S. Samuel
Diddy's manager, Chris Lighty, is looking to help put on for rap newcomers by offering artists an opportunity to have their music heard by him for a slight fee.
Lighty’s PleaseListenToMyDemo.com website gives aspiring artists a chance to get their music into his ears.
Please Listen To My Demo lets you showcase your music directly to A&R executives (the talent scouts and overseers of artist development) at major record labels. As an artist or a manager you get direct access to label execs, their feedback and their insights. We’re sure many artists out there have at one time or another mailed off a demo to a record label, hoping that among the thousands of demos labels receive each year, yours might be listened to and if the stars were aligned correctly you’d hear back from them. Times have changed. The Internet has democratized a lot of things, from videos to photos, social connections, and most importantly, music. We want to take it a step further by connecting artists and managers of artists directly with record label A&Rs to listen, critique and collaborate. (Please Listen To My Demo)
The head of Violator Management feels the popularity of online promotion has given artists opportunities to have their music absorbed.
“We are in the Internet age,” Lighty, 42, said. “There are so many creative people out there. We are not reaching everybody. Just listen to the radio. It’s the same 15 artists all day everyday…We won’t Simon Cowell you out. We will give you feedback. If we like it or dislike it.” (New York Daily News)
In 2009, rap star 50 Cent teamed with Lighty to launch his cologne, Power By 50 Cent.
Set to debut at Macy’s stores, Power by 50 Cent is the first launch for the newly formed Lighthouse Beauty, which is comprised of artist managers at Brand Asset Management, the celebrities they represent, and developers and distributors of luxury fragrances. Lighthouse Beauty is helmed by Lighty, Howard Sherman of Mod Beauty, Philip Zellner of Product King Marketing, World Source Marketing Group, 111 Design and Edge Display, and Glenn Nussdorf, a major shareholder of Parlux, Perfumania and Quality King. (Women’s Wear Daily)
The music executive is largely responsible for helping guide the careers of 50, Diddy, LL Cool J and more.
In an era when label CEO’s drop albums, romance pop-stars and parlay their mogul-dom into multiple endorsement deals, Chris Lighty, CEO of Violator Management, is a bit of an anomaly. Since 1989, his company has been stealthily creating strategic multi-million dollar opportunities for its artists’ – among them 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Diddy, and Soulja Boy – in the areas of film, television, advertising, sports and finance. (Please Listen To My Demo)
Check out a recent Chris Lighty interview down below:
