Urban & Pop Music Power Players Join Forces To Launch New Venture, Primary Violator
NYC-based Primary Wave Music has partnered with Violator Management to create the new talent management firm, Primary Violator.
The new business venture merges the talent roster of Primary Wave Talent and Violator Management, and brings together two of the biggest talent managers in the urban and pop music market – Violator Management founder/CEO Chris Lighty (50 Cent, Diddy, Busta Rhymes) and Michael “Blue” Williams (OutKast, Nas, Big Sean).
“Teaming Chris Lighty and Blue Williams creates the most powerful, intelligent and hardworking pop culture management team in the music business,” states Larry Mestel, Founder & CEO of Primary Wave Music. “It’s an honor for Primary Wave to team up with Chris and his staff.”
The power trio of Mestel, Lighty and Williams (and company) forms a full-service talent management super group.
Prior to launching Violator, Chris Lighty worked alongside music business pioneers Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen at RUSH Management and Def Jam in the 90s, where he signed multi-platinum artists such as Warren G and Foxy Brown.
Larry Mestel has been Chief Operating Officer, Island Records, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Arista Records and Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, Virgin Records where he worked with iconic artists such as The Rolling Stone, Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, Jimmy Buffett, Carlos Santana, Avril Lavigne, Usher, Melissa Eldridge, Hall & Oates and Def Leppard.
And Blue Williams was the former President of Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Management where he oversaw the launch of music careers like Monica, Outkast, Total, SWV and Faith Evans. He then branched out on his own and founded Family Tree Entertainment, where he continued to build the career of Outkast, and managed artists including Macy Gray, Jagged Edge, Nick Cannon, Blu Cantrell, Monica, K-Ci & Jo-Jo, Donell Jones, YoungBloodz, and Lyfe Jennings. Presently, Williams oversees Primary Wave’s management roster including CeeLo Green, Ginuwine, Goodie Mob, Eric Benet, Cody Simpson, Case and GMD3.
Previous to this latest merger, Primary Wave has also, reportedly, been successful in additional management ventures, partnering with music managers such as rock manager Scott Frazier (Saving Abel, Volbeat), writer/producer manager Tom Maffei (Brian Kennedy, Cam Meekins), manager Jerry Blair (Ebony Bones, Glory For The People, Alex Young), and music managers David and Winston Simone, who work with talent ranging from Wilson Phillips to high-wire daredevil Nik Wallenda.
In addition to management, Primary Violator will provide an array of services for artists, bringing pop culture solutions to corporate America via Primary Wave’s in-house branding company Brand Synergy Group, digital marketing company BrightShop, Lighty’s Brand Asset Group, as well as utilizing Primary Wave’s in-house film, television, video game, commercial advertising and TV development team. All management clients signed with Primary Violator will have access to these additional in-house, brand-building resources.
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