Cortez Bryant of Young Money Cashmoney
TREDUBB: Hello Cortez Bryant of Young Money Cashmoney,how are you doing?
Cortez Bryan: I¹ve been doing well, bro. I¹ve been working hard as usual.
What¹s good?
TREDUBB: Won’t you let everybody know where you from?
Cortez Bryant: Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.
TREDUBB: Did you start off as a deejay before you became a manager?
Cortez Bryant: Yeah, when I first started, I was a deejay, security, a
bagboy I did just about everything when Wayne and I first started off. Up
until two years ago, I stopped deejaying. It was right before the I Am Music
Tour that was the first time I stopped deejaying for him.
TREDUBB: How did you get into being a manager?
Cortez Bryant: Basically, Lil Wayne and I were best friends during my senior
year in college and he called me up saying he needed help in taking his
career further. I didn’t know what I was doing but I was like, ³You my
homey, so we can learn together.² And that¹s how it all started off.
TREDUBB: How did you meet Lil Twist?
Cortez Bryant: The first time I met him we had a show for a radio station in
Dallas. I saw him at the show and he came up to me and gave me a CD and told
me the rap. The second time I met him, we did a show in Tyler, Texas and it
just so happened that I ran into him again and I remembered him from the
first time. He had a hard time – the promoter wouldn¹t let him open up for
Lil Wayne so I went up to the promoter and told him to make sure he put
Twist on stage. I watched him perform and I said this kid¹s got talent and
so we picked him up. That was four years ago.
TREDUBB: We see you stay busy getting it in! Congrats on all your
success, much respect to everything you do.
Cortez Bryant: Yeah, I appreciate that.
TREDUBB: Did you attend college to learn what you know to become a
manager?
Cortez Bryant: I went to college.
TREDUBB: What college did you attend?
Cortez Bryant: Jackson State University in Mississippi and I got a degree in
Communication. There are different elements that I use my degree with in
business, but it didn’t teach me how to be a manager. I learned that from
other people around me; I was just sitting back observing at the beginning.
TREDUBB: I am glad you are letting these entrepreneurs know this
because a lot of people that get into the game now think it’s easy to become
a manager. They think you just have to book shows so you have to get into
the business to learn the business side of it as well?
Cortez Bryant: Right!
TREDUBB: How is it working for Cash Money and Young Money?
Cortez Bryant: Well, Young Money/Cash Money is a family but it’s two
separate businesses. Cash Money supports Young Money and puts the music in
the stores, while Young Money is a separate entity. We¹ve got our own
business structure and Cash Money¹s got it’s own business structure, but
other than that they¹re both great and awesome just because of that family
environment. We¹ve got a tight bond and we communicate well with each other.
It’s more than just a job, It’s like you are part of a crew and we have fun
at the same time.
TREDUBB: Are Lil Wayne and Lil Twist the only artists you are managing
right now?
Cortez Bryant: And Drake!
TREDUBB: How is it working with Drake?
Cortez Bryant: It’s great. Drake is a great artist, he’s talented and I
learned a lot from him. He’s very marketable and he opened up a whole other
lane in Corporate America, like getting the Kodak deal.
TREDUBB: When you look for an artist, what are the key things you look
for?
Cortez Bryant: First thing would be talent. I believe with talent, you¹ve
got to be unique. You¹ve got to have something nobody has seen or heard of,
you¹ve got to have swag, you¹ve got to have that look. And all of that is
ultimately more important than just having talent. I mean, they¹ve got to
have some unique voice or sound to stand out from the millions of people out
right now, but what¹s most important after talent is the personality, swag
and look.
TREDUBB: And also their work ethic too.
Cortez Bryant: Yeah, definitely!
TREDUBB: What kind of advice would you have for any artist wanting to
pursue a music career?
Cortez Bryant: I advise them to go hard. If you¹re trying to be a rapper or
a singer, try to get support from their local radio station deejays and try
to pop in your region, but don’t try to do anything too big. Build a fan
base in your local region and make enough noise and a record label will come
looking for you.
TREDUBB: The ladies would like to know if you are single?
Cortez Bryant: Yea, I¹m single.
TREDUBB: With being in the industry, does it make it hard for you to
find someone committing to you and not the lifestyle you live?
Cortez Bryant: Yeah, that is definitely hard. That¹s one of the biggest
sacrifices in my personal relationships. I mean, it’s hard for a female to
stomach and deal with everything, especially with the traveling three to
four times a week. When I had a girlfriend, I probably saw her once a month
and that would be just for a couple of days. In the beginning, they would be
like, ³Yeah, I can handle it,² but then it wears down and the long distance
puts a strain on the relationship. Yeah, it’s hard to find somebody with how
busy I am.
TREDUBB: What kind of female interests you?
Cortez Bryant: She¹s got to have common sense. She¹s got to be smart and
somebody I can talk to and who I can laugh and have fun with. That¹s about
it.
TREDUBB: Do you do any charity work?
Cortez Bryant: I give back by speaking at high schools as well as being a
mentor and giving direction to those in need. I show them there is a better
way out than the streets so they don’t have to go through what I went
through when I started.
TREDUBB: Did Hurricane Katrina affect any of your family members?
Cortez Bryant: Yeah, I had a few family members there. It was really messed
up at first but everything is getting back on track now.
TREDUBB: Do you feel President Obama is doing his part to help out the
Hurricane Katrina victims?
Cortez Bryant: It’s not Obama, it’s more the state. The state has the funds
from the government, but I just don’t think the state of Louisiana is doing
what they need to do to make the funds work in the right places. I think
they¹re putting it into other areas like the French Quarters and not the
neighborhoods hit with poverty. Essentially, I don’t think it’s the
president; it’s the state of Louisiana and how they are distributing the
funds.
TREDUBB: What direction do you see Young Money going in?
Cortez Bryant: Up. We¹re going to be successful because we are going to be a
label where artists are able to cultivate their talent and grow with the
company.
TREDUBB: Are you working with any new artists?
Cortez Bryant: Lil Twist and Tyga will be the next artists coming out.
TREDUBB: Did Young Money sign T-Pain after all?
Cortez Bryant: We are still negotiating.
TREDUBB: Well me and Supastars Magazine appreciate your support
and taking the time to speak with us. We support Young Money/Cash Money and
all their artists. Shout out to U,Lil Twist, Birdman, Slim, Lil Wayne,Shanell, Drake,Tyga,Nicki Minaj,Bow Woww
Mack Maine,Dj Khaled Ace Hood and the rest of YMCMB family. Do you have any last words or
anything you want to say to the readers?
Cortez Bryant: I just want to say I appreciate u TreDuBB and Supastars Magazine for the
support and everybody that supports Young Money and Cash Money – we are
going to continue to give you good music.
INTERVIEW BY TREDUBB
