CRUNKSTREET Blog

From Bad Boy to Young Music Executive

Following a passion and turning it into a lucrative career can be quite daunting for many, especially in an economic environment where the choice stands between joblessness and simply earning a paycheck to survive. However, there are some who are brave enough to step out on faith and take the risk of forfeiting an immediate means of survival to pursue a dream. Aaron Arnold, 30, founder and CEO of Music Is My Business, made that decision, leaving a high-paying job as a public relations executive to take an unpaid internship working under one of the hardest-working men in show business – Bad Boy Records founder and entertainment industry powerhouse Sean “Diddy” Combs. After the life-changing experience (and living off credit cards and a prayer), Arnold’s Atlanta-based music company now boasts a client list that includes ESPN, Heineken, and the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP). He’s also worked with Grammy-award winning songwriter Bryan Michael Cox and platinum-selling artists Danity Kane. He talked with BlackEnterprise.com about finding the courage to pursue his dream, being inspired by Combs, and the lessons in learning as you go. BlackEnterprise.com: You transitioned from working in public relations to becoming the CEO of a music company. How did you become interested in the music industry? Aaron Arnold: Although I had a great job for a great company, I wasn’t happy anymore. My ambition had outgrown what I was currently doing. I closed my eyes and asked myself, “If I could do something for free, what would it be?” Shockingly to me, it was music, but it made sense too, [since] my mother performed opera and my dad was a jazz musician and music professor. I was even in concert choir during high school. I basically followed my heart. How did working for Sean “Diddy” Combs inspire you to branch out on your own? My work with Mr. Combs was an amazing experience, and every day was different and intense. I came to him with the goal of being the next generation of executives to influence music and business. All I asked of him was to mentor and groom me, and in return I’d work a year for free if he saw fit. At the first meeting I ever attended with him, I was so inspired by his work ethic, energy, and knowledge of various industries. I went home that night and launched the concept of Music Is My Business.What was your involvement with the U.N.’s World Food Program (WFP) and the inspiration behind it? In 2007, we took part in creating a public service announcement for the WFP. I brought five-time Grammy-winning songwriter Bryan Michael Cox to the table, and we scored the PSA which ran on news networks all over. In 2008, the WFP launched the Red Cup campaign [to raise awareness on hunger], which they debuted on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Upon seeing that, I decided I wanted to do something for the kids and pitched the idea of doing an animated musical for the same campaign. They approved it, and we went to work. It took us 12 months as we conceptualized via our brand-management team, animated via our TV, film, and animation team, and scored via our music team’s producer and artist. We’re hoping to debut this on Oprah later this year. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in pursuing your success? Of course, you have people who do not believe in you or aim to take advantage of you because of your youth and [your] being new to the business, but the main one for me is when I first started Music Is My Business, I had a team that was too large. So we weren’t efficient, and that was due to me not knowing what I was doing. In addition, I had a vision but not the know-how in which to execute that vision. I learned that things don’t happen overnight and that ideas are just ideas unless they are backed up by results. How did you overcome those challenges? I overcame those challenges by just knowing what I (and Music Is My Business) was destined to become. Eventually my team became a lot smaller, and I had to walk away from several situations that weren’t conducive to the long-term growth of Music Is My Business. I also had to figure out what would drive Music Is My Business revenue-wise, build that component first, and then integrate everything else from there. Most importantly, learning from my failures and mistakes really helped me and humbled me. What would you say are the three keys to success that have directly been used in your life and business? Keep dreaming, even when you are awake, and then act on that vision. Sometimes inspiration can come in the form of many things, but always have those outlets. It keeps you creative. Find peers and mentors who have like energy, ambition, and visions. These are the people who you will grow with and who will support you on those bad days and who you will also make money with. I am only successful because of the wonderful team that supports me as I support them. Keep your vision intact. As long as you stay the course regarding your vision, you will somehow get there. It’s not about being the smartest person; it’s about being the person who wants it most. Persevere.

Voyage To The Bottom Of The "P"

Working on finishing up the "Voyage To The Bottom Of The "P".. Check out the unmixed samples at myspace.com/funkymixxproductions

kandiman productions

whus up 4 making a mixtape 10 artists wanted

lyrics wanted if 10 people give me accapellas were gonna have a nice mixtape on our handz jordrop entertainment digital dreams

!!!

