 Wow, what's up everybody? What's again? It's brand man, Sean. And today I got a special guest for you guys Dray aka Drayda Q He's an artist manager also an owner of pivotal branding He has multiple clients that he works with one primarily being digital knives whose work with Lil Yachty and ASAP yams We'll go a little bit more into those things later on but I promise you this is gonna be a super great Interview I was humbled to be able to sit down and record this conversation We're gonna touch on things like what it takes to be a good manager. You'll definitely have insight into the mind of a manager We're all so even talking negotiations getting brand deals and just hustling all together Also, I got to mention that I'm in between locations for these interviews But the information is the most important part and I promise you this information is super impactful So let's go ahead and hop into this. I will see you at the end How did you even get into the game as a manager in the first place? Man, I mean, I've always been a music guy always been a music person And you know, like I actually teach at the school while I teach music production and I started developing these producers Yeah, yeah, and throughout their career. I've been guiding them. So it kind of just it just happened Me and my friend brother formed a company that he was already managing and uh, okay You know from there just took off and you know, it actually works Parley right into yeah, you know, so you were just teaching. Yeah, yeah teaching production and Yeah, we're all right into it students started doing well So it's funny because just hearing it like that you almost think you would have some kind of grand strategy Because you kind of you're at the post right here building up these students Would you say there's any particular way into the game because were you planning that out to do it that way? nah, man, there's People getting the game on different kind of ways, you know, some of them some of them start his assistance and develop certain qualities That's real, you know, and next you know, they get opportunity, you know, some of them are the tour bus drivers and you know Like for real. So it's like, you know, there's no such strategy I think kind of anybody can be in the game, you know, you just go about the right way and learn You're more on the business side right now But what about for an artist do you think artists has any particular way to get to the game because people are always asking Me personally, how do I get into the game? What do I do from an artist standpoint? I think is a Matter of one have a content that's worth listening to right, you know, too is you got to get out there You know, like you got to really be out there like especially, you know, we're at we're located in Atlanta You know, there's a lot of different opportunities out there, but there are a lot more artists They're trying to get on trying to get on everybody's on the ground everybody's hustling I think from artist standpoint, you know, what makes you different is gonna have you stand out. Gotcha, you know, so What are go ahead and tell them to the artist that you manage at the time because I know some people are like Who is this guy? Yeah, I manage right now. It's a client digitize, you know, produce her rapper Pretty much got this young wave on lock right now Yeah, yeah, so it's pretty cool man. It's pretty cool. And he's worked with Yachty, right? Yeah, Yachty, Asap Ferg, Trippie Redd, PNB Rock Playboard Cardi Man Anybody you name it man. Anybody this this whole young generation of rap man. He's touched and I know Nas and Yachty did a collab collab project. That was dropped last year Like two years ago. Oh like two years ago. Yeah. Yeah. And when I listen to Nas Well, so he's a producer primarily, but he raps too. Is he trying to well He does both but the production kind of just took off. That's a good one. It took off first So it's like, all right cool But you know right now we're in the lab every day, you know producing every rap and getting better at both of them Gotcha, that's perfect because I run into a lot of artist managers And I know people probably hear a lot from artist managers just when they watch and look up information But you manage a producer. How do you market a producer? Man, I mean it's just a matter of I'll say dealing with Nas You know everybody's different everybody's different everybody's gonna have different qualities Yeah, some people make me the producer that you never see they might just stay in the studio You know that's it and then you have some producers who are out there who actually, you know They actually develop a personality right, you know outside, you know outside of those four walls of being in the studio Yeah, and so he actually has a personality man Like he's out there and the kids flock to him the young the young generation and they flock to him So from that point was like, okay, cool. Let's capitalize on okay See me on this skateboard. Yeah, and that's a whole nother so another market. Yeah, skateboarding that skateboard like and you know We're gonna go to Cali See some skateboard videos or stuff like that or you know, sometimes you just tweet like hey Mimi at this gay part and like kids will show up, you know, they want to be affiliated because this you know, that's what they do It's pretty cool. So he stays engaged with this Yes, that's happened top priority So how do you what is a plan look like because he's where he is right now? What does the plan look like inspire some building off of what y'all currently have? Right now just being should you know strategic, you know being strategic with the moves Because you know as you started develop a buzz more people start to come around and they want to be involved and they want to You know, they want to do this and want to do that So what I like to do is, you know pros