Today on Mixed and Mastered, we sit down with Byron Kirkland — entrepreneur, marketer, and founder of Stealth Worldwide Group, a force behind some of the biggest names in music.

From growing up in Brooklyn to landing a high school internship at Arista and Uptown Records, Byron learned early how to turn access into opportunity. That mindset carried him through fashion at Sean John, into artist management with Machine Gun Kelly, YBN Nahmir, and Cordae, and now into building his own brand in golf and lifestyle with Masterpiece.

In this conversation, Byron breaks down the realities of developing artists, navigating the highs and setbacks of the business, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. He also reflects on resilience, relationships, and how life-changing moments shaped his approach to both business and family.

This is Mixed and Mastered with Byron Kirkland.

Mixed and Mastered is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. Join the conversation on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+

Before the South ran hip-hop, Julia Beverly was documenting it. In this episode of Mixed and Mastered, Julia Beverly, founder of Ozone Magazine, shares how she helped amplify a region the industry once overlooked. From building Ozone into the definitive voice of Southern rap to breaking artists before the mainstream caught on, Julia played a key role in shifting the culture’s center of gravity.

She talks about turning a photography hustle into a media platform, navigating a New York-dominated industry as an outsider, and earning trust from artists across the South. She also reflects on her relationship with Pimp C—from interviewing him in prison to documenting his release and later telling his full story through biography.

This is Mixed and Mastered with Julia Beverly.

Mixed and Mastered is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. Join the conversation on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+

This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with Wendy Day — a legendary music industry advocate, dealmaker, and founder of the Rap Coalition who helped shape the blueprint for independent success in hip-hop. From pulling artists out of bad contracts to helping structure groundbreaking deals for Cash Money, No Limit, and more, Wendy has spent decades fighting for artist ownership, leverage, and long-term wealth.

In this conversation, Wendy shares the real stories behind some of the culture’s most pivotal deals, how she built leverage for artists before labels came calling, and why her mission was never about money — but empowerment. She breaks down the evolution of the music business, the shift from physical to streaming, and why today’s artists may not need labels at all.

This is Mixed and Mastered with Wendy Day.

Mixed and Mastered is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. Join the conversation on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod and get early access plus live events, additional content and more at Merrick Studios+

This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with veteran music executive Rodney Shealey — a Brooklyn-born industry leader whose career spans the rise of modern hip-hop and R&B and includes shaping records for some of the biggest artists in the world.

From growing up in East Flatbush and getting his start on the road during hip-hop’s earliest touring era, to rising through the ranks at Virgin, Epic, Island, and Def Jam, Rodney walks us through a journey built on proximity, relationships, and seizing opportunity. Along the way, he shares stories about breaking records in the golden age of radio, working alongside legends, navigating the inner workings of major labels, and the real dynamics behind Black music departments.

They also get into the evolution of the business, the shift from radio to streaming, career vs. money decisions, and how those experiences led Rodney to his current role at HarbourView Equity — where he’s helping build one of the most ambitious Black-led investment platforms at the intersection of culture and capital.

This is Mixed and Mastered with Rodney Shealey.

Mixed and Mastered is produced by Merrick Studios and hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. Join the conversation on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod

This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with Grammy-winning music executive, producer, and A&R Max Gousse — a Brooklyn-born music industry powerhouse whose career runs through some of the biggest moments in modern R&B and hip-hop.

From learning the business at The Box in Miami to being mentored by legends like Cassandra Mills, Sylvia Rhone, David Renzer, and L.A. Reid, Max walks us through a career that includes working on Adina Howard, B2K, Dreamgirls, B’Day, I Am… Sasha Fierce, YG, and Saweetie. Along the way, he shares stories about building records from the ground up, navigating label systems, developing artists, and why work ethic still beats hype every time.

They also get into regional music culture, brand partnerships, the future of artist management, and Max’s take on AI’s role in the music business — not as a replacement for real artists, but as a tool that’s here to stay.

This is Mixed and Mastered with Max Gousse.

Mixed and Mastered is a Merrick Studios podcast hosted by Jeffrey Sledge. 

This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with Michael Ross — LA native, former DJ, and co-founder of Delicious Vinyl — for a masterclass in taste, timing, and straight-up hustle.

Michael takes us from growing up in Long Beach (Soul Train Saturdays, Vegas showrooms, and a little Peter Frampton “research”) to UCLA frat parties powered by Uncle Jam’s Army, record pools, and Hollywood spots like the Rhythm Lounge and Power Tools where the culture was colliding in real time.

Then it gets surgical: how Delicious Vinyl was born off pure DIY energy, how the name came from a random business card, and how a cold call led to Tone Loc — “Barry White as an MC.” Michael breaks down building records on early drum machines and the SP-12, pressing wax at Rainbow Records, getting played on KDAY, and walking into a deal with Chris Blackwell / Island with “Wild Thing” already in the chamber (plus a $500 video that helped change everything).

And just when you think it’s all crossover hits, Michael tells the story of hearing The Pharcyde demo and basically saying, “Yeah… y’all not leaving.”

This is Mixed and Mastered with Michael Ross.

Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by ⁠Merrick Studio⁠, and hosted by music industry veteran, ⁠Jeffrey Sledge⁠. Tune in to the discussion on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram ⁠@MixedandMasteredPod⁠ to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at ⁠www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod

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Ian Burke — known throughout hip-hop and R&B as the DreamWeaver — is one of the quiet architects behind Atlanta’s rise as a global music capital.

Born in Mount Vernon, New York and “made” in Atlanta, Ian’s 30+ year journey runs through the rooms where culture actually gets built — from loading equipment as a roadie to living inside The Dungeon during the Organized Noize era, to shaping early development moments around TLC and Xscape, and witnessing the 60-second decision that led to signing Akon.

Ian and Jeffrey connect over their unexpected Mount Vernon roots before tracing Ian’s path from DeVry student to trusted creative executive during Atlanta’s most formative years. Ian shares what it was really like inside The Dungeon — one couch, one bathroom, chains falling into the cushions — and how relationships, instinct, and timing built movements before the world caught up.

They dive into:

• Discovering Left Eye and meeting T-Boz at 2AM

• The early Jermaine Dupri era

• Managing inside the Organized Noize camp

• Why Atlanta’s R&B story gets overlooked

• His chapter at Elektra and ASCAP

• Building without a mentor

• His mission to tell the full Atlanta story through film and television

This is Mixed and Mastered with Ian Burke.

Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod

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This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with April Walker — fashion pioneer, cultural architect, and the founder of Walker Wear, one of the brands that helped define modern streetwear before it had a name.

Support the show

Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod

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This week on Mixed and Mastered, Jeffrey Sledge sits down with Steve Carless, a senior creative executive whose 20+ year career spans Def Jam, Atlantic Records, and the front lines of modern artist development. From studying liner notes as a kid in New Jersey to shaping careers for artists like YG, Jeezy, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Nipsey Hussle, Steve breaks down how relationships, risk-taking, and cultural intuition drive longevity in the music business.

Support the show

Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod

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Jeffrey Sledge sits down with James McMillan, Esq. — entertainment attorney, label executive, and CEO of Art @ War Records (in partnership with Warner Records) — for a real conversation about power, ownership, and how leverage actually works in music.

Support the show

Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod

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