“The fact that these artists are getting their flowers, getting a chance to perform on this stage, these black artists..If it wasn’t for Jay-Z, this wouldn’t be happening. So how can you come down and criticize this man like that? it’s beyond me.” Steve Stoute sounds off on the recent Super Bowl Halftime controversy.
Steve Stoute is the ultimate American success story. He’s worn a lot of hats—author, entrepreneur, ad exec, and most notoriously, a music mogul. For nearly three decades, he’s played a pivotal role at some of the biggest music labels from Interscope, Geffen, and Sony, to working with massive names like U2 and Eminem. Ultimately he’s helped shape not just hip-hop, but today’s music culture as a whole and continues to find ways to bridge the gap with culture, sports, music and global reach. In this episode, in partnership with Fanatics, Stoute takes us on a wild ride through his experiences in music, advertising, and business and how valuing relationships fueled his journey to the top.
We had to start the conversation off and get right to it- With loud buzz around Kendrick Lamar being announced as this year’s Super Bowl Half-time Act… controversy continues to swirl around the choice and blame being put towards Jay Z, who is on of Stoute’s closest friends and business confidants. Jay, who’s been a major part of choosing the NFL’s biggest act of the year, is taking heat for selecting Kendrick over the hometown star and fan favorite Lil Wayne to headline New Orleans Super Bowl. Steve is blown away by the negativity towards Jay’s choice, confused why people aren’t celebrating that Jay has made such strides for culture to be apart of a big event vs making it personal as football and music fans alike are split, and even some big-name artists, like Nicki Minaj, have weighed in with their grievances. Stoute delves into this topic with Ryan, Fred, and Chan, sharing the inside scoop on how the decision really went down, what he thinks of the backlash, and who was originally asked to perform!
Ryan understands this Super Bowl controversy has caused a lot of backlash and ugliness from different areas of the industry but RC says this isn’t nearly the black eye to culture that the continuous fall of P Diddy has stirred up, as more allegations are revealed and Diddy’s recent arrest landed him in jail without bail. Knowing Diddy for a long time, the guys ask Stoute to honestly speak to it all, especially the fallout and if he ever saw any signs or this coming….
The conversation shifts to where things are heading with music, sports, culture and owning media rights as well as creation of platforms controlling the space vs the old days where networks and big companies dictated the industry. While Stoute started in an era where artists were burning their own records and signing deals with record labels to get noticed, he speaks to how the landscape has completely shifted. With social media, consumers can find an artist’s music without them needing a label– and he thinks this transition is beneficial. He’s all about artists owning their craft and not “selling their souls” to big companies which is what led him to start UnitedMasters, to help creators keep control of their music, name, and likeness. Fred asks him about the recent Dame Dash situation with and how he sees it all playing out.
Stoute’s family roots and emphasis on relationships has always played a part in his work ethic and drive to make money. Steve breaks down the lessons he learned in the early days of his career and how he was able to navigate big moves, taking chances and never settling for anything less than his goals. The guys soak up the knowledge from Steve as he breaks down the music industry’s inner workings, connect music with sports, providing a front-row seat to the conversations shaping culture and give a better understanding of how key relationships have paved the way for so many to experience a new wave of success.
Speak On It!