and cons, you know You know whether pros and cons or Lincoln or working with this person or the pros and cons of Lincoln or working with that person or that company So pretty much we sit back and we kind of just see where we want to go like where we want to go And what this can lead to what that can lead to whichever one is the best marketing move or business move, you know Financially and brand-wise, you know, because you know, you want to be associated with great things, you know Well, you know, I try not to be associated with things that's going to limit other things exactly So let's break that down because this is like the point of these is really for the artist to understand as much of the back in Mentally as possible and just know the game so they don't take offense to certain things or just you know Get a little bit of discourage when what is that back in conversation look like let's just say an artist or a producer whoever reaches out to You know digitize What do you as a manager because it's a little bit easier, you know When you're reaching out to art specifically sometimes but I know especially when they have a team the team might be saying this Look isn't a good look or hey, we're focused on this right now We don't care but we don't have time for this new person random person reaching out Yeah, and sometimes you do have to say no, you know Sometimes you do have to say no no this, you know Stay along with that vision because you know the little quick couple thousand dollars here Yeah, we don't want to interrupt the big bag, you know We don't want to interrupt the big corporate sponsorship or the business partnership, you know X Y and Z because we're spending time with this So like so we get a lot of young artists and that's one of the things about now This you know like a lot of the young artists are coming to them because they like hey Nazis You know now this is probably one of the youngest producers that's touched this whole generation It's probably maybe about two or three guys that's in this generation and this you know this new age music You know that he hasn't really touched. He's been around So it's just a matter of man You just got to look at everything from two different perspectives, you know, okay Like if you jump at the first thing you might miss out on something else, right? Like they ain't now I'm stuck with this first thing. Yeah, you know a lot of times It might not be worth it, you know, I'm gonna be worth the time that the headache that may come with it So how about if I'm an artist? No or a producer I don't know their approach will be different and I'm reaching out to nice and I'm gonna come up What's the best approach to reach out to somebody like a nice or an artist where the manager doesn't say like now We can't do that and then maybe following up. What's the best approach to come into somebody like you and not? Being completely I don't know it would be mentorship whatever they're trying to look for but yeah What makes you y'all more receptive to people? Yeah, I look at it from, you know, how how I do Because you know, I'm still gonna come up as well, you know, I'm I'm alive on learning You know, I'm learning every day, you know, where I find out where the people that I want to be like or the people that I Want to get knowledge from I found out where they are and that's why I go You know, so if they're gonna be at this spot if this event is going on is that even, you know pretty much just being to know like know what's going on around you and stuff because You really wanted you would know what's going on around you But so, you know from that aspect, you know, now, of course, there's lines of communication You know phone numbers and emails and stuff like that, you know, we do check emails, you know We do check emails and a lot of times it's not really It's not really worth the time because you know, you have a lot of you know A lot of on the come-up independent artists They probably not, you know, financially stable to make sure that that music is maybe mixed down correctly You know, you know, I've had a lot of different situations. I've had people You know, call me on the phone singing over the phone, you know Sending voice memo, you know Cool, like nah, like but you know, like I said, you know For me, it's like, you know, what are we focusing on, you know, right? You know, what are we focusing on as a team as a brand itself, you know, what are we focusing on? So yeah, I mean like I said, just me personally, I say just saying that no Like you need to know what's going on when it's going on and it's a lot of free stuff out there So it's not like it's one of those. Oh, I got to pay X amount of dollars to be in this spot Exactly, you know, it's a lot of things going on in this especially in the city of Atlanta and all major cities So, you know, I think somebody really wanted to get in contact with somebody you can like win Atlanta like You know, I mean we in Atlanta, I mean you can get you know, you can find out things. That's real. So okay This is something I wanted to make sure I remember to ask because someone asked me to ask What makes a good manager, you're opinion I don't know. I think a good manager like me, like I have a lot of mentors You know, I have a lot of mentors I surround myself with people that's been there and it's done and it's better than me Just to make sure I do make sure I do right things, right? You know, so when I think you know a good manager somebody who's who's gonna do who's gonna make the best decision for the overall team You know, not the best decision for him or not the best decision, you know me. I think longevity Yeah, you know versus right now, you know, so I think that managers are those guys who's owned in whose focus who's knowledgeable You know, you know knowledge of us. That's one of the biggest thing Because this thing change every