Billboard Magazine
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
40 40UNDER "American Idol" stint, her E! TV special and the launch of Jay Brown her Pink Friday fragrance; the arrival of Hit -Boy on Blueprint Records; and building up Wayne's streetwear line Trukfit. Co-founder/President, Roc Nation Blueprint's film/TV division also boasts T.I.'s VH1 reality se- ROCNATION.COM @ROCNATION ries "The Family Hustle." On tap: Wayne's current tour, and for Minaj more branding ventures, a film role and a new al- bum. And look for T.I. to reveal which label he'll sign with for MAKING NEW RULES his next project. "We want Blueprint to help artists expand "We're true entrepreneurs, creating things we love," Jay Brown, outside the music space," Bryant says. "As they develop their 39, told Billboard earlier this year. "The challenge is to keep own brands, they're building equity and additional assets. If thinking outside the box." Roc Nation definitely takes that credo the music stops tomorrow, they'll still have those outlets." to heart. Year to date, the #newrules company broke ground Roberson, who exited as Geffen chairman last year to head with the Jay Z/Samsung Magna Carta ... Holy Grail pact, signed Blueprint Records, adds, "It means not being boxed in. We're a multiyear worldwide partnership with Universal Music Group, pushing the culture forward." -Gail Mitchell appointed Jason Iley president of Roc Nation Records and cel- ebrated No. 1 releases by label acts J. Cole and the head man himself. While welcoming producer Timbaland and artist Kylie Rio Caraeff Minogue to its management roster, the burgeoning conglomer- CEO, Vevo ate-which also houses a music publishing division-launched VEVO.COM Roc Nation Sports. Next: After summer stadium shows with @RIOZILLA Justin Timberlake, Jay Z will helm the second annual Made in America festival (Aug. 31-Sept.1). -Gail Mitchell GLOBAL VISION Rio Caraeff, 38, built Vevo into a powerhouse-and himself into Cortez Bryant one of the most powerful people in the music business-by giv- ing Americans computer and mobile access to popular music & Gee Roberson videos. Now his sights are set on TV and international growth. In the past year, Vevo has expanded its focus on larger screens Co -CEOs, The Blueprint Group and programming appropriate for leaning back. Vevo teams THEBLUEPRINTGROUP.NET are making apps and services for TV and longform program- @CORTEZBRYANT ming like original shows and "linear" channels that continuous- ly stream content. In addition, Vevo will launch on at least six ARTIST EMPOWERMENT more TV platforms later this year. Generating revenue beyond The Blueprint Group, the management firm headed by co - the United States is another priority. Caraeff wants to expand CEOs Cortez Bryant, 34, and Gee Roberson, 39, is hotter than Vevo from 12 to 20 countries by the end of the year. Revenue ever. Clients include Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, T.I., G-Eazy and will follow: Vevo's non-U.S. revenue grew from less than 5% in producer/rapper Hit -Boy. Past -year highlights include world 2010, its first year of operation, to 37% in 2012. Caraeff notes tours by Minaj and Drake; branding ventures with Beats by that about 50% of revenue will come from outside the States Dr. Dre (for Minaj and Wayne); lucrative deals with Pepsi and next year. "The biggest upside," he says, "is to figure out how to Mountain Dew (for Minaj and Wayne, respectively); Minaj's monetize international consumption." -Glenn Peoples Brandon Creed Manager, The Creed Co. THECREEDCO.COM @BRANDONCREED MANAGING MARS Brandon Creed, 36, made the acquaintance of Bruno Mars when he was an A&R executive at Epic and Mars was pedaling songs and pushing to get signed. Though Creed admits he "wasn't 100% sure the artist thing was going to be a go," he saw enough potential to leave the label and become Mars' manager. Wise move. As Mars passes more milestones, Creed is particularly proud of the approach the management team has taken to the current album and tour campaign. "We've bucked a few trends," he says, from the choice of first single "Locked Out of Heaven" to Un- orthodox Jukebox art to spending nine months promoting the album globally to launching a "bigger tour than some people thought we should have done." Creed cites a few standouts from the past year, such as Mars performing to the largest crowd of any act at the Houston Rodeo in March. "To see more than 75,000 people in the stadium and have Bruno, a Puerto Rican -Filipino kid from Hawaii, have the whole place singing his songs was one of the more overwhelming experiences." There was also Mars' performance at this year's Grammy Awards alongside Sting and his turn as host and performer on "Satur- day Night Live" in October. "When Bruno goes on television it's extremely reac- tive," he says. So while Creed is quick to quash the rumors of Mars as judge on a singing competition show ("It's definitely not the right time"), he doesn't rule out a TV special. Creed's also expanding horizons for another act he manages, Brandon Creed Grammy -nominated producers the Smeezingtons, who'll have a small voice photographed part in "Rio 2," which also features Mars. -CathyApplefeld Olson in Los Angeles. BRANDON CREED PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSEPH LLANES AUGUST 3,2013I WWW.BILLBOARD.BIZ.