By the time Peacock’s VP of Title Creative Marketing, Eric Jones , graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Television Radio, and Film Management, he already had nine years of experience in the television industry.  A self-described troublemaker in his youth growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where burning cars and drug dealing were part of the everyday tableau, Jones credits the programs at his school for redirecting his energy and helping him discover his passion for storytelling. In a recent Leadership Talk with FUTURE NOW Founder & CEO Peggy Kim , Jones shared how it all started with a tour of the Showtime offices when he was in middle school.  “A bunch of people from different departments came and spoke to the class. At the end of it  someone asked, ‘Does anyone have  any questions?’ And I shot my hand up in the air, and when they called on me, my first question without skipping a beat was ‘When can I get a job here?’ And this one lady…her name was Faith…with her little Jamaican patois accent, she said, ‘You know what? When you get your work in papers, why don't you call me.’”  A few months later, Jones turned 14 and got his working papers. “And I called her the next day, and I called her the next day, and I kept calling her, because, you know, kids don't know etiquette, so I just kept calling her.”  His persistence paid off. “That summer was my very first job ever. At that time all I did was make xeroxes and send faxes.” Jones worked at Showtime for several summers.  “I worked in operations, providing service to the creative team,” he explained. “So I would hand deliver tapes for edit rooms for producers for their edit sessions.  One day, he dropped off some tapes and overheard Spanish in the background. “I got curious. I had never heard Spanish in an office before. I followed the voice, and there was a team of producers watching a monitor, listening to a boxer speak Spanish. As they were listening, the VP of Creative said ‘What is he saying?’  Standing at the door, Jones answered, “He said, ‘He’s gonna get in the ring.’”  Surprised, the executive invited him to stay and help them with the translations. ”That was my first time in an edit room. I helped them produce this piece - I must have been like 16 at the time. I did all the translation for Spanish.”  They were so impressed that they asked Jones to join their team the next summer, and then, the next three summers after that.  Two weeks after graduating from college, Jones started a full-time job as a production assistant for Showtime’s boxing broadcasts. He rose through the ranks as an Associate Producer, Writer-Producer, and eventually Senior Writer-Producer.  “I worked there for eight years… It was amazing. I was traveling the world, a kid from the Lower East Side who’d never been on a plane. I went to Vegas–my very first fight was Mike Tyson vs. [Evander] Holyfield when he bit him in the ear.” After 16 years at Showtime, Jones decided it was time for a change. “One day as I was putting my reel together, I realized every single spot and piece of creative that I had was boxing. I was concerned I would get pigeonholed as a boxing guy. If I continued working in boxing I’d only be able to work in boxing.”  Jones wanted to expand his horizons. “So I made the decision to leave Showtime, which was a hard decision for me. I had known people there for 16 years. I made a lateral move as a Senior Writer-Producer at Showtime to Senior Writer-Producer at Spike TV.”  The move from sports to unscripted programming and reality shows was challenging, but Jones quickly learned to apply the storytelling skills he’d learned at Showtime to his new role. “End of the day, what we do is tell stories. Given I’ve been working in boxing for so long, storytelling is very important.  At the end of the day, you have two guys fighting. You have to find the heart, the purpose, the reason they’re fighting, and that in itself is the creative challenge.” At Spike, Jones was soon promoted to Executive Producer, and then, to Creative Director.  After five years, Jones got the itch again to make his next move.  “When I started to put my reel together, I had a lot of boxing and now a lot of unscripted. If I stay where I am now, I’m gonna be pigeonholed when my passion is scripted [content]. So, I made a lateral move, from creative director at Spike to creative director at Sundance TV, overseeing scripted, unscripted, films, and branding.” Jones worked at Sundance for five years until he heard that Peacock had picked up Bel-Air , a r e-imagination of the beloved sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Click for trailer “I was hell-bent on working at Peacock to work on  Bel-Air . So much so that after making a bunch of phone calls and getting an opportunity for an interview, in the interview I told my [future] manager, I told them, ‘I want to work on Bel-Air .’”  Jones got the job. “And on my very first day at Peacock, I had five Bel-Air  meetings.” As the Vice President of Title Creative Marketing at Peacock, Jones oversees promotions and creative marketing output not only for Bel-Air but for all of the streamer’s titles.  “Whether they’re series, scripted or unscripted, film, or our library content if we’re promoting [a single] title, that’s under my team’s purview.”  Jones and his team have their hands on everything from movie trailers to 30-second promos on social media to creating key art, secondary art, and graphic designs, for various needs throughout a marketing campaign. They collaborate closely with the company’s marketing, operations, press, and activations teams.  Jones described his 32-person creative team and their day-to-day. “So I have a team of creative directors and they lead the creative campaigns. Working with them is a team of producers, designers, and art directors. Throughout the course of the day, we’re working closely with our marketing counterparts and creative operations to really develop a strategy for the title and the creative brief and the creative execution for each of those. We work really closely together to get that done. We work really closely with showrunners and EPs. The way we usually kick off a campaign is we sit in a Zoom room and listen to the showrunners and EPs so we can hear what their vision of a particular show is. We take their thoughts and the scripts and the visuals and the episodes and we start to pull marketing hooks and themes that are unique and important to the series. And from those marketing hooks and themes, we start to develop the creative strategy, and based on that creative strategy, we start to develop creative tactics that ladder up to the strategy.” Jones cites his contributions to Bel-Air  as his proudest work. “It was the first time in my career I was able to work on a title with people that looked like me...I hadn't been fortunate enough to have that experience where I could work on titles with people who looked like me, who’d gone through the same experiences that I had gone through, who had similar stories that I had. So it was a dream being able to work on that and it ended up being one of Peacock’s most successful shows of all time.”  “I loved being able to bring my culture and my background into the creative myself. There were a few times when I had to say to a room full of people who didn’t look like me, ‘Listen, Black people are going to love this. We should do this.’ And God bless them, they listened to me.” Jones attributes his success to passion. “I was just so passionate about the job, I would do anything and everything. Even if people didn’t ask, I would write scripts, I would help with edits. Not for the sake of getting a promotion. I was just excited about it. They saw that excitement and effort. I went from a PA to an AP because of that passion.”  To Jones, passion matters and sets someone apart from the pack. “We don’t talk about passion enough in our field. Yes, skills are important, but I do believe that there are many people that can do what we do, but we don’t want to work with just anyone. I’ve seen many people in this business who are creative geniuses but not the easiest to work with. I’ve seen people who are super collaborative and have positive energy, and I’ve seen how they’ve excelled. I’ve been more of the latter than the former.” Jones’ reverence for passion translates to his hiring practices as well. “If someone’s passionate about the job or the work, or entertainment, that I always gravitate towards. Someone approaches me with interesting questions or someone’s excited – I can teach you to write stronger, but I can’t teach passion. So if you start with that, ultimately I’m gonna want to work with you.” Jones imparted some final words of wisdom. “I encourage everyone to live by their core values. By doing so, you can rest assured that you are true to yourself and the work that you’ve done, and people will see that. I personally live by my core values. I discovered them within the last eight years. The irony is that I’ve had several career coaches and in each instance, my goal was to get a promotion. But with the last career coach I had, I told him, ‘Every time I did this, it was for a promotion. I want to create a work life where I’m happy with the work I’m making and the person I am.’ Through that journey with him, I leaned into four core values: relationship, collaboration, love, and success. Those are the four core values I live by. Finding what success means to you will help you in the long run.”

Netflix’s hit series Arcane , based on Riot Games' popular League of Legends , released its highly anticipated second and final season on November 26th, 2024. Blending stunning 2D and 3D animation crafted by French studio Fortiche, Arcane  has captivated both long-time fans of the game and new audiences, earning multiple Annie and Emmy Awards while breaking several Netflix records. Amirah Vann At the heart of Arcane’s  gripping story are two sisters, Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (voiced by Ella Purnell), navigating the contrasting worlds of the prosperous city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Among the standout characters in this rich narrative is Sevika, a fierce and imposing enforcer for the crime lords of Zaun, brought to life by the powerful voice work of Amirah Vann . With over two decades of experience in film, television, and voiceover, Vann’s impressive career includes an NAACP Image Award nomination for her role in Underground  and her portrayal of Tegan Price in How to Get Away with Murder . In this exclusive interview with FUTURE NOW, Amirah Vann talks about her journey into voice acting, her approach to embodying complex characters like Sevika, and her advice for aspiring voice actors. Oyeku : Sevika is such a complex character. How was it portraying her through voice acting?     Vann : Portraying the character of Sevika was a great experiment in trusting. As a voice actor, I have only a few things at my disposal to offer—my voice, my intentions, my energy. Needless to say, I learned to trust our director and their excellent ear. The similarity to on-camera acting was the collaborative nature—knowing that we would discuss a scene until our intentions were being translated and then trust that the animators would marry the emotional and physical life seamlessly.  Oyeku : Besides not being on camera, what were some differences between in-person and voice acting? Vann : One of the main differences is not being in hair, makeup, and costume for the character. There’s so much that those elements offer immediately—a sense of self and a sense of supporting the imaginative story you’ve created that’s birthed from the text. Your imagination has to be firing on all cylinders. Oyeku : What were the most challenging parts of playing Sevika? How did you overcome them?                                 Vann : One of the most challenging parts of playing Sevika is a really technical challenge—that is, making sure that your voice is strong the entire time you’re in a session. Sometimes we would record the text first and then record the efforts. Efforts are basically all the grunts and screams and yells that are added onto potential fight scenes. The efforts could ruin the voice if not done correctly and with care.  Oyeku : Do you have any advice for those looking to break out into the acting industry and any audition tips?  Vann : My advice for anyone interested in breaking into the acting industry would be to join a theater company. It’s the best way to work on wonderful text and wonderful characters, learn how to let go of your own preconceived ideas, and start to think like someone else. It also allows you, night after night, to go deeper into a character—getting lost in that character and finding new things. It’s an exploration and journey that TV and film can rarely offer because it moves so very quickly and doesn’t necessarily afford you the same depth of process. Audition tips would be make sure the basics are done. Make sure you have good lighting. Make sure you understand that they need to hear you. They need to see you. You need to have read the script if it was offered to you. Those are the basics. The next step is to decide what your offering will be. Who do you think this character is? Don’t try to fit someone else’s idea—make an offering. And lastly, make sure you understand what the heck you’re talking about. A mentor of mine once said to me: “Do not open your mouth unless you actually understand what you’re talking about.” Oh, and enjoy your offering. If you’re excited, there’s a better chance someone watching will be too.

