He’s one of Pop’s more powerful characters, credited for birthing the careers of chart topping Islander Rihanna.
However, as is the case with many industry figures, Brown’s contributions to his field oft go unnoticed by a public more interested in his performers and his long time business partner Jay Z.
Now, he has been honored by Billboard, who have named him one of their top ’40 Under 40, Power Players On The Rise’.
Details below…
Perched alongside Lady GaGa‘s Troy Carter, Motown‘s Ethiopa Habtemarian and Single Ladies maestro Tricky Stewart, the following was said of the mogul:
Four years after he helped Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter launch his Roc Nation imprint, president Jay Brown, 38, is still hungry for success.
Alongside Jay-Z, John Meneilly and Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith, Brown has built a tiered company with branches in management, touring and publishing for a roster that includes Jay-Z, J. Cole and Rita Ora.
Even though Roc Nation partnered with electronic dance music management company Three Six Zero Group and established the StarRoc label with production duo Stargate, the former senior VP of A&R at Def Jam still doesn’t feel like he’s made it yet.
“That’s why I keep working as hard as I do,” says Brown, who started out as a music publisher at Quincy Jones Music Publishing/Qwest Records. “Once I start thinking that I made it, I’m going to put up a ceiling and can’t get no higher.”
Recent signees to the management division include M.I.A. and Meek Mill. There also are rumblings of a new album by Jay-Z and a sequel to his and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne. For Brown, it’s not about learning on the job but rather from other executives.
“We grew up looking up to people like Berry Gordy, Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen and watching those guys do what they were doing,” he says. “We’re respectfully moving through their footprints.”
Ultimately the miracle worker who turned Riri’s water into wine, tallies like these- albeit rare- are vital to showcasing the backbones behind some of the world’s greatest brands.
For, despite her shortcomings on a talent tip, Fenty’s ascent has been mind blowing to say the least- spearheaded by strategies employed we fear she is beginning to take for granted.
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“….Riri’s water into wine,”
I’ll assume you’re talking about Rita! Since in Sam’s delusional world that’s been Rita’s nickname.
Even if you were tAlking about Rihanna, too bad jay brown can’t make Rita successful. 🙂
I wouldn’t credit him for why Rihanna is successful. i will credit her OLD manager “Marc Jordan”. Def Jam didn’t fund Rihanna properly so Marc had to use her money to make her. It was him that made GGGB happen (which made Rihanna the star). Without him she would’ve been pon de replaying it back to Barbados.
He made sure Def Jam released albums EVERY YEAR. It was not in the plan. This guy is just doing the easy work now. He didn’t break Rihanna.
Not to discredit anyone but who on Roc Nation is doing good?
Santigold flop
Jcole-600k?
Rita-Flop
Rihanna=Shes only on management
Melanie Fiona=FLOP
and so will the rest.
They cant break ARTISTS because they never BROKE artists. They cant make another Rihanna because they didn’t MAKE rihanna.
This breaks it down on what Marc did.
http://www.pearlswindow.com/2008/08/rumor-rihanna-broke-ex-manager-its-not.html
That horrible, I cant even deal with Rihanna!
THIS is what I have been telling people.She changed her management team in 2012. Jay Brown, Jay -z and all the rest are just her employees. They didn’t make her.She used her own money to become Rihanna the brand. That’s why people heard the rumor of her being almost broke years ago. THIS is why she has this” IDGF, You cant tell me nuthin attitude”. Who can blame her? Not me.
well technically she didnt use her money, her manager then did but i get what u mean
I meant 2010
Its very heartbreaking that she would get mad and fire them for her own mistakes!
I remember this (the only error in the article is that Reebok funded SOS) Rihanna is lucky that she has hype and she gets free clothes, shoes…. otherwise she would be hungry and naked. Rihanna’s talk that talk is selling at my local sainsburys for £3.99 which is a same considering that she is a big artist and at least two songs of that album were big. Maybe if people realise that its cheaper to but the album than the single it will improve sales.
Don’t worry she won’t be broke.She really takes care of her business now.She keeps an eye on her money.
@ Stacey
You are extremely dellusional and misinformed. If you look at what Roc Nation do, they sign artist that tour and have international audience, that’s where the money is, more so that album sales. Aside from Adele who the hell is selling multiplatinum nowadays. Touring his how you build your fanbase and east as a artist and with Live Nation backing them, they eat.
