The Manager's Playbook
Hosted by Mauricio Ruiz, a music industry executive of 15 years, The Manager's Playbook is your essential podcast for insights into the music industry. Whether you're an artist, aspiring manager, music industry professional, or just passionate about the behind-the-scenes of the music business, this podcast is for you. Mauricio brings you in-depth interviews with top artist managers, entertainment lawyers, and other industry execs. Each episode is packed with valuable tips, real-world experiences, and expert advice to help you navigate the complexities of the music business.
Episodes
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on Delusional Optimism in Music
What does it really take to last in the music business?In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about the mindset behind building a meaningful career in music.Nael shares lessons from his father’s optimism, his Palestinian roots, his brother Nasri’s resilience, and the belief it takes to keep going when the business tests you.They also get into no-
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on What Great Artist Managers Actually Do
What separates great artist managers from everyone else?In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music talk about managing artists with care, honesty, trust, and real business execution.Nael shares lessons from Sal & Co, Mike Caren, and Scooter Braun, why the song has to come first, and how Grass Fed helped build DJ Habibeats by bringing Middle Eastern
Inside the Playbook: Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek on Marriage and Music Business
Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music join The Manager’s Playbook to talk about building a music management company together as husband and wife.They share how they met, how their relationship turned into a business partnership during COVID, and how Grass Fed developed its artist services model for independent artists.Nael and Alyce get into artist development, content strategy, rollout pl
The Manager’s Playbook 073: Nael Atweh & Alyce Hayek - Grass Fed Music, Artist Management, Artist Development, Independent Artists & Music Business
Artist management is not just about deals, rollouts, and relationships.It’s service.In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Nael Atweh and Alyce Hayek of Grass Fed Music for a real conversation about what it takes to build artists behind the scenes.Nael and Alyce talk about running a music management company as a married couple, developing independent artists, build
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on The Real Reason Your Songs Aren't Getting Heard
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the mistake too many artists make with their music: releasing without enough quality control, strategy, or honest feedback.Omar explains why great songs still need the right artist, the right plan, and the right timing. He also gets into the pressure independent artists feel to release constantly, why the market can be a useful teach
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on His Rise to Roc Nation Co-President
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down the strategy behind building a real career in the music business.Omar reflects on his rise from Bronx DJ and Columbia Records intern to Rihanna’s A&R and co-president of Roc Nation, sharing the lessons that shaped his path: patience, artist development, trust, relationships, and doing the work most people never see.He also explai
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on Why Record Labels Don't Develop Artists Anymore
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Omar Grant breaks down why artist development no longer lives only inside record labels.As Rihanna’s longtime A&R, former Roc Nation co-president, and founder of Chapter A.R.T. Music Publishing, Omar has seen how real development actually happens: through time, trust, taste, honest feedback, and the right people around the artist.Omar explains why prod
Inside the Playbook: Omar Grant on the Bar for Rihanna’s Next Album
Rihanna’s next album isn’t just another release. It comes with the weight of everything she’s already done.In this episode, A&R executive Omar Grant breaks down the pressure behind new Rihanna music, why following records like “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” “Work,” and Anti is so difficult, and what it takes to make songs that actually last.Omar talks about global writing camps, creative briefs,
The Manager’s Playbook 072: Omar Grant - Rihanna, A&R, Roc Nation, Artist Development, Songwriting, Music Publishing & AI
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Omar Grant, Rihanna’s longtime A&R, former Roc Nation co-president, and founder of Chapter A.R.T. Music Publishing.Omar breaks down what real A&R looks like today, why great records feel harder to find, and how Rihanna’s creative instincts continue to raise the bar for the entire music industry. He shares how global wr
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on the Business Behind Reach Records
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down the business behind Reach Records and what it really takes to run an independent label.He explains how Reach operates with a 20-person staff, 11 artists, multiple departments, and four studios in Atlanta, while also sharing how he balances being both Artist Lecrae and CEO Lecrae.Lecrae also gets into marketing budgets, recoupment, expens
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on How Christian Radio Really Works