Darnell Strom, Partner, UTA College students and recent graduates often think that their first job will determine their career path for the rest of their lives.  That mindset can cause stress and paralysis because they don’t want to make a mistake…as if there is only one perfect step to the rest of their lives.  But, as Darnell Strom's career journey proves, a starting point is just that, a starting point. Where you begin is not where you end, and opportunities can come in the most unexpected ways. Strom is a Partner and the Head of the Culture and Leadership Division at United Talent Agency (UTA) , a leading global talent, sports, entertainment, and advisory company representing artists, athletes, storytellers, and brands whose voices and vision define culture and shape our world. But he got his start in politics. So, how did he end up in the entertainment business? “I was a political nerd. I loved politics. I thought it was really interesting,” Strom reminisced in a recent Leadership Talk with FUTURE NOW Founder & CEO, Peggy Kim. “I remember watching my first Democratic convention when I was seven years old. My parents were active, voted, and knowledgeable of all that was going on and made sure we were as well.”  Strom was plugged into politics ever since, but he also kept up with pop culture. “I loved TV, I loved film, I loved music, I loved sports…growing up in the 90’s…the Michael Jordan era…I was fascinated by all of those things.”  But, he never imagined a career in media and entertainment.  When it came time for college, Strom chose to study Political Science and Government at Florida A&M University. He was active in student government and college democratic politics.  He was later accepted to Berkeley Law School, but deferred his studies to do a fellowship in President Clinton's office in NYC, researching and fact-checking for Clinton’s autobiography and supporting the fundraising team for his presidential library.  One thing led to another, and he deferred law school again to work for the Democratic National Convention as an assistant to the COO. " That was the year that State Senator Barack Obama gave the speech that kind of put him on the map, and I was very fortunate working for the chair of the Convention committee that we had seats on the side of the stage, and the spouses and families of whoever was speaking on stage would sit next to us. And so, you know, Michelle Obama and Sasha, Malia, who were very small then, were sitting right next to us, watching their dad deliver this speech that would literally change their lives." Strom’s hard work eventually led him to become the director of the DNC chair’s office.  After the DNC, Strom—only 23 at the time—became Director of Operations in Florida for John Kerry’s presidential campaign, working 17-hour days. Storm joked that he was a “double loser” since Kerry would lose both Florida and his presidential bid. But, Strom's star was on the rise, and he got a call from the Clinton office to be his Deputy Director of Scheduling.  Darnell Strom with President Bill Clinton and Nelson Mandela For the next three years, Strom traveled the world with Clinton, interacting with world leaders and political figures and the titans of industry, people in media and entertainment, sports, and business. "And, it was where I really kind of saw how all these worlds collide and came together. And so, even to this day, when I work with a range of different types of clients, it does kind of remind me of what those rooms would look like back in my days of traveling with President Clinton.” Strom learned to navigate high-powered rooms with skill and ease. " I would never externally show that I was kind of overwhelmed with the experience, and I would always try my best to feel like or seem like I was comfortable in any situation that I was in, even though I was probably secretly having a panic attack inside." The values instilled in him by his family, particularly their emphasis on the importance of “seeing everyone in every room” became a cornerstone of Strom’s approach to leadership and connection, shaping his trajectory as he moved from politics to the worlds of philanthropy and entertainment. “I was always really good at connecting with people and always wanted to. I am  always fascinated by people’s backgrounds, people’s stories. I also had a very deep self-awareness of who I was, how I came off, what I was good at, what I wasn’t good at… It was always this kind of really delicate balancing act.”  During his time with the Clinton Foundation, Strom met Hollywood powerhouses like Jeffrey Katzenberg, Casey Wasserman, and Richard Lovett, the then-President of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which would eventually lead to a career pivot from politics to entertainment.  “I would shake people down for money to donate to the [Clinton] Foundation, and that led to conversations like, ‘Maybe you should be an agent. Maybe there's something you should be doing in this business. because I think they were also kind of surprised by my knowledge of the business just because I would read about it and found it interesting.” CAA offered Strom a job…not in the mailroom, but on the foundation side, where he was a kind of social impact agent for clients like Dwayne Wade, Katy Perry, Will Smith, and others, helping them figure out what they wanted to do in the social impact space. Strom also joined the White House Entertainment Council. “So anytime there were clients that wanted to do something with the White House or the White House was trying to tap into the entertainment community to help push an initiative or something. I would help be the go-between on this committee to connect those dots. So I was able to use my experience to, you know, immediately kind of impact clients and high-profile clients of the agency.”  As he worked to connect top talent with meaningful projects, Strom was voracious in learning every aspect of the business. “So if you know Dwayne Wade, I wanted to know how his basketball contracts work, how his shoe deals worked, and how Katy Perry's touring worked, and you know every element. The thing that I was most surprised about when I got inside of an agency was just how much they do, and how many areas they have.” He began to notice a growing trend—the convergence of culture, fashion, sports, media, music, and film were increasingly overlapping, and he realized that no one was connecting the dots effectively.  Strom saw this as his opportunity and niche. “It’s the smart dot-connecting that will lead to the coolest projects.” He became fascinated by collaboration possibilities across industries, particularly with the rising influence of non-traditional voices in pop culture. Darnell Strom with Malala Yousafzai Knowing how lucrative President Clinton’s books and speaker fees were, Strom helped spearhead CAA’s speaker division, signing clients such as Malala Yousafzai, then-VP Joe Biden, and Gayle King. After nine years with CAA, Strom moved to United Talent Agency (UTA). “What I would love to do,” Strom remembered saying to UTA, “is represent some of the most interesting people in culture and then…build out opportunities for them to really grow their platforms…and make money…and I think that expands not only into individuals, [but] expands to brands and beyond.” “I became a partner about for years ago, and touch everything from our culture and commerce division, but also work in our luxury and fashion division that we continue to grow, and then I also oversee our UTA speakers division, which reports up to me, so I have my hands in a lot of things,” he explained. Strom joined UTA in 2019. The next year the pandemic hit, George Floyd was murdered, and protests shook the nation. Then, the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild strikes followed in 2023. It’s been a rocky time in the media and entertainment industry. However, Strom retains a positive outlook.  “Yes, you need to be thoughtful about what you say to people and how you come off,” he said, “and that makes the workplace a better place for everyone…. It’s a very challenging time in the business, specifically in the film and TV business. But I’m super optimistic about times like this.” “There’s all these other opportunities that are popping up that are interesting. I think there’s really cool opportunities at the convergence of sports and fashion. I think there’s really cool things in art. I think there's all these other businesses that we’ve all had access to before. But now we're really leaning into like, how do we drive these and make them bigger businesses?” So what does the future hold for Strom? “I’ve definitely planned it out,” he admitted, “but I think a lot of the moves that have happened in my career weren’t necessarily planned…. You want to have an idea of where you’re building towards. You want to know what your general interests are, but you also want to be open to opportunity happening.” For students who may be stressed about their own opportunities and plans for the future, Strom had some words of advice. “One of the connections that I see that’s similar between the entertainment business and in politics is that they’re both relationship businesses, right? It’s about the relationships that you build,” Strom told attendees.  “I don’t love the word ‘networking,’ because ‘networking’ sounds very transactional.” Instead, he encouraged listeners to attend any young professional entertainment events in their area of interest—including ones like this FUTURE NOW talk—and go there to make friends. Use those friends to “start filming your own stuff, you can start distributing, you can start building your own audience and fan base” with YouTube and TikTok. “You don’t need to wait for Hollywood!” He did warn attendees that the “word on the street” is that Gen Z doesn’t “want to work as hard,” and encouraged everyone to fight that stereotype. “You’re not entitled to anything in life. You have to work towards it, and you have to earn it, and that is something that I think is extremely important.” “What it comes down to is how do you differentiate yourself from everyone else? How do you work harder than everyone else? How do you make yourself useful when you do have those opportunities, when you are in spaces that could be beneficial to you in the future?” Strom then summed up his advice in three easy-to-remember words: “Make yourself undeniable.”

