March 14, 2017

Meet Tamiko Hope of Word Ink in Downtown

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamiko Hope.

Tamiko, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I got started interning at LaFace. From there I got my 1st industry job working with Goodie Mob and then Usher. I freelanced for publications like Upscale, XXL, Teen People and Rolling Out and did a few things out in LA with a publicist friend before forming Word Ink. Under my own company, I began working with Dallas Austin’s new group called Da Backwudz, which is where I met Courtney Sills, who at the time was GM at Purple Ribbon, Big Boi’s burgeoning record label. I was hired to navigate the PR for the imprint, which consisted of Janelle Monaè, Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Bubba Sparxxx, the Purple Ribbon Allstars, and Scar. During this time, I was also starting to work with producers like DJ Toomp, DJ Montay, Drumma Boy and Zaytoven. Right before Purple Ribbon folded, I was hired to work Shawty Lo’s project (rest in peace). My good friend Rico Brooks introduced me to his clients, Sonny Digital, Metroboomin, Que and Bobby Johnson, all of whom I wrote bios on. I did some PR work for Sonny, also. I worked with DJ Scream for a few months and he introduced me to DJ Spinz whom I began representing as well. It was also Scream who suggested I start managing, particularly a female DJ by the name of Princess Cut. And I did. She and I toured with Oprah in 2014 for her Life You Want tour, which was a major career highlight. I moved to New York in 2013 where I wrote and finished my first book, 10 Key Facts from Music Industry Insiders. I returned to Atlanta in 2015 and released my second book, 5 Key Facts from Music Industry Insiders, as well as started a free entertainment industry seminar called Experience Hope, which is an acronym, for Hearing Other People’s Experiences. I expanded on the concept and released a motivational cd of the same name, which featured me speaking motivational words and giving my industry experiences over trap beats from guys like Zaytoven, Sonny, Spinz, Dun Deal and my intern, Hurst Hitz. I was approached to do some PR work for an MC named Nick Grant. I was hesitant until I heard one song. I was sold on one record. So I work with a super dope family of creatives at Culture Republic, who Nick is signed to and I’m excited about where we’re headed. I also released a second volume of Experience Hope with Zaytoven. This audio project is a bit different from the first being that I basically interview Zay over all of his beats. You get info while being entertained by the sounds. It’s essentially a podcast set to music. At present, I’m working on releasing a new book and working on a number of other creative ventures.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No story I don’t believe is smooth. There have been times when I had long gaps in having a consistent client roster, times when companies weren’t able to pay me and I struggled financially. I worked at AIU and ASCAP for a while to maintain an income. One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that as an entrepreneur, you better have an imaginative mind to generate creative ideas that can be quickly implemented and keep an influential network of people who can assist you when needed. Nothing like having support from great people who are plugged. Also being a female has certainly been a struggle in many ways. From disrespect, whether that be in the form of not earning as much as my male counterparts or otherwise, to personal issues like my mom and grandmother passing within weeks of each other. I used to struggle with receiving a proverbial pat on the back, but I do that myself now. I know when I’ve done my job well and I don’t feel the need to have someone tell me I’ve done so. That was a challenge for me when I first started.

Word Ink – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Word Ink is basically Tamiko, Inc. now. The way I see it, I am a brand at this point and I’ve had to realize that even though I tried to ignore it for as long as I could. I came to the realization that I needed to promote myself and what I do just as much as the people I represent. That was an initial struggle being that I’m used to and most comfortable being low key. I still feel like I am, but I’m learning to keep pushing myself and to put myself out more so people will be familiar with what I do and who I am, which I like to say is a provider of hope. I help people increase their public profile, which is a form of giving hope. When I make my CDs. As well as write my books, my main goal is to not only share information but to keep listeners/readers hopeful in an oftentimes seemingly hopeless business. I’m most proud of being able to sustain in such a fickle industry for as long as I have and having been afforded the opportunity to work with so many talented people and travel to cool places and do some pretty amazing things. I like knowing that a lot of talent that has come out of Atlanta, I’ve been a part of their success in some small way or perhaps major. And a lot of my clients have been with me for a long time, which I think is a testament to my integrity. What sets me apart is that I like to stay boutique-ish. I like to work with a select handful of great talent and really develop solid relationships with them and help them succeed in a variety of ways. I co-authored Zaytoven’s book, From A to Zay, which I can count as a proud career highlight. I like that I was able to approach him with an idea and he immediately saw the value in it. That is what’s special about me and the clients I represent. The things happening over at Culture Republic is putting me back in my 20-year frame of mind when I was bright-eyed and eager to take over the world. I feel like we’re doing that.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is being able to have a peace of mind. To have as much transparency in my public and private image; for those things to look similar if not identical. Success, in my opinion, is also having the ability to do what I want to do and when which means being financially free with excellent health. It’s also about prioritizing and having quality relationships with the key people in my life like my family and friends. I feel successful when I wake up and actually like what I am doing and feeling like I’m contributing to people and the world in a positive way. I also think success is doing things that bring you joy, making memories and not just money. And for me, having an authentic relationship with myself and God is the ultimate barometer of success because all the other things have to be good if that is taken care of first.

Contact Info: