Intro
Benjy Grinberg
Benjy Grinberg
Twitter: @benjybenjy
Followers: 11,719
Joined: July 29, 2008
Affiliated With: Rostrum Records
Example Tweet: Was just at ID with @RealWizKhalifa @RealTaylorGang and @IdlabsMusic making some changes for tonights show. Felt like old times.
Why You Should Follow: After years of a steady grind, in the last few years Grinberg has helped steer the rise of both Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller under his label, Rostrum Records. One of the coolest label heads out there, follow him for a behind-the-scenes look at how the Rostrum camp makes its moves.
Bob Lefsetz
Bob Lefsetz
Twitter: @Lefsetz
Followers: 30,707
Joined: March 30, 2009
Affiliated With: N/A
Example Tweet: Universal Music accused of using fraudulent DMCA notices as a negotiating tactic in licensing music from other labels: http://bit.ly/oB4pxG
Why You Should Follow: Bob Lefsetz is a music business writer whose tweets address everything from illegal downloading to copy protection to music pricing. Although he's often tweeting links to great articles about the business, he's best known for authoring “The Lefsetz Letter”—a highly influential newsletter read by industry heads. Follow him to stay current on everything you need to know about what makes a strong business model in the recording industry.
[[complexVideo? &video_id=`3117` ]]
Chris Lighty
Chris Lighty
Twitter: @clighty
Followers: 36,494
Joined: January 21, 2009
Affiliated With: Violator Management
Example Tweet: [Ed-note: Light's tweets are actually protected, but there's always this.]
Why You Should Follow: Chris Lighty is a man that has had his hand in many great artists' careers including Nas, Q-Tip, and 50 Cent. He's still helping develop artists today and making them into household names. However, he did recently embarrass himself by twitpicing a photo of himself with Big Sean, but claiming he was standing next to Wale. LOL.
Christian Clancy
Christian Clancy
Twitter: @christianclancy
Followers: 10,317
Joined: February 16, 2009
Affiliated With: Odd Future
Example Tweet: The business of music took the emotion out of the art.. Frank is one of the FEW artists putting it back in without any fear attached.
Why You Should Follow: As the manager of OFWGKTA, Clancy has struck some pretty nice deals for the rap collective without compromising their art. If you’re interested in reading the tweets of one of music’s modern-day visionaries, Clancy’s your guy.
Corentin
Corentin
Twitter: @Corentin
Followers: 11,187
Joined: December 17, 2008
Affiliations: 50 Cent
Example Tweet: Damn it's my b'day on Sunday.. I wanna dress up but I know 50's gonna make fun of me .. "Oh you think you're Justin now" lol
Why You Should Follow: You didn't really think 50 Cent was behind ThisIs50.com did you? Get acquainted with Corentin, the man behind the scenes, and follow him on Twitter.
Daniel Ek
Daniel Ek
Twitter: @eldsjal
Followers: 8,219
Joined: December 12, 2007
Affiliations: Spotify
Example Tweet: we're looking for people in NYC. Check out our jobs page!
Why You Should Follow: The last few weeks have been dominated by talk of Spotify after the Swedish-based music streaming service debuted in America. Its creator and CEO, Daniel Ek, is just ahead of the curve as people start to realize that they don't need all their music on their iPod if it's all online anyway. Follow him on Twitter to keep up with this important innovator.
Don Passman
Don Passman
Twitter: @DonPassman
Followers: 3,816
Joined: July 1, 2009
Affiliations: N/A
Example Tweet: Monies paid directly to the artist r not the only recoupable monies. Recording costs are also recoupable from royalties, & so are some..P.81
Why You Should Follow: So what if he hasn't tweeted all year? As the writer of All You Need To Know About The Music Business, Passman wrote the Bible of the music biz. His tweets are mainly advisable tidbits from his book, but they are absolutely crucial for anyone looking to get into the game.
Joey IE
Joey IE
Twitter: @Joeyie
Followers: 15,606
Joined: December 30, 2008
Affiliations: Asylum Records
Example Tweet: Send those over RT @ChaseNCashe I made some bangers yesterday.
Why You Should Follow: Warner Bros. Records Executive VP, Joey IE, is a well-known name in the rap game from working with legends like UGK and Scarface. He knows his way around good music, but also how to make money in the notoriously fickle record industry. Definitely someone to follow if you want to learn from the best.
Jonny Shipes
Jonny Shipes
Twitter: @jonnyshipes
Followers: 6,884
Joined: December 29, 2008
Affiliations: Cinematic Music Group
Example Tweet: Yooooooowzerz @HitBoy_SC #1ofthebestproducers hand sdown
Why You Should Follow: Jonny Shipes, real name Jon Shapiro, has been making his own way in the industry, with success, for a while now. He founded Cinematic Music Group, and has been involved in the careers of stars like Sean Kingston and up-and-comers like Nipsey Hussle, Big K.R.I.T., and Smoke DZA.