I attended my first New York Comic-Con (NYCC) in 2017 as an avid fan of Game of Thrones  and The Walking Dead , looking forward to seeing the cosplayers and panels hosted by the actors. My friends and I saved every penny we could from our minimum wage retail jobs to go on the most popular days, Friday and Saturday. It was worth it. I enjoyed an overload of all my nerdy interests in one place with my favorite people, and I was on cloud nine. 2024 was the first time I’ve been able to attend since then and while my entourage didn’t change, my excitement for conventions sure did!  Over the past year, I’ve been given the incredible opportunity to hone my skills as a writer and marketing professional with FUTURE NOW and all I could think about when the NYCC dates were announced was, “How can I use my hobbies to help push me closer towards my career goals?”  The answer was FUTURE NOW.  After speaking with the marketing and newsletter team leaders, I got the green light to create content based on my NYCC experience. It would be an opportunity to showcase my ‘nerdy’ interests in a more professional and rewarding way.  I walked into the convention with the focused goal of creating content. It made me look at everything I was experiencing in a different light. I knew Artist Alley would be a huge part of my video content because I wanted to highlight all the incredible art exhibited in the booths.  Popular artists like Gabriel Picolo (@_picolo) had a line a mile long in front of his booth, which is understandable since fans could purchase original works and get exclusive access to his upcoming Teen Titans: Starfire book.  I also took time to visit and patronize the quiet booths. I wanted to share the work of lesser-known artists like Alex Rivera from Freelance Inker LLC. I am now the proud owner of amazing original pieces of my favorite DC Comics characters signed by Rivera himself.  Frédéric Pham Chuong (@frederic_pham_chuong) is an artist I’ve followed on Instagram for years. Seeing his detailed cover art of characters from the Transformers franchise in person was incredible.  The exhibits from One Piece and Dragon Ball were my next important stops not only for content but because of my connection with them as well.  My deep-seated love of anime felt validated because I could share it through FUTURE NOW; I wrote articles about them for The NOW this year. This experience helped me realize exactly what I want to do with my career.  One of the best parts of any convention is cosplaying. While some cosplayers were at NYCC for pleasure, many spent their 2024 convention season dressing up as their favorite characters and working hard to make a living out of it.  I’ve followed many cosplayers like Kayla (@rinnegoddess) and Lena (@lenalemon) for a long time and seeing them collaborate with companies like Crunchyroll because of their consistently outstanding cosplays has been fascinating to watch.   A huge highlight of my NYCC experience was seeing cosplays of characters like Scarlet Witch, Deadpool, and Wolverine, and anime cosplays like Sabo and Ace from One Piece or Ichigo from BLEACH.  I realized that I am now connected with people from the companies that market and distribute these works–people like Jake Black. I met Jake at the 2024 FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference in June.  Jake is an award-winning writer and content creator who has written for some of the biggest brands in pop culture and entertainment, including Star Trek, WWE, Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Supergirl, Smallville, Umbrella Academy, Adventure Time, Steven Universe , and many, many more. The next month, Jake was the featured speaker in the FUTURE NOW Leadership Talk . I clicked the registration button so fast that I almost broke my mouse. Hearing him speak about his career journey was inspiring and motivating.  I had a full circle moment when the October edition of The NOW was sent out, featuring my piece celebrating the 85th anniversary of Batman . In it, I expressed my deep love for the character and everyone who worked hard to bring him to life over the years. My heart leaped when I saw a message on LinkedIn from Jake.  He not only read my Batman piece but he said, and I quote, “Nice work!”  Later, he shared that he’s worked on Batman-related content over the years, including an episode of Batman: The Brave and The Bold  (which is included in my top five favorite Batman adaptations post on Instagram).  This was a huge moment for me—not only did I meet someone who does exactly what I want to do for a career, but I was able to establish a meaningful connection with someone who has worked on a character who helped mold me into the person I am today. I got to shake the hand of someone connected to a very important part of my childhood and it was like the universe telling me that I’m on the right track. It means a lot to me after struggling for so long trying to figure out if I was ever going to find a career that I enjoyed or if I was going to be like so many other people and just take a well-paying job that I hated for the sake of “security.”  Do you ever feel like one decision can change the rest of your life, whether it be for better or worse? I believe that there are no coincidences and that everything happens to bring you to where you need to be.  Attending the FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference and volunteering with FUTURE NOW has been life-changing and one of the best decisions I have ever made.  I’ve learned that every accomplishment isn't without disappointment, every reward isn't without sleepless nights and every win is so much sweeter when there’s a trail of losses behind it. The only thing that cannot waver is your belief in yourself.