day, you know technology and new waves and see deals going this way It's going that way. I think being being knowledgeable and you do want to manage it. That's kind of connected You know, right? That's kind of connected not saying that managers aren't you know, aren't good if they're not connected But you only can go so far, you know what I mean? You're gonna go so far like that You know, you start to reach a ceiling like all right cool I need to do something else to get to the next level and it's a very it's very few that actually do it You know what I mean and actually Blow up or something like you know what I mean like they actually blow up versus taking those You know those baby steps learning learning learning sometimes it just falling lap and it just falling a lap got you So we talked about connections I mean you basically kind of laid it out that it's pretty important, but how How vital do you need to be able to just create new connections? Or I mean do people kind of black people out sometime I want a black ball if they don't have the connections. Well, it's not black ball You just probably won't be able to get to reach You know, you know, you might if you need to know the head person over here You know, you probably can't you know, if you're not that connected and you probably can't figure that info out You know, it probably can't get close to him Yeah So, you know, sometimes you might need to make a phone call to make a phone call that somebody else can make a phone Call that's happening plenty of time It's like that so it's when you answer the phone You know, I know just the right number and then I make one phone call like yo like boom boom boom That's like I could you know, it's kind of like a validation Singapore You know what I mean? It's like what this guy calling my phone, you know, is it really worth it? You know, you know having that mentorship or having a co-signer, you know It's kind of like artists like a lot of artists get on from co-signs Management kind of the same way you know what I mean? Like, you know, like like I said, sometimes I just follow your lap You know, but sometimes it you know, so a lot of people take different routes, you know So my route, you know, I just make sure I got good mentors around me Make sure you know, I learned from different situations that I've been in and make sure that I'm included You know in in their situation so I can see how they handle certain things So that forward when I get approached with that, I know what to say how to say it Okay, I know and I know what not to say as well. That's real What would you are what not to say then what was like one of the biggest mistakes you feel like you made at at some point I had to learn the hard way that The first person to speak money loses You know the first person to talk money loses, you know And now that there's a learning lesson, you know, that's a learning lesson. It was like thing. I could have got what You know, my mom said I was thinking this was a lot. Yeah, you know what I mean? This much, you know, but like I said now it's a learning lesson So, you know now I'm able to negotiate better things and stuff like that. But like I said, if I didn't go through that You know, I wouldn't know how to negotiate, you know, some of this stuff that's coming my way now You know what I mean? Because like I said, Nas is growing other clients are growing so the business is growing like I'm growing So, you know, it's a pretty good situation So then when you talk about negotiations Nas is a producer How do you get brand deals because everybody who wants to give brand deals these days is something easy to turn Brand deals, that's one of the main two things where people are looking to get that money from. So how do you get those? I mean from my experience, you know much we go, you know my experience I can only speak on that but from my experience, I think your client or your artist or whatever you are a producer or whatever I think you have to You have to kind of show something, you know, you have to have it's just this type of energy that certain people give off that That we have one that people want to be a part of, you know, like you know, like say like Nas is he's big on the skateboard You know, he's big on the skateboard. He's a part of the young culture. You know, he's a part of that that fashion culture You know, he's a part of all of that. So it's like cool. Let's put our brand on him You know, let's put our brand on that. So so now it's like, okay cool Once you, you know, actually like I said develop some kind of influence, you know what I mean? Like you have some kind of influence, right? You know, it doesn't hurt to partner with somebody else who could take that influence bigger You know, they can take it to another level, you know part of them. Do y'all reach out to them or? Like I've reached out to a few but like say like now, like They coming up a little bit, you know what I mean? Because now we're kind of like, all right cool. We're proving it So yeah, okay. We got one record. We got two records We got three records. Now the name is getting hotter. The buzz is getting builder Like, you know, the buzz is getting bigger. So it was like now they're like, oh man, he slept on it So now they come back You know, like, you know, it's all good, but you know, like that bag on me a little bit bigger price went up a little bit Yeah, since then so okay, you know, that's what's up And if they want to be a part they gonna be a part. Have you ever reached out to somebody a situation and it actually worked out though? Yeah, yeah, I can't I can't say yeah But that it actually worked, you know, I reached out I reached out to somebody and it actually worked because of The hustle in the FaceTime that they knew about me like I didn't know that person Okay, but that person when he when he when it when it when I reached out, you