Mike Caren
Mike Caren
Twitter: @mikecaren
Followers: 5,669
Joined: December 13, 2008
Affiliations: Atlantic Records
Example Tweet: Looking for a few more killer engineers for Atlantic Studios. Must be ultra fast on protools, be ready to pay dues, and want to be the best
Why You Should Follow: Mike Caren is a must-follow just for his insanely impressive resume. Although he's also a producer and songwriter, he's best known for being the Vice President of Atlantic Records' A&R department. He's helped sign artists like T.I., Wiz Khalifa, and Trey Songz, so it's great to see him on Twitter because he's a person in a position of power who still clearly has a passion for music.
Mike Dean
Mike Dean
Twitter: @THEREALMIKEDEAN
Followers: 12,409
Joined: April 6, 2009
Affiliations: Kanye West
Example Tweet: PEOPLE CAN TALK ALOT ABOUT THIS WTT ALBUM AND THAT IT WONT LEAK BUT DUDE THIS IS A MSG FROM A HACKER
Why You Should Follow: Mike Dean is a super-producer who's been lacing some of hip-hop's biggest names with some serious heat since the '90s. Most recently he's been putting in work with the best in the business—Kanye West—with extensive credits on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch The Throne. He's a good bet to follow for an inside look into the behinds-the-scenes of making a great album. Furthermore, his feed was recently taken over by a hacker who went and claimed that they could have leaked WTT months ago, but choose not to.
Mike Kyser
Mike Kyser
Twitter: @LittleBurger
Followers: 32,529
Joined: February 3, 2009
Affiliations: Atlantic Records
Example Tweet: RT @JoeBudden @LittleBurger u not about that real life monopoly tho, smh <----Joey pls set it up!!! I'm tired of beating the computer
Why You Should Follow: Record executive Mike Kyser has been in the game for nearly 20 years. The hip-hop veteran was recently appointed as the first President of Black Music for the Atlantic Records Group, which seems like payoff after a career of working with some of the biggest names in music including Jay-Z, T.I., and LL Cool J. A must-follow if you want some insight from someone at the top of the foodchain.
Paul Rosenberg
Paul Rosenberg
Twitter: @bunyan71
Followers: 18,680
Joined: August 20, 2008
Affiliations: Eminem
Example Tweet: Wait until you see the Bad Meets Evil baby t's.
Why You Should Follow: Who better to follow for industry intellect than the man who managed the most successful career in rap history? Paul Rosenberg—Eminem’s manager—tweets with perspective. Follow him and learn how to stop thinking like an amateur and start moving like a pro.
Plain Pat
Plain Pat
Twitter: @plainpat
Followers: 13,281
Joined: January 8, 2009
Affiliations: Kanye West
Example Tweet: New asap rocky vid is craaaaazy!! Shouts to @CallenderThinks for putting me on early.
Why You Should Follow: Pat’s made quite a name for himself among industry heads not only because of his songwriting and producing skills (he's worked with everyone from Drake to Kanye to Kid Cudi), but also because of his keen understanding of the culture. Pat knows how this game works as well as anyone. Follow him to stay ahead of trends and the curve.
Rich Kleiman
Rich Kleiman
Twitter: @richkleiman
Followers: 9,356
Joined: April 29, 2009
Affiliations: Roc Nation
Example Tweet: "@CaseyVeggies: @richkleiman Thanks 4 Dinner. Safe Travels" My Man! Let's Go
Why You Should Follow: Now the head of new music development over at Roc Nation, Kleiman has extensive knowledge in everything from television to music and new media. Follow his movements to learn how to carefully craft an image and keys to longevity in multiple industries.
Scooter Braun
Scooter Braun
Twitter: @scooterbraun
Followers: 959,422
Joined: October 10, 2008
Affiliations: Justin Bieber
Example Tweet: Earlier today @justinbieber played me some new songs for the new album. #impressive http://yfrog.com/khffshxj
Why You Should Follow: Braun’s business acumen and management skills have taken Justin Bieber from small-time YouTube sensation to bonafide pop-culture phenom. Hit the follow button on this game-changer for innovative tweets about how to get ahead and retain an inspiring humility that will keep you there.
Sean Pecas
Sean Pecas
Twitter: @therealpecas
Followers: 3,587
Joined: April 28, 2011
Affiliations: Def Jam
Example Tweet: Me @youngsavv @StevoBOBO got that heat. @funkmasterflex we on our way #ouwwwwski #watchthethrone #otis http://lockerz.com/s/122077134
Why You Should Follow: Def Jam Senior Vice President Sean Pecas is a perfect example of someone who's risen to the top of the executive chain, but hasn't lost the love for hip-hop that makes people want to get into the business in the first place. The best place to see that? On Twitter.
Sha Money XL
Sha Money XL
Twitter: @ShaMoney_XL
Followers: 1,686
Joined: May 6, 2011
Affiliations: Def Jam, 50 Cent
Example Tweet: Send me your demo through #mcma.com Thnks
Why You Should Follow: Sha Money XL is best known for his contributions to making 50 Cent the superstar that he is today and building G-Unit Records into a powerhouse. Whether producing or A&Ring, anyone reading the liner notes for Get Rich Or Die Tryin' is well aware of the role he played in Curtis' come-up. What some people might not know is that he's the head of his own company, Money Management Group, and a senior VP of A&R at Def Jam. His Twitter is scattered, but there's some good stuff in there.
Spiff TV
Spiff TV
Twitter: @Spifftvfilms
Followers: 27,170
Joined: November 10, 2009
Affiliations: Rick Ross & Maybach Music Group
Example Tweet: @rickyrozay And Brandon Jennings @bl00dline3 Back Stage In Milwaukee #MMG #Bucks http://lockerz.com/s/128194102
Why You Should Follow: Even though TV stations aren't playing music videos as much anymore, the demand for visuals to your favorite songs are on the rise. Spiff TV is known for directing many of Rick Ross' videos. But he is also Rozay's go-to A&R who found street bangers like "B.M.F.," "MC Hammer," and "Tupac Back" and many others. He's someone whose style precedes him and separates him from the pack. He's branching out, but his Twitter is still the go-to guy for up-to-date MMG news and behind-the-scenes chatter.
Stephen Hill
Stephen Hill
Twitter: @StephenGHill
Followers: 35,520
Joined: March 11 2009
Affiliations: BET
Example Tweet: Jay-Z/Kanye video "Otis" premiere's tonight on BET at 8:56pm. So fun. So dope. 21st century Frank and Dean shtuff.
Why You Should Follow: It's always great to see people as passionate as we are about music on Twitter, and Stephen Hill is no exception. The BET President of programming has his taste on lock and Tweets from behind the scenes all the time. In fact, last year he memorably got into a back and forth with Waka Flocka after Waka failed to show up and perform at the BET Awards (they later squashed it). Definitely a good look to have in your timeline.
Steve Rifkind
Steve Rifkind
Twitter: @steverifKIND
Followers: 30,117
Joined: February 8, 2009
Affiliations: SRC Records
Example Tweet: GM What r we going to do today I'm finalizing @melaniefiona 's album today have a great day and follow your dreams
Why You Should Follow: Steve Rifkind has been a music industry heavy-hitter for 25 years. While running Loud Records, he helped craft the careers of some of the biggest acts in history, including Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and Big Pun. Follow the SRC Records founder for a daily glimpse of what it really takes to be a music mogul.
TJ Chapman
TJ Chapman
Twitter: @TJSDJS
Followers: 34,032
Joined: January 1, 2008
Affiliations: B.o.B
Example Tweet: B.o.B rocked 20,000+ in Seoul Korea last night...the energy was insane! http://ow.ly/i/fmy8
Why You Should Follow: TJ Chapman is living the life. He spent a lot of time discovering and developing artists out of Atlanta, and is definitely partially responsible for the meteoric rise of B.o.B as one of his managers. Right now he's hanging with Bobby, but still keeping his ears to the street and taking submissions, even if that means having to do it from Indonesia while on a world tour.
Todd Moscowitz
Todd Moscowitz
Twitter: @toddmoscowitz
Followers: 15,737
Joined: August 16, 2008
Affiliations: Warner Music Group
Example Tweet: honored to have @common join the warner bros records family!! big day!
Why You Should Follow: As the CEO of the third largest music company in the record industry, Moscowitz makes all the big moves for Warner Music Group. He’s also a pretty funny dude. Hit the follow button to stay abreast of what Warner’s doing to keep winning in the digital age.
Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh
Twitter: @virgilabloh
Followers: 5,055
Joined: February 25, 2009
Affiliations: Kanye West
Example Tweet: Sidebar. Don't exactly trust any snippets currently in your itunes. #deluxe
Why You Should Follow: It's not even debatable at this point that the man to watch, not just in hip-hop, but in music in its entirety, is Kanye West. That's why we were all so excited when he got on Twitter. It was like everything he said was an instant retweet. But 'Ye must have gotten bored because he hasn't tweeted in months. Enter Virgil Abloh. Virgil is around Kanye all the time and he tweets about it, making him someone you need to follow.
Wendy Day
Wendy Day
Twitter: @RapCoalition
Followers: 16,629
Joined: December 31, 2008
Affiliations: N/A
Example Tweet: there's a clause in ALL contracts stating artists are not employees.
Why You Should Follow: Everyone knows Industry Rule #4080 and that's why Wendy Day has spent her career trying to save artists from getting screwed over by their record company. She even helped engineer deals for Master P, Cash Money Records, and Eminem. With loads of insight as to how business is really handled in hip-hop, following her is a must for anyone trying to get a record deal, but doesn't want to get screwed.