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Big Jon Platt,
EVP/Head of Urban, EMI Music Publishing
The Urban Network Interview
By
A. Scott Galloway, Music Editor
Q:
Let's start with an overview of the groundbreaking
2-Day conference that EMI had for its writers and
eager record labels?
A:
We did it in '06 as a one day conference in Los
Angeles. The information that was shared was so
overwhelming that I knew we had to expand it to
two days. So this year in March, we did two days
and moved it to New York.
We had between
70 and 80 participating writers in the room. Each
record label gave a presentation based around all
of the projects they have coming that they were
looking to have songs placed on. They played a bit
of the material they already had to give the writers
a vibe for what the project was already sounding
like. This way, our writers knew exactly what the
labels are looking for.
A tremendous
number of writer collaborations started right there
at the conference. The chemistry was amazing!
Splitting
it into two days made it easier for everyone to
digest the wealth of information. It also allowed
us to have meetings in the day and actual studio
workshops at night. This conference is definitely
going to be something we do annually.
Q:
Tell us one guaranteed hit that will come
from this confab.
A:
Our producer Lashawn Daniels (a
frequent Rodney Jerkins collaborator) and a new
producer signed to us through Usher named Soundz
wrote "Get Used to Her" for Usher, he
recently recorded that song.
Q:
You visited the White House this year for President
Bush's salute to Black Music. What was that like
for you?
A:
Surreal is the best way I can describe it. I'd never
been to the White House before, so I had to pinch
myself thinking about all the history that has happened
there. The wall with portraits of all the past presidents
alone blew me away. To sit on the front row with
the president along with my friend Kevin
Liles and Bob Johnson
was beyond belief. Then to have the President mention
our names in his opening remarks was mind-blowing.
The President of the United States was within three
feet of us. Being in the presence of a serving President
was an honor.
Q:
You expanded EMI's urban division with three
key new hires. Introduce us to your up-and-coming
industry leaders.
A:
We felt it was time to develop more executive talent,
and I feel I picked the right team. I've gone from
a person who just had to worry about the job I was
doing to leading a team of individuals to be the
best that they can be.
Mike
Jackson (Creative Director - Atlanta) was
the first person hired. He's in Atlanta, a place
I don't get out to as much as I used to due to my
schedule. He turned me on to a couple of writers.
I felt he'd be a great guy to bring on board.
With Omar
Grant (Creative Director, New York), looking
for someone for our New York office was a lengthy
process - over four months. I interviewed some great
people, but within ten minutes, I knew Omar was
the guy. It was his spunk and his hunger and the
fact that he was very mature. Working at a company
like EMI, you need someone who can work well in
a corporate structure yet still be able to go out
at night and get down with all the producers, writers
and artists in the studios. What he didn't already
know, I knew I could teach him because he was hungry
and ready.
Carlos
Hudgins (Creative Associate Manager - Los
Angeles) was an intern in our department. He was
making no money, but was there every morning to
do whatever needed to be done. Carlos turned Omar
on to a writer or two, one of whom we ended up doing
a deal with. He's the true case study of an intern
who is willing and able to work his way from the
bottom of a company to as far up as he wants to
go.
Q:
Who are some of the writers your team has
discovered?
A:
We have a producer in Atlanta named MaddScientist.
He's probably going to have the second single on
Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls called "Super
Villain."
Another Atlanta
writer is Atozzio who's got a song
on Mario's new CD. He's also working with Dallas
Austin's new group, Girlfriend.
We have another
producer named Syience who has
worked with Ne-Yo, including a song for Mary J.
Blige's new album. He did the "Hollywood"
song on Jay-Z's album that Beyonce' flipped and
used on her re-release of B-Day.
We have Cristyle,
a writer we signed with Jermaine Dupri. She has
songs on Jennifer Hudson's upcoming debut. She represents
the future of lyric and melody to my ears.
Omar and
I just signed Solange Knowles.
She's working on her own album not to mention the
songs she wrote on Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland's
albums.
We have two
guys that call themselves The JAM.
They've got songs on a slew of new releases, including
Leona Lewis.
And we have
a producer out of Miami that Carlos spotted named
Streetrunner who's working with
Lil' Wayne.
Q:
How has the role of Music Publisher changed
with all of the consolidation and acquisitions that
have been happening?
