Entertainment

The business of management

By TOUSSAINT SMITH, Staff Reporter

FOR ANY YOUNG entertainer stepping into the music industry, good management is the key to a successful career. In this month's 'Bussin Time' feature, a few managers and artistes will elaborate on what to look for in a good manager.

According to Audley Bready Allen, road manager for dancehall sensation Kiprich, good management stems from a good relationship with managers and artistes.

"When you find a new talent you have to go the extra mile, not only to make money off the artiste ... the manager have to have a relationship like a father and son, bredda and bredda. Relationship is key, yuh haffi look out for that artiste. Remember dem is human being and they have problems and at the end of the day yuh haffi take care of them. He or she have to be the main focus," he added.

It takes two

But success doesn't come by the manager alone, he added. It takes two. "Yuh haffi have a tight relationship with them. That mean it open inna some sense and the artiste have to have talent so him can campaign, cause yuh not gonna work with a lazy artiste. Once the artiste have the material yuh gonna tek it to the next level by the promotion of the artiste. Promotion and communication is a lot."

Richard Roache, Solid Agency's public relations manager, explains that a good manager has to take special care of the artiste's well-being.

Like a parent

"At the end of the day, what the artiste fi really remember is dem hire somebody fi take care of them overall. It come like a parent for their business. For a good manager everything that is done must be beneficial to you. If it's not beneficial at present, it will be beneficial down the line," he said.

Therefore, a manager's job is to look out for things that will enhance the artiste's career. Solid Agency is responsible for the management and development of popular entertainers such as Bounty Killer, Wayne Marshall, Leftside & Esco, Vybz Kartel and many others.

Donovan Germaine, manager of Penthouse Records, says that a thorough research should be done when searching for the right manager.

"The most important thing is to check on the manager's track record, what he has done with other artistes. But other than that, an artiste must look for a manager that will tell him the truth and help with his personal development, not just musically," he added.

Another important aspect for a manager is to get the artiste moving in the right crowd, he said.

"Just basic things like getting him in touch with the right people, help him with his image and teach him the business as he goes along because it's an ongoing process," he added.

Donovan Germaine is currently the manager for popular artistes such as Assassin, Buju Banton and Nadine Sutherland.