Where do I start? Most of you know me as the “asshole who runs Bayside”, or you know me from one of the many rumors or dirt that has been kicked on my name. Well, as I have said before, I don’t owe anyone on this board anything or an explanation but I am giving it so that any negative information can be shut down from the gate. Those of you that do know me personally know that I am fair and hard working and above all else a staunch supporter of the Bay Area rap game. I have always believed I treated people with respect when I was afforded it in return and my biggest problem was and is communication (i.e. returning calls etc.) but I assure you please blame my head and not my heart as my intentions were always good, I was just swamped beyond belief.
Four years ago, my close friend and music mentor Rob Nonies offered me a job at a then unknown distributor called Bayside. I hesitantly took the job with the goal of building up Bayside and making it a force to be reckoned with in the music business. We did just that. Four years later, and over 20 million dollars of gross revenue, I have decided that it is time to move on. I have given Bayside nearly half of my career and have sacrificed a normal existence for a hectic life in the distribution game where one minute you are up and the next you are down. A business that no one says “thank you” and appreciation and gratitude are not in our vocabularies. It has been some people’s only goal to smear my good name or test me on regular basis because they didn’t know me or they heard something negative about us and automatically laid it on me. The fact is, we (Rob Nonies and myself), have done more in the last four years the Northern California rap game than anyone before us aside from the pioneers. We have given deals to people who couldn’t get any and made money for plenty of people. We have done more good than bad, signed more labels than we lost but overall, I remember one constant, “a label is only happy when they are getting paid”. At any rate, I have sold over 2 million albums and developed some great relationships and learned a lot over the last four years and I feel like this was the right time to leave…on top and on my own terms, cuz as the old adage goes “nothing lasts forever”. I will say I have more good memories than bad ones and I am thankful for what my poistion at Bayside has allowed me to do including provide a secure life for my family and provide a lot of opprtunities to homies, friends, and a lot of talented individuals. I have been especially fortunate to work under Mark Viducich who was the Bayside Chief Operating Officer up until two weeks ago as well as working with my good friend Rob Nonies and Mike Cleveland.
It is no secret that the music business is in grave danger and the independent’s are taking the hit the hardest and it is impossible for me to remain objective in this business when so many people, label’s AND artist’s are not working to be successful. They expect to wait on everyone else to do it for them.
This is not a farewell by any means as I have been offered three positions at other distributors as well as I have taken on several management and consulting projects to keep me busy. I will decide on what organization I will choose to represent over the course of the next few weeks but in the mean time I have some big things in the works that I will keep everyone posted on. My partner Rob Nonies will assume my responsibilities and I will remain a consultant to Bayside but I just don’t have the time or heart to run a distributor on a day to day basis.
Many of the people I have signed at Bayside were my friends before I ever worked their but I have also had the privilege of meeting many new associates and friends since and I hope to maintain a good working relationship with everyone and if you are a Bayside distributed label, you will be in great hands with Rob Nonies, who is a music business legend and above all else, a true gentlemen and supporter of the underdog! I just wanted to share this information publicly so that any rumors will be silenced immediately, because I know how the haters love to talk. Some of you already know because I have communicated with you directly but I thought an open letter could best express my feelings. I can say this, it is a relief of a great burden that I carried and now I can focus on what I love and that is creating new projects and helping direct other’s careers.
Much love to the following indivudals who I have worked with or distributed over the years (If I forget anyone, blame it on my scattered brain): Killa Valley, JT & Get Low, Chuck & Quinn at Done Deal, Woodie, DJ Mark 7, Shemp, Phantom, 40 Ounce, Right Way, Outlawz, Celly Cel, Luni Coleone, I-Rocc, Big Hollis & Out of Bounds, D-Shot, Five Star, X-Raided, Prime Minister, Rome, Innderlude, Jazzy Jim & Straight Hits, Mac Mall & Sesed Out, Showcase, Murder Dog, Dutch & Fortune, A-Wax, Himalayaz, Poetic 1 & Mobb Status, K-Lou, Lil CS, Money Hungry, California Ent, Oso & Hogglife, First Degree, MC Eiht, Killa Tay, Guce, Rene & Crack or Jack, Chuy Gomez, Big Nest, Big Treez, Metro, Imperial, Rated Z, Apt. 3, Outbreak, Messy Marv, Sleep Dank, Khayree & Young Black Brotha, Da Unda Dogg and too many more!!!
And me sending you a shot doesn't necessarily mean we won't be working together in the future, it just means I acknowledge the time we worked together and the bread we all broke! Truth is, I work with most of you in one fashion or another outside of Bayside! The most important factors who I ow my success to in this business though are GOD, my mother, my brother Billy (RIP), my godbrother Taydatay, Rob Nonies, and Jay Tee and of course my O.G. homie Nard T. and all of HP, FRISCO cuz I wouldn't be as real as I am without the game I got there!
