Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Blaq.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have been in the music industry pretty much my entire life and I have a long history from starting as a producer first when I got to Atlanta but then ultimately met one of my mentors Arlinda Garrett where I had to make a decision where I needed to go professionally in the business in order to make my mark, so I put the production on hold and focused on marketing and promotions. From there I worked with many artists and labels from No Limit, MCA, Def Jam, Epic, Mary J. Blige, The Roots, Ruff Ryder, Aaliyah and many more.
Eventually, I started running the label for Patchwerk Recordings where we had a few groups, working Jatis, Coach K who now owns Quality Control the label for Migos, approached back then asking me if he could manage the group. He introduced me to an artist called Lil J’ at the time but since we were independent I told him we needed to focus Jatis first then revisit. Lil J eventually became Young Jeezy.
From there I went on managing the Patchwerk Recording Studio for several years until Curtis introduced me to Muhsin Muhammad who was a 2x Pro Bowler and leading wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, where started Baylo Entertainment which became a leading force for indie market. We started the mixtapes online, we have a lot of DJ’s their start from DJ Scream, DJ Smallz, etc. We broke the screwed and chopped genre as I was working with all the Texas artist from Trae, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, etc as they used to come to see me at my Atlanta office where we sold their records all over the world. We had MTV, Billboard, and several outlets cover us.
We also helped put out Young Jeezy’s Trap or Die CD/DVD where we had everyone in the office over 3 days with no sleep shrink wrapping, printing covers, etc. to meet the demand at the time. Baylo Entertainment was also one of the very first labels that incorporated models and managed them in-house who appeared on covers, videos and was hosting events but it was very different than what it is today. Our Baylo Girls actually were working on a career whereas today it’s just all for show or social.
After Moose (Muhsin Muhammad) started getting heavy into the church. Baylo eventually had to shut down even though we were at the peak of our success. I had to take a hiatus and figure out what I wanted to do next, the music and entertainment business started to become more of a bottom feeder culture, everyone was copying the next, undercutting each other, trying to get everything done for free, etc. Not the way it used to be.
So, I wanted to create something that wasn’t going to be easy duplicated even if they tried it would take a lot to do so. I figured that I would get into my second love for awhile which was technology. I always dabbled in web development but just never thought I was good enough since I never went to school. I knew I wasn’t able to go to school since I had bills to pay and too many things going on. I decided to get next to some of the best developers by trying to get a job at one of the big tech companies. I winded up at WebMD where I worked myself through the ranks and have become one of the main lead developers/software engineers in their Business Intelligence & Consumer Marketing division.
I applied all of my skills and learning and revived my digital development & marketing company Digetects, LLC where I do freelance work for specific organizations. Since I had a full-time, I became a lot more selective with my clients.
With new and refreshed ammo, Leo G. who ran the 66 Raw brand at XM Satellite called me one day and told me about the XM/Sirius merger and that 66 Raw most likely would be replaced with Sirius own flagship hip-hop channel Shade 45 owned by Eminem. So we hashed out a plan to get the 66 Raw brand into our possession and go independent with it.
We succeeded and started to open a studio in the Washington DC/Baltimore area. We thought since there wasn’t much of an industry that it would be a good opportunity but after 4 years we realized that these markets do not have a lot of really hungry artists and individuals in terms that they would actually put in like those artists that make the risky moves to relocate to an L.A., NYC or ATL to break into the industry.
I made the decision to shut down that DC/Baltimore studio and move it to Atlanta. After speaking with Curtis the owner at Patchwerk. We always had this discussion about the state of the music and entertainment industry and we reconnected and decided to build a partnership that would support each other. Patchwerk being a legendary mark within the music business for over 20 years, me having been a big part of it, it just made sense to close the loop. The studio providing the creation of music and 66 Raw being the public-facing promotional engine would complete the artist/fan circle.
Now, we are in full force and have worked with many artists and touched many different components. We are working indie and major are alike and now I am looking to expand into the L.A. market
Has it been a smooth road?
No, not at all. It was a roller coaster ride through and through. I have lost a lot but also won a lot. But the way the business works is that you will take way more “L’s” than you get wins. You are really working towards that one big “W” but getting there is filled with all kinds of disappointments and challenges.