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down how Christian radio really works and why gospel, Christian music, and mainstream radio operate in very different ways.He explains the cultural divide between gospel and contemporary Christian music, how artists get boxed into categories, and how Christian radio can connect records to major touring opportunities like K-Love and Winter Jam
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on the Hidden Business of Christian Music
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down the hidden business behind Christian music and why the niche is much bigger than most people realize.He explains how independent Christian labels built real revenue before major-label partnerships, how church licensing through CCLI can become a major income stream, and why Christian hip-hop developed its own touring power through live sh
Inside the Playbook: Lecrae on Why He Stayed an Independent Artist
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Lecrae breaks down how he built independently after major hip-hop labels said his music was “too Christian” and gospel labels said it was “too hip-hop.”Lecrae talks about being both authentically hip-hop and authentically Christian, the business influence of Texas trunk-sale culture, and how Reach Records became a fully independent label without a major-la
The Manager’s Playbook 071: Lecrae - Christian Hip-Hop, Reach Records, Independence, Faith, Artist Development & Music Business
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Lecrae for a conversation about faith, hip-hop, independence, and what it really means to build when the industry doesn’t know where to put you.Lecrae breaks down how he navigated the divide between mainstream hip-hop and Christian music, why Reach Records had to become fully independent, and how community, touring, and direct
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on The Touring Business Behind Latin Music’s Global Rise
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz talks with Peso Pluma’s Tour Director, Veikko Fuhrmann, about the business behind Latin touring across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America.Veikko breaks down how touring deals differ by market, from flat promoter packages in Latin America to U.S. and Canadian models built around splits, overages, settlements, taxes, union fees, and visas.They
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on What a Tour Director Really Does
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Peso Pluma’s Tour Director, Veikko Fuhrmann, to break down what a tour director actually does on a music tour.Veikko explains why the job is so much more than logistics. It’s cash flow, startup costs, payroll, vendor payments, credit card spend, delayed settlements, promoter advances, and making sure the tour can keep moving with
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on The Hidden Tour Expenses Artists Don’t Understand
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist and Peso Pluma Tour Director Veikko Fuhrmann to explain why a tour guarantee does not always mean an artist is making money.Veikko breaks down how tour offers are built, what guarantees and overages actually mean, how promoter splits work, and why every expense matters once a show moves past the guarantee.
Inside the Playbook: Veikko Fuhrmann on Tour Money for Artists and Managers
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist Veikko Fuhrmann of We Are Live to break down how artists lose money on tour and how the right team can fix it.Veikko explains why tour management is really about protecting the artist’s money, from club-level P&Ls and merch sales to promoter expenses, cash flow, insurance, touring LLCs, and upfront cos
The Manager’s Playbook 070: Veikko Fuhrmann - Music Touring, Tour Management, Live Business, Artist Expenses, Tour Budgets & Global Touring
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with live touring specialist Veikko Fuhrmann of We Are Live for a deep breakdown of how music touring actually works.Veikko shares his journey from working event security in Germany to joining Ricky Martin’s team and building a career across global tours, arenas, stadiums, and the live music business.This conversation covers the re
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on Building a Company Around the Artist
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down how to build a real company around an artist.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why Tems’ long-term vision goes beyond music into business, philanthropy, investing, ownership, and company-building. He also shares how non-transactional relationships, delegation, team structure, artist development, admin deals, distribution, YouTube
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on The Truth About Afrobeats Going Global
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the truth about Afrobeats going global and what African artists need to understand before chasing the American music market.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why artists need to build real leverage at home first, how cultural ripple effects shape global crossover, and why labels must invest in African music infrastructure instead
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on How to Build Beyond the Music
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down how Tems’ team built a business beyond the music.In this clip, Muyiwa explains why The Leading Vibe treats expenses as investments, how they built an ecosystem around Tems, and why ownership, valuation, team culture, fan engagement, and business literacy matter for long-term success.He also talks about Tems as both artist and
Inside the Playbook: Muyiwa Awoniyi on The Business Behind Tems