A:
We're depended upon by record labels in ways that
we've never been before. Music Publishing is A&R
now and is finally being recognized for what it's
been doing for years - nurturing the landscape where
true creativity happens. With record companies,
sometimes there's too much red tape to get something
done. With the right publisher, writers can just
write songs and make it happen! It's been like that
for years. Now we're being respected for it.
Q:
How do you like working with new chairman
Roger Faxon?
A:
It's no secret that Marty Bandier and I were a great
team. But I have to say that working with Roger
has been a joy. He has given me the resources to
do what I need to do for EMI to continue to win.
Roger believed in me enough to want to build this
staff…and he's helping me every step of the
way. It's about having the trust of your leader
and the trust of those you lead.
Q:
What exciting can we look forward to from
EMI?
A:
We've got an Usher album coming (November tentatively).
He sold 15 million last time and I think this time
you're going to hear even more growth and maturity.
With Usher, you can count on perfection.
For Kanye West's new album, we
put him together with our writer DJ Toomp,
whose worked with T.I., He did the next single "Good
Life" as well as a song called "Can't
Tell Me Nothin'." Kanye' also has a song called
"Big Brother" that is probably one of
the best he's ever done.
Our writer Harold Lilly worked
with Alicia Keys on her new album.
Jermaine
Dupri is working with Mariah Carey again
on the follow-up to her comeback CD (Mimi).
One of our
brightest up-and-comers is Chrisette Michele.
I signed her a year-and-a-half ago. Seeing it all
come together now is really a dream come true.
Q:
What does your expanded role at NARAS mean
to you?
A:
I am a Trustee for the LA Chapter - one of the biggest
honors I've ever had. In trustee meetings, we make
decisions that help shape the way The Recording
Academy is run. I've built some very beneficial
relationships. It's power networking to the highest
degree.
Q:
What insight can you give us into power
players Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri?
A:
They're both really good friends of mine. Jay has
been with EMI his entire career. I started at EMI
in '95 and signed him in '96. We were two new guys
in the game that believed in each other. It's worked
out great for both of us.
Jermaine
is one of the most driven and competitive people
I've ever met. From a songwriter perspective, he's
the single person who has inspired me the most.
His work ethic is unmatched.
Q:
What did you think about Jay-Z's brief "retirement?"
A:
It was definitely not a ploy. My opinion is that
if you leave the game and no one is stepping up
to claim the crown, you might as well come back.
When you talk about Jay-Z, I know the artist - the
best rap artist in the world - I know Shawn Carter,
the amazing songwriter for himself and others, and
I know Shawn Carter the person and businessman,
who's setting the blueprint for all that is really
possible in this business and other businesses.
Q:
How do you juggle and prioritize all of
the high tier talent and personalities you have
under one roof at EMI?
A:
It's actually really easy because I love what I
do and I have personal relationships with practically
all of them. When I work with these songwriters,
I don't have an ego, so they don't either. You'd
be surprised how calm the conversations we have
are, and how fun and productive it can be. We're
all trying to get to the same place.
Q:
With all of the doom and gloom in the music
industry about plunging sales and such, where is
the record industry headed?
A:
Anyone looking at the numbers can see that publishing
revenues are going up. We have so many more opportunities
to generate income from a song rather than just
a CD (ringtones, film and commercial usage, video
games, etc.). Record companies have to commit to
developing stars and artists. People buy singles
of songs they like. They buy the albums of stars
and people they can relate to. We have to get back
to building that. True A&R work is not sending
an artist away telling them not to come back until
they have a single. I remember the day when you
signed someone because you believed in them enough
to help them find those hits.
Q:
What's the best thing about being Big Jon
in 2007?
A:
I'm still a major contributor to this business.
I'm a resource for a lot of the talent. They come
to me with a lot of questions and bounce ideas off
of me. I cherish that position as a confidant to
some of the most powerful, creative people in the
world. They know I'm not going to tell them anything
but the truth. They don't always agree with everything
I say, but they know it's truly how I feel. When
you get to the level these guys are on, they really
appreciate that. A lot of people come to me for
that reason alone.
Other things
that have changed are I have a family now - a wife
and a beautiful 4 year-old son.
Being Big Jon means
staying true to who I am in a changing business.
I've always wanted to be the best, but always with
integrity, never at anyone else's expense.
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