BLK ON THE SCENE

We are over-the-moon to welcome the founder of Culture Creators - Joi Brown! Cuzzin Joi as DeDe likes to call her, is a music and entertainment industry OG. Throughout her career she has been an executive at Atlantic Records and ICM, PLUS has worked with major music talent like Lil Kim, Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Janelle Monae, Brandy, Gucci Mane, Lizzo, Missy Elliott and Wiz Khalifa to just name a few, and brands like Beats By Dre, Jack Daniels L’oreal, MasterCard, LVMH and Microsoft. 

We deep dive with Joi who shares that she grew up in a family where music was integral to family gatherings and tapping into that childhood love and “joy” (pun intended) led her to party promoting at Howard University to developing relationships in the industry to accomplishing the goal of breaking into the NYC music industry – by any means necessary. That drive and a bit of serendipity paid off when she landed a coveted role as Heavy D’s assistant at Uptown Records and then after seeing a need for Black artists was going unmet eventually pivoted into marketing partnerships.

Joi hustled hard to rise through the ranks to give underrepresented artists the marketing partnerships that proved mutually beneficial to the label, brand AND artists. And, after the encouragement of her boss, industry vet and then president of Atlanta Records, Julie Greenwald, Joi learned a valuable lesson about prioritizing her personal life too and went on to become a wife and mother to twin girls. After years in corporate, Joi took that passion for representation, culture and partnerships to launch Culture Creators, who’s “mission is to ensure substantive influence and growth by spotlighting and amplifying the contributions of individuals who have shaped the global view of Black culture.” Therefore, it is our honor to spotlight Joi for all that she has done and continues to do for the culture! We know you will leave this episode just as lit up and inspired as we did!

Thanks for listening to Blk on the Scene. We hope that you will tune in for more exciting guests and conversations from this season. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review and rating.

Episode Mentions:

Joi Brown - https://www.instagram.com/iamjoibrown/?hl=en

Culture Creators - https://culturecreators.com/

Howard University - https://howard.edu/

Atlantic Records - https://www.atlanticrecords.com/

Julie Greenwald - https://variety.com/2022/music/news/julie-greenwald-ceo-atlantic-music-group-1235400605/

Uptown Records - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Records 

Heavy D - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNEgUPKxk7A

Music Will - https://musicwill.org/

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated - https://www.deltasigmatheta.org/

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We are delighted to welcome Melissa C. Potter to the Blk on the Scene fam this week! Melissa is a New York native and an expert at the issues of Race, Identity, Culture, Equity, and Social Justice, which she masterfully manages moments of crisis with her unflappable and vibrant style. Just peep her Instagram to see the fabulous eyewear and fashions! Melissa is a thought leader with a proven track record of creating meaningful social change through her expertise in spearheading social impact strategies and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across non-profit organizations and global brands. 

Currently, she serves as the Vice-President, Strategy and Impact at Paramount Global, where she supervises each brand’s commitment to the long-term social impact of cultural shifts in society. We get to learn how she got her start as a teenager “interning” with a family friend who was a DJ, leveraging that hustle, curiosity and passion to being a college record label rep at Northeastern University in Boston at the height of the explosion of Hip-Hop and Rap to learning the business from OGs like Mona Scott and Chris Lighty. She witnessed first hand the impact that entertainers such as Method Man, 50 Cent and more had when they hosted their community focused events which served as early inspiration to the field of social impact. Melissa openly shares her trajectory from the music industry to the political and social impact space where her ingenuity led to her winning the prize for Human Rights at the Venice Film Festival plus receiving a 2018 NAACP Image Award nomination as Impact Producer for the film “The Rape of Recy Taylor”. 

Potter received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Northeastern University and Masters in Corporation Communication and Public Relations from New York University. She serves as the first woman and the first African American Chair of the Board for the National Job Corps Association and is Chair of the Board of Directors of Fostering Change for Children. She was awarded “Change Agent of the Year” in 2018 from the Digital Diversity Network, is a Webby Anthem Awards juror and a Diversity Committee Member for Transform Films. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Melissa’s RECEIPTS and her story from a self described “little bossy girl” to being an all around BOSS is just the inspiration we all need to trust our vision and keep the faith!

Thanks for listening to Blk on the Scene. We hope that you will tune in for more exciting guests and conversations from this season. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review and rating.