Tems’ manager Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to explain why real artist management starts with protecting the person before the music.In this clip, Muyiwa breaks down his people-first approach to managing Tems, why mental, spiritual, and physical well-being come before strategy, and how shared vision shapes the team’s decisions.He also gets into Tems’ RCA license deal, music ownership
The Manager’s Playbook 069: Muyiwa Awoniyi - Tems, Afrobeats, Artist Management, Music Ownership, Global Strategy & Partnerships
Tems’ manager and partner Muyiwa Awoniyi joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down the strategy behind building Tems into a global music star.Muyiwa shares his people-first approach to artist management, why Tems’ team prioritized ownership over quick checks, how they structured their RCA license deal, and what it takes to build an artist career that can grow beyond music.This conversation covers
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on Artist Mode vs CEO Mode
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to talk about the balance between being the artist and being the CEO of your music career.Matt explains why thinking about ROI, TikTok hits, or business strategy while writing can hurt the song and why he has learned to separate the creative process from the business side.He also breaks down testing songs on TikTok, revisiting hooks, prepar
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on TikTok Hooks That Drive Streams
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to break down how independent artists can make content that actually moves the music.Matt explains how he built a short-form content system around TikTok hooks, emotional targeting, teaser windows, and fan data, including writing 15 hooks per song with his managers and focusing on the first 2-3 seconds of every video.He also shares how he b
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on the ROI of Opening Slots
Matt Hansen joins Mauricio Ruiz on The Manager’s Playbook to break down the real business behind touring as an independent artist.Matt explains how he used short-term distribution deals to fund touring and releases, why he kept ownership of his earlier songs, and how opening for artists like Train, Teddy Swims, Alec Benjamin, and Lauv helped grow his audience.He also talks about losing up to $140K
Inside the Playbook: Matt Hansen on What Happens After Going Viral
Matt Hansen went viral overnight after posting a one-take Frank Ocean “Godspeed” cover in a parking garage.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Matt joins Mauricio Ruiz to talk about what happened after the viral moment: going from 500 TikTok followers to 500,000 overnight, getting immediate major label interest, taking meetings alone while still at UCLA, and learning how to protect his lever
The Manager’s Playbook 068: Matt Hansen - 1 Billion Streams, TikTok Covers, Independent Artist Strategy, Touring ROI & Orchid
Matt Hansen went from posting TikTok covers to building a billion-stream independent music career.In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Matt joins Mauricio Ruiz to break down how a one-take Frank Ocean “Godspeed” cover in a parking garage took him from 500 followers to 500,000 overnight, sparked major label interest, and forced him to learn the music business fast.Matt opens up about staying
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on Why He Started The Manager’s Playbook
How The Manager’s Playbook Became Music’s Insider PodcastIn this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz shares why he created the podcast and how it became a way to give music industry knowledge back to the community.Mauricio talks about stepping away from artist management, wanting to build his own IP, and turning private “inside baseball” conversations into a public platform for artists
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on The Artist Manager Skills Nobody Talks About
When Is an Artist Ready for a Manager?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down what artists and managers should understand before working together.Mauricio talks about why management is rooted in value, trust, communication, and the ability to sell a vision. He explains how a sales background can help managers build thick skin, ask better questions, read the room, build
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on How Jessie Reyez’s First Song Sparked a Label Bidding War
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down the early days of managing Jessie Reyez and the strategy behind her breakout single, “Figures.”Mauricio shares what made Jessie undeniable from the beginning: her work ethic, voice, authenticity, and the team that helped build the foundation around her. He talks about the role of The Remix Project, Junia-T, Byron Wilson, Dana Meye
Inside the Playbook: Mauricio Ruiz on How He Built Canada’s Biggest Music Video Company
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz breaks down how he helped build Mad Ruk Entertainment into one of Canada’s biggest music video production companies.Mauricio reflects on the shift from million-dollar music video budgets to the digital era, where taste, storytelling, and execution started mattering more than access to massive budgets. He shares how YouTube, behind-the-scenes
The Manager’s Playbook 067: Mauricio Ruiz - Jessie Reyez, Mad Ruk, Artist Management, Music Business & Building The Playbook
How did Mauricio Ruiz go from managing artists to building one of the music industry’s most trusted insider podcasts?In this live, in-person episode of The Manager’s Playbook, the script gets flipped. Mauricio Ruiz sits on the other side of the interview to talk through his journey from film, door-to-door sales, and co-founding Mad Ruk Entertainment to managing Jessie Reyez and eventually building
