Don’t judge yourself against others

Hanif Wondir is a multi-talented artist, DJ, and graphic designer. He was voted “Best Club DJ” by readers of the Monterey County Weekly six times out of the last seven years. He is also the official DJ of the prestigious Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival. Hanif has toured the country and regularly performs up and down the west coast. Because Hanif has made a living solely from his art for over ten years, he has great advice for all of you artists aspiring to support yourselves doing what you love. Show Notes: 7:20 Competing for people’s attention online 12:48 Going down a rabbit hole to discover new music 21:13 Don’t try to be overly cool when you meet your idol 22:57 Have faith in your own perspective 27:45 Hanif’s brother always put him in dork check growing up 30:22 Have patience when taking in art and music 34:08 Capitalizing on every opportunity at the beginning of your career 39:55 Networking in a new market 43:25 Relate with people on a human level instead of asking what they can do for you 45:30 Build a following locally and then expand 54:25 Believe in your ability 1:04:23 Cut loose your loser homies 1:06:56 Sometimes putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation leads to your best work

Albie Rosario is the Men’s Lifestyle Marketing Director at Stance Socks, which is currently one of the most cutting edge, forward thinking clothing brands in the game. You’ve probably seen a number of their incredible artist collaborations, including Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest, Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and many more. In this episode, Albie takes us through his journey from DJing parties to his beginnings at LRG to his time at The Hundreds to his current role at Stance. We wanted to speak with Albie because of the importance of brand partnerships and apparel in an artist’s career, and because he has years of experience working with artists and marrying fashion with music. In celebration of our 8th episode, we're giving away Stance’s “Praise” Collection to a lucky listener, featuring three pairs of socks with Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E, and Aaliyah. In order to win, just email your favorite Biggie, Eazy, or Aaliyah track to podcast@focusednoise.com. The 8th person to email us will win. We’ll reach out and get your address and mail you the socks. Very simple. Show Notes: The first Stance/ Anthem collaboration was with TDE How the NBA collaboration blew up the Stance brand It’s important to keep the ego in check Success is doing a job you enjoy Why the Tupac sock could end up Stance’s #1 selling sock of all time Albie makes sure to travel in order to keep his finger on the pulse Spend time with people who inspire you to improve your own skill set How being good to people helps build long term business relationships The value of Instagram in the fashion world Time is the most valuable thing on Earth

Josh Levine is yet another Indie Playbook guest with a wide range of experience in the music industry. Beginning as a journalist at the Source, XXL, Vibe, and URB among others, Josh went on to manage WC from The Westside Connection, and eventually created his own lane in the exciting world of culture-marketing. Many of you remember the Scion campaign that Josh created for Toyota, targeting a younger demographic through activations in nightlife, DJ, art, and street culture. Levine is currently the CEO of Rebel Industries, where he has created numerous brand partnerships, including pairing Mazda and Mayer Hawthorne, Camarena Tequila with a number of incredible chefs, bringing 7UP into the EDM world, and much more. First and foremost, Josh has great ideas and the ability to calmly navigate between the arts and the corporate world. But even so, success isn’t guaranteed, and Josh is a great example of hard work, dedication, and follow through. This is a great episode for young entrepreneurs, aspiring marketing moguls, and even artists. Check it out! 16:31 Going out to shows organically created friendships in the music industry 23:29 Say “Yes" to everything and figure it out as you go 25:32 As a journalist asking good questions, make sure you leave room for the answer 29:50 Managers need to be good leaders 33:27 Everyone has to find their own style of management 36:39 Ask more questions and confront the truth 37:16 Josh is surprised how much influence he is able to have in conversations with powerful people 38:44 Partnering with Urb Magazine create a street team business, and eventually an agency 41:10 Toyota tapped Josh to help them build a cool brand 49:17 Lesser known artists can bring more value to a brand because they have closer relationships with their fans 57:14 Why saying “I’ll do anything” is the wrong answer in an interview 1:03:55 Josh has learned to set the rules at the beginning of each working relationship 1:06:36 Morning routines can take care of your body and mind 1:11:00 What Josh did to start over after parting ways as WC’s manager 1:14:30 An important lesson from Tony Robbins 1:17:39 Why Josh started Rebel Radio 1:20:04 How a $10,000 album budget would be best spent 1:29:40 Important lessons from father to son

Thomas Cussins is the co-founder of Ineffable Music Group, a company which manages the careers of Collie Buddz, Hieroglyphics, Stick Figure (who is personally managed by Thomas), and many more. Cussins is also the Head Talent Buyer for the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, CA, the Mystic Theatre in Petaluma, CA, The Cornerstone in Berkeley, CA, and the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, CA. He also produces the Levitate Music festival just outside of Boston, MA. We conducted this interview live from the bar upstairs at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, so there's a little background noise, but you’ll get so many great lessons from this episode. Thomas breaks down the business in digestible, detailed, and transparent manner, so take his advice and run with it. Thomas also reminds us of the importance of taking chances and making mistakes. Having achieved success as both a manager and talent buyer, Cussins offers a unique perspective. This episode is a must hear for anyone looking to stand out from the crowd as an artist, manager, promoter, or entrepreneur.

