Featured Exec: Ed Sickamore
A&R Questions:
1. How did you originally get into the music industry?
At 15, I started doing custom mixtapes in High School for classmates and teachers. From there I got known as the go to guy for music. My friend Terrence persuaded me to do just one mixtape and distribute it on Canal Street. At the time I didn’t know anyone in the business. I was just 16. So I just made 20 CDs, burned them on my home computer and took them to Manhattan. I sold all of them that day. I was in business from then on. That was 2001.
2. What were some of the jobs you had when you started out?
When I was 14, I was a paid intern for this non-profit organization in Brooklyn. I had that for 2 years. My High School was an alternative school, so Goldman Sachs used to fund it. I got a paid summer internship there at 16, right before I put out my first mixtape. When school started back I applied for Nike town. Brooklyn’s all about your sneakers, so that was a dream part time job for me. I got an acceptance letter September 10th. But then 9/11 happened. So a week later they froze all new hires. A month later Nike said no more hires because of the tragedy. I put out my first mixtape a couple weeks later.
3. What made you decide to start a business?
My first business was actually a record store. I started that at 17 in my neighborhood (Crown Heights). It was down the block from Clara Barton and Prospect Heights High Schools. I went 50/50 with an investor I knew from Church. It started out as a booth and expanded into a store. I closed it right before I attended (2 months!) of college. My second business is The Famous Firm aka I Can Make You Famous. The actually corporation is called The Famous Firm, but I named it I Can Make You Famous because if that brand went sour, I didn’t want to have to start a new LLC. The company represents and develops talent. From rappers to basketball players to photographers to models. Anyone with talent.
4. When starting your business what were some of the challenges you faced?
My parents didn’t really understand the whole concept of mixtapes. They didn’t know whether it was bootlegging or I was covering up selling drugs. It didn’t make sense to them. Sell these CDs for $3 wholesale on the streets. But they left me alone after the grand opening of my store. It was probably the proudest day of my life more both my parents, who were never together, to come. And I never had a fully capitalize business from the start. My business models always had to work because that’s the way I would stay in the game. So it’s hard to keep good people. Luckily I’ve always had smart people around me who have always seen the vision I’ve seen. I’m happy to say I’ve turned a substantial profit both of my first 2 years in business.
5. What was the purpose of your business?
To represent the top talent in the world in every arena. The top rapper, singer, model, photographer, athlete etc. I believe developing talent is a lost art.
6. What were your plans for your career and company?
We’re expanding The Firm this year. Hiring young, hungry kids and giving them shots to me the next generation of talent executive. I want to have a career like Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts coach) or Russell Simmons, by making myself a lot of money while breeding other entrepreneurs.
7. What the best way to network your name and business?
On-line, the industry and in the streets equally. I write a blog (thankgodimfamous.com), stay on myspace, facebook, and go to showcases, concerts as well as big time meetings and lunches with power players. You have to have a balance. Know where web 2.0 is going, know what the streets are saying and noticing the current industry trends.
8. How did being an entrepreneur/and business owner help you become an A&R?
People only help people who help themselves. So when Hip Hop saw what I was doing with my company and gave me a shot, I knew how to take advantage. Take interns for example. Most people just use them to get lunch, do expenses and remedial tasks. I had to PAY people out my pocket to work with me, so if I find someone who’s willing to work for free, I’m not going to waste their time. I sit there and train my interns. I give them books, show them the ropes. I always tell them to be cooler and more in the know them me. Kevin Liles used to work for Mike Kyser. Puff was an intern. Gee Roberson used to intern for Hip Hop and now they’re partners!
9. What made you become and A&R?
I was first offered an A&R position at 18 from Beat Street Records. I really didn’t know what an A&R was or did. But I was always throwing showcases and other things. I learned a lot from Clark Kent, an OG A&R, there. Then I propositioned Just Blaze and become his A&R a year later. I found Saigon and brought it to him. That’s how Hip Hop met me and took me to Craig Kallman (Atlantic Chairman).
10. As an A&R what were you responsible for?
Finding new talent beats relationships with producers/managers/lawyers, staying under budget, negotiating record deals and being the life line of the company.
11. How do you go about finding an artist?
Everywhere. Youtube, Myspace, shows, concerts, packages, conferences, radio, TV etc. There is no shortage of artists. That’s why I have the “I Can Make You Famous” slogan. So they can find me!
12. Once you are the A&R looking over a project, how involved are you and what is your part of the process?
Depends on how much people trust you. When you sign artists, you are the label. Marketing, radio, sales etc doesn’t get involved until A&R gets it ready. You’re the A&R, marketer, radio promo, artist development, consultant, diary, enemy, friend etc.
13. Are you part of the marketing and promotion of an artist?
Hell yeah (Mclovin voice). Bad marketing can kill artists. I’ve had a lot of experience marketing my mixtapes. So I take a very active role.
14. The music industry is constantly changing how does an A&R stay in the business?
I read somewhere that the average A&R career is 3 years. That’s why I focus on being an executive. A&R’s are only as good as the last artist they broke.
15. What role does your company play in your position as an A&R?
It gives me extra muscle. It’s like having 5 people do 1 job. You cover more ground that way. But I’m not going to be an “A&R” forever. I’ll A&R forever, like the verb. But not the position.
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