People may not realize what all goes on behind the scenes to make music reach the masses. This is the spot where you’ll see who’s who in the Industry. The people behind the scenes who makes things happen. This will be the section where we feature professionals whom we think deserve the credit and recognition for their hard work that they contribute to this business we call the RAP INDUSTRY..
Each month we’ll bring to you a new professional along with their background.
This Month’s Feature: Troy Marshall
Troy Marshall didn’t initially set out to be the recording industry heavy hitter he is. A native of Los Angeles, CA, and a UCLA graduate, Troy’s first career was as a high school teacher. On the side he ran a successful event and club promotions business that specialized in entertainment for the 18 and up crowd. After making several contacts within the music industry, he decided to accept an internship that led to a job as an administrative assistant at MCA Records. It didn’t take long for others to notice that Marshall had a knack for creating marketing campaigns that appealed to an urban audience. Over the next 12 years he worked his way up the MCA ladder, taking unknown artists with him and turning them into stars along the way. He’s been credited with catapulting the careers of Mary J. Blige, The Roots, Common, Jodeci, Shaggy, Field Mob and others.
His hard work paid off even more when he landed a top position as MCA’s Senior National Director. Marshall later left the company in 2004 to become Warner Brothers’ Senior Director of Rap Promotions and helped launch the careers of Mike Jones, Lil’ Scrappy and Trillville. In 2006,
he was enticed to accept his current position as Universal Motown Record Group’s Vice President of Rap Promotion.
You could say Marshall specializes in making dreams come true, and it’s hard to find a man who loves his job more. His favorite part is successfully launching a new artist. He’s proven too many times to count that when given a talented individuals who are willing to work he can make the masses embrace them.
“Breakin’ a new artist is one of my biggest highs. Taking a new artist from no one in the world knowing who they are… to the point where they have sold half a million records or gone platinum is amazing,” says Marshall. “Knowing that their success is partly based on work that you and your team put in is a good feeling.”
Marshall has a reputation in the industry for being able to predict and cause changes in urban culture through music. He credits that to not just studying the culture but living the lifestyle. His street knowledge and credibility comes from being in the streets, in the clubs, and talking to listeners to receive feedback on what’s hot and what’s not in order to give the people what they want.
This one-man arsenal of promotional and lifestyle expertise has been working in the music industry for 15 years. His personal recipe for success contains tenacity, focus, hard work, dedication and the willingness to help others.
“It’s not about me knowing something and not wanting to share it with anyone. That’s the wrong attitude. You have to take people in, nurture them, and teach them the correct path to take,” he says. “People can always come to me for help and have a conversation with me. I love to give out advice. That’s the school teacher in me; it’s my duty to educate others,” adds Marshall.
Helping others accomplish their dreams have helped Marshall accomplish his own. If he has it his way, he’ll be making musical dreams come true for years to come.
