Welcome to The Manager’s Playbook, my personal newsletter where I share weekly insights for aspiring artists, emerging music managers and executives on how to navigate the music industry, by Ruiz.

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Ruiz Note:

Kardinal Offishall is a Canadian Music Icon. We could end this newsletter here and no one would disagree.

It brings me great honour to have the legend Kardinal Offishall join us for our landmark Episode 010 of The Manager’s Playbook. Kardi’s experience on both sides of the industry—artist and executive—is a rare perspective. That’s why I’m thrilled to sit down and talk shop with my brother as he reflects on his journey and his role in pushing the culture forward.

On a personal note, I’ve been lucky enough to call Kardi a friend for a few years now. We’ve spent a lot of time talking shop, and I can tell you this—he’s never short on words (this podcast went for 3 hours!) and never minces them either. Much like I do, he tells it like it is. Maybe it’s a Jamaican/Colombian thing! He cares deeply about culture, representation, and his role as an ambassador—not just for the country, but for the artists he serves at Def Jam. It was great to capture one of our convos on record. 

Below we have excerpt from the podcast in our section called “KEY PLAYS”

Ladies and gentlemen, a conversation like this doesn’t come cheap. The one and only, Kardinal Offishall for episode 010 of ‘The Manager’s Playbook’ Podcast.

You can watch the full TMP Podcast HERE

You can also listen to ‘The Manager’s Playbook’ Podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and several other platforms HERE

-Ruiz

KEY PLAYS 
(FEAT. KARDINAL OFFISHALL)

My Conversation with Kardinal Offishall

_{Note* This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.}

Ruiz:  What’s a common misconception that new artists and their managers have about major record labels?

Kardinal: I think that it’s mega important that you read your contracts, and have a thorough understanding of what it is that you're signing.

Once you sign the contract, it's as much on you as it is on the label.

So you can't go into any situation ignorantly and then get upset because you didn't take the time to to fully understand what's happening. In your case, where we're starting to talk about not just joint ventures, but we're talking about different territories, it's important to also understand as much as you can, and your lawyer should be able to explain it if management also needs to be educated on it. It's important to understand how these different systems work whether it's Warner Music Group or UMG or whatever it is. You know, there's all different layers to how each territory will participate.

Ruiz: How does an artist become a priority at a major label? Maybe even dial that back. What does priority actually mean?

Kardinal: A priority means that you're gonna have the focus of the needle movers in that company. You know what I'm saying? The priority means that there's all hands on deck where they're like, whether it's 1 artist or 10 artists, we're like, yo..we're putting all of our resources behind this because we believe that this artist right now has the leverage, has the traction and the movement, and it makes sense to pour gas on the fire. Really, that's what it is. And sometimes new artists, they get into a label, and they don't understand why artist X, why it's like it seems like the label is doing everything they can to have this artist win, and they're not seeing the same kind of movement.

If I went to the bank tomorrow just as a a regular guy and said, “Yo, I have this artist. His name is Ruiz. He's fire. Colombian. I need $1,000,000”. The bank is gonna look at me and say, “The door is that way.”

They're gonna be like, “Okay…well, what what are you putting up against that? How are you gonna guarantee that we're gonna get our money back?”

It's an investment.

Ruiz: What is it that sticks out to you when you hear an artist that’s dope? How do you identify a great artist?

Kardinal: What would we bet our house on?

Shout out to Fraser Hill. I remember I was just trying to learn this A&R thing, like, formally. And I said to him, “Yo, how how do I know when the artist is worth it? Like, how do I know when I've made the right decision?”

And he's like, “When they keep you up at night, when the songs are on repeat, when it's something you can't shake.”

Kardinal: A lot of times, what makes people able to have that longevity and have that career is to go out there and build those relationships. It's not about who you know, but it's about who knows you.

It's those people that remember you because you made such an impact or, you know, something memorable or they just loved and vibe with your spirit. You know what I mean?

PAY ATTENTION

If You Build it, They Will Come

“"If you build it, they will come."

It sounds simple, but most people prefer the comfort of the familiar—a steady job title, a reliable salary, and a well-known affiliation.

These are the things that keep you investing time in building someone else’s dream instead of pursuing your own.

There’s nothing wrong with being a dedicated employee, but true wealth rarely comes from renting out your time.

To build generational wealth, you need equity and ownership.

In the music business, we're seeing unprecedented changes across the board.

