Trapital - superstar talent

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superstar talent

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Hey! I’m excited to announce that we’ll be expanding Trapital’s newsletter to two days per week, starting today.

I’m doing this for few reasons. First, I love the Monday Memo, but it can get jam-packed with both Trapital Podcast plugs and the memo. This is a chance to break that up and give the podcast more room to breathe. It also gives us the flexibility to share insights on timely topics before they get stale.

Second, people often tell me that they take notes while listening to our most insightful episodes, like my chat with former Spotify chief economist, Will Page. This end of the week email will be your Cliff Notes. We’ll share the big takeaways from each episode and share links to the transcript as well. We got you covered.

Third, it gives us another opportunity to spread the word about the great partners who make Trapital possible. We’re excited for the growth that it will unlock, and can’t wait to announce some of the big plans we have in the works. Stay tuned!

Today’s newsletter has highlights from our new episode with music industry vet, Benny Pough. We talked about his time at Def Jam, Epic, Motown, and his new business ventures. We also talked about is real estate moves. He even owns property in my hometown, what a small world!

You can listen to the episode here and read the breakdown below. Hope you enjoy. Please share any feedback! Let’s dive in.

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how to identify superstar talent

Artists discovery has changed dramatically over the past few decades. That’s obvious to most, but especially longtime music executive Benny Pough. He first came into the game by doing college promotions for Motown Records in the early ‘90s. A 30-year-plus career followed that would take Benny to seven different record labels, including Def Jam, Epic Records, and Roc Nation Records.

Benny helped sign big name stars like Future, Jeremih, and Yo Gotti. He also helped advance the careers of Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, and 21 Savage. His skill is identifying the sounds that would get radio play, or the talent that can grow a following on social media. He understands what it takes to be a star. And while many people think that superstardom is harder than ever in today’s culture, Benny is confident saying, “stars will always be stars,” — no matter the era, technology, or platform.

Benny left Corporate America in 2019 to start his own ventures. He runs two separate companies. The first is DVERSE Media, a global music distributor and publisher that mirrors the work he did during his time in the industry. The second is Kandiid, an app for creators to monetize their online content.

Benny and I covered a lot, but here are the highlights.

the path to stardom is shorter

In today’s fast-paced streaming era, artists can blow up overnight. We’ve seen countless overnight sensations in recent years. But blowing up and sustaining initial success are two entirely different things. Benny says that sustaining success isn’t that different than it was in decades prior.

“The difference between the people who make hit songs or records and the ones who are superstars is that they have the full package. Not only do they write or perform, but they have something special about them that people want to hear and see more. That’s the key and always has been since the beginning of music.”

With less gatekeepers, the power has shifted to both artists and fans. The fans ultimately choose which artists will last, but the ones who last will still have the complete package.

the record label's role in artist development

By the time an artist is ready to sign with a record label, they already have traction and a fan base. They’ve made it from 0 to 60, and now they want the label to take them from 60 to 100.

“The entry points are different. You can’t look to a label to develop you at this point…the root of all this starts with talent regardless of technology.”

The shift is understandable, but it has left a big gap to fill in artist development. Getting from 0 to 60 still takes a lot of work. Benny and several other Trapital podcast guests have called out that gap. They are putting in the work to help more artists level up, but it’s still a fragmented landscape.

TikTok’s role in the industry

The music industry’s current lightning rod is TikTok. Some artists have leaned all the way in and have reaped the rewards. Others have complained to their record labels about it. Its influence is growing, and its parent company ByteDance is making bigger and bigger moves (more on this in next Monday’s memo).

“TikTok is the hand we’re dealt. You can’t ignore it because that’s what everybody is leaning into.”

That said, going viral on TikTok in 2022 won’t have the same effect it had in 2020. It’s more crowded and the algorithms have adapted. But there’s still room to grow for artists who are strategic about it, and not just hoping to be the next Addison Rae. TikTok is still a priority for DVERSE Media company, but Benny hasn’t lost sight on the bigger picture.

If you enjoy the Trapital Podcast, rate the podcast, leave a review, or forward this email to a friend.

money moves

• TikTok and Ticketmaster team up for in-app purchasing for concert tix​
• Jadakiss said “yesterday’s price is not today’s price” after The Lox - Dipset Verzuz battle
• Two deep​lists of job opportunities in music, media, and entertainment
• Muso, piracy tracking startup, raises $3.9 million​

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coming soon from Trapital

Memo: A breakdown on TikTok! Now that TikTok partnered with Ticketmaster, plans to start a music distribution service, and let artists release music before it goes live on streaming, it's the perfect time for a breakdown. Look out for it on Monday

Podcast: Post Malone’s agent, Cheryl Paglierani. She shared a bunch of insights on how her and Post’s manager Dre London have built up his career, the current live performance landscape, and more. Next Friday!

want your company featured in Trapital?

We are looking for a few more sponsors in Q3 who want to reach the artists, creators, and execs who read and listen to Trapital on a regular basis. Want your company to reach Trapital's audience? Reach out to us here​

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