Creed Bratton is the lovable enigmatic old man from the hit TV show The Office, known for some of the show's funniest one-liners. What fewer people know is that Creed also co-founded The Grass Roots, and was a huge rock star in the late sixties and early seventies. For over four years, Creed and I have worked together very closely, traveling and playing shows all over the country, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get a rare glimpse into the real Creed, a passionate, caring, hilarious, and brilliant artist, father (and now grandfather), and friend. I wanted to share the Creed I know with the Indie Playbook audience, so you can truly understand the commitment and sacrifice that goes into building and maintaining a successful career. And Creed’s done it both as a rock star and a successful actor, so listen up as he tells his unique story and drops gems along the way.

Soren Baker is an incredibly respected journalist in the world of Hip-Hop. After years of writing and interviewing numerous rap legends, he went on to become the editor at The Source magazine, which was the bible for all of us Hip-Hop heads growing up. More recently, his online channel Unique Access Entertainment has surpassed one million views on YouTube. As you’ll see, Soren is also a true Hip-Hop scholar, historian, and fan. Find out how Soren’s love for Hip-Hop culture and rap music has led to amazing opportunities to pen books and write for television and films. 13:59 Why Soren stood out as a young writer 16:56 Soren always tried to make the story compelling about each artist, no matter what his personal opinion was 19:58 Soren explains why he should have tried to be more visible earlier in his career 23:43 Why genuine relationship lead to great opportunities 27:23 YouTube as a revenue stream 34:51 Why Outkast is the best group of all time 36:57 Why A Tribe Called Quest went downhill 40:43 Soren sets himself apart by studying an artist’s entire catalog instead of just the single 47:04 Being a good listener is fundamental to being a good writer 48:06 Writers need to make the articles about the artist, not about themselves 52:11 The importance of being diverse in creating revenue streams 1:08:25 The importance of follow through 1:14:48 How Soren sets and accomplishes goals 1:18:19 Soren’s advice for an artist who had a $5000 album budget 1:20:31 The value or lack thereof of a publicist 1:27:40 Soren’s dad told him not to take a job he didn’t want, which led to a gig with Rap Pages

Tre Hardson AKA Slimkid3 is an MC, DJ, and Producer, best known for his work as a founding member of the groundbreaking Hip-Hop group The Pharcyde (Passin' Me By, Drop, Runnin). Tre is also a black belt in Taekwondo, and teacher of meditation and hip-hop. Tre discusses the legacy of The Pharcyde, and the important role of creativity in establishing their identity.

Episode 2 features special guest Sean Healy, owner of Sean Healy Presents, one of the largest independent concert promotions companies in the country. SHP operates out of Los Angeles, and the company promotes shows all over the west coast, as well as Chicago, NYC, and more. Healy has also been a controversial figure, due to his use of the pay to play method, or as he prefers to call it "pre-sale tickets". We discuss why Sean’s business model works for him, and he names 5 superstar artists that have sold tickets as part of a Sean Healy Presents show. Sean also tells us about the times he passed on Kanye West’s release party and a Lady Gaga show early in her career. This is a beneficial episode for any entrepreneur, artist, promoter, or anyone looking to build a successful company. Healy doesn’t duck any questions, and answers each question with honesty and thoughtfulness. Enjoy. Show Notes: 21:19 How George Clinton got Sean Healy into booking hip-hop 24:31 How honesty helped set Sean apart as a promoter 26:59 When Sean passed on Kanye’s College Dropout release party and Lady Gaga early in her career 33:56 The importance of being professional as a young artist 34:45 How Sean’s Pay to Play Model has evolved 42:19 Five artists who sold their own tickets on Sean Healy Presents shows and went on to become superstars 46:02 Routines that Help Sean Begin Each Day 1:02:51 If Sean had a $1000 promotional budget for a show, this is what he would spend it on

Steve Lobel is a legend in the hip-hop game. After getting introduced to the music business by the late great Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, Steve went on to become one of hip-hop’s most recognizable managers. Currently, Lobel manages the legendary group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and super producer Scott Storch, who has worked with The Roots, Dr. Dre, Fat Joe, and many more. Steve blesses us with a ton of great stories and advice, including lessons learned from Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, and others. He prides himself on honesty, and he does not back down from any questions, sharing very personal details and great business guidance. This is a great episode for any aspiring artist, producer, or future executive looking for more insight on advancing his or her career. Part 2 Highlights: 1:10 Why 50 Cent is a perfect example of success 7:18 Steve started every day out with a Mountain Dew and Snickers bar for decades 10:17 Steve makes a “Things not to do” list instead of a “To do” list 17:14 Steve shares his thoughts about the rappers he knew who passed away 23:35 Why Steve now takes pictures with celebrities 36:11 Do emerging artists need to move to LA or NY to make it?

Steve Lobel is a legend in the hip-hop game. After getting introduced to the music business by the late great Jam Master Jay from Run-DMC, Steve went on to become one of hip-hop’s most recognizable managers. Currently, Lobel manages the legendary group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and super producer Scott Storch, who has worked with The Roots, Dr. Dre, Fat Joe, and many more. Steve blesses us with a ton of great stories and advice, including lessons learned from Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, and others. He prides himself on honesty, and he does not back down from any questions, sharing very personal details and great business guidance. This is a great episode for any aspiring artist, producer, or future executive looking for more insight on advancing his or her career. Part 1 Highlights: 9:22 Steve talks about starting in the music business with Run DMC 12:40 Why people call Steve “The white Russell Simmons" 18:00 Steve talks about finding happiness for the first time in years. 23:14 The worst things about being a manager 33:24 Find out what types of people Steve likes to surround himself with 42:10 What Steve would do if he only had a $5,000 budget to promote an artist 45:10 Steve’s advice to younger artists who would like to approach him