So You Want to Work in Hip-Hop?

Did you know that the music business is compiled of many different types of jobs and skill sets? 

Join the Business and Career Center to learn about the day-in-a-life from a professional panel working in the hip-hop music business. 

Explore the scope of positions and skills across music business sectors including music licensing, streaming services, marketing and touring.

Panelists:

Born and raised in New York, Imani Brown is the heartbeat of her home state with her pulse on hip-hop music and culture.. Known for her quick-witted, sharp-tongued takes on current trends and sneaker-centered streetwear style, elements of hip-hop continuously run through her veins. As an overall Black music aficionado, Imani combines her passion with her vast knowledge of hip-hop to tell stories through content as her lyrical exercise. She lends her voice as a podcast host, writer, playlist curator, tastemaker, and the creator of HipHopIsHer.com.

Allison Schlueter is currently the Head of Frontline Marketing and Catalog Development, North America for Recorded Music at Chrysalis Records, and Tommy Boy Music at Reservoir Media. Ali is an experienced marketing executive who has held several key roles in the industry, most recently at mtheory, an artist management services company, working as VP of Marketing for TMWRK Management (Diplo, Sturgill Simpson). She also served as head of marketing at live entertainment agency Artist Group International (Billy Joel, Metallica). Prior to AGI, Ali spent a decade at Island Def Jam overseeing the digital marketing department where she spearheaded campaigns for artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and The Killers. Based in New York, Ali helps market the frontline releases for Chrysalis Records, including Ben Harper, Emeli Sande and Liz Phair as well as the Tommy Boy Music & Chrysalis catalog.  Ali also oversaw all of the marketing for hip hop legends, De La Soul's catalog to streaming services, which came out in March of 2023.
 

Deryck Vanderbilt-Nicholson is a cultural curator, with a career spanning over a decade and a half, executing marketing, communications campaigns with the biggest, fashion/lifestyle brands and musicians to what’s new and next in music.  Telling stories alongside global superstars including KOTA the Friend, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, Buju Banton, Naomi Campbell, Edward Enninful, Aminé, Saweetie, Jojo, TEKNO, Giggs, to brands including, Cash App, SoundCloud, Bvlgari, Uniqlo, KITH, Adidas, 1800 Tequila, Fear of God, Pepsi, Mastercard and more -- Deryck specializes in cultural currency and global impact. 

Nordia West started her career in International Marketing at Atlantic Records for an 8-year tenure. Following Atlantic Records, she excelled in the role of Vice President of International Marketing at Capitol Records and Motown Records, where she had the responsibility of developing innovative marketing strategies that showcased the talent of top-tier artists around the world. For the last 10 years, her expertise was in the management of the artist’s careers by creating disruptive international marketing campaigns and artist development strategies for world-renowned music artists. Ms. West commands a wealth of knowledge on cultural landscapes, streaming, publicity, radio, and promo around the globe.

The panel will be moderated by Drea Jackson, Artist + Label Relations at SoundCloud.

This program is part of the Brooklyn Public Library's Hip-Hop 50 celebration!