Santigold is not a flop artist, she may not be big in the US but she is big internationally. She tours consistently.
J Cole had a gold album, platinum single and 2 gold singles for a new artist. His upside is unlimited.
Rita Ora has released 2 singles, one is platinum and the other is working it’s way to gold. In what world is that a flop, you really need to sit your ass down.
Melanie Fiona is managed by them, but she is doing well for a R and B artist who makes traditional R and B. I mean even Mary J is struggling to go gold, 200k is good for Melanie.
MIA and Shakira are two of the biggest international and touring artist.
Like i said the money is not in album sales, it’s in touring. Album sales is like fools gold nowadays, these artist don’t even make money off album sales.
@STACEY,,,So True!
This s*** is still going on today. Now the pieces are coming together with the incident of 2009. WOW I remember when Rihanna only had $20,000 in her bank account. This is still happening today remember she gets 6% for all that hard work. Rihanna needs to stop drinking & smoking weed and go to school and learn about the business. These people are robbing her blind. They post numbers fooling Rihanna and the public when all but 6% goes to them. They lied in the first place making us believe that Rihanna was big and making all this money. Now when that accountant does speak out in a trial I bet there will be more like this story told.
Rihanna is suing her accountant anyway. This should be very interesting. Somebody is stealing and all persons involved will be exposed. Damn that means Rihanna got burned twice. SMH
whats so funny that rihanna’s being screwed over either way because of her contract. 360 b******!
That means the bulk of everything she makes goes back to Jay’s pockets to spoil the adorable Blue Ivy rotten and treat Beyonce to five star meals and so on and so forth.
Go on Rihanna keep working your ass off for The Carters and bask in the glory of Mother Supremece’ and Blue Slayvy
She under Roc nation’s management= Jay z , Jay b, Ty Tyand John share a percentage(usually around 15% of her income). Contrary to your belief, Roc nation doesn’t belong to Jay Z. He has a lot of investors, partners.
@SASHA But why do you care, though!
stop wasting your time with the crackhead s*** and pay attention to Rita. She needs you more Jay.
@RITALIPSTICK Yo ass had better pray like hell rita’s got a good tax man a good lawyers because jayz and beyonce have got their minds on nothing but $$$$$$$ that’s all they
care about. And Ms piggy had better line her d**ks up in a row before her and her ass wipes even think about raining on Rihanna’s parade.
YAWN….ho? And why should we all care? ***Babylon puppets
@MOBWIFE,,,Yessssss Siree a ho that ya boy Chrissy
“Love’s Rihanna Yesterday G-strings”, and so do You!
@MOBWIFE….
http://rashmanly.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/rihanna_hot-1.jpg
It’s my 7th attempt to start a post, but it’s just so simple:
I wanna turn into some 4ft white boy, and become Jay-Z’s own s** s****.
😆
😥
I hear jay’z old ass is okay in the sack, meaning beyonce had better keep her eyes on that tool of his.
Jay brown, FLOP-Z AND FLOP-A-READ DID NOTHING FOR RIHANNA!
Rihanna label head Def Jams and Roc Nation Manger Jayz i wish
she fire JAYZ ass so he can devote all of his phucking attentio to that fraud
he’s married to, fake hir, fake booty, fake nose, fake ass attitude, fake baby girl!
Fake hair, fake nails, fake smile, fake grin, fake booty,
fake attitude, and more Grammys then anyone dead or alive and she paid for every last one of them. Shes getting ready to pay for songs for her 6 albums and 6 movies she’s getting ready to drop along with a movie on and aboyt her life.
@RITA LIPSTICK, BEY HIVE AND HATERS.
Rihanna looks gorgeous in the pic
I hope now her stans can now get what we mean by Rihanna will never be on King B’s level. #nuff said
Bwahahaha I don’t mean to laugh at others misfortunes, but miss ‘phuckyofav’ is getting it…She needs to stop pretending to be more than she is and catch a fucken wake up call…I can’t at this b****..smh
I just laughhhh enough , when i see that “Jay Z and Jay brown” made Rihanna !! They discovered Rihanna , it’s all !!! Remenber that Rihanna was on competition with Teira Mari and Amerie , , they had the same chances , but guess what ? it’s Rihanna who win , not by her vocal talent , but by her will power ! So where Rihanna is Taday , it’s because she’s kick her ass off for that !