Steve Lobel - Undeniable
BLAQUELINE: Among the many things, your resume includes work with countless people in the music industry, including The Outlawz, Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony, Run DMC, Nipsey Hussle and the list goes on and on. What gives you that edge above other artist management companies?
LOBEL: My knowledge and reputation. A lot of people are full of bologna. But I walk the walk and I talk the talk. Can I do more and can I be bigger? Of course. However, the industry can drain you and take so much out of you. I want to have a life. I am different as a person because people respect me and I work hard. I have my word and good karma, some people don’t.
BLAQUELINE: People can literally push their music with the help of technology and social media. How do you stay relevant with the music industry changing so much?
LOBEL: I am glad you said that, because I tell a lot of people in my interviews that “I’m a dinosaur, but I am fossil fuel.” It’s very hard to stay relevant. I look at many people that I came up with in the industry and they look old, or they are out of shape, they are not relevant, they gave up and couldn’t take it anymore. I stay relevant because I stay active and stay on the scene and in the mix of the right things. Many people want to go attend 10 parties a week. I go to one or two and make more connections and stay around young people. I’m not a kid, but I feel like one.
BLAQUELINE: Do you feel that artists still require management with technology now playing a major role in music?
LOBEL: Because of social media, everyone is a rapper. Maybe 15 years ago we didn’t know how to find them, how to get to them; there was no YouTube, Instagram or Twitter. I still feel that every artist should have a team. A manager, yes? Someone that is going to go hard for you and look out for your best interest. If you are a major artist and you get signed to a record label, you are going to need a business manager, road manager, agent and a DJ and build a team if you are going to take it to the next level. But that does not mean if you are blowing up on Instagram. How many rappers are going to make money doing this for a living? Not many. For example, Meek Mill, 10 years in the game and he is finally getting his recognition. But nothing happens over night and how many artists are going to get famous off of social media? This is a business and I am looking to make money, grow and make history.
BLAQUELINE: I always hear companies mention “Building their Brand”. How do you know if an artist is right for your brand?
LOBEL: I have walked away from talented artists because their mother or father wanted to be the artist or they just didn’t know the business. I have walked away from artists that I sensed didn’t have loyalty, were cocky or had an ego way before they even had anything going on. I get approached all the time by artists, but you can only work with one or two artists. There is no way you can try to make ten artists in a year pop, especially in this day and age. It has to be something special and different. You need more than talent these days. You need work ethic, originality, personality and style. Most of these artists are lazy or they want someone else to do it or they think it just takes a push of a button. They don’t know how to get out there and grind.