Blacked Eyed Peas

APL.DE.AP offers a smile every time he sees someone knew standing around him. WILL.I.AM is a guy who acts like the rest of us, normal. If you want to know a guy who enjoys creating music in the studio, he’d your guy. Most people would agree, that those who work the conventions and the tours for Black Eyed Peas, are cordial.

However, when it comes to Fergies management team things are slightly different. When a management team comes under question for their actions, they’ll more than likely give excuses to their clients. Fergies management lady, whom I haven’t met, doesn’t return calls. Makes me wonder how many deals Fergie may of missed, eh! How many times are you expected to call a manager before she returns a call? After three or four times you get the message why bother. I always wait a few weeks’ in-between calls to managers in case their traveling and the message got erased. In my case the four tries were with an answering machine and a live person.

Killah Priest

I met Priest in the early 90’s, when he was hoppin’ with Sunz of Man and again in the late 90’s while he was truckin’ with the Wu Tang Clan. We developed a friendship. He was always promised big deals by labels. However, I reminded him that a deal isn’t a deal, without big money on you’re a**. It’s all about the money in this game.

We lost touch for a few years until I saw him again in Vegas. I was free styling to a group of homies when Priest walked up with his buddies and freaked out over my ability to rhyme. He joined in for a blink. Priest has always had a spiritual side to him and a warm heart.

Nelly

In 2002 I got my first look at the newly designed clothing line called Vokal, along with Nelly’s camp. It didn’t take long before I was accepted. Nelly’s entourage and family have always been courteous. However, long before meeting Nelly, I got to meet one of his buddies left behind when Nelly was signed to a recording deal. The rapper opened his heart to me on a corner in NYC. The meeting was set up for me by Antonio to discuss how recording deals work.

Nelly and I have had few conversations. However, over the years, Nelly’s family members (Yomi and Sean) and I, have had many private discussions about dozens of things. I set into place his deal with Diadora for the Grammy’s. I was there when Nelly’s entourage picked out their selection of shoes, and watched Bill accommodate them. This opened the door for his staff to seek other endorsements, like Air Force One.

Nelly was lucky enough to have a heck of a family behind him. He had a heck of a crew. He had a staff willing to listen, who were always open to new ideas. Nelly’s autographed picture hangs in my office as a reminder to me how many personal words of wisdom, encouragement, and direction, from a community of believers it actually took to help this lad move forward.