Episode Mentions:

Melissa C. Potter - https://melissacpotter.com/

Content for Change - https://contentforchange.paramount.com/

Mona Scott - Young - https://www.instagram.com/monascottyoung/?hl=en

Violator Records - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violator_(company)

Northeastern University - https://www.northeastern.edu/

Alpha Kappa Alpha - https://aka1908.com/

Style Eyes Optical - https://styleeyesoptical.com/

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She sings! She dances! She acts! She coaches! This week’s guest Keanna “KJ Rose” Henson seems to do it all!  The always effervescent and energetic KJ graced us with her presence to share her passion for entertainment and her pivot from being a corporate baddie to performing with some of the biggest acts in the world like Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Puff Daddy and the Family to being a creative entrepreneur. She’s author of “The Rose Effect: Eight Steps to Delivering The Performance of Your Life” and founder of the “The Rose Effect, LLC" a Global Stage Consultancy that helps creatives, executives, and artists of all disciplines push beyond their perceived capacity. She’s coached Lil Nas X, the Lumineers, 24k Goldn, The Kid Laroi, plus worked with top brands including UberEats, Roblox, Amazon, Google, Disney and Sony Music to name a few. KJ dropped so many gems on this episode about being tenacious, living and working in her purpose that Jon and DeDe felt like they were front row in a masterclass. Jump into this episode and be prepared to schooled, too!

Thanks for listening to Blk on the Scene. We hope that you will tune in for more exciting guests and conversations from this season. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review and rating.

Episode Mentions:

KJ Rose Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kjroseeffect/?hl=en

KJ Rose website - https://www.kjrose.com/

The Rose Effect: Eight Steps to Delivering The Performance of Your Life - https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Effect-Eight-Delivering-Performance/dp/173470280X

FAMU - https://www.famu.edu/

Clive Davis - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6494358/

Heavy D Big Daddy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6sGofCFmKg

Sundance Channel - https://www.sundancetv.com/

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What a thrill to welcome one of the hardest working men in entertainment - theeeeee infatigable Steven “Suss One” Sussman! Suss One is a multi-talented DJ who produces music, rocks the mic on syndicated radio and the clubs, hosts The Feature Presentation podcast plus the go to movie tastemaker screening program Dinner & A Movie with Suss One. Growing up he developed a passion for music and DJing plus movies and horror films, in particular. Suss openly shares with hosts DeDe and Jon his journey as a bi-racial kid growing up in West Chester, NY idolizing DJ icons like Kid Capri and Red Alert to meeting THE “songbird” Mariah Carey. Along the way he’s built a lane all of his own by leaning into his passions and working HARD to make his dreams a reality. Get ready to be inspired by Suss One’s hustle and heart on episode 38 of BLK ON THE SCENE.

​​Thank you for the support over the past three seasons. We hope that you will stay tuned for more exciting guests and conversations from this season. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review and rating.

Episode Mentions:

DJ Suss One -  https://www.instagram.com/djsussone/

DJ Suss One Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/djsussone

The Feature Presentation Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@TheFeaturePresentation

The Feature Presentation website - https://thefeaturepresentation.com/

The Feature Presentation Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thefeaturepresentation/

Kid Capri - https://www.instagram.com/kidcapri101/?hl=en

Red Alert - https://www.instagram.com/kooldjredalert/?hl=en

Scream - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scream_(franchise)

Wes Craven - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Craven

New Line Cinema - https://www.instagram.com/newlinecinema/?hl=en

Freddy Kreuger - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddy_Krueger#:~:text=He%20was%20created%20by%20Wes,the%20real%20world%20as%20well.

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BLK ON THE SCENE is back for season four! We can barely believe it but we did it, and can’t wait to share it with you. So to kick off this season, DeDe and Jon finally got one of their favorite people for the entertainment industry and who they’ve stalked next since the pod started… the incredible, beautiful, funny and multi-talented Cori Murray! Cori is a legend in the entertainment content world, having brought the best and brightest stories to Essence Magazine, as their former Deputy Editor. As an award winning editor, she led the brand’s digital and print platforms that serves 31 million Black women. During her time at Essence she hosted the Yes Girl podcast, plus for 10 years, she led programming for the Black Women in Hollywood awards and served as co-producer of the annual Oscars week event—ESSENCE’s second largest franchise. Cori sits down with BOTS to talk about her time there, and her pivot into self-employment - freelance writing, producing and so much more! Cori shares how she feels the fear, sets time to “Dream. Play. Make it happen” when it comes to her writing and the lessons she’s learned from her beloved Big Momma to the one’s she hopes her mini me, daughter Jillian, is getting along the way. 

Thank you for the support over the past three seasons. We hope that you will stay tuned for more exciting guests and conversations from this season. Be sure to subscribe, leave a review and rating. 