NEW beats coming soon !!! -dirty south beats -horrorcore beats

Welcome To My Page

Thanks for coming to my page, hit me up if u got questions. or check my myspace @ www.myspace.com/assocartel leave me a comment, send me a message and i'll get at you as soon as possible i promise Get Me??!!!!

Want to hear more?

You can hear the rest of my beats at spityogame.com/king_cleon. If you are an artist, record label or anything of that sort that want to collaberate, you can contact me at cleonproductions@yahoo.com.

I BE GETTIN TO DA MONEY

WHAT IT DO YALL THIS YA MAN "SCOMOE" A.K.A. SCO. AS U CAN SEE I GOT DEM BEATS. I F U HAVE ANY QUESTIONS U CAN EITHER HIT ME UP HERE ON CRUNKSTREET , MY EMAIL SCOMOE44@YAHOO.COM, OR ON MYSPACE.COM USING MY EMAIL.

NEW MUSIC SAME OLD CRAP

As a music producer that works with various kinds of artist,I listen to what I'm working on at the time and what's on the radio and get a bad case of adhd, I can't sit still for what they put over the air. Micheal Jackson is off the chart ,Prince said I'm out of here and went his own way and I applaud them, they know what side the bread is buttered on.Artist like these will continue to produce Quality entertainment, What my Problem is; the playing field is so average, it seems that we settle for mediocore performances and every seems to be ok with that except me and Simon Cowell. Where is the entertainment industry going in thr 21st century?I'm so tired of gangta this and gangta that i could shot em all ! I love hiphop but but we either got to get back to the fun and knowledge or give it up. eberybody wants to hate on Will Smith,KRS-one,and the like calling them soft because they have something to say and want to have some fun.What's wrong with that? Are people that f**ked up? At this point the world is a ghetto! The radio needs an enema! When is someone going to step up and do something that will make all have hope for the future?I know I'm not alone on this, a lot of the younger people that I know are geting just as bugged as I am. The Roots,Digable Planets, Black eyed peas that's where thing need to be going morereal music,more fun a little less thug thank you very much. :D

my newest

I gota new beats up come check em out

Divys sightings on network television!

Keep an ear out for our song, 'Disco Life', when you are channel surfing. It has been getting airplay on a regular basis on: The CW Network TMZ EXTRA Our other song, 'Bad Taste', will also be featured on the late 2008 release of the XBox game, Dance Dance Revolution: Universe 3 in Europe & America. Bad Taste is available for download at: www.TheDivys.com/new.cfm

Be on Da Look out

Be on the look out for new tracks from Young Swagg Also Be on the lookout for the upcoming album titled "Phenomenal Swagg"

Check this guitarist out

Join Our Mailing List and the New Street Team!!!

Join the team and help spread the word!

Nick Nittoli

Nick Nittoli has started a new group with former member of Ariel Mile Brett Freese. The Two are in the studio now recording the debut which is untitled. Nick Nittoli has started a new group with former member of Ariel Mile Brett Freese. The Two are in the studio now recording the debut which is untitled.

internal flights

internal flights internal flights

I Can Do Anything - New King David Music Video

Just another hot Song from king David Created with Fl Studio Thanks for watching. Please log into Youtube and Rate/Comment/Subscribe

Welcome

Ayee Thanks for coming to my page, check me out here. or peep my myspace at myspace.com/uhohthakid drop a comment.. send me a message. do what you do. i love yall like yall love me 1

My music

I started messin wit fl studio in 10th grade i heard about from a young classmante. i didnt like it at first cuz i thought it was for techno music. But i learned a lil something n now my beats are better i still have more to learn though. PPL say my beat are pretty decent. i do it for fun so i dnt have much beats but i willin to sell wat i got. Holla me.