Companies are being restructured, and some people are losing their jobs.

There’s no better time than now to start building your own dream.

Over the past five years, we’ve witnessed several success stories that prove what’s possible when you bet on yourself:

-Human Re Sources (Founded by J. Erving) sold to SONY in 2020 for an undisclosed amount.

-Artist Partner Group (Founded by Mike Caren) sold to Warner Music Group in 2020 for a reported $250M.

- Alamo Records (Founded by Todd Moscowitz) sold to SONY in 2021 for a rumored $225M.

-300 Entertainment (Founded by Kevin Liles, Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold, and Todd Moscowitz) sold to Warner Music Group in 2021 for $400M.

-Ithaca Holdings (Founded by Scooter Braun) sold to HYBE in 2021 for $1.05B.

-Quality Control (Founded by Pierre “Pee” Thomas and Kevin “Coach K” Lee) sold to HYBE in 2023 for $320M.

-10K Projects (Founded by Elliot Grainge) sold 51% to Warner Music Group in 2023 for $102M.

-Mavin Records (Founded by Don Jazzy & Tega Oghenejobo) sold to Universal Music Group in 2024 for a reported $150M-$200M.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment. Start building today.”

-Nathan McCartney’s Post On Linkedin

Elliot Grainge Names New Leadership Team For Atlantic Music Group

Elliot Grainge, set to take over as CEO of Atlantic Music Group on Oct. 1, has revealed a new leadership team that includes several Atlantic veterans and former 10K Projects executives. Craig Kallman becomes chief music officer, while Zach Friedman and Tony Talamo, formerly of 10K Projects, will serve as COO and GM, respectively. Additional appointments include Lanre Gaba as president of hip-hop, R&B, and global music, and Dave Rocco as president of creative. Grainge emphasized the label’s commitment to innovation and maximizing impact for artists as part of this restructuring.

Note: This article may be behind a paywall. If so, copy the URL and paste it into this paywall ladder to read the article without any issues.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Pledges $15 Million to NYC Community in Times Square Casino Bid

Jay-Z's Roc Nation has announced a $15 million grant program to support community development in Hell's Kitchen and the surrounding area, tied to their proposed Caesars Palace Times Square casino.

Additionally, 0.5% of the casino's profits would fund regular grants, with a total commitment of $250 million for local initiatives like after-school programs and senior support.

Roc Nation emphasizes that the casino would benefit the community long-term, aligning with their partnership with Caesars Entertainment and SL Green in the bid to open the facility, despite some opposition from theater groups.

Note: This article may be behind a paywall. If so, copy the URL and paste it into this paywall ladder to read the article without any issues.

David Joseph, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK, is leaving the company

Universal Music U.K. Chairman/CEO David Joseph is stepping down after 26 years with the company to pursue a master’s degree in Religion and Theology at King's College London.

Joseph, who has led Universal U.K. since 2008, has received praise by UMG Chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge for his authentic leadership and contributions.

David Joseph’s successor will be Dickon Steiner

TikTok is Shutting Down TikTok Music

TikTok has announced it will shut down its music subscription service, TikTok Music, on November 28, 2024, in the five regions where it operates: Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and Mexico.

Instead, TikTok will focus on its "Add To Music App" feature, which allows users to save tracks to playlists on external platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.

This shift aligns with TikTok’s strategy of partnering with, rather than competing against, major music streaming services. The decision follows TikTok Music's recent launches and partnerships with major labels.

Charlie Walk Reveals the Science Behind Real Music Stars - The Breakfast Club

Generational advice here. One of those clips you’ll end up watching twice.

CHECK THIS OUT..

Music Industry Job Openings

Have a look at ROSTR’s job board for paid work in the industry.

Stay hungry. Stay open.

Bio

I’m Mauricio Ruiz, the Founder/CEO of 8 Til Faint, an Artist Management company with over 5 billion audio streams worldwide. Our past and current clients include Grammy nominated, Juno Award winning and nominated singer/songwriter Jessie Reyez, Skratch Bastid and more. I am also the Co-Founder of Mad Ruk Entertainment, a content agency with over 3 billion long form video streams worldwide. Our client list includes The Weeknd, Eminem, and Celine Dion, along with renowned brands like Nike, Pernod Ricard, Canon, and the NBA. Most recently I am the Founder of ‘The Manager’s Playbook’

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