Episode Mentions:

Cori Murray - https://www.instagram.com/corimurray/?hl=en

Cori’s recent work -  https://www.miamiherald.com/detour/article274817676.html

Essence Magazine - https://www.essence.com

ASME Awards - https://www.instagram.com/bevysmith/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/corimurray_a-lovely-surprise-this-week-when-i-received-activity-6979181092595507200-5DRD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Mara Brock Akil - https://www.instagram.com/maraakil/?hl=en

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On our final Season 3 episode of BLK ON THE SCENE, we are thrilled to welcome the insanely talented multi-hyphenate James Bland. James is a proud graduate of FAMU who is a sought after writer, director, producer and actor in Hollywood. He executive produced and starred in the Daytime Emmy Award winning drama series, Giants, which is currently streaming on Bet+. James is #bookedandblessed with current projects like writing on the upcoming Peacock limited series The Best Man: Final Chapters and developing a new original series for 20th Century Fox, which he'll write and star in. Being the masterful storyteller that he is, James takes us on the circuitous journey from being a creative kid growing up in Florida that also happened to have height and athletic talent that propelled him toward sports rather than performing. Ultimately, his passion and true calling, plus learning to embrace his authentic super power of being himself brought him to Los Angeles with very little money to intern for another FAMU graduate Will Packer. Settle in and get ready to truly be inspired and ready to go after your dream just like James!

James Bland - https://www.instagram.com/jrbland/?hl=en

Giants - https://www.amazon.com/Giants-Season-1/dp/B08MD188SN

SAG AFTRA Conversation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R4D8hpLNDE

Will Pack Productions - https://www.willpacker.com/home

The Best Man: Final Chapters - https://ew.com/tv/the-best-man-final-chapters-preview-malcolm-d-lee

Florida A & M University - https://www.famu.edu/

Remember to subscribe, leave a rating and follow us on Linkedin and Instagram @BLKONTHESCENE. And, please pardon the audio issues on this episode. 

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AM PR Group - https://www.instagram.com/amprgroup/?hl=en

Barnard College - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnard_College

My Publicist is Black - https://www.instagram.com/mypublicistisblack/?hl=en

Yvette Noel Shure - https://www.instagram.com/yvettenoelschure/?hl=en

Phylicia Fant - https://www.instagram.com/purplephy27/?hl=en

Ernest Dukes - https://www.instagram.com/erndukes/?hl=en

Please remember to subscribe, leave a rating and follow us on Linkedin and Instagram @BLKONTHESCENE.

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This week’s episode features Janee Bolden –  one of the pod’s favorite and most thoughtful entertainment journalists, authors and speakers. Janee is the Senior Content Director PopCulture at iOne Digital and has interviewed countless actors, musicians and culture creators across film, TV and her first love music. She shares how she came into her own after having a challenging childhood not feeling seen as a young Black child who was a bookworm in Iowa to really stepping into her light which enabled her to fully embrace her Blackness as an intrepid undergrad at New York City University exploring the cultural riches of NYC. Throughout the episode, she also shares getting her start writing erotica and pivoting to entertainment journalism. Janee is the epitome of hustle, grit and grace as she has navigated the entertainment industry shining a spotlight on Black creators especially with her advocacy for Black women in the music industry. Dive in and get ready to be inspired!

Janee Bolden - https://www.instagram.com/janeebolden/

Global Grind - https://www.instagram.com/globalgrind/

Bossip - https://www.instagram.com/bossipofficial/

Janee’s first published poem - https://www.amazon.com/Role-Call-Generational-Anthology-Literature/dp/0883782391/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21AJL4A1J0T9N&keywords=role+call+anthology+tony+medina&qid=1662065475&s=books&sprefix=role+call+anthology+tony+medina%2Cstripbooks%2C64&sr=1-1

Erotica Poets -

Director Barry Jenkins - https://www.instagram.com/bandrybarry/

James Baldwin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin

Janee’s Tribe

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This week’s episode features the indomitable “abolitionist” Brooke Obie, who is the Editor & Chief of XONecole the premier digital destination for Black women millennials and the host of their podcast She Comes First. And, what an episode it is! Brooke gives us a window into her life and how the “Christain culture” she was raised in shaped her life in both positive and negative ways that ultimately helped her discover the passion and purpose to tell, share and advocate for authentic Black stories that embrace ALL of our community. Get ready to truly be inspired by her life and career pivots in the pursuit of personal liberation that will help you discover your own!

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In our first dual conversation on Blk on the Scene, we welcome two brilliant and inspiring ladies from the Gyrl Wonder not-for-profit - Founder and Executive Director, Tola Lawal and Director of Media and Talent Relations Nikki Cameron who from 9-to-5ish is also the Director of Development @Bunim/Murray Productions. Gyrl Wonder is a professional pipeline 501c3 initiative giving rise to ambitious young women of color between the ages of 17 - 22, who’s mission is to empower the "gyrls" through social impact, career exploration and objective alignment.

Tola and Nikki share how they met and became fast friends, plus how that friendship inspired manifested the Gyrl Wonder organization from their shared passion for giving gyrls of color more resources and access to the entertainment business. This episode is a must listen if you want to learn more about the NFP world and support young aspiring entertainment executives.

Episode Notes:

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