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on How Spotify Editors Find Music
How do artists get discovered on Spotify today?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify talk about the future of music discovery, editorial playlists, algorithmic recommendations, and what artists should understand about Spotify for Artists.Bryan explains why both editorial and algorithmic playlists still matter, how active listening signals like searc
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on How Streaming Changed Artist Power
Getting dropped by a record label used to feel like the end.In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify talk about how streaming changed the path for artists after a label deal ends.Bryan shares his own experience as a musician, from self-releasing music and touring in bands to getting dropped by a label and later moving into the industry through PRS and
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on AI Music, Fraud & Royalties
How is Spotify handling AI music, fake streams, and artist impersonation?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify discuss how AI is changing the music business and what it means for artists, songwriters, rights holders, and listeners.Bryan breaks down Spotify’s approach to AI music, including spam filters, impersonation policies, AI credits, artificial
Inside the Playbook: Bryan Johnson on Spotify's $11B Artist Payout
Spotify paid $11B to music rights holders in 2025 but who actually gets the money?In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz and Bryan Johnson from Spotify break down what the Loud & Clear report really means for artists, managers, songwriters, and the wider music business.They get into how Spotify royalties work, why payments go to rights holders first, what stream-share means, w
The Manager’s Playbook 066: Bryan Johnson - Spotify Royalties, Independent Artists, AI Music & The Future of Streaming
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Bryan Johnson, Spotify’s Head of Artist and Industry Partnerships, International, for a rare inside look at how Spotify is shaping the modern music business.Bryan breaks down Spotify’s 2025 Loud & Clear report, including the $11B paid to rights holders, the growth of independent artists, the rise of the artist middle class
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on How the Next Superstars Will Be Built
What does the future of artist development actually look like in a democratized music business? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why younger artists, managers, and executives are building their own systems, skipping old gatekeepers, and using new tools to break artists faster than previous generations.He also explains why superstar careers are still possible, why artist development now requ
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on How Disrespect Costs Record Labels Great Artists
What makes an artist worth backing before the data shows up? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why real artist development starts with belief, desire, point of view, and trust; not just streams, looks, or momentum.He also reflects on the Jessie Reyez story, what major labels often miss because of red tape, why disrespect can cost companies great artists, and how timing, leverage, and real re
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on Why Artists Can’t Ignore AI Music Anymore
AI is already changing the music business, and artists can’t afford to ignore it. In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down why AI is not a passing trend, how the industry may respond the same way it did with streaming, and why artists need to start paying closer attention to rights, royalties, and how their work could be used in the future.He also gets into why producers are quietly using tools lik
Inside the Playbook: Chris Anokute on Why Artists Don’t Need Record Labels But Still Want Them
Why do artists still sign record deals if they don’t actually need them? In this clip, Chris Anokute breaks down the real value of record labels, why there’s no such thing as a universally “good” or “bad” deal, and what artists need to understand about rights, leverage, and ownership in today’s music business.He also explains why recouping even a small investment is harder than most people think,
The Manager’s Playbook 065: Chris Anokute - AI Music, Artist Development, Record Deals, A&R & The Future of the Music Business
In the part II of this Manager’s Playbook convo, Mauricio Ruiz sits back down with former EPIC Records executive Chris Anokute to talk about what AI means for artists, how Suno is already being used in music, and why the future of the music business will belong to people who know how to adapt.Chris breaks down the truth about record deals, why no deal is simply “good” or “bad,” and how artists can
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on What Every Producer Must Know About the Music Business
What does every producer need to know about the music business beyond making great records? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes gets into the side of the game a lot of creatives learn too late, publishing structures, deal terms, mentorship, discipline, and why studying the greats still matters.He also breaks down how an old MDRC publishing deal became difficult once the business shifted to streaming
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on Why “Folded” Worked
