Turning Passion Into Success!

                Kevin Liles started as an intern for def jam and in less than ten years he went on to become the President of the company but did not stop there. In this video he is giving insight about the class he will be co-lecturing with Jeffrey Rabhan at NYU as part of their Tisch Special Programs division titled “Making It In The Music Biz.” Mr. Liles starts off by saying that the “music business has always been great at a couple things. Finding the talent, nurturing the talent, marketing and promoting the talent.” He goes on to say although technology is king in today’s times the social networks and websites like YouTube cannot trump tradition. The traditional skills like finding, nurturing, and spending time with the talent (artist development) is and will always be important when bringing them to the market. Mr. Liles used a phrase that will forever be at the front of my mind while striving to make it and maintain in this competitive music business. “Prepare yourself to be a Global Music Executive!”

Kevin Liles "How To" book
(Liles,2010)

        YouTube and other social networks may be taking over when it comes to finding the talent but bonding with the talent is something that will never be done over cyberspace. Mr. Liles shared that his passion and desire to succeed kept him going. He learned the business while living it and he may have bumped his head along the way but still triumphed. His perseverance and obvious humbleness is very motivating for me as an aspiring A&R. He may be one of the top entrepreneurs of his time but you can still see the drive in his eyes because this business is ever changing and one must be “ever changing” as he states in the video.  He also says that he will be the canvas for the students by giving imminent foundation “where I think the music business is going” in the future.

Kevin Liles Management Company
(Liles, 2011)

       I will always use his words at the end of the video for motivation and strength when I’m feeling defeated. “Life will throw you a lot of curve balls but you just have to stay focused on what you want to accomplish. I was really trying to succeed! No mater what is was in. I took my Passion and turned it into Success!” I will be successful and like I always say “I will make my Dreams my Reality!”  

                                  

                                               Kevin Liles and Jeffrey Rabhan