Multi-platinum award-winning hip hop music producer Antwan “Amadeus” Thompson has always moved to the beat of a different drum. He grew up in the Bronx, where drug dealing and gang life were all around him, but his parents made sure the streets would never get him. “I was sheltered growing up. And I think, honestly, that saved my life…You know, I couldn't go places. I couldn't do certain things. I couldn't be with certain people, because my parents didn't allow it, you know, the only thing that I could do was, was play music. So that either happened at school or at church,” he shared with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO, Peggy Kim, in a recent Leadership Talk. Today, Thompson is the CEO of Platinum Boy Music Inc. and one of hip-hop's most sought-after producers. He has worked with artists like Jennifer Lopez, French Montana, 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, T.I. Tyga, and Busta Rhymes, just to name a few. He is a Bad Boy / Hitmen record producer and the musical director and tour drummer for R&B singer Trey Songz. He is an educator and motivational speaker, driven by a deep passion for giving back and inspiring others.   Thompson received a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Biden in 2023 and even has a street sign named after him in the Bronx. He’s only 43. “I’ve learned that it’s not all about being the most talented person in the room. It does take talent, but it’s also about how hard you work. And that’s kind of what separates me from everyone else. I always try to figure out a way to outwork everybody.” And, Thompson has been outworking everybody since he started playing drums in fourth grade. As his impressive wall of platinum and gold records shows, Thompson has come a long way since he discovered his passion for beats. He credits his parents with setting him on the path towards producing by introducing him to legendary producer Buckwild who showed him that music production was a legitimate career. Thompson worked constantly to hone his production skills and started hustling at 16. “I would pop up to clubs, events, parties with my CDs.” Though he was still in high school, Thompson took his career very seriously. “I used to read the credits of the albums, and on the back of the credits it would list the address of the record label. I would show up to whatever that address was and stand in front hoping an artist would come out, and [I’d] hand them a beat tape and CD. That’s kind of what the grind was like for me until I got my first placement.” His start came through a cousin who was working as an assistant at Interscope Records. Eventually, one meeting with the artists and repertoire division—who act as scouts for record companies—led to another, and that resulted in his first producing credit on Foxy Brown’s "Get Off Me," which was quickly followed by his first movie placement in Cradle 2 The Grave , also with Foxy Brown. The experience taught him a lot, including some of the negatives of the music business. “[Getting paid] was a nightmare! As a producer, you get paid a front-end and a back-end. So, before any businesses are handled, before the record comes out, you get half of whatever you agreed to for the producer fee.” What Thompson hadn’t realized was that Foxy’s co-writer had already negotiated the deal and took half the cut. “Remember, I’m brand new, so I didn’t discuss the producer fee with anybody. Def Jam contacted me and said the producer fee is gonna be ten grand. We already paid [Foxy’s co-writer] $5000.” Thompson had to settle for half of the fee and a lesson learned. He strongly advised the audience, “Make sure you know your business, make sure you understand your business, make sure you stay on top of your business, make sure you stay involved with your business.” Taking matters into his own hands, Thompson studied by reading All You Need to Know About the Music Business  by Donald Passman, now in its tenth edition. “He’s incorporated everything that’s happening in music now,” Thompson said. “In regards to streaming, social media, TikTok...I definitely think that would be a great purchase for everyone here. I read that book a billion times and mastered everything from royalties to publishing.” Thompson also implores aspiring producers to do the work. With the internet making music production so accessible, he believes that young producers are jumping the gun before they're ready and have something of value to offer. “It took me years before presenting myself to labels and artists [...] I had to get to a place where it was ready to be on that level. I think a lot of artists and creatives these days, because of the access, are skipping that step.” What does it take to make it as a producer? First is honing your craft. “I would make three, four, five beats a day, every day.” Thompson repeatedly emphasized the importance of having a good work ethic. “When you develop consistency and persistence… it matters. You know how many people would give me a chance because every week I had a new beat tape?” For anyone hoping to work on the business side of the industry, Thompson recommends internships at a label or radio station and knowing the who’s who of your dream workplace before applying. “Use the tools of social media! Follow the record labels you want to work for. Go through their following list. Nine times out of ten, they’re following the artists that are signed to them, the managers, the teams.” Despite all the glamour, Thompson’s stories of working with some of music’s biggest stars come with a warning: “If you are coming into the music business, please do not let it be solely based off of being rich or being famous. I’m telling you right now, it’ll be one of the biggest letdowns.” Thompson encouraged viewers to find their “why.” His why? “I loved music. I didn’t even know that it was a career. I just wanted to play drums and make music.” Thompson acknowledged that it’s a cutthroat industry with more and more producers and musicians entering the game every day. “You can be hot in this season, and next thing you know, you ice cold, and nobody’s buying tracks.” Talented newcomers are accepting lower and lower rates for their beats, meaning if you want to get paid, people have to know about you and your value. “You gotta get yourself out there. You gotta be seen and heard. You gotta market yourself. You gotta show you’re different from everyone else.” “Make sure you’re doing the research. Don’t sit back thinking things are gonna fall into your lap. The information that you need to do anything in life is online. Don’t be lazy, challenge yourself, and put the time in, because the information is there.” Thompson recognizes that the industry today is vastly different than when he began. But he encourages aspiring artists to pursue their passion, learn their craft, understand the business and the game, and consistently push themselves to deliver. “Outwork everybody. When you don’t feel like it, you do it. When you feel like you’ve done all you can do, figure out more.”