know, it was in person You know, it's like, oh, yeah, you be everywhere. You be here. You be there. You be there You be there. I'll be seeing you. I'll be wondering what you do And it's like, yeah, man, like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It's like, all right, cool Let's meet Monday and it's like great much. All right, cool. Okay So you already kind of cut some of it out there just from your yeah, like say, you know Like just being in the know like just know what's going on being in the know. I mean, I'm a very humble person You know, I'm like sad learned every day, man Like every day I'm trying to see what's new every day. I'm with my mentors hanging out You know, you know, like all my mentors older than me. So you know to me like I'm learning all the time I think that's a perfect but you mentioned mentors so many times in this conversation. I will I'm telling you man Like I every every situation I've been a part of from from teacher music production to being a band director to College, you know what I mean? Like it should to now man. Everything's been like mentorship mentorship You know, let me learn this before I just hop in it and say, I do it Exactly, you know what I mean? And that's what we have a lot of that going on and that's why you have a lot of failures You know, I saw this post of the day that you know management is not an entry-level job You know Because you know, if you if you're with the right person, you know, you might not be the right manager, you know I mean, so it might be smart to maybe, you know, go get a mentor that can help you along the way So when those things come to the table, you just not saying ridiculous things and you just not you know Like blowing people off. Yeah, you know saying the wrong thing rubbing people the wrong way because you feel You know, I'll be where you feel. So like I said my mentors, man, like Everything like That's one thing I can't say people know that about me too. They like me and like how you know this person I'm a mentor. I know that person. I'm a mentor. I'm about to be 30 years old. Like I'm a mentor But I like, you know, that's just something about me. Like I'm always partnering with people. That's, you know Been there and that's done it genuine people. That's real. You know, like genuine people because you got a lot of people that They don't like to bring the young ones up, you know what I mean? Because it's like, alright, this guy's gonna take my spot, you know But then you got to you got to you got some people that actually realize like I ain't gonna be here forever You know, so at least let me bring somebody younger up. That's still gonna take care of me And I'm still gonna be affiliated. I'm still gonna be in the know, you know, because I think that's where we are As a culture now, you know, with this with the industry, you know The old can young the old can learn from the young the young can learn from the old Right, you know, we work together. You got an amazing situation. That's real and What you haven't to like develop so many it just sounds like you say it's been Integral to your whole life. Just always having mentors. What's the approach you've taken? Consistently because I always hear people trying to get mentors and they make it seem like it's impossible But you seem like you've done it. Um, yeah, I mean, it's not impossible man. It's just you got to understand that um Time is valuable. So, you know, you you're asking somebody for their time You know, you need to have something of value like, you know, a lot of people just say they want mentors Just so they can have somebody to put them on You know what I mean? It's like, you know, this ain't no shortcut. Yeah, this ain't no shortcut Like, you know, and a lot of people, you know, they intern and they want to get paid right now It's like you got to learn first, you know what I mean? Like one thing I've learned is to, you know Be a value, you know, like actually have value in yourself in the room Like if you left the room with something to leave with you Because if everything stays the same Then I don't need you You know what I mean? If everything stays the same nothing changes everything operates Yeah, and you know, what what good are you, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, you know, and that's where a lot of people a lot of people fail Because it's like they they sit back and they just, you know, wipe the blonde sweep the floor You know, it's like cool like the blinds ask a question Sweep the floor ask a question You know set up the session ask a question You know, so when it's time for you to Maybe step in or you might get your shine over that person say what you think You know be ready Be ready like right be ready, you know show some kind of, you know Initiative like that you really want this you realize you're not wasting my time that you're not just an employee You know, because at the end of the day, I just don't want to employ you just around like, you know I want somebody who's just as passionate as me. That's really you know, I want somebody who's not going to be a yes man Just be like, yeah, that's cool Yeah, that's dope, you know what I mean like if it ain't dope tell me it's not dope Because I don't want to put spend money on it and waste our time and put it out and it flops So it doesn't do as well as everybody thought it was gonna do Excuse me do as well as everybody thought it was going to do but like Like said mentors like say just going to the right spots, you know going to the right spots For me, it took time, you know, I'm very beneficial, you know my fraternity But even with that, you know being in a fraternity like that really that really put me in a different space You know, but even I had to weed through my fraternity like, you know, even my older paternity brothers was like, okay It's a great work my time You know, it's