The 740 Project

Last updated
The 740 Project
IndustryMusic · Entertainment
Founded2015
FounderRahim Wright · Jesse Edwards · Charley Greenberg
Partner Capitol Music Group
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, United States
Area ServedWorldwide
DivisionsDigital Marketing · Record Label · Creative Development · A&R · Publishing · Distribution · Agency · Management
Associated ActsDigital Trapstars
Website 740 Project

740 Project is a music marketing firm and recording label co-founded by Rahim Wright, Jesse Edwards, and Charley Greenberg in 2015. Based in Los Angeles, California the external services provided by the company increase music labels efforts to detect, develop, and introduce new artists. 740 Project is partnered with Capitol Music Group.

Contents

740 Project has been associated with the introduction and emergence of recording artists such as Bryson Tiller, Kiiara, Migos, Kevin Gates, Lil Yachty, and Lil Uzi Vert. Other clients include, Maybach Music Group, Sean Kingston, Justine Skye, Vic Mensa, Rich the Kid, Timbaland, K Camp, Young Money, Quality Control, and Kevin Gates.

History

740 Project was founded by colleagues and personal associates: Jesse Edwards, Rahim Wright and Charley Greenberg. Edwards and Wright—while working at Warner Music Group—collaborated and initiated a digital marketing company in 2015. Sharing an office on the 28th floor of Atlantic Records, Wright and Edwards focused on developing a comprehensive urban roster for Atlantic Records and grew tired of "…updating Facebook pages and figuring out ways to partner with RapGenius." [1] While working, the founders of 740 Project each built up rosters independently of one another and of their workplace responsibilities. Each founding member built relationships with emerging artists, creating an accessible network access point for the process of receiving and sharing unreleased music online. After their personal business became lucrative enough, Wright and Edwards subsequently joined Charley Greenberg, officially forming 740 Project. [2]

In 2017, 740 Project announced a non-exclusive partnership with Capitol Music Group settled for the purpose of increasing Capitol's urban roster and presence. Capitol attempted to enter the urban market for years, as expressed by Capitol CEO, Steve Barnett (music executive), after Ethiopia Habtemariam arrived with Motown in the year 2014, “…Capitol hadn't been in the urban business for probably 25 years from a real commitment point of view." [3] While 740 Project continues to work with independent and signed artists globally, this specific partnership allowed 740 Project to increase Capitol Music Group's urban presence by providing artists signed to the CMG family of labels, among them Motown, Quality Control, Capitol Records and Priority. 740 Project operates as a cultural architect, yielding the introduction of new urban artists to Capitol Music Group while current CMG urban artists progress in new directions. [4] Separate from positioning 740 Project as the in-house urban marketing arm for record labels under CMG, this partnership permitted 740 Project to maintain its own record label imprint under Capitol Music Group. [5]

Digital Marketing

In a 2017 Billboard article, [6] 740 Project was named one of Hip Hops "leading crews" in Los Angeles, California for honing in on the Hip Hop culture and introducing artists digitally. 740 Project introduces artists to an audience through online blog and website exclusives. In an article he wrote for The Fader, [7] Wright highlights various steps an artist can take to increase their chances of becoming successful in receiving a blog post that could increase the audience of their music.

Digital Trapstars

With the objective of preserving urban culture, Wright and Edwards developed an independent digital marketing and distribution unit called Digital Trapstars. Digital Trapstars has supported and developed the careers of various artists including Rich The Kid, Migos, and Kevin Gates. [8] [9]

Under Digital Trapstars, 740 Project has released four mixtapes titled "Screens On Lock" that feature a number of exclusives from a variety of artists. [10] These tapes were created to consist of recently released tracks that became hits. [11] Along with the mixtapes, the company hosts shows and events in collaboration with SXSW and No Jumper to showcase featured artists [12] [13]

Artists

A few of the past and current 740 Project clients.

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References

  1. ↑ "Jesse Edwards & Rahim Wright Launch 740 Project; Announce Wiz Khalifa & Future SXSW Show". Billboard .
  2. ↑ "Capitol Music Group, Digital Marketing Agency 740 Project Partner on New Venture".
  3. ↑ "Capitol Music Group Relaunches Priority Records as an Indie-Leaning Distributor: Exclusive". Billboard .
  4. ↑ "Capitol Music Group, 740 Project Partner on New Venture". Billboard .
  5. ↑ "How The 740 Project Is Ditching Music Industry Formulas To Pave Their Own Lane - Electric Circus". electriccircus.co. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11.
  6. ↑ "From Strip Clubs to Shopping, Breaking Down the Hip-Hop Scenes in Atlanta, L.A. & NYC". Billboard .
  7. ↑ "How to Get Your Music Posted on Websites".
  8. ↑ "Kevin Gates & Rep Talk 'Stranger Than Fiction' Success & Career Start". Billboard .
  9. ↑ "Young Greatness Hustles His Way to a Hip-Hop Hit". Forbes .
  10. ↑ "Premiere: Listen to Usher's "Still Got It" f/ Migos (Prod. By Zaytoven)". Complex Networks .
  11. ↑ "Digital Trapstars' 'Screens on Lock: 4th Quarter Press' Contains Songs by Future, Usher, Migos & More". 2 January 2015.
  12. ↑ "Stream and Download Digital Trapstars 'Screens on Lock 2' Mixtape". Complex Networks .
  13. ↑ "Stream Digital Trapstars's Screens on Lock 3".
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