CABU GAH DIARIES: Publicists,Managers,Road Managers,Agents,Lawyers…The People That Make Up The Music Industry. And Why Kenya Desperately Needs These People. ASAP!

Among the many individuals and organizations that operate within the industry are: the musicians who compose and perform the music….

The companies and professionals who create and sell recorded music (e.g., music publishers ,producers, recording studios , engineers, record labels , retail
and online music stores , performance rights organizations)…

Those that present live music performances (booking agents , promoters , music venues , road crew );

Professionals who assist musicians with their music careers (talent managers, artists and repertoire managers, business managers, entertainment lawyers );

Those who broadcast music (satellite , internet and broadcast radio ); journalists; educators; musical instrument manufacturers; as well as many others.

 

All of these professionals are absolutely important for any serious musician’s career….And,without their services,a music career is bound to either stagnate,crumble,drag,end or be unlucrative.

In the West,the cradle of the Music Industry,95% of all the music practitioners are not just individual entities who record,manage,direct or produce their music for themselves… But a part of a much bigger entity,a much complex corporation.

What makes the careers of,say,Justin Bieber,Lady Gaga,Rita Ora or even Nicki Minaj such a roaring success is the simple fact that, behind these famous faces and voices,is a whole team of professionals whose jobs is to primarily ensure that their client(the musicians) get the best publicity, best representation,best cheques,best airplay,best wardrobes and best endorsements.

While a publicist is busy selling you to the media and clarifying information about You,a manager is busy handling Your brand,a lawyer is busy fighting off lawsuits for You and advising You duly on Your legal rights,a booking agent is busy securing performances and gigs for the You while a costume director is busy picking our the best costumes for the You and meeting all the right designers,etc.

The Music Industry is much more than just a passing flirtation with a song and a beat…It’s a whole network of hardworking professionals who lose sleep night in,night out in an attempt to very properly and perfectly brand their client.

Obviously, such an intricate arrangement demands a bottomless supply of funds but still,in as much as all of these professionals need to be paid and paid handsomely, still,the expertise they bring to an artist,the deals they strike for an artiste and the brand they carve out of an artiste brings the artiste even much more money than what they’re making themselves.

 

                           Katy Perry and Manager Bradford Cobb.

 

 

 

                   Justin Bieber and Manager Scooter Braun.

 

Katy Perry’s career,for instance,would have tanked ages ago were it not for the likes of Bradford Cobb,Martin Kirkup,Glen Ballard and Jason Flom,The then-Capitol Music Group President.

These industrious gentleman steered Perry’s career from it’s infancy to the Almighty Super Bowl. Without them,Perry would be a nobody today. Her talent notwithstanding.

And Justin Bieber owes his career not to his millions of fanatic beliebers,but to the likes of Scooter Braun,Antonio L.A Reid and singer Usher all of whom were super instrumental in piloting Bieber’s career to the stratospheric levels it has hit today.

For all of these mega superstars to stand out,shine,sell Millions of records,hog the Billboard charts,perform at sold out concerts and drive millions of fans in a wild frenzy,they first had to have a very dedicated, concerted and diligent group of tens of professionals behind the scenes.

But in Kenya, the situation is the exact opposite. It hurts to watch zealous upcoming artists record their own material,pay for their own recording,transport their own CDs to radio stations and  organize their own TV interviews-mostly unsuccessfully. It’s the most unprofessional thing ever!

You can NOT expect to shine and flourish as a musician when You are the one handling Your OWN publicity,Your own music distribution,Your own TV appearances,Your own recording and Your own bookings. You will burn out. Really quick and fast. You an never have all the money,energy,time,skill and expertise to do that all by Yourself. Your sole job is to create. And only create. Creators of art cannot be lawyers and managers and publicists all at the same time!

I see musicians dropping their CDs at Ghafla….Hoping to make it big. But beyond dropping the CD,What is Your next step of action? Who will be responsible for pushing for your airplay? Who is responsible for pushing your brand and making it evergreen??

You need a team. A full,diligent,professional team.

 

        Manager Anyiko Owoko with a Sauti Sol member.

Victoria Kimani owes her success(though it ain’t that much) to Chocolate City,her Nigerian Management team.

Bahati owes his to DJ MO-led System Unit. Sauti Sol have Anyiko Owoko.

Who is handling Your success?? Who is responsible for making You a star??

For a start,You may need to contact,Mitch,Ghafla’s very esteemed publicist and TV bird who will NOT only handle all Your publicity but also put You on TV,book shows for You and help distribute Your material.

An artist is as good as his management team.

You cannot be everything. Or do everything.

And when You get Your team right,You can now sit back,blow a cigar,sip some champagne,spank some hot bitch and watch Yourself say,Just like Jay Z,”I’m Not A Businessman…I’m a Business,Man…”

Good Luck,Kenyan Musicians.