industry101 Coach K (Young Jeezy’s manager) Wendy Day wrote an article in OZONE recently talking about the fact that there’s not too many good managers in the hip-hop game. What do you think it takes to be a good manager? Hard work and dedication, and believing in your client. Believing in your artist or whatever you manage. In her opinion, managing an artist is “glorified babysitting.” Do you agree with that statement? Nah, I don’t look at it as babysitting, cause me and [Young Jeezy] are more like partners than anything else. I always want him to shine, so whatever he needs, I’m gonna go do it. I don’t look at it as babysitting, I look at it as looking out for him. I want him to always be on top of his game. Do you have a background in management, or how did you get into your current career? I really don’t have a background in management, but I’ve been doing it for a long time. Managing is just like being an entrepreneur. If you’re starting a business venture, it’s in your hands to make sure everything is right. If you’ve got an artist that you believe in, it’s the same thing. That’s your business, and you gotta make sure your business is right. You gotta make sure your business is taken care of, well-groomed, everything is right. What were you doing before you started managing Young Jeezy? I was actually working A&R for a couple indie labels before I met Jeezy. I met him in the studio. We just had a mutual bond. He could see that I was a hard worker and I really believed in him. Jeezy is probably one of the easiest people to manage because he works so hard. We both work hard, so we work hand-in-hand. I believed in him ever since day one. Was he just starting out at that point? He was at the ground level. We’ve been together for five years. We were doing shows on dirt roads, now we’re doing shows at coliseums. When you first met Jeezy, did you really picture it getting to this level? Hanging out with Jay-Z and touring the world? Yeah. I knew he was a star from the first day I met him. I knew he was gonna make it to that level.
Do you think there’s a lack of good managers in hip-hop because too many artists hire their friends or relatives who aren’t qualified? I can’t really knock what anybody else does, but with managing you really gotta be dedicated and believe in your artist. Some managers might be friends with somebody that’s hot so they feel like they could do it, but you gotta really believe in the artist. Like I said, me and Jeezy been together for five years. He doesn’t really consider me his manager. I’m more like his partner. We’re like brothers, for real. We gonna make sure it’s right for him. I ain’t gonna never let him down. I want him to be on top of his game. A while back, when a certain artist put out a diss song towards Jeezy, your name was mentioned also. Do you feel like they crossed the line by putting a manager’s name in the middle of rap beef? Honestly, I laughed at that shit, man. I’m good. That shit didn’t move me at all. We on top of our game and that was just some bullshit. They was reaching. We smashed him. It’s done. We kept it moving. There’s been some controversy lately over Jeezy’s snowman tshirts. Some schools are banning them because of the snow/cocaine reference. What’s your opinion on that? The industry is crazy, because once a person gets on top the media has to target something to build up their ratings. They pick up on things like that. We just keep it moving, man. We’re not tripping on that. This man is an icon in the hood, so how can you put down what he does? What does the snowman represent to you? The snowman represents the struggle. Really, the snowman shows that you can make it out of the hood. What would be your advice to someone trying to get in the game as a manager? Honestly, man, like I tell everybody, there ain’t no books out there that can prepare you for this. I’ve read books and went through all that, but the main thing is that it’s all about experience. Get out there and make moves. Find something you believe in and stay dedicated to it, for real. Dedication is gonna win at the end of the day. The day you give up might be the day it breaks through. We go hard over here. Look out for the USDA album, Birds Fly South, and Jeezy’s next album coming soon. - Words and photo by Julia Beverly
What’s the most challenging part of your job? Just the everyday struggle. You don’t really get to come home too much, you always moving. Right now Jeezy’s at the top of his game so we just stay busy. What’s a typical day like for you? Every day is a little different. Right now we’re on the road on tour, so every day we’re in a different city doing shows. If we’re not doing a show, we’re doing something with press, magazines or whatever. Every day is something different. What exactly is your job? To make sure everything runs smoothly overall on a day-to-day basis. I pretty much manage his day-to-day movements. What about financially? Does managing an artist pay well? It’s what you make of it. You only make what your artist makes. Managers get paid when your artist gets paid. It’s a hustle for you. If you’re out there making it for him, you gonna make it. If you sitting there waiting on it to come to you, you ain’t gonna make it. Why is it more enjoyable for you than having a regular 9-5 day job? Aw, man. Having control of my destiny. With a day job, I never gotta answer to somebody. Although I work for Jeezy, at the end of the day I don’t have to go clock in and answer to nobody. 32
OZONE
Coach K (right) plays the background for Young Jeezy