What comes to mind when you think of superheroes? Truth? Justice? Laser vision? For me, I think of power--the power to fly, the power to break the sound barrier, but most importantly, the power to stand up for what you believe in. It was 1939 when author Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane published Detective Comics # 27 , “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate,”  showcasing a new take on what power means.  What was supposed to be just another issue in a mystery-solving series turned out to be revolutionary for comic books and pop culture. Detective Comics #27 changed the trajectory of the comic book world by introducing us to a seemingly powerless superhero, one who goes by many names: the World's Greatest Detective, the Caped Crusader, and even the Dark Knight. But, the name that's meant to strike fear in the hearts of evildoers everywhere is The Batman. September marked the tenth “Batman Day,” held yearly to commemorate the superhero’s impact around the world. Over almost nine decades, we have seen the masked vigilante portrayed in many forms of media by many talented actors. One of the most well-known and beloved actors was award-winning voice actor Kevin Conroy. After performing classic shows on and off Broadway for most of his career, Conroy debuted as the Dark Knight in 1992 with Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski’s Batman: The Animated Series . He continued to share his talents with the world for the next 30 years in various TV shows, movies, and video games.  To many Batman fans, including myself, Conroy didn't simply “play” Batman, he was Batman. He was the only version of the superhero that we knew. I remember hearing his voice in my brother’s video games, or during the Saturday morning reruns of The Animated Series  as a kid and it etched a permanent memory in my brain—if I heard that voice, I was hearing Batman himself.  When I got older and learned more about Conroy’s career I began to appreciate his performances even more. He used his experience of dramatic Shakespearean plays to help bring this noir and true version of The Batman to life, and he is the reason I love this character so much. Fans were devastated to learn about Conroy’s passing in 2022, but we take comfort in the fact that his legacy will live on in his timeless performances as our favorite vigilante. Another one of my favorite portrayals of the caped crusader was The Batman  (2004) created by Michael Goguen and Duane Capizzi. This version of Batman's origins was the cartoon I looked forward to the most every week. It made him more personable and relatable and showed kids (and adults) that even Batman makes mistakes. Watching Bruce try to juggle his duties as the dark knight, be a foster parent to newly-adopted Dick Grayson, and help his best friend Ethan, who was accidentally turned into Clayface, taught me that even though it can feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it’s okay to take a step back and show up the best way you can.  We see Bruce’s gentler approach to dealing with his villains; he shows compassion and understanding to those sent to Arkham Asylum. It emphasizes rehabilitation instead of punishment, understanding that everyone is fighting a battle of one sort or another and one should always lead with kindness.  That approach is a key factor in why this is one of my favorite portrayals of Batman’s famed rival, the Clown Prince of Gotham himself, the Joker. Not only is his design edgy yet comical but the character writing, paired with the voice talents of Kevin Michael Richardson, added a very particular depth to a character with such mysterious origins. He wasn’t just an agent of chaos who did things with no rhyme or reason; he was meticulous and intentional with his schemes and some might even argue that he sought justice. This thought-provoking adaptation is criminally underrated and I will always recommend it to anyone who wants to expand their Batman knowledge. Bruce Timm made his return to the franchise with the newest addition to Batman’s animated adaptations,  Batman: Caped Crusader  (2024), which is currently streaming on Prime Video. Staying true to his iconic noir-style animation, Timm keeps things modern and fresh with his choice of adversaries from the Dark Knight’s Rouge Gallery. Appearances from well-known villains like the Penguin, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, and Two-Face were accompanied by less talked about villains such as Onomatopoeia, Gentleman Ghost, Firebug, and Nocturna.  I loved seeing how Batman handled the variety of personas he encountered and having a new villain in every episode was a refreshing approach that showcased the versatility of the vigilante’s crime-fighting techniques. This adaptation takes a different approach to the dynamic between Alfred and Bruce, where Bruce constantly gives Alfred the cold shoulder or dismisses any helpful advice from the retired intelligence agent.  While Timm is undoubtedly planting the seeds for future character growth, this change feels off because Bruce has never seen Alfred as the help. He is much more than a butler; he is a friend. Bruce wouldn't be Batman without Alfred by his side. I would love to see a more positive take be made in future projects. The Caped Crusader  wasn't the only premiere Batman fans had to look forward to in 2024. Matt Reeves’ standalone Gotham universe, starting with 2022’s The Batman , is expanding with a limited series following the rise of underworld boss Oswald Cobblepot, AKA The Penguin.  Reeves found his caped crusader in award-winning actor Robert Pattinson, who used his natural brooding abilities to bring the struggles of Batman’s early years to the big screen. And while we still have the rest of the trilogy to look forward to, the audience is now pivoting its focus onto one of the more prominent members of Gotham’s underbelly, the Penguin, played by Colin Farrell in four hours’ worth of makeup and prosthetics.  In anticipation of the series’ Batman Day weekend premiere, a special showing of The Batman  was released in early September, accompanied by a Bat Signal popcorn bucket and a sneak preview of the first episode of The Penguin . Unfortunately, I couldn't get tickets or the popcorn bucket but I did see the movie three times when it was first released so I have full confidence that Matt Reeves can capture the complexity of Oswald Copplepot in the same manner he did Bruce Wayne. This highly anticipated limited series had a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes before its premiere. Fans across the country are tuning into the newest episode every Sunday on Max. For 85 years, Bruce Wayne has shown us how to be the best version of ourselves. Whether it be stopping the League of Assassins or simply saving someone’s grandmother from losing her purse, Batman teaches us that helping people is no small feat.  There are countless directions that writers, producers, and directors can take this character in because of what he stands for and represents. I, for one, am extremely excited to see what other projects come from this franchise.  It’s difficult for me to put into words what Batman and his story mean to me, but I feel a specific connection to his vulnerability and his burning desire to act against injustice, just as his parents did and just as his children will do after him. Batman’s superpower is that he still suits up every night to protect the city he loves, the city his family helped build, knowing that he’s a regular human being under all that armor. I think there’s something beautiful in that. You don’t need laser vision or super speed to help change the world, you just need to be willing to get up when life knocks you down. Batman is a billionaire playboy dressed up in a bat suit with a utility belt and he is still one of the greatest, most influential, and relatable superheroes of our lifetime and I will defend him until my lungs give out.