Why did Kehlani’s “Folded” work the way it did? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down how the record came together, why it needed more emotional nuance than a standard breakup song, and how trusting the feeling of a record can lead to something bigger.He also gets into how to motivate artists without forcing them, why substance matters more than technique, how he knew “Folded” was special,
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on The Long Game Behind Music Success
Why do some artists last while others fade after one breakout moment? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down the mindset behind real music career longevity, from resilience and studying your wins to avoiding short-term money traps and building demand the right way.He gets into why you have to watch the tape after a hit, why touring still matters, and how artists, managers, and producers can
Inside the Playbook: Khris Riddick-Tynes on Why the Song Still Comes First
Why do some songs fade fast while others last for years? In this clip, Khris Riddick-Tynes breaks down why the song still comes first; not the trend, not the moment, not the hype. He gets into why lyrics, melody, and emotional truth are what give records real staying power, and why track-first songs often burn out fast.The conversation also covers how SZA’s “Snooze” came together, why mentorship m
The Manager’s Playbook 064: Khris Riddick-Tynes - Songwriting, Hit Songs, Artist Development, A&R & Music Business
Khris Riddick-Tynes, three-time Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and Kehlani’s executive producer, joins The Manager’s Playbook to break down what really makes hit songs last.This conversation gets into songwriting, artist development, A&R, executive production, mentorship, and music business strategy, with stories behind SZA’s “Snooze”, Kehlani’s “Folded”, and the long game behind buildin
Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on What’s Wrong With the Music Industry
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka and Mauricio Ruiz unpack why the music industry does not create stars the way it once did.They get into what separated artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole from the pack, how algorithms and personalized discovery have changed the way audiences connect with music, and why the business needs more fearless creatives in positions of leadership
Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on Why the Music Industry Is Really a People Business
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down why the music industry is really a people business.From working with labels and independent artists to building trust, collaboration, and long-term leverage, Hitmaka shares how real relationships create opportunities in music. He also reflects on developing an artist connected to Gillie, how that led to an Epic deal, why getting invited b
Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on The Truth About Songwriters vs Producers
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down how producers really get paid in the music business.He reflects on his time during Atlantic’s high-powered A&R era, how he helped shape the sound of modern R&B and hip-hop, and why songwriters have historically been undervalued. From the making of A Boogie’s “Look Back At It” to the strategy behind producer credits, advances, and
Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on How Producers Really Get Paid
In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka breaks down how producers really get paid in the music business.From song deals and publishing to fair splits, leverage, and non-exclusive relationships across labels, Hitmaka shares real insight into the business mechanics behind a successful producer career. He also talks about why he stays rooted in hip hop and R&B, the gatekeeping that exists
The Manager’s Playbook 063: Hitmaka - Hit Songs, Songwriting, A&R, Artist Development & Music Business
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Hitmaka, formerly Yung Berg, for a deep conversation on the real business behind hit songs.Hitmaka breaks down how hit records actually get made, from demo-first songwriting and producer collaboration to song deals, publishing, label politics, and artist development. He reflects on nearly three decades in music, the mindset th
Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on What Makes a Song Feel Like a Hit
Mike Caren breaks down what actually makes a song feel like a hit.This clip explores the role of A&R, taste, replay value, emotional connection, melody, lyrics, and creative judgment in today’s music business. Mike also talks about trusting your opinion, learning from missed calls, redefining what a hit means in the streaming era, and why great executives grow by focusing on their strengths in
Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on The Reason Artist-Manager Relationships Fall Apart
Mike Caren breaks down why artists and managers need to have hard conversations early if they want to avoid bigger problems later.This clip is about artist-manager communication, label frustrations, project readiness, honest feedback, over-communication, and building stronger working relationships in the music business. It’s a sharp reminder that many issues are not solved by blame. They’re solved
Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on Why Consistency Beats Talent in Music
Mike Caren breaks down why consistency, discipline, and adaptability matter more than occasional flashes of brilliance in the music business.This clip explores the traits that help artists and executives build lasting careers: embracing change, staying open to new ideas, avoiding nostalgia, protecting your focus, and developing the self-awareness to regularly reassess your strategy. It’s a sharp c
