I’m back in Atlanta from California.. I had a good trip to San Francisco and then Los Angeles. I got to visit the SF MOMA and check out their Diego Rivera exhibit. I also spent a little time in Beverly Hills which was nice.. I felt like Will Smith when he moved from Philly to Bel Air.
It was mostly a great experience, because I got to meet many of my fellow teammates at Substack in SF - where we’re creating the next big platform for creators. Remote work is great, but there’s something to be said for being in the same place as people you work with.
One of the things we discussed is the importance of keeping things simple.. sticking to what you’re great at, the key service you provide - and only then expanding. It’s something that I’m going to apply to this platform.
When I think about what I do best, it largely comes down to being able to synthesize large amounts of, often seemingly unrelated, information and ideas into a streamlined framework. I would liken it to painting a picture. Bringing together different areas of law, business, and culture into one actionable directive.
To me, it’s art.
It’s like when I listen to Kanye West’s ‘MBDTF’. The album, itself, is not full of radio cuts; and you probably won’t hear those songs in the club.. but it’s because Kanye wasn’t chasing streams or clout - he was making art.
I’ve decided that’s what I’m going to focus on with ‘Spin the Block’.
I’ve also spoken to a number of people who follow my writings, and the common thread is they are mostly forward-thinking people who are either running businesses or are high-performing professionals.
I want to make the best use of all of our time, and provide this platform as more of a research / insight arm to my other professional activities.
I don’t want to chase the news, I want to make the news.
That said, here are some things which stood out to me this week:
RapCaviar Announces a Video Podcast
Spotify’s ‘RapCaviar’, one of the largest curated HipHop playlists, announced that it is creating a video podcast to accompany it’s traditional music playlist format..
“Launching August 4, the RapCaviar podcast will feature host Brandon “Jinx” Jenkins and guests that include artists, producers, writers, label executives, and critics.”
This is, yet, another example of the convergence of music and media - a concept which I discussed in detail here. It’s also indicative of Spotify, and the other DSPs, strategy which is - increasing the amount of time which streamers spend on the platform.
Why is this important?
Because Spotify, and the other DSPs make money from subscriptions and advertising. So if Spotify can place content, such as the RapCaviar video podcast, behind a paywall - or at the very least, increase the amount of time you spend on their platform by watching this video podcast - and sell ads based on viewership then they make more money.
So while this is an exciting update for fans of music and culture, it’s largely a good move because it (presumably) will make more money for Spotify and its investors.
Not to beat a dead horse, but if I was on an influential artists team - creating my own video series would be an area that I would seriously look into - because that then opens us up opportunities to own and/or license your content to other media platforms such as Spotify, Netflix, YouTube.. and a whole list of others - if you’ve got the eyeballs, they’ve got the Dollars (or Euro).
An artists’ music video can generate anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of viewers on YouTube.. some television shows don’t even get that many views.
It’s all about content strategy though.
Artists and athletes have to think wider, and across the media and tech landscape(s) - in addition other industries and ventures.
And todays’ manager or agent is the CEO, COO, and sometimes CTO, of a legitimate multimedia enterprise. To limit yourself to “just a manager (or agent)” will be unprofitable for you and your client - in the long run, anyway.
The truth is - there is more opportunity in media and technology, and other ancillary ventures, than there is solely in sports and music. Music, sports, and culture is the foundation; but there’s more. This is why it’s crucial to develop a multimedia vision and strategy - in addition to employing experienced, competent and connected advisors and contractors.
That said, companies such as Netflix - that are in a position of leverage - have an easier time building out these content platforms and distribution capabilities: simply because of their scale, networks, and also technology. This is why it often makes sense for individual artists and athletes, and their teams, to partner with such organizations; but one thing I’ll say is that as an artist or athlete - you always want to control your narrative; and have executive influence over your operations.
This means starting where you are, with what you have, and then building leverage to be able to enter a boardroom and converse as a legitimate partner.
Parting Thoughts
I have a different perspective on most things business-related because I come from a different place.. and one of the things I’m learning about life is that the more “successful” you become, the more your relationships (both professional and personal) begin to look like the Mafia.
Easy to get in, harder to get out..
Don’t let that go over your head.. and don’t let anyone make you feel weird for not doing everything, and not going anywhere.
“Everybody can tell you how to do it, they never did it”
Jay Z, ‘Already Home’
It’s good to be exclusive. It’s good to have standards.
It’s good to qualify your associates and partners. It’s good to take your time.
Five star restaurants don’t have drive-through menus. You don’t see Lamborghini advertisements on the side of buses, and Gucci doesn’t give discounts.
It really comes down to identity, knowing who you are, and sticking to that through the good and the better.. because everything works out for good in the end.
Stay up,
Elijah
Elijah Adefope is a media, entertainment, and technology consultant and attorney. He is Lead Counsel at Substack, a media technology platform for creatives, and has written two books on the music and sports industries. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia and can be reached on LinkedIn or at elijah@thrivesportsent.com