The funky sounds from Kool & The Gang have been bumping through the radio since I was born. I remember riding down the highway of I-20 in Atlanta, Georgia, with my father, Dale Porter, singing his heart out: “Hollywood Swinging.” It's been sixty years since the band was founded by Ohio native brothers Robert “Kool” and Ronald Bell, and it's still kicking. The group known for hit songs like “ Get Down on It ” and “ Ladies Night ” symbolizes an era in music that can never be duplicated. Solidifying their place in music history, the band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in late October. For Robert Bell, the hour-long journey from his hometown, Youngstown, to Cleveland, Ohio, was a “groovy” ride he will never forget. Dig this walk back down memory lane. SP: Reflecting on Kool & the Gang’s journey, how did each stage of the band’s evolution contribute to the unique sound and identity of the group?   RB: Well, I think it goes back to when we started. We started as the Jazziacs. We listened to people like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Freddie Hubbard. Now the Soul Town Band, we were backing up different groups that were trying to be like Motown. We couldn't use Kool & the Flames because of James Brown & The Famous Flames. We didn't want to have any problems with the Godfather, so we said, “well, let's just change our name.”   SP: Are there any behind-the-scenes stories or experiences from the making of the group’s most iconic tracks like “Get Down on It,” “ Jungle Boogie ,” or “ Hollywood Swinging ”?    RB: The record company came to us and said, "Listen, you guys have been having some territorial hits, like maybe in Connecticut and Virginia" There was this big record called “Soul MaKossa" by Mango Dibango, and they wanted us to work with that producer because that was this huge record. So, we met with the producer, and it wasn't happening. So, we told the record company, “Okay, we're going into the studio and cut some tracks.” And that's when we went to downtown New York. Eight o'clock in the morning when we finished, we had “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging” and “Funky Stuff.” Needless to say, no more problems from the record company. Dick Griffey (record producer and music promoter) of the group Shalamar, sold our records. He said, "You guys are doing great on the tour." But he said, "I think you guys need a lead singer." That's when we brought JT Taylor into the group. I was out hanging in New York, my wife and I, at the Regine's at Studio 54, every weekend they had the ladiese night.   I went back to the guy, JT, and I said, "I got a great idea for a title.” They said, "What?" I said, "Ladies Night." Frankie Crocker (American DJ) in New York broke that record. “Ladies Night" became one of our biggest records, even to the point where we had won two American Music Awards. My brother was listening to the song. He said, "The tag of that song is another song." And he said, "This is your night tonight. Come on, let's all celebrate." I brought us to the studio, which was the track that became “Celebration.” The rest is history.  SP: Absolutely. And speaking of awards, y'all about to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is a huge accomplishment. And I want to know, how do you think your brother Ronald Bell would've felt about the induction, and what was your reaction to it?   RB:  Well, it's been great because I've called them the Magnificent Seven. All six of my members have passed. I'm the last one of the original members, and we all wanted to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I think they're looking down on us right now, and we are getting ready to finally do it. It's been over 60 years and here we come.    SP: Kool & the Gang has been sampled 1900 times, specifically in hip-hop. How do you feel about your band being a blueprint in a genre that many may find controversial?   RB: Questlove (American drummer and record producer) told me.  I said, "What Quest, I need to put somebody on a sample patrol." That means that we're the most sampled band in the world because hip-hop is dominant. I mean, we were [also] sampled by Madonna, Janet Jackson, various writers and producers have sampled our music.   SP: What do you want the group's legacy to be years from now? RB: Well, our story, how we survived, and the fact that we're still here. I lost six of my guys, but I'm on tour with what I call the Magnificent 10. That's a blessing. SP: Your brother, Ronald, is also responsible for helping to discover one of the most legendary rap groups, The Fugees. How did that come about? RB:  We feel very good about that. The Fugees came to our camp. Lauren and Pras and Wyclef and all of them. We all were in the studio in Jersey called The House of Music. We discovered Color Me Badd. We came into Oklahoma, and the guys came up and said, "Oh, we're doing good in school, we're cool, but we're going to sing something for you." And they sang, so we sent them to New York, and we produced the album for them. We discovered Pink also, my brother and my cousin. And here's one more for you who grew up with us, Teddy Riley. SP: What would you tell a young artist who wants to have a long-standing career such as yourself and the band?  RB: I would first say they have to be serious about it. They should try to be as original as they possibly can. In other words, only the strong survive. Don't give up. Keep on moving the groove.  SP: Lastly, with y'all induction coming up in October. Describe Kool & the Gang in a few words. RB: We are going to keep the funk alive.  NOTE: Kool & The Gang will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, Oct.19 at 7 p.m. at the Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, Ohio. Purchase your tickets, HERE.

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