It’s that time of year again when Hip-Hop heads far and wide descend upon the self-proclaimed Capital of the South for what many have dubbed as Hip-Hop’s family reunion: the A3C (All 3 Coasts) Conference and Festival.
With the addition of new programming tailored to cover all aspects of the industry including the all-new Creator Complex that will “connect artists and producers with creative professionals to create valuable digital assets,” and a lineup outfitted with heavy-hitters such as Joyner Lucas, Kirk Knight, A-Trak, Ghostface Killah, and Nas, this year is sure to be goodie.
But, before some of Hip-Hop’s brightest stars take to the stage to entertain the masses in Atlanta, Wednesday, October 4th will kick off the three-day conference that doubles as A3C’s claim to fame. Within 72 hours, attendees will be inundated in more than enough panels, workshops, and live interviews with plenty of gems in tow.
But with so much to choose from, there are a handful that cannot be missed. Check out the 8 panels on the lineup that are a must.
- Artist’s Essential Guide to Hip-Hop
When: Wednesday, October 4th
Who: Ashley Vance (Editor-in-Chief, A3C), Paul Williams Jr. (Manager, Alley Music Group), Christopher Patterson (The Big Fantastic), Okla Jones, III (Creative Director, The Love Above), Anisa Green (CEO, STAMPED Communication PR & Marketing)
What: A definitive resource for entrepreneurial hip-hop artists providing artists with insights into artist development, marketing, and monetization.
- Combat Jack Show Live w/ Steve Rifkind
When: Wednesday, October 4th
Who: Reggie “Combat Jack Osse, Aaron “A-King” Howard, Steve Rifkind (Head of Talent, WAV Media)
What: A live session off the popular podcast as host Combat Jack and pioneering hip-hop executive Steve Rifkind have an intimate conversation surrounding today’s music industry, entrepreneurship and hip-hop culture.
- Marketing Music: Creating A Digital Strategy
When: Wednesday, October 4th
Who: Jamal Jimoh (Head of Digital-Urban, eOne), Deon Graham (Digital Director, Combs Enterprises), Tia Swint (Marketing Director, EMPIRE Distribution), Nate Auerbach (Partner, Versus Creative), Aldin Jackson (Co-Founder, The Cool Kids Agency)
What: A discussion amongst the industry’s top marketing professionals as they discuss the rapidly changing media ecosystem and staying ahead in digital strategy.
- Listen Up, Podcasting is a Big Business
When: Thursday, October 5th
Who: Tai Saint-Louis (Host, Cool People I Know), Premium Pete, James “Ed Lover” Roberts, Reggie “Combat Jack” Osee, Angela Rye
What: The hosts and creators of today’s top podcasts touch on the podcasting business and the opportunities within it.
- Curating The Culture: Hip-Hop’s Biggest Event Promoters
When: Friday, October 6th
Who: Brea Simone, Richard Dunn (Founder, The Muddy Water Group), Yusuf Muhammad (Program Manager, A3C), Brandon McEachern (Founder, Broccoli City Festival), Brian Hobbs (Festival Programmer, SXSW)
What: The curators of some of the most influential hip-hop events in the US explore everything that happens behind the scenes when producing an event and provide key insights on how artists can land on these bills.
- Women in Charge
When: Friday, October 6th
Who: Fadia Kader (Strategic Partnerships Manager, Instagram), Nicole Plantin (VP A&R, Rostrum Records), Jennifer Drake (Senior Director, Sony/ATV Music Publishing), Karen Civil (CEO, Always Civil Enterprise), Angela Yee (Host, Breakfast Club), Janee Bolden (Managing Editor, Bossip)
What: Some of hip-hop’s most innovative, creative and entrepreneurial women discuss issues effecting women in hip-hop as well as entrepreneurship and innovation in the music industry.
- Super Producers: Driving the Sound of Hip-Hop
When: Friday, October 6th
Who: Honorable CNOTE, BANGLADESH, Sonny Digital, FKi 1st, and Bryan-Michael Cox
What: Hip-Hop’s brightest superproducers come together to discuss the business beyond beatmaking, and dole tips on making it as a successful producer.
- The Future of Music Streaming: Playlists and Music Discovery
When: Friday, October 6th
Who: Justin “J Boogie” Boland (Head of Hip Hop and R&B Programming, Pandora), K.P. Reddy (Strategic Advisor, Spinrilla), Gray Rizzy (Radio Personality, Shade 45), Damon Williams (SVP of Programming Strategy & Partnerships, Music Choice), Erika Montes (Senior Manager of Artist Relations, SoundCloud)
What: Key players at the industry’s biggest streaming services expand on the ever-growing impact of streaming, the industry, and artist development.
