Features

Industry 101: Rocco Valdes

December 3rd, 2007 | Author: Brian Sims

Time for another installment of Industry 101…this time DX kicks it with none other than Rocco Valdes, the creative driving force behind "Mr. Teddy Bend-her-ass himself.Rocco runs Chase Entertainment and along with partners Michael Blumstein and David Abram co-manages R&B mega-star T-Pain and producer Jim Jonsin.

From experiences at Def Jam, Slip-N-Slide and now his own entities, Rocco threads his story with courage, conviction and the pursuit of good music. With his next project B.O.B., waiting in Atlantic's wings, see where Rocco Valdes is headed, and since he's only 27, for how long.

HipHopDX: How did you get into artist management/ the industry in the first place?
Rocco Valdes:
Well about halfway through my career I worked at Slip-N-Slide records as an A&R. We had a studio in the back and different producers would come through, and that’s how I met Jim Jonsin. At the time he was working on some records for Trick Daddy. He produced the song "Let's Go" for Trick, Twista, and Lil' Jon. I used to be in the studio with him everyday and I just started vibing with him. He also did Pitbull’s "Damnit Man,"so I figured hey, I can get this guy a publishing deal. So I reached out to a good friend of mine Big Jon [Platt] and said, “Yo I got this dude that is about to blow.” I sent him music and about a week later he flew down with a deal on the table and Jim told me, “Damn you put food into my daughter’s mouth, I want you to be on the team.” He was managed by Michael Blumstein [Which is now Rocco's partner] and we just teamed up.  Big Jon is from EMI publishing.

DX: Gotcha...that's halfway through the career...what about the very beginning?
RV:
Well that was the beginning of management as far as music business. I went to full sail in 2001. I thought I wanted to be an engineer.

DX: Really?...
RV:
I knew nothing about music. I learned a lot there (in college) but i decided it wasn't for me.  So after I graduated in 2002, I went to New York with 300 dollars to my name and moved in to a senior citizen building with my step grandfather and slept on his couch.  Prior to going to New York, I had sent my resume to Arista and I also sent my resume to Def Jam through the mail. I spoke to someone from Arista; I can't recall his name, but he told me I could get an internship so that's the reson for me going. It's crazy; as soon as I touched down in New York, I got a call on my cell from Human Resources at Def Jam saying they received my resume through mail, and would I be able to make an interview...I said hell yeah. So the next day, I went to the interview with this lady and she liked me. At that time it was June of 2002, and she said I could start in August, so I said “Cool.”

So I went home that night thought about it and was like, “Damn, how the hell can I stay in New York with no dough until August?” So I called her the next day and was like, “Nikki I cant do August I want to start today.”  She said, “Wow, really? let me see what I can do..” She called me the next day and said to come through, and the  next thing I knew I was sitting in Kevin Liles’ office doing an interview.

DX: Wow, how real is that... what was it like working with Kevin Liles?
RV:
Well we met in Kevin’s office, but I didn’t work with him in the beginning. They put me as an intern for Randy Acker which was the man right below Kevin at the time. He was VP/GM. He now manages Lil Mama. I sat there and just did the bullshit… get breakfast… you know make sure they have drinks in the fridge. So after two weeks of me being there, Randy’s assistant got fired. I was like, “Boom, here’s my shot.” Mind you, I had like 50 bucks left, swear to god. I walked up to Randy, which he still didn't know my name at the time [laughing] and I was like, “Yo, I want this job," and he laughed at me like I  was crazy. He said, “No way. You need at least five years experience this and that." I said, “Look I’m broke and if I don’t get this, I have to leave. Trust me, I can do it.” So he [agreed]. He gave me a shot, and I started making money. After two weeks of interning I was assisting the second man at Def Jam Records.

DX: What were some memorable projects that you were on while there?
RV:
I was a part of everything. Jay, Ja Rule, LL, Keith Murray. After a while, Kevin and Randy would call me in to listen to records and get my opinion. I worked on everything in some fashion. I never got any credit, but I was there. Continued on page 2 »

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