With more than 5 years of entrepreneurial leadership experience building brands and guiding national firms, major and independent record labels, as well as signed and unsigned acts, Sickamore, the founder of I Can Make You Famous, is pioneering a new age of influentials.
Established in Spring 2004, this Artist Development Firm has significantly impacted the music industry with a refreshing movement that has been featured in, but not exclusive to The Source Magazine, Vibe, XXL, Mixtape Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, BET, VH1, allhiphop.com and hiphopgame.com. The press has feasted on Sickamore’s vision and expertise in brand revitalization, concept creation and performance excellence.
Sickamore began in 2001 with the development of custom mixtapes, which, in turn grew to international commercial releases with collaborations of multi-platinum artists and super-stars such as Steve Francis, Snoop Dogg, Dylan from Making the Band, Jay-Z, and Jacob the Jeweler. He soon mastered his craft and monopolized this rapidly growing niche until his brand was overwhelmingly dominating. As a result, he was crowned “Best [Mixtape] Personality” at the 2004 Mixtape awards, which propelled him in the top ten mixtape DJ’s of 2004 according to MTV.
Sickamore’s significant impact in the music industry coupled with his smart, charismatic, and resourceful personality assisted in his outstanding relationships with the industry elite. His uncanny ear and almost psychic foresight of excellent off-the-radar talent caught the eye of production guru Just Blaze. Blaze consequently brought him aboard as the executive A&R of what was at that time a budding label, “Fort Knocks.” Sickamore went on to introduce and influence Just to sign, then unknown rapper Saigon who has now gone on to become, as Rolling Stone Magazine states, “one of the most highly anticipated acts in recent times”.
“[Sickamore] hands me [a CD] and he hands me a press kit,” remembers Just. “Dude had about two inches worth of press and I’m like ‘Who is this dude? I never even heard of him before.’ It wasn’t even just US, it was France and Germany, he had press from all over the place. I started doing my research and getting into his music and I just basically put the call in and hold him to come down.”
-Just Blaze, Elemental Magazine May 2005
Concurrently, Sickamore caught sight of Manhattan’s Lower East Side rapper Tru Life. They began working closely together in Spring 2005.
Sickamore formulated a campaign for Tru, intended to span 6 months. “I actually met Sickamore through Saigon and that was one of the greatest things. To be honest, I was just playing the background for a minute. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an artist anymore,” Tru explained. Sickamore sparked this promotion with the formulation of a Mixtape, entitled “The New New Yorker” starring Tru Life. Six weeks later a bidding war began. In August 2005, through Sickamore’s consulting and direction, Tru went on to sign a 7-figure deal to Def Jam directly through Jay-Z.
“… I was just stuck in bad paperwork at Dreamworks and I couldn’t move… so we did “I Can Make You Famous Part 2” and the rest is history.”
-Tru Life, HipHopGame.com Interview July 2005
Sickamore then went on to negotiate deals with hordes of record labels and unsigned artists, which led to the formation of The Famous Firm. Specializing in the lost art of Artist Development through Brand Identity Campaigning, he has strategically developed exceptional plans for his clients, creating maximum visibility for their respective movements, whilst staying true to what they and their brand represent. The results of this organic grass-root approach are based on quality and talent, not exposure relying on publicity stunts, gimmicks or any other ploys that take away from the authenticity of a brand.
With Sickamore’s direct connection with the trendsetters, influentials, and power players in today’s urban culture, he has created an extensive array of opportunities for his clients. Utilizing the ear of captive audiences and his team of key decision makers, he presents artists’ in a manner ensuring brand identity and attracting valuable exposure. Sickamore has masterminded a maximum impact company that can, in a cost effective way, directly access a powerful audience.
Most notably, Sickamore is a thinker and problem-solver. He provides innovative ideas, techniques, processes and solutions to improve outcomes in all areas of business operations. He has an effective and systematic approach to his work, and has created a free-spirited and productive work environment, which has attributed to his success. With a revolving roster of clients, the Famous Firm is continually tackling new heights, and making ordinary people “famous” along the way.
