If you have tapped into our previous Making History series recaps you know that for Black History Month, SNIPES highlighted up-and-coming artists to learn more about the industry and where they think the future of hip-hop lies. In order to dive even deeper into this conversation and give the public a chance to ask their own questions, we hosted a panel at the world-famous Apollo Theater in New York. The panelists included trusted music and entertainment industry pioneers, Young Sav, Shari Bryant, and Rico Beats. The panel was led by jack of all trades and Harlem native, Ashlee Muhammad. Ashlee founded the brand, BeEyeConinc, which is a self-love brand she built around her biggest insecurity: blindness in one of her eyes that creates a blue-gray shade. She strives to make people feel good on the outside as well as within.
Kendell ‘Sav’ Freeman (Young Sav) has made a name for himself in the music industry as former mixshow manager at Def Jam Records and former VP of Maybach Music Group. He is critically acclaimed for his talent and approach to marketing and promoting some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop. As Arista VP/Co-head of Urban Music, he is excited to build on the industry’s creative legacy by fulfilling artistic visions inside and outside the studio.
Multi-Platinum producer and executive Rico Beats also joined us in our panel discussion. He is most known for his production on songs like DJ Khaled’s “Take That Off”, Niki Minaj’s “Roman Reloaded”, and Soulja Boy’s, “Mean Mug”. He has been in the industry since 2004 after he heard Needlz produce “Bang Bang” by Young Buck and knew he wanted to become a record producer.
Our third panelist, Shari Bryant, is an industry legend with 20 years of experience working with the biggest names, such as Warner Bros and Atlantic Records. She is currently the Co-President of the Roc Nation Label at Roc Nation. With her roots in Harlem, SNIPES was thrilled to have Shari in attendance for this legendary celebration of artistry and hip-hop. The legendary space at the Apollo theater was full of love and everyone in attendance walked away with more knowledge on the topics of black music, media, entrepreneurship, and what aspiring artists need to prepare themselves for career success. For the latest news and sneaker/streetwear releases, follow us on our Instagram read up on our blog posts, and download the mobile app to stay up to date on everything SNIPES.