No one except for a very few will see your vision. No one cares about what you do until it becomes something and then the interactions flip 180. People that wouldn’t give you the time of the day, act like you have been friends forever. People won’t help you, they will give you the runaround. It is more so they want to keep the line open just in case you make it. But they don’t want to give what you need no matter how small.
Most people in the business are very superficial even though they think they are not. But it is a small circle of individuals that run it and there quite a few gatekeepers. The business can also turn into that. Many that tried for so many years of rejection and so on develop an attitude that once they make it they will pay everyone back. Then you have many that act like they are more than they really are especially when they have a little bit of power. But the entertainment business is really like a bunch of cliques, either you belong to one of them or not. If you trying to break into it you will spin your wheels for a long time.
I have helped many make a lot of money and gave them the foundation to be where they are today but the reward in helping them has not been reciprocated in pretty all but a few instances. Now I wouldn’t put much effort into doing it again.
Plus during my career, there was always a lot of jealousy, envy and fakeness. I dealt with people sabotaging my business, making bad decisions, stealing and turning a best friend into enemies. And the reasons are so multi-faceted that each case is unique in its own.
During this growth process, I can tell you that you will face one hardship after another if it is not financial and will be personal. I sacrificed a lot being here today from a relationship, friendships, money and most of all time.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the 66 Raw story. Tell us more about the business.
66 Raw is a platform. It started out as only radio but we are now doing video and live streaming of our interviews and events. We provide 24/7 music with our 10 DJ’s and we have radio shows. We have a network portal and we provide artist development and career consulting in the music and entertainment business.
We have always been know as the Uncut & uncensored station. Artists can be themselves, our programming is not tied to corporate sponsors and each and every one of us is passionate about the music, culture and lifestyle. We work with artists major and indie.
We had many major artists as well as indie that just got their break and quite a few we helped give them that break. David Banner will always say that we were in his corner. In his last interview, he said that we never changed even if he was on top or not. That’s what we are about.
66 Raw is very different as our approach to the industry is actually trying to provide value whether you are an artist, label or new and coming. We built our platform to give fans what they want but also introduce what’s about to come. Then from there, we work with labels and artist to vet out talent that should be promoted vs. the ones that just take up space. We do conference, workshops, events, we collaborate and we provide a space where people can actually learn the business if they want it. Most think they already know everything by getting their Youtube University diploma for watch 10 videos.
I am proud of how far we have come from the XM days to being replaced by Shade 45 which had star power and money. 66 Raw is personally funded by myself but we are still competing. We have super producer, multi-platinum and Grammy award winning super producer Drumma Boy who did so many big records like Migo’s “Look at My Dab”, Jeezy and Kanye “I Put On”, etc. and he is part of our line up or maybe I should say we are part of his line up. Being back at Patchwerk, where I sort of started and really the heartbeat of the Atlanta music scene to me is everything.
Everyone of my DJ’s, hosts or individual are passionate about it, the business. They don’t play, they have no time for those that look for a quick lick or don’t invest in themselves because all of them sacrificed a lot to be where they are.
We are a marketing platform that has products which is radio and video along with our network. We help build up careers and create them. That’s where we are very different.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I definitely think there will be a big shift in the business. Right now, it is a fast food culture. People think they can get famous for the dumbest things. Labels and major station are just scrambling trying to cover any and everybody that has some sort of buzz. There are no standards anymore and that’s another topic but the reality is that what the business once was is no more. But it will get played out.
You are starting to see more of the Kendrick Lamar’s, Dave East’s, J. Coles and even if you look at a lot of the UK artists who still stick by the traditional standard are consistently winning. People will eventually start looking for the substance for that extraordinary and not that gimmicky stuff that doesn’t last. It like every 6 months a new gimmick pops up and then it fades. We have no more classic artists that transcend time like a Michael Jackson, Prince, etc
But I anticipate that we will go back how it was in the 90’s everything comes full circle.
Pricing:
- Artist Development Package starts at $1500
- Spin Packages (Indie) start at $250
- Marketing Packages start at $500
Contact Info:
- Website: 66raw.com
- Phone: 1-866-738-6866
- Email: info@66raw.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/66rawradio
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/66raw
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/66raw
- Other: https://youtube.com/66rawtv
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