After 20 years of being a big-time label executive, industry legend Shanti Das shares some of her insider tips.
Shanti Das has a last name that rhymes with boss for a reason–she is a boss. The promo powerhouse was once head of promotions, then senior director of marketing for LaFace Records; she’s also the former EVP of marketing for Universal Motown Records, and the marketing mastermind behind the successful careers of Outkast, TLC, and more of your favorite chart-topping acts.
Shanti recently re-released her book, The Hip Hop Professional, which is chock-full of valuable career advice for anyone looking to get a come up in the industry.
The Source sat down with Shanti to talk all things industry; here’s what she had to say.
What motivated you to write The Hip Hop Professional?
Shanti Das: I released the first version in 2010, after a lot of speaking in colleges. A good friend of mine told me, “You should write a book and get your story out there.” I was in transition mode from moving back home to Atlanta. I had literally taken a huge leap of faith and walked away from my job. It was absolutely worth it; I would get young ladies coming up to me, saying they loved the book. I decided to relaunch it last year; I added seven new chapters, so now it’s The Hip Hop Professional 2.0. I’ll be on a college speaking tour in the fall, which I love doing. I want to be that guiding voice, especially for young women. I mentor young men as well; we all kind of had that help on the way up. I’m really about being a global thought leader, and giving back.
It does seem that there’s less people who are willing to mentor and take someone under their wing these days…
SD: I kind of agree with that. I don’t know if it’s just the world we live in and the times we live in; that there’s a lot of competition. The industry is doing well for television and film; the music industry isn’t what it used to be. There aren’t as many opportunities as when I was coming up. There used to be eight distribution companies; now there’s only three! That keeps jobs more territorial. There’s also fewer role models on the executive level now than there used to be.
The game has changed a lot. Who’s making the trends these days: labels based on consumers or consumers based on availability from labels?
SD: Labels are making shifts based on consumers and their habits. I mean look at Apple. Napster came first, then iTunes came out. Digital music revolutionized the entertainment industry. Everything happening is a reaction to what consumers and fans do now. A&R reps are now only looking at you if you have a buzz all ready. The money doesn’t flow it like it used too, so if I’m gonna take a shot on you, I gotta know that other people like you. For the most part, everything labels do is dictated by the fans.
Another big change is the roles people play. There’s artists acting as label execs now, and of course the Internet. The Internet has changed the market by over-saturating it, don’t you think?
SD: You know, the entrepreneurial mindset of hip hop has definitely influenced the label politics. You didn’t see people pulling a Neyo, Young Jeezy, or Jay Z—it was just something you didn’t see when I was coming up. The roles were clearly defined–artists were artists and execs were execs. There’s also been a huge shift in the economy and the dollars and cents definitely don’t add up like they used too.
As for the Internet, it’s given artists a huge platform to push their material. Anybody and everybody can have a blog, and can get themselves poppin’ on social media. That’s good in one respect–it’s a great entry point. But there is an excess. For example–people who want to be publicists. The way I see it, the people with the real know how and real ability will still manage to shine, even though there’s more competition. The best of the best will still rise to the top.
That’s so true! One thing has remained unchanged, though. Outside of the “video vixen,” why aren’t we seeing more women in hip hop?
SD: We really need to continue to educate these ladies on the other avenues in the industry available to them. I call this generation “smart phone babies.” They live on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and Vine. That’s all they see. It’s all very visual.
I’m not knocking reality TV, but I do blame a lot of what happens on the producers, deliberately creating drama and things that perpetrate stereotypes. I think no matter what genre of music you’re into, no matter what lifestyle, you need to create a balance for yourself. Kudos to Nene Leakes and Kandi Burress for using reality TV as it should be used–as a platform. They used it to open other doors for themselves. The “smart phone babies” are constantly on the phone or watching reality TV. They don’t even know what other opportunities are out there. My goal is to speak to these young ladies, and educate them about the other jobs they can have–they can be a writer like you, a marketing guru, a makeup artist. I don’t want these young girls to feel like they have to take their clothes off to be successful, because you don’t! You can do other things and keep your integrity intact. My best advice to the young women (and men) out there is to get good people around you, that have a lifestyle you want to have. There’s a lot of girls working in nightclubs or strip clubs; I’m not gonna condemn you, but I can try to help you, so maybe you can start finding other avenues so you can get out of that, if that’s what you want to do.
Word, those aren’t usually careers that get any type of love on “Career Day” at school, nor are they the ones that get the glamorous opportunities, unless they’ve deliberately branded themselves as their own kind of celebrity. And when that happens, sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s the celebrity and who’s in the supporting role! I think that adds to the confusion, too.