Rate this RE:Innovation/rating_on.gif "1 Star")
/rating_on.gif "2 Stars")
/rating_on.gif "3 Stars")
/rating_on.gif "4 Stars")
/rating_on.gif "5 Stars")
Established in Spring 2004, this Artist Development Firm has significantly impacted the music industry with a refreshing movement that has been featured in, but not exclusive to The Source Magazine, Vibe, XXL, Mixtape Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, BET, VH1, allhiphop.com and hiphopgame.com. The press has feasted on Sickamore’s vision and expertise in brand revitalization, concept creation and performance excellence.
Sickamore began in 2001 with the development of custom mixtapes, which, in turn grew to international commercial releases with collaborations of multi-platinum artists and super-stars such as Steve Francis, Snoop Dogg, Dylan from Making the Band, Jay-Z, and Jacob the Jeweler. He soon mastered his craft and monopolized this rapidly growing niche until his brand was overwhelmingly dominating. As a result, he was crowned “Best [Mixtape] Personality” at the 2004 Mixtape awards, which propelled him in the top ten mixtape DJ’s of 2004 according to MTV.
Sickamore’s significant impact in the music industry coupled with his smart, charismatic, and resourceful personality assisted in his outstanding relationships with the industry elite. His uncanny ear and almost psychic foresight of excellent off-the-radar talent caught the eye of production guru Just Blaze. Blaze consequently brought him aboard as the executive A&R of what was at that time a budding label, “Fort Knocks.” Sickamore went on to introduce and influence Just to sign, then unknown rapper Saigon who has now gone on to become, as Rolling Stone Magazine states, “one of the most highly anticipated acts in recent times”.
“[Sickamore] hands me [a CD] and he hands me a press kit,” remembers Just. “Dude had about two inches worth of press and I’m like ‘Who is this dude? I never even heard of him before.’ It wasn’t even just US, it was France and Germany, he had press from all over the place. I started doing my research and getting into his music and I just basically put the call in and hold him to come down.”
-Just Blaze, Elemental Magazine May 2005
Concurrently, Sickamore caught sight of Manhattan’s Lower East Side rapper Tru Life. They began working closely together in Spring 2005.
Sickamore formulated a campaign for Tru, intended to span 6 months. “I actually met Sickamore through Saigon and that was one of the greatest things. To be honest, I was just playing the background for a minute. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be an artist anymore,” Tru explained. Sickamore sparked this promotion with the formulation of a Mixtape, entitled “The New New Yorker” starring Tru Life. Six weeks later a bidding war began. In August 2005, through Sickamore’s consulting and direction, Tru went on to sign a 7-figure deal to Def Jam directly through Jay-Z.
“… I was just stuck in bad paperwork at Dreamworks and I couldn’t move… so we did “I Can Make You Famous Part 2” and the rest is history.”
-Tru Life, HipHopGame.com Interview July 2005
Sickamore then went on to negotiate deals with hordes of record labels and unsigned artists, which led to the formation of The Famous Firm. Specializing in the lost art of Artist Development through Brand Identity Campaigning, he has strategically developed exceptional plans for his clients, creating maximum visibility for their respective movements, whilst staying true to what they and their brand represent. The results of this organic grass-root approach are based on quality and talent, not exposure relying on publicity stunts, gimmicks or any other ploys that take away from the authenticity of a brand.
With Sickamore’s direct connection with the trendsetters, influentials, and power players in today’s urban culture, he has created an extensive array of opportunities for his clients. Utilizing the ear of captive audiences and his team of key decision makers, he presents artists’ in a manner ensuring brand identity and attracting valuable exposure. Sickamore has masterminded a maximum impact company that can, in a cost effective way, directly access a powerful audience.
Most notably, Sickamore is a thinker and problem-solver. He provides innovative ideas, techniques, processes and solutions to improve outcomes in all areas of business operations. He has an effective and systematic approach to his work, and has created a free-spirited and productive work environment, which has attributed to his success. With a revolving roster of clients, the Famous Firm is continually tackling new heights, and making ordinary people “famous” along the way.
-Joi Rogers
Related RE:Innovations: