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Steve Stoute | |
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Other names | The Commissioner |
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Website | translationllc |
Steve Stoute (born June 26, 1970) is an American record executive. He concurrently served as Executive Vice President of Interscope Geffen A&M Records and President of Urban Music at Sony Music from 1999 to 2009. In 2017, he founded the music distribution platform UnitedMasters, where he has served as chief executive officer (CEO). He founded Translation, a music marketing agency, in 2004. [2] He co-founded the non-profit, Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now (FFAWN) with R&B singer Mary J. Blige in 2008. [3] In 2011, he released a book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy.
From 1990 to 1999, Stoute was an executive at several labels in the music industry. [4] At Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Stoute served as President of the Urban Music division and executive vice president. [5] Prior to joining Interscope, Stoute was president of Urban Music for Sony Music Entertainment, where he played a role in launching the music career of Will Smith. [6] Stoute is the former manager of Nas, Trackmasters and Mary J. Blige. [7]
In April 1999, rapper Sean Combs assaulted Stoute in his office with a champagne bottle over Combs' demand to not air a Nas video he appeared in. [8] In June 1999, Stoute sued, resulting in a $500,000 out-of-court settlement from Combs. [9]
In 2003, Stoute was part of an unsuccessful pitch to convince LeBron James to sign a $10 million contract with Reebok. [10] [11] That same year, Stoute recruited rapper Pusha T to write I'm Lovin' It (song) for McDonald's. [12]
In 2009, Stoute was inducted into the American Advertising Federation'sAdvertising Hall of Achievement, an award for outstanding advertising professionals age 40 and under. [13] In 2010, Stoute was recognized as "Innovator of the Year" by the ADCOLOR Industry Coalition, an initiative to promote increased diversity in the advertising, marketing, and media industries. In 2013, Stoute was named "Executive of the Year" by Ad Age, a leading publication for the advertising and marketing industries. [14]
In 2005, Stoute became the managing director and CEO of Carol's Daughter, a multi-cultural beauty brand. He brought together a board of investors including Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Jimmy Iovine, Tommy Mottola, and Thalía. Spokeswomen for the line have included Mary J. Blige, [15] Solange Knowles, Cassie Ventura, Selita Ebanks, Kim Fields, and Jada Pinkett Smith. [16] [17] The company grew and sought partnerships with Disney's The Princess and the Frog via a collection of hair and body products for children and with HSN via an exclusive fragrance launch with Mary J. Blige. [18] [19] He has appeared in the HBO series The Black List Project that features interviews and portraits with leading African American figures on being Black in America. [20]
Stoute released his first book, The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy, in 2011 through Gotham Books. [21] In the book, Stoute draws from his background in the music industry and brand marketing to chronicle how hip-hop came to define urban culture as the new embodiment of cool. [22]
In February 2014, the book was made into a four-part VH1 documentary, "The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip-Hop." [23] In April 2014, the book was released as an audiobook narrated by Kerry Washington. [24]
Stoute has been the keynote or featured speaker at many notable events including the International Consumer Electronics Show, [25] the Sundance Film Festival, [26] South by Southwest (SXSW), [27] Fast Company Innovation Uncensored, [28] and AAF's ADMERICA. [29] He also appeared on the main stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with Sean Combs in 2013, [30] and again with Kanye West and Venture Capitalist Ben Horowitz in 2014. [31]
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, better known by his stage name Nas, is an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop, he is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, Nas began his musical career in 1989 under the moniker "Nasty Nas", and recorded demos under the wing of fellow East Coast rapper Large Professor. Nas first guest appeared on his group, Main Source's 1991 song "Live at the Barbeque".
Sean Love Combs, also known by stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Combs worked as a talent director at Uptown Records before founding his own record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993. Combs has been credited with the discovery and cultivation of artists such as the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Usher.
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Awards, twelve NAACP Image Awards, and twelve Billboard Music Awards, including the Billboard Icon Award. She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards, including one for her supporting role in the film Mudbound (2017) and another for its original song "Mighty River", becoming the first person nominated for acting and songwriting in the same year.
What's the 411? is the debut album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was released on July 28, 1992, by Uptown Records and MCA Records. After signing a record contract with Uptown, Blige began working on the album with producer Sean "Puffy" Combs. Other producers and songwriters included DeVante Swing, Tony Dofat, Dave Hall, Mark Morales and Mark "Cory" Rooney. The resulting music covered hip hop soul, contemporary R&B, and new jack swing styles.
Reasonable Doubt is the debut studio album by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on June 25, 1996, by his own record label Roc-A-Fella Records and distributed by Priority Records. The album features production provided by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and also includes guest appearances from Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige, Jaz-O, and the Notorious B.I.G., among others. The album features mafioso rap themes and gritty lyrics about the "hustler" lifestyle and material obsessions.
"Hate Me Now" is the second and final single by rapper Nas featuring Diddy, from Nas' third studio album I Am.... The backbeat is inspired by, and contains some samples from, Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". It was ranked 119 on XXL's 250 Best Songs of the 1990s.
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a song by American rapper and actor Will Smith, released as the third single from his debut solo album, Big Willie Style (1997). The verse is based around a sample of "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge, and the chorus is sampled from "Sang and Dance" by the Bar-Kays. Released in early 1998, the song was Smith's second hit produced by Poke & Tone and L.E.S., who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song.
