King Carter Powers Through the Success of DaBaby, Now Introducing Social Currency Enterprises
This particular interview was definitely one for the books. With my grandmother being from there and spending many summers in the south, I've always commended the hospitality. Me wanting to major in hospitality in college, derived from those southern hospitality experiences.
It makes you want to treat people with decency, respect and care. When I spoke to King Carter those heartfelt moments instantly came back to me. An executive within the music industry that's respectful, cares about others and is here to create groundbreaking moments is almost unheard of.
The 2019 Billboard Power Player went to King Carter, who's the manager of Grammy-nominated artist, DaBaby. Certainly, we're aware of how much DaBaby's shaken the industry in the past couple years.
A team lead by King Carter and partner Arnold Taylor, powered through industry norms breaking out this new star. He's bringing those skills to his new label, Social Currency Enterprises. We sat down and spoke about his new label, venture, experience and legacy -
Nia Rice:
Let's first, for the people who don't know, let people know who you are!?
Carter:
I’m a former artist who became a manager/label co-founder. Started a label with my partner Arnold Taylor called South Coast Music Group where we signed DaBaby, our first artist.
We did what we were supposed to do with him. Found out that I fell in love with developing artists .. well developing superstars.
Now I'm at the point where I’m starting another venture, Social Currency Enterprises (alongside co-founders Makia Clarke, Ryan “Rev” Miller & Sport E. Odie), where we focus on developing stars.
Nia Rice:
Okay, awesome. So, as you were saying, going back to the roots of developing artists, a lot of labels don't believe in that anymore. Honestly. So, tell me, what do you feel the industry is missing when it comes to artist development?
Carter:
Making sure talent reaches their full potential. I feel like the industry just basically takes stuff that's doing good (might be doing good) on one platform and try to grow it to other platforms by just throwing it out there to the world.
They don’t care how the artists respond. They don’t care if they can perform or not, etc.
They’re not covering all the basis with development. We’re making sure we’re covering everything!
Teaching the artist about the business, making sure they know about music in general, making sure they’re studying and learning the history. Making sure they are students of the game, as well as participants.
NR:
What's one technique that you use to implement that?
Carter:
Every artist I sign has to take a music business class for etiquette - that’s one technique.
NR:
I want us to go into what's currently going on right now with COVID. What's your take on it and how is your label and Social Currency ventures playing a part within this?
Carter:
Well, as far as the COVID I'm not too... I'm still trying to understand everything. Haha.
Still trying to understand how people have contracted it and how it spread. Like one of my partners has COVID - he in the house right now.
I don't talk on it that much because I feel like I might be ignorant on that subject. All I know is right now it's affecting people.
Since we are independent, we don't really follow the Senate rules, major spending budgeting for recording and things like that. We still move. We're still moving around in China.
We can't get in the streets as much because there are no clubs. But everything is still in a regular motion. We don't let it stop.
We just adapt to it, stay in motion and try to focus on finding things to fill that void. We can't really get in the streets in the clubs or get into concert halls. We try to replace it by doing IG Live performances, unplugged studios, things like that.
NR:
So, as far as the the COVID-19 push, the social injustice and the marches - As you see, a lot of labels did the whole blackout Tuesday and a lot of labels are donating funds and things along those lines. And of course, the baby was his song. Da Baby and Lil Baby’s song shows that they're both definitely pushing their music and using their voice to be heard. How do you feel about your label? How is your label playing a part? How do you feel about your artists playing a part in that?
Carter:
Well, all of my artists are very vocal. One of my artists ZayTheGOAT, he’s actually preparing a protest and a rally. He’s also been participating with DaBaby on doing alot of stuff.
A lot of things we haven’t talked about yet. We’re also involved with Baby and throwing his meeting for the city. Everybody plays their part.
It's something that we've been doing, it’s not anything really new for us. For example the very first song DaBaby did when he signed to South Coast Music Group was called Protect and Serve, which was actually when the Keith Lamont Scott shooting happened here in Charlotte.
We held a protest and there’s a video online somewhere .. you can probably search it. But we've been active in the community.
Meeting with the police chief at the time. We've been about doing this not just because it’s “in” or a “trendy thing” right now. It’s been everybody's standpoint. It’s always been like F*** The Police (laughs).
They don’t do us right. We can’t even throw shows here in Charlotte because the police harass us. They treat us crazy; they lock us up for every little thing.
Regardless of what's going on. If we do a concert, there's 100 of them sitting outside the door, it’s terrible here with the way the police treat us.
NR:
Wow... Sorry, that's so frustrating.
Carter:
Very
Nia Rice:
We definitely appreciate you and your efforts and your label's efforts for what you do. I feel it's extremely important. I don't think it's a fad! Let's talk about Social Currency. Talk about your partnership with Empire and how it came about?
Carter:
I built a relationship with Nima over the years. Me and him just always touched basis.
When I decided I wanted to focus on developing more artists, he was the first person that I talked to. He was game for it, he believed in my vision, he knew all of the work that I had put in before.
It just created a great foundation for the partnership that we have. They believed in my vision to take talent and mold them into superstar talent. And what they have is patience.
Patience with me. They understand it’s a process and it’s just a dope partnership.
Nia Rice: Right. So, what are your goals for Social Currency in the future?
Carter:
I think it's going to be .. My goal (expectation) is to be a staple in music and to solidify our name that we’re a powerhouse in music. A place that artists can come in and be an artist and to also understand they have a former artist that understands them and helps them build their vision, see it and carry it out.
NR:
Awesome. So, the King Carter brand - who are you to the industry? We have our smokey Robinson, we have our different goats of the industry. So, who is the King Carter brand? And what's the legacy that you want to leave?
Carter:
I never got asked this question. The legacy I want to leave is to have an artist (turned exec) that truly understands the artist. I'm like the artist whisper.
I can talk their language and understand I'm not a suit. I do know how to move like a suit. And I know that I'm the first of its kind in King Carter Brand.
NR:
YES!
Carter:
No, it's not about me. It's about the artist for me. So that's what I'm here for.
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