This week we hosted one of my favorite CRWN episodes to date. The guest was none other than Wale. Wale and I go way back — before his Rick Ross and Mark Ronson days — and it’s awesome to see him at #1 on the Billboard hip-hop and radio airplay charts with this single, “On Chill.” His album is fantastic and his stories light up the room on CRWN, which drops Friday. Here’s a sneak peek.
Mondo is also taking place this week in NYC. I put together a panel called “Marketing 20/20,” which was a deep dive into the myriad marketing opportunities available to today’s creators. From crowd participation and rewards to smart media, digital collectibles, targeted releases, merch, and non-traditional touring, our esteemed guests discussed the not-so-obvious yet cutting-edge ways emerging artists can get ahead. Many of these opportunities lie hidden in plain sight in high growth industries such as video games, e-sports and the intersection of digital and physical experiences (think 29 Rooms or the BET Experience). I’m going to write a story on key takeaways from this.
Lastly, I’m very excited to be doing a symposium at Brandweek in Palm Spring on Monday, November 4th. It’s called “Fine-tuning Your Marketing Strategy With Music.” Here’s the description:
Music is the universal language and one of the lowest cultural barriers to entry. However, music partnerships are an undervalued marketing asset and a seemingly complicated world to navigate. Get familiar with the state of the industry and discuss upcoming trends and practical ways to include music into your strategy.
The kicker? Swizz Beats is on the bill! Swizz is a brand and music mogul, so do not miss this. Get tickets here with a discount.
That Q4 hustle is real. But I’m real ready.