Inside the Playbook: Mike Caren on Why Most Artists Fail Before They Ever Become Great
Mike Caren breaks down what actually creates longevity in the music business.This clip is about building a career the right way: bringing value instead of extracting it, thinking long term, preparing before chasing opportunity, and developing the habits that lead to real greatness. Mike also touches on confidence, artist development, smart collaboration, and the importance of understanding music p
The Manager’s Playbook 062: Mike Caren - A&R, Artist Development, Hit Songs & Executive Leadership in Music Business
Mike Caren is one of the most respected music executives of his generation.From his early years at Atlantic Records to building Artist Publishing Group and Artist Partner Group, Mike has played a major role in the careers of artists, songwriters, producers, and executives across the modern music business. In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Mike for a wide-rangi
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on His Blueprint for Artist Development
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down how he would build an artist with no money, using speed, consistency, release strategy, and real-world fan-building.He talks through a no-budget artist development plan built around frequent releases, working with talented producers who believe in the vision, and staying always on so fans can build real habits around the music. C
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on the Mindset That Breaks Artists
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket reflects on how he and his partners ended up managing 2 Chainz by doing the work before anyone officially gave them the title.What began as music marketing, mixtape promotion, CD street-team strategy, and fan-building quickly turned into something bigger. Charlie explains how they kept showing up with value: bringing a 30/60/90-day artist de
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on The Old School Music Marketing Tricks That Still Work
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down why so many artists in today’s music industry are too focused on virality and not focused enough on building real momentum.He shares a sharper approach to music marketing, artist development, fan-building, and independent artist growth: run the play, stay consistent, and boil a pot of water before trying to heat up the whole worl
Inside the Playbook: Charlie Rocket on How Music Managers Create Momentum for Their Artists
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket breaks down his “Blitzkrieg” approach to music marketing; a focused 30-day sprint built around urgency, consistency, and strategic execution.Instead of glorifying burnout or everyday hustle culture, Charlie explains why artists, managers, and music executives often get better results from short, high-intensity bursts of artist promotion, fan
The Manager’s Playbook 061: Charlie Rocket - 2 Chainz, Music Marketing, Artist Development, Fan Building & Mindset
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Charlie Rocket joins us for a powerful conversation on artist development, music marketing, fan building, independent artist strategy, and the mindset required to win in the music business.Best known for helping build 2 Chainz and for his evolution from music executive to public speaker and entrepreneur, Charlie breaks down why he believes success often r
Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on Why K-Pop Has Better Artist Development
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown breaks down why K-pop continues to win at artist development, and why its system still looks a lot closer to Motown than what much of the American music industry is doing today.We get into Tommy’s work in Korea, the session that led to BLACKPINK’s “Ice Cream” featuring Selena Gomez, the group’s studio discipline, and what that level of perfecti
Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on What Netflix’s Hitmakers TV Show Left Out
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown reflects on his experience filming Netflix’s Hitmakers, the pressure of creating on camera, and why the show did not go deep enough into the real lives of songwriters and producers.We get into leadership, acceptance, collaboration, and the financial reality behind the music business, including why so many creatives are not making the money peop
Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on The REALITY of Music Producer Fees, Points & Publishing
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown breaks down one of the hardest truths in the music business: huge streaming numbers do not always mean real money for songwriters and producers. We get into producer points, publishing royalties, master royalties, label negotiations, and why so many creators are still underpaid.Tommy also talks about learning under Rodney Jerkins, the differenc
Inside the Playbook: Tommy Brown on Why Music Producers Need Content
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, Tommy Brown breaks down why visibility and content strategy are now part of the job for artists, producers, and songwriters. We talk about why posting consistently matters, how even simple beat videos can drive massive audience growth, and why being seen is now directly tied to opportunity in the music business.The conversation also gets into streaming eco
The Manager’s Playbook 060: Tommy Brown - Hit Records, Ariana Grande, Songwriting, Producer Splits, Publishing & Artist Development
