Music Summit Aids Aspiring Recording Artist

Montgomery Advertiser
By: Darryn Simmons

Several aspiring rappers, sing­ers, producers and songwriters got an education in the music indus­try on Thursday at Alabama State University during the Hip-Hop Summit held on campus.

Along with an education on the music business, the panel also in­troduced ASU students to the school's music business major -- the only historically black college or university to offer the major.

"We want you to know that it is here for you to take advantage of," said Dr. William Ashbourne, the assistant professor of music indus­try at ASU.

The event, sponsored by the Music and Entertainment Indus­try Student Association (MEISA), featured a panel of music industry executives including JaWar, an author of several books on the mu­sic industry; Cappriccieo Scates, a representative of SESAC, the sec­ond oldest performing rights orga­nization in the United States; Dee Dee Murray, general manager of Purple Ribbon Records, the record label owned by rapper Big Boi of Outkast; and WZHT Hot 105 per­sonality Jo Jo McToy, who brought a special surprise guest in Atlantic Records recording artist Gorilla Zoe.

Members of the panel encour­aged the aspiring artists to under­stand that hip-hop music and the music industry as a whole is changing and requires extreme dedication.

"The music business is in tur­moil right now and if you don't have a strong stomach, you need to get out of this business," JaWar said.

A rapidly rising trend to go in­dependent as opposed to trying to hook on with a major label was a route encouraged by the panel.

"In this business, you can fol­low the rules that are the lay of the land or you can find less-conven­tional ways," JaWar said.

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