We [AHH] had a financial
crisis at one point (it’s
been documented) where
we were mismanaged
financially
by
an
accounting firm that did
not have our best interest
at heart and we were
really over spending .
We were over spending
in every shape, and form,
fashion, and really, we
had what was called All
Hip Hop Week. At the
time, All Hip Hop Week
was one of the stable
events for hip hop and
just the industry, every
year. It was a week-long
series of events. We
had concerts, art shows,
fashion shows.
We
had community –based
events with kids. I mean
we had everything you
can imagine in one week.
We did about nine events
in about seven days. It
was ridiculous but I say
all of that to say this,
everything crashed. So
we hit this recession/
depression, (depending
on who you talk to), and
sponsorship dried up.
Everything just really
bottomed out and we had
to finance it personally.
Not to get into the gory
details; we had a real
whole different team at
that time; we just had
to push it through. That
was where the real blood,
sweat and tears [were]
actually happens, and I
mean real tears. And you
look in the mirror, you
wake up, at that time I
would wake up look at
myself in the mirror and
just be like, “Man!” It
really teaches you how
to make it. Really in
hindsight,
appreciate
those times, but I also
look at it with a little bit
of disgust because I feel
like from that standpoint
we really didn’t have
people that were looking
widely untapped and if it
has been tapped, it’s a lot
of garbage/quality stuff.
So I think there’s a space
for us to really, really
dive deep into video
and mobile. Obviously,
mobile is incredibly
underutilized in hip hop.
It’s obviously exploding
in every other place, but
I don’t think hip hop has
In an environment where
people can really feel
in touch and reach and
speak to the artists. I
think
that’s
what’s
missing with the internet.
People don’t even care
if they go to an event
anymore, cause they’re
like, “Oh I’ll catch it
tomorrow on YouTube.”
A million people had
out for us, which has
changed at this point.
tapped into it in a way
that really makes sense.
And last but not least, I’m
personally am definitely
expanding things in a
way where I’ve done a
lot. For those that may
not know, I’ve done a
series of conversations
in the Apple Store with
TI,
Kendrick
Lamar,
Chuck D.
It’s been
an incredible sy