SD: Oh my gosh, yes! Back in the day, publicists didn’t take pictures. Today, even the executives feel the need to be social media mavens and social media stars. While it is important to brand yourself in what you’re doing, you have to know the fine line between working with celebrities and being a celebrity. We’re not all Diddy. We can’t all be Diddy. You’ve gotta know how to play your position. I was always behind the scenes, making sure the artist was in the forefront. It’s okay for me to get press, but when I was working and coming up in the game, it wasn’t about me. It was about what I could do for the artist. Some young executives are losing sight of that. You need to just put your head down and work, and let that speak for itself. You need to be great at something first, then be recognized. Worry about the accolades later. Master something first. The flashing lights will come for you when it’s supposed too. Flashing lights are honestly a poor guide.
How did you learn to move as a woman in an industry that’s so full of misogyny and patriarchy?
SD: For me, it was to establish myself as “one of the guys” early on. I was a sneaker head, so it wasn’t me trying to be someone I’m not. Baggy clothes and sneakers were my uniform. That’s out of style now, (laughs). It’s a very social business, so the key is to be smart about what you’re doing and know your environment. Even in the office, these guys are gonna flirt. Men in the hip hop industry have a very difficult time separating business from pleasure because it is so social. Sad to say, but you should just expect to be hit on, so cover it up a bit. Don’t go to the office like you’re going to the club. Exude self respect and self confidence. When I did have to deal with it, I found a way to let the guys know “We still cool, but I’m not here for that.” Laughing and flirting back sends the wrong signals. They’re gonna think it’s okay to come at you like that. Be about your business. My personal rule of thumb is don’t date the artists you work with. It’s cool to date other people in the entertainment business, as long as it’s on your terms and they respect you. As women, we still have to be in control–we actually have all the power and the cards. We give men, especially men in hip hop, too much power. Nine times out 10, they know who they can get with and who they can’t, because of how a woman is carrying herself. There are some assholes that will try you regardless, but you gotta stand your ground. If it’s a co-workers disrespecting you, be firm and nip it in the bud. Ladies, be in control of your own situation. Command and demand respect.
You said that you feel 9 out of 10 times, men know what they can and can’t get away with. So do you feel like the misogynistic attitude is selective or collective?
SD: I definitely feel like it’s selective. Carry yourself like a you-know-what, and you’ll be treated like a you-know-what. I don’t condone men being disrespectful to women, period. But they can tell from your body language and mannerisms if they can try to get at you. I’m starting to feel like my mom sometimes. I could listen to explicit music all day long growing up. I felt like “They’re not talking about me. I’m not that chick, I don’t act like that.” Now, here I am, trying to teach women to carry themselves in a different manner. You gotta let these guys know from day one what you’re about. If you’re loving the crew, how do you think you’re gonna get treated? Embrace your sexuality, yes; but don’t be throwing it all over the place.
As a society, we’ve lowered our standards, even in business. A business is a business is a business. It should be professional. Even though it’s a fun industry, it’s still a business. People think it’s a party.
Speaking of society, what social responsibility do you believe artists have?
SD: This is something I’ve said since the beginning of time–I’m not for censorship. I believe in freedom of speech. However, there has been a breakdown–particularly in the African American community–of the family. So when I was growing up, I had the standards, morals, and values of how I should live and represent myself, because I learned it at home, in my family, from my sister, mom, and cousins. We don’t have that today. Kids having kids. There are so many young parents. Then there’s the good ol’ entertainment industry itself. Growing up, I had The Cosby show. What mom taught me was reinforced when I turned on TV. Teachers taught us what we learned at home. A lot of that is lost. All these young kids are looking up to athletes, celebs, and artists. It’s not up to the hip hop community to save the world, but it has been that one thread that united us globally, so artists do need to do a better job and be more mindful of what they’re putting out there. There’s gotta be a balance.
Jeezy feeding the less fortunate at one of Shanti’s events in Atlanta
Jeezy, for example, does a great job of that. I had an event to feed the homeless last holiday season, and there he was, out in the trenches with me. He came out, talked to kids, and handed out turkeys. I’d like to see more young brothers out in the trenches like that, as community activists and educators.
Life shouldn’t imitate art. Artists, musicians, actors…we have to let these young kids know this is art. You don’t have to emulate what you see me doing, this is my job; this is my craft. I celebrate art as pure art. Unfortunately, there’s fewer and fewer positive role models out there. It’s a vicious cycle. I know I can’t save the world, but if I can show a couple hundred kids something positive, then that’s amazing. Appreciate the art for art, but know where to draw the line. Kids aren’t aware of the separation between a rapper’s persona and a rapper’s life.
That was very well said. I just had to ask, because your whole movement is about professionalism in hip hop, and where there’s professional responsibility in a field dealing with the masses, there’s social responsibility there too, whether or not it’s recognized.
SD: Exactly. I want to bring about change and help lead our new leaders into the 22nd century. We can still be fly and still be smart; still be sexy but still have self-respect. There needs to be that “I can have it all” attitude.
You can learn more about Shanti’s movement at www.thehiphopprofessional.com
April Dawn (@scarlettsinatra)