I can honestly say that my greatest moment in my professional life was they day I was hired at Bayside and the second greatest moment in my professional life is the day that I left, today.
Thanks for your attention and I will keep you all posted. Remember: the only constant thing, is constant change. Change is good.
B-12
Four years ago, my close friend and music mentor Rob Nonies offered me a job at a then unknown distributor called Bayside. I hesitantly took the job with the goal of building up Bayside and making it a force to be reckoned with in the music business. We did just that. Four years later, and over 20 million dollars of gross revenue, I have decided that it is time to move on. I have given Bayside nearly half of my career and have sacrificed a normal existence for a hectic life in the distribution game where one minute you are up and the next you are down. A business that no one says “thank you” and appreciation and gratitude are not in our vocabularies. It has been some people’s only goal to smear my good name or test me on regular basis because they didn’t know me or they heard something negative about us and automatically laid it on me. The fact is, we (Rob Nonies and myself), have done more in the last four years the Northern California rap game than anyone before us aside from the pioneers. We have given deals to people who couldn’t get any and made money for plenty of people. We have done more good than bad, signed more labels than we lost but overall, I remember one constant, “a label is only happy when they are getting paid”. At any rate, I have sold over 2 million albums and developed some great relationships and learned a lot over the last four years and I feel like this was the right time to leave…on top and on my own terms, cuz as the old adage goes “nothing lasts forever”. I will say I have more good memories than bad ones and I am thankful for what my poistion at Bayside has allowed me to do including provide a secure life for my family and provide a lot of opprtunities to homies, friends, and a lot of talented individuals. I have been especially fortunate to work under Mark Viducich who was the Bayside Chief Operating Officer up until two weeks ago as well as working with my good friend Rob Nonies and Mike Cleveland.
It is no secret that the music business is in grave danger and the independent’s are taking the hit the hardest and it is impossible for me to remain objective in this business when so many people, label’s AND artist’s are not working to be successful. They expect to wait on everyone else to do it for them.
This is not a farewell by any means as I have been offered three positions at other distributors as well as I have taken on several management and consulting projects to keep me busy. I will decide on what organization I will choose to represent over the course of the next few weeks but in the mean time I have some big things in the works that I will keep everyone posted on. My partner Rob Nonies will assume my responsibilities and I will remain a consultant to Bayside but I just don’t have the time or heart to run a distributor on a day to day basis.
Many of the people I have signed at Bayside were my friends before I ever worked their but I have also had the privilege of meeting many new associates and friends since and I hope to maintain a good working relationship with everyone and if you are a Bayside distributed label, you will be in great hands with Rob Nonies, who is a music business legend and above all else, a true gentlemen and supporter of the underdog! I just wanted to share this information publicly so that any rumors will be silenced immediately, because I know how the haters love to talk. Some of you already know because I have communicated with you directly but I thought an open letter could best express my feelings. I can say this, it is a relief of a great burden that I carried and now I can focus on what I love and that is creating new projects and helping direct other’s careers.
Much love to the following indivudals who I have worked with or distributed over the years (If I forget anyone, blame it on my scattered brain): Killa Valley, JT & Get Low, Chuck & Quinn at Done Deal, Woodie, DJ Mark 7, Shemp, Phantom, 40 Ounce, Right Way, Outlawz, Celly Cel, Luni Coleone, I-Rocc, Big Hollis & Out of Bounds, D-Shot, Five Star, X-Raided, Prime Minister, Rome, Innderlude, Jazzy Jim & Straight Hits, Mac Mall & Sesed Out, Showcase, Murder Dog, Dutch & Fortune, A-Wax, Himalayaz, Poetic 1 & Mobb Status, K-Lou, Lil CS, Money Hungry, California Ent, Oso & Hogglife, First Degree, MC Eiht, Killa Tay, Guce, Rene & Crack or Jack, Chuy Gomez, Big Nest, Big Treez, Metro, Imperial, Rated Z, Apt. 3, Outbreak, Messy Marv, Sleep Dank, Khayree & Young Black Brotha, Da Unda Dogg and too many more!!!
And me sending you a shot doesn't necessarily mean we won't be working together in the future, it just means I acknowledge the time we worked together and the bread we all broke! Truth is, I work with most of you in one fashion or another outside of Bayside! The most important factors who I ow my success to in this business though are GOD, my mother, my brother Billy (RIP), my godbrother Taydatay, Rob Nonies, and Jay Tee and of course my O.G. homie Nard T. and all of HP, FRISCO cuz I wouldn't be as real as I am without the game I got there!
I can honestly say that my greatest moment in my professional life was they day I was hired at Bayside and the second greatest moment in my professional life is the day that I left, today.
Thanks for your attention and I will keep you all posted. Remember: the only constant thing, is constant change. Change is good.
B-12
