Today we’d like to introduce you to Wade B.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Wade. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my music journey back in 2008. I had a small studio set up in my parent’s basement. I was making beats and slightly engineering. Then, I got with this company called MMI (Making Moves Incorporated). I was a club promoter, at the time, MMI represented Ke On The Track and Roscoe Dash. The company was run by LA Da Boomman (now runs Authentic Empire With Euro Got It and etc). There, I realized that I wanted to have more power than just making beats. I wanted to A&R. Seeing the success of Roscoe Dash and seeing him travel the world was inspiring. I ended up leaving MMI and started working with an indie label called “In Love With Music”. ILWM was my first A&R internship, I was only 16-17 at the time. The skills they taught me I use till this day. I coordinated and planned a college tour for our premiere artist “O-Lyfe”. Being with ILWM I also went to my first major studio in Atlanta “Icon Studios”. The experience was unmatched. I have never been to a studio if that stature. This day is when I knew I wanted to be in the music industry and I wanted to be an A&R, and I was going to do whatever it took to achieve that dream.
Eventually, the internship fell through, while I was attending GA Southern. I was down about it because I wanted to be apart of something bigger than myself. I couldn’t fathom not being with a company to explore my talents. I was only 19 at the time and I felt stagnant. Then, I remembered coming across this individual “Aaron Arnold”. He had worked with P.Diddy as an Executive Assistant. I saw an interview of his on CNN and I was intrigued. He had a company called “Music Is My Business”. He was working with everybody from Multi-Platinum Producer Bryan Michael Cox to Cartoon Network. I said to myself. I have to work with the greats to be great, and this guy Aaron is great. I ended up emailing Mr. Arnold a few times and through my persistence, I ended up working with him as an A&R intern. What Aaron taught me was the importance of knowing the business behind the music. The skills he gave me were marketing and researching. The skills that Diddy taught him, he taught me. I was fully engaged and ready to do any work he presented to me. The work was hard, I felt it was impossible but it was doable and I had what it took. Eventually, me and Aaron parted ways. I ended up in a slump but I remembered what he taught me… research. At the time I wanted to find a new company to make myself apart, I ended up going to twitter and looking for A&Rs. I searched the hottest label which was Grand Hustle Records.
I ended up coming across B.O.B manager and Grand Hustle A&R “B. Rich”. All I saw was a private jet in the background with B.Rich with a Hustle Gang sweatshirt on and in his bio a website named Defient.com. Oh, I had to work with this person, he was in the industry and wasn’t trying to make it. He did make it. My mom told me to work with people who are already doing it and not those who are “up & coming”. I went to the website, submitted a form and went to work. Persistence got me everything I wanted in my life so this didn’t make it any different, I submitted over 30 emails the next two months to this company Defient Management. These guys managed Hustle Gang, Kevin Gates, Young Dro, Spodee, Doe B and FKi. The list was golden so I had to be apart. I ended up finally getting an interview. I got the internship and I worked with the General Manager of the company Greg. It was enticing and I was balancing the internship and still going to school at Georgia Southern. I did that for two years and ended up dropping out and moving back to Atlanta to chase the dreams of being in the music industry with my best friend-brother JC. Now, JC and me met at Southern, me and him were just alike. Our birthdays were two weeks apart. We were inseparable. JC displayed the characteristics of a solid individual and someone that could be trusted. So, I wanted him with me during this process. I wanted him to be a part because he wanted to do music too and I knew that he had what it took. Me and JC would go back and forth from Statesboro to ATL and back every other week. Our parents didn’t too much like it but we were going to take that chance because: No risk, no reward.
We ended up leaving school, JC started working at Volkswagen and I ended up working for myself consulting producers and artists. I would go to Defient-Hustle Gang Studio 2-3 a week and just do A&R research. I knew if I could find the next artist and send beats to the best artist, I could make hits and elevate us. One day me, JC, and our friend Ree were in the car and we wanted to create a company that we could do music and events. Me and JC spent over $45,000 between the two of us in one year. At that time, that was a good amount of money. So, we came up with the name “Expensive Habits”. There something was started that couldn’t be denied. JC was Expensive Habits he put the name Global at the end and there it ended up being called “Expensive Habits Global”. JC went on to work for PatchWerk Studios and started managing Multi-Platinum Engineer J Rich. JC also was an A&R for famed Producer Manager Rico Brooks, Rico managed Metro Boomin, Sonny Digital, Quay Global, and more. JC made it the happiness in my heart to see how well he was doing overwhelmed me, JC was the President and I worked under him.
Around the same time, I was working at Grand Hustle as an A&R Assistant. Being around B.O.B, Young Dro, TI was exhilarating. I was actually doing what I wanted to do and was working with the big leagues. Eventually, I was placing records with a good amount of artists and started signing my first producers like Judo Beatz (Produced Milly Rock). It was all coming together. Until August 5th, 2018, JC passed away. His passing affected me and threw me into a depression, eight weeks later, my Grandmother passed away. These losses took me to a level of misery I can’t express but it also motivated me to step up. I ended up working on myself, on my health, and on advancing in my career. I ended up signing my first publishing deal for my day one friend, now producer Jay Izaak. I went to LA and the experience was breathtaking. Expensive Habits Global now had a joint venture with Inner Fortune-Kobalt. I could now give my producers publishing deals. A month later, I closed my second publishing deal in LA. Which then gave birth to a new phase of Expensive Habits Global, The Publishing Game. I am now back and forth between Atlanta and Los Angeles. I manage multiple Multi-Platinum producers and Expensive Global is expanding by the day. I now have a Producer Club with over 50 producers. We help develop, promote, market these producers as well as helping increase their beat sales and networks (relationships) within the music industry.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it hadn’t been completely smooth, every road has its obstacles, from losing my best friend to both of my grandmothers in this past year. It had become hard for me, these downs have hurt me but also motivated me to make them proud. I know they are watching down on me but I want to do great so I can secure JC’s legacy. To secure both my grandmother’s legacies. It’s my focus. I have also been taken advantage of through the music industry. That taught me to learn the business and master it
Please tell us about Expensive Habits Global.
Expensive Global is an Administrative Agency that specializes in Management, Creative Directing, and Marketing. We are known for getting producers publishing deals and managing some of the best talents from around the world. I’m most proud of the progress. JC inspired me to work with producers and songwriters, to help them get to the next level. What sets us apart are we are a young company that doesn’t care if you are not a famous producer. We will work with anybody with talent and real potential.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory as a child was and it might sound cliche but going to Disney World with my whole extended family. I never had so much fun until up to that point. Also, it was my first time in Florida
Contact Info:
- Website: www.expensiveglobal.biz
- Phone: 7708832871
- Email: wade@expensiveglobal.biz
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/expensivewade
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/expensivewade
- Other: www.twitter.com/expensiveglobal
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