The Origins

If Boy George and Annie Lennox had children, and those children were The Cars and Joan Jett, then their second cousins could easily be The Divys. Formed high-up on the 21st floor of a downtown Philadelphia apartment in 2005, The Divys have created a sound that blends huge guitars, drums and synthesizers with superb melodies and hooks reminiscent of the 80's, when the "M" in MTV still stood for music. The Divys are made up of one half William Rule: singer, keyboard player and programmer, and Kliff Ritz: guitars, backing vocals and percussion. Before meeting through a musician's wanted ad, Kliff played the Philadelphia rock club circuit, and William worked as an in-house producer for legendary dance producer Bobby Orlando of Pet Shop Boys and Divine fame at his Reputation Records. Since then, The Divys have been awarded Best Electronic Song in The John Lennon Songwriting Contest and have become XBox video game stars in the world-famous Dance Dance Revolution: Universe 2, with the songs, Get Up! Give Up! Move On! and Bad Taste. They have also been making a splash on television and terrestrial radio by penning the theme songs to In Bed with Butch, a long-running local Philadelphia talk show, and The Giant Show on 96.1FM, Atlanta, Georgia. They have even ventured into other countries with several of their songs featured in the Canadian reality show, Chris and John to the Rescue and the South African TV pilot, JBay. The Divys have performed in clubs throughout the Philadelphia area, winning Best Local Performers at the annual Rainbow Awards in 2007. In an Instinct Magazine interview, Robbie Daw dubbed The Divys "The Dynamic Duo” and predicted them to be the next Hall & Oates. Currently, as The Divys are wrapping up mixing of their 3rd studio release, StereoFX of South Africa is preparing to release a club mix EP of Divys songs remixed by The Divys themselves. AP Records of Denmark have licensed several songs by The Divys.

Lets Do Business

Do you need a beat for your mixtape or album that will put you on the map? Are you looking for that instrumental that will cause your career to sprout? Do you want professional sounds on your next cd project? Tired of boring, non-creative beats? Want the sounds that are out on the radio? Need an affordable beat for your mixtape? Don't want your career to go down the drain? Want something that people will play for years to come? Look no further, King Cleon Beats Inc. is here. Specializing in quality hip-hop sounds, the company provides artists with over the top production and professionalism. Don't be left in the dust, support the movement. Yahoo I.M./Email:: cleonproductions@yahoo.com

King David Crafts a Crunk Joint

Drake Interview

Complex spoke to Drake yesterday to discuss the new record deal, the Best I Ever Had video (click play,) discusses some of the fuckshit that went down at the BET Awards Complex: For real. Going back to your music, “Best I Ever Had” jumped to #3 on the Billboard charts. And then you announced yesterday that you signed your deal with Universal… Drake: Nah…I definitely want to clear this up, I didn’t sign to Universal. I’m actually signed to… a lot of people were telling me, “Oh, you should do it independent.” I’m actually 100% independent. I signed to Cortez Bryant and G. Roberson, my managers, so I signed a joint venture between Aspire Music Group, which is them, and Young Money. So the only part that Universal plays is P&D [pressing and distribution]. I’m not a Universal artist. I’m signed to myself. Complex: What does Young Money bring to the table? Drake: Since the beginning of this, Lil’ Wayne has always put himself out there on behalf of me, from spitting my verse at the VMAs, to jumping on the songs that I needed him on and always promoting me. Right now it’s more about building up Young Money, as opposed to what Young Money brings to the table at this point. Obviously, what Young Money brings to the table is Lil’ Wayne. He’s a powerhouse and I felt it was only fair to stay loyal. I thought it was only fair for him to get that look and I wanted the YM logo on the album and to make sure that he knows that I don’t take what he did for me for granted. Complex: You were entertaining other offers from Atlantic and Interscope, right? Drake: I can definitely say that I wanted to be over at Interscope for a while, but it wouldn’t allow me to work with Wayne the way that I wanted to work with Wayne. I had to make a sacrifice. But with that being said, if we sell some records and people actually see how the record deal breaks down… Somebody told me they saw my deal the other day and they said it was one of the worst record deals in history [for] the label. That’s a good thing for me. I own everything, I have 100% creative control, I own all my masters, everything. I’m blessed to be in that situation. If we sell some records, I think we’ll just add to the historic pace that this has been going at. There you have it, it’s not UMG, it’s Aspire - which if I understood correctly is what G & Tez are trying to bring to the table. It’s dope that Drake signed with Wayne, even though a lotta people might be stepping away from him right now, because if he woulda went with say Jay or Ye or even anyone else, it woulda seemed like he just used Wayne to get signed.

From Bad Boy to Young Music Executive