UG Digital Mag: I’ve been one who has followed you all this time.
I love the industry, have family who are in it, and it’s amazing,
not to mention inspiring, for me to see what you’ve done. Being
in Cleveland, I’ve followed Bone Thugs for example, and part of
me gaining that stronger appreciation for you is the way you’ve
worked with them and treated them. I’ve seen the people they’ve
worked with otherwise, and I think you’ve been the strongest
force for them, and simply put, the one person who hasn’t
screwed them over or taken them in the wrong direction, and
that also goes for other artists you’ve worked with. People have a
tremendous amount of respect for you?
Steve Lobel: You give respect and you get respect. If people disrespect me, I’ll disrespect them harder. It took some time. I am a
caucasian guy in an urban Afro-american business. I’ve dealt with
a lot of people who maybe have never dealt with someone like
me, or grew up and hung around with someone like me. It was
all about building a relationship organically, and getting to know
one another and building trust. My relationships are decades
long because I’m a man of my word and integrity. I can still talk to
Fat Joe 25 years later, and I’m still working with most members
of Bone Thugs all these years later. We kick it like father and son.
When you say Bone Thugs, and I call this 216 number, it’s weird
because I used to deal with 216 numbers all day long with the
members of Bone Thugs and the Mo Thugs artists. A lot of people came around Bone, and I’ll tell y’all the truth one day of what
really goes on, but it’s not easy to manage a group. You have so
may different emotions, feelings, and personalities in a group. It
wasn’t easy. I’ve kept it more than 100 with Bone. I’m still down
with most of them for so many years, over and over, through the
trials and tribulations. I know more about that situation than a lot
of people, and like I said, I’ve been through ups and downs with
them and I’m still here. I was a part of putting the Bone and Biggie song [Notorious Thugs] together, Ridin’ Dirty with Chamillionaire, so on and so forth. I’ve been booking them with my partner
Jamie for many years and making money with them. I’ve brought
so much to the table for them, so you’re right. Some people
come in and out of their world, and I’m still here standing, loyal,
and doing great business. Time will tell, and the truth always
comes out, but I’m still here standing.
UG Digital Mag: Two things I want to hit on. Jam Master Jay, and
Run DMC. I know you fully credit them for your success. How did
you connect with them in the beginning?
Steve Lobel: You know, Jam Master Jay put me in the game.
I grew up with Run DMC and Jam Master Jay. I definitely give
credit where it’s due, and I’m a loyal dude with integrity, so I always give props to them, and I say Russell Simmons is my mentor. I don’t want to sound repetitive in the things I do, but a real
brand stays consistent and doesn’t switch up. People who do
hear interviews are saying this guy really stays true to the game
and who he is. I’m from Queens, New York, and I don’t forget
where I come from. I started with them and the sky was the limit.
Rest in Peace to my mentor and my man, Jam Master Jay.
UG Digital Mag: You spoke on the idea of managing groups, and
dealing with trials and tribulations. How have you managed that
through the years, given it goes through ups and downs from
day to day. Some artists are difficult, obviously.
Steve Lobel: Managing artists can be difficult, but at the end of
the day, I love what I do. Everything in life is difficult and nothing’s
easy. You have to deal with a lot of bullshit. I don’t know how I’ve
done it so long. I’ve been through a lot and have been stressed
out, so on and so forth. Sometimes I have no patience and I want
to throw it in, but the passion and drive keeps me going. Nothing
in life is easy so you have to deal with the good, bad, ups, and
downs. You have to laugh and cry, and put God first.
UG Digital Mag: Where are things with A2Z Entertainment? It’s
been 15 years now.
Steve Lobel: I named it A2Z Entertainment because I do everything from A to Z. I know every part of the music industry. A lot
of young people don’t know about the whole part of the industry
from publishing to royalties, ancillaries and splits. Not many new
artists have a team, lawyer, agent, and manager. A lot of these
artists haven’t done a show. We’re more of a production company label. I do a lot of consulting, and not as much management.
I have my whole brand reworking on Instagram and Snapchat.
A2Z has been around, and it’s an LLC. It’s management, production, film, and a bunch of stuff.
UG Digital Mag: Have you considered documenting or chronicling your day to day in general?
Steve Lobel: Well, I’m writing a book called The Coach Lasts Longer Than the Player, I just joined snapchat, and it’s documenting
certain things with that. I want to do a documentary on my life.
Have I done reality shows? Yes! I was on Millionaire Matchmaker,
I was on Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott in 2004 when reality
television wasn’t as big, and I did another one called Managers
& Celebrities. I’m pitching different shows. What’s fucked up is
everybody feels like nobody cares about what goes on behind
the scenes in the music industry, and I tend to disagree because
there’s so much great positive stuff in showing what goes on to
be in the music business and be great. So many TV companies
say it’s boring and they just want to show the finished product.
To me, I’d rather see the behind the scenes and the making of it.
I shot some sizzles and I’m pitching some stuff and trying to sell
some stuff. I’ve got a thing called Beats & Bullshit, meaning show
‘em the music business and all the bullshit that goes with it. People don’t see that. They don’t know how to set up this and that.
Most people are followers and not leaders. It took for Empire
to come on TV and everybody feels it’s the business, but that’s
not the music business. That’s what they want to show you as
the music business. I want to show you the raw and uncut. To be
honest with you, if someone doesn’t want to be a leader with me,
then I might have to shoot it myself and put it out somewhere
online. Online is very powerful, and content is key. I have my
own talk show, Live with Steve Lobel, where I sit with artists and
interview them. I interview everyone from J. Cole to Bizzy Bone
to DJ Mustard to Logic to Focus the producer. The list goes on.
I feel like I want to be the next Johnny Carson or Howard Stern.
I just want to be innovative and creative, but I’m playing around
with snapchat, documenting certain things in my life, and going
from there.
UG Digital Mag: I love and appreciate the fact that we’ve connected. I agree with all you’re saying, and a lot of what you’re
doing and planning, I’ve personally looked for that, from the
lawyers, to contracts, to everything else, so you know the things
that are coming and what can happen. For those new managers
coming into this, what advice do you offer?