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, I sit down with Tommy Brown (TBHits), hitmaking music producer, songwriter, and one of the most important creative forces behind modern pop music. Tommy has worked with Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Victoria Monét and more, and this conversation is a real look at what it takes to become a true hit producer in today’s music industry.We get into
Inside the Playbook: LaRussell & Tietta Mitchell on LaRussell’s Operations
In this clip, LaRussell and his team break down what it really takes to build an independent music business at scale.They talk about the infrastructure behind the operation: merch, brand identity, photography, videography, editing, security, logistics, live show staffing, sound engineers, and the contractor-based team required to keep everything moving. The conversation also gets into the unglamor
Inside the Playbook: LaRussell & Tietta Mitchell on How LaRussell Picks Team Members
In this clip, LaRussell and Tietta Mitchell break down a lesson a lot of artists learn too late: before you hire help, you need to understand the work yourself.They talk about why doing every part of the business early on - content, posting, editing, ticketing, emails, calendars, and operations - makes it easier to train people, delegate clearly, and scale without losing standards. The conversatio
Inside the Playbook: LaRussell & Tietta Mitchell on The Music Marketing Funnel That Actually Pays
Most artists don’t hate ads. They hate what bad ads reveal.In this clip, LaRussell breaks down how he actually uses ads as an independent artist: not to force Spotify streams or fake momentum, but to amplify content that already proved itself organically. The strategy is simple but disciplined: run awareness ads behind posts that are already winning, then use retargeting, lookalike audiences, and
Inside the Playbook: LaRussell & Tietta Mitchell on The Roc Nation Deal
LaRussell didn’t partner with Roc Nation because he needed a machine. He partnered because he built one first.In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, LaRussell and his manager Tietta Mitchell break down why the Roc Nation deal made strategic sense for an already thriving independent artist business. They talk about globalizing what they’ve built, expanding into radio, publicity, DSP relationships,
The Manager’s Playbook 059: LaRussell & Tietta Mitchell - Roc Nation Deal, Independence, Ads, Direct-to-Fan, Touring & Music Marketing
LaRussell is the rare independent artist who didn’t partner with Roc Nation because he needed a label. He partnered because he built enough leverage to make the label behave like a partner.In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, LaRussell and his manager Tietta Mitchell break down the real strategy behind signing with Roc Nation (and what artists and managers get wrong when they hear the word “
Inside the Playbook: JMSN on the Anti-Ad Music Marketing Plan
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we get into the unglamorous side of the music business that every independent artist eventually faces: release week feels stressful because you’re the label.JMSN explains what it really means to self-fund your art, paying upfront for the rollout, the assets, and the overhead before you’ve made anything back. He breaks down the classic independent cash flow
Inside the Playbook: JMSN on Why Music Videos Can Still Win for Artists
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we talk about a music marketing truth most artists learn too late: a great music video isn’t “extra content,” it’s a long-term marketing asset.JMSN explains why he’d rather put his budget into visuals than into digital ads, paid social, or “content seeding” that disappears in a day. His thinking is simple: a strong video becomes an evergreen commercial for
Inside the Playbook: JMSN on Why Being “Cool” Online Is Bad for Your Music Career
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we talk about the part of the music business that’s driving artists crazy: the endless “how to blow up” social media advice that sounds confident and works for almost nobody.JMSN explains why he pulled back from social platforms when it started feeling awful and how the unlock was getting less precious about it all. Instead of trying to look cool or chase
Inside the Playbook: JMSN on the DIY Blueprint to Grow Without Record Labels
In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, JMSN breaks down the real economics of the music industry: a record deal isn’t automatically “support.” It’s a trade of ownership and creative control for convenience.He explains why he’s stayed truly independent, keeping 100% of his master recordings and music publishing, even as major labels, “indie labels,” and distribution deals come with big advances
The Manager’s Playbook 058: JMSN - DIY Artist Blueprint, Music Videos, Ads, Touring, Content & Music Marketing
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, I sit down with JMSN, artist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and one of the best case studies for what real independent artist success looks like when you stop waiting for the industry to “pick you.”We talk about why he stays fiercely DIY (not just “indie”) from owning your masters and building leverage without relying on a major label or a hype-driven
Inside the Playbook: J Erving III on The Skill Every Music Manager Needs
In this Manager’s Playbook clip, J. Erving unpacks a “superpower” that’s quietly responsible for most long careers in the music business: surrounding yourself with the right people, reading the room, and staying calm under pressure.He connects it to boxing, where the real skill isn’t just throwing punches, it’s staying composed enough to see what’s happening, position yourself, and set up the next
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