great with my time or he just here just to get a handout, right? You know what I mean? It's a no handout kind of thing. Like this is something that it's like because I know if I put you on I'm changing your life Pretty much, you know I put you on changing your life. I need to you know, I need to know Are you really like here to work and go grind and be down with the team have some sensibility? You know what I mean stuff like that and that's where that's what a lot of people fail, you know That's so I was just with the uh Homeboy last night and he's a manager too. And he was doing this little segment And loyalty he had this whole segment on loyalty So I would love to hear what you think about loyalty in this game and how it really how that looks like Loyalty and disloyalty plays out With loyalty man, like I said loyalty a lot of people have a lot of different definitions of loyalty You know my definition of loyalty and you know, I'm I'm down regardless, you know, I'm down regardless I'm not gonna lie to you. You know if I feel it's a bad idea. It's a bad idea You know, because I think if I lie to you, that's being disloyal. You know what I mean? Yeah, if I say, oh man, it's dope man. Put it out there. It's been 10 000 dollars on it And I know deep down that it's not good or it sucks that it's not of quality You know, it's not of good quality, you know, I think that's being this lawyer letting people do things that you know Hurt them. So me like I said, you know, I try to guide You know, I try to guide the best way and like with all my clients and all my people that I rock with, you know I'm honest like, hey, I think it should be done this way. I think it should be done that way I think this makes more sense for the fans or for you or as a brand period You know, and like I said riding with that team not forgetting The the positions the way that you've been put in, you know, like even with all my mentors, man That's what I can say always pay homage, man Like when people say, oh, how you did this? How you get next to that person? I saw you doing that I saw you with x1z. It's like, oh man, you know, I'm just blessed to be in the room Man, my mentors put me in the room like my mentors was like, come on Drake. You can roll you cool That's real, you know, just because they not they know I'm not going to get in there and like try to take selfies and You know what I mean? You know and like I said, we all have that inner so, you know in the inner Being, you know, slept struggle with everybody's like, you know, just got to hold it in like you got to Act like you've been somewhere to play the part, you know, I mean act like you've been somewhere before and then After a couple of times it's like, you know what he do? You know what's your name? Where you from? Oh, okay. You're so so boy. Oh, man. That's what's up. I need somebody that do this I do that take my number that Cool, you know, I mean just by being in the room, but don't have to forget who put you in the room You know, why is that? Uh, like I said, man, like at any point just think of change, you know By me putting you in the room your life could change like you never know like Like for instance, uh, me deejaying, you know, a lot of people don't know that I deejay But I deejay for she killed on this, you know, my mentor My mentor is his sports agent and he needed a deejay And you know, I teach the music class and I you know, I teach deejay a little bit But um, you know, I'm no deejay. You're gonna be scratching and stuff And he's like, why don't you do it man? Stop trying to you know because me I had a problem I was putting everybody before me You know, that was just just been in my nature. You know what I mean? Like I'm putting everybody before me Like before me and I was looking for deejay. He's like, yo, like I got a gig for you You know boom boom boom and everybody was like, nah, man. No, I'm cool. No, I'm good. I'm like sure I'm like, all right, cool. So I did it And they say, you know, man, like I don't try with the world You know, like deejaying, you know the microphone with deejaying and stuff So, um, but you know, it's only certain events that I do, you know, because of time time for me That's a real bad thing. Yeah. No, that's just, you know, the team flying out to this place the team flying out to that place NBA all-star weekend, you know, other things like that. So So yeah, man, like I said, you can't never forget who put you in the room because like said, no matter Like that it could change man, man, you know, just like getting the phone number Okay, you know email address or you know what I mean on picture You know picture, man, you know picture goes a long way nowadays, you know Absolutely, man. That's very real. All right. All right. I hope that was super helpful for you guys There were a few key takeaways. I personally got from the interview Focus was a big one making sure that you keep that focus and don't get distracted by those little bags So you can get to that big bag and I'm all about that big bag Loyalty is a thing that's really going to help you have longevity in this game And on top of that just mentors mentors mentors It sound like from when he was saying that the mentors are the keys to opening them doors Man, I should be a rapper because I was off the top of the dome. I'm I'm smooth with y'all Drake the queue follow DRE da queue Drayda queue dude super humble You could tell by just listening to the interview that obviously he's going places And we'll be in this game for a minute Networkings what it's all about don't spam buddy for no reason I do have a part two of this interview coming soon and trust me if you like this one You're gonna like the next one. Hey, and while I'm talking about likes Go ahead and hit that like button and if you like it then share it and if you aren't subscribed Y'all know what to do hit that subscribe button