The Firm was an American hip hop supergroup formed in New York City in 1996 by rapper Nas, his manager Steve Stoute, producer Dr. Dre and production team Trackmasters. The group is composed of East Coast-based rappers Nas, Foxy Brown, AZ and Cormega. Rapper Nature is a former member: he served as a replacement for Cormega after he was ousted from the group.
Share My World is the third studio album by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige, released by MCA on April 22, 1997. The album became Blige's first to open at number one on the US Billboard 200 album chart. Moreover, it is her first album where she serves as an executive producer, alongside Steve Stoute, who also shared executive producer credits on the album.
Mary is the fourth studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige, released August 17, 1999, on MCA Records. The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 239,000 copies in its first week. It spent 57 weeks on the chart and produced five charting singles. Upon its release, Mary received acclaim from music critics. It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of two million units in the United States.
"Love @ 1st Sight" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige, performed along with rapper Method Man. It was written by Blige, Sean Combs, Mario Winans, Stevie Jordan, Clifford Smith, and Mechalie Jamison and produced by Combs, Winans and Jordan for her sixth studio album, Love & Life (2003). The song is built around a sample of "Hot Sex" (1992) by American hip-hop trio A Tribe Called Quest. Due to the inclusion of the sample, several other writers are credited as songwriters. Lyrically, it features the protagonist persistently wondering about a romantic attraction for a stranger on the first sight.
American singer Mary J. Blige began her career as a backing vocalist for Uptown Records in the early 1990s. In a career spanning more than thirty years, she has released 14 studio albums and 83 singles—including more than 20 as a featured artist. The "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" has sold an estimate of over 100 million records worldwide, and over 20 million in the United States alone. Billboard ranked Blige as the 18th Greatest Billboard 200 Woman of all time, the 45th Greatest Hot 100 Woman of all time and 88th Greatest Artist of all time.
The Album is the only studio album by American hip hop supergroup The Firm. It was released on October 21, 1997, by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The project was created by rapper Nas, his manager Steve Stoute and producers Dr. Dre and Trackmasters, who came up with the idea of forming a hip hop supergroup. The original line-up included Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown and Cormega who were all featured on the song "Affirmative Action" from Nas' album It Was Written (1996). However, Cormega later left the group due to artistic differences between him and Nas, as well as contract disagreements with Stoute. He was replaced by Nature prior to recording of the album. The Album is a concept album that revolves around the themes of mafia and "gangsta" lifestyle. The songs on the album were mainly produced by Dr. Dre, Chris "The Glove" Taylor and Trackmasters, and feature guest vocals from Pretty Boy, Wizard, Canibus, Dawn Robinson, Noreaga and Half-a-Mill.
More than a Game is a 2008 American documentary film that follows basketball superstar LeBron James and four of his teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Akron, Ohio, and James's journey to fame. The film trailer was released featuring the single "Stronger" by Mary J. Blige, which she released in support of the film. The soundtrack titled Music Inspired by More than a Game was released September 28, 2009. The film had limited theatrical release on October 2, 2009.
"Stronger" is a song recorded and performed by American singer Mary J. Blige, with writing from Esther Dean and Chris Brown, who provide backing vocals. The song was featured on the soundtrack for the LeBron James documentary film More Than a Game, and included on the international version of her ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear (2010). It was released as the first single from the soundtrack to iTunes and Amazon on August 18, 2009. Additionally it was sent to US radio on September 8, 2009.
"I Am" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Johntá Austin, Ester Dean, Magnus Beite, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen for her ninth studio album, Stronger with Each Tear (2009), while production was helmed by Hermansen and Eriksen under their production moniker Stargate. Lyrically, the song "I Am" confidently tells one's lover nobody can treat them better than the person they are with at the present time.
The Trackmasters, also known as Poke & Tone, is an American hip hop production duo composed of music producers Poke and Tone, best known for their commercial hit records in the mid-late 1990s and early 2000s. Frank "Nitty" Pimentel joined forces with the duo to complete the success of "Trackmasters". Throughout their career, they have worked with various hip-hop and R&B artists including Destiny's Child, Nas, R. Kelly, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Cam'ron, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, The Notorious B.I.G. and 50 Cent.
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr., known professionally as Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter from Fontana, California. He first signed with fellow producer Polow da Don in 2007 as in-house production staff for his label Zone 4, and later signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music in 2011 to serve a similar role. He first gained major recognition for his work on Lil Wayne's 2011 single "Drop the World", which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 18. The following year, he produced West and Jay-Z's 2011 single "Niggas in Paris", which peaked at number five on the chart and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Thuy-An Julien is a Grammy Award winning entertainment and technology executive. She has worked at companies including: Apple Inc., Time Inc., and Condé Nast Publications.
Deric Michael Angelettie, also known by his stage names D-Dot, Papa Dot, and the Madd Rapper, is an American record producer. He served as executive producer and A&R for the album No Way Out (1997) by Puff Daddy & the Family, which won a Grammy Award. He has since done so for three other albums nominated for the award, and won the BMI Urban Award in 2001.