After months and months of phone calls and following up, you finally get the meeting of a lifetime with a top record label, that you’ve been chasing for weeks. The A&R rep has agreed to give you a few minutes of his time. You spend most of the day prepairing for your one shot. Putting together your press kit, making sure you look good in the mirror, before you head out the door. As you approach the tall office building, you go over your pitch. As you stand in the lobby waiting for the elevator. An average looking African American male stands next to you, he has a low haircut and stands about medium height. He is also waiting for the elevator and he looks your way and smiles. You glance over at him and smile back. Thinking to yourself “if this guy only knew that I’m on the way to a meeting that is going to be big”!! And you chuckle to yourself , he probably works in the mailroom.” “He wouldnt be interested.”

As you both enter the elevator. You decide against making small talk with the “mail” guy. You have to focus on your meeting. This time is too important to have idle chit chat with this guy who knows nothing about the music business. He gets off on his floor. The elevator door closes and you wait a few more seconds before exiting out on your floor.

As you approach the receptionist with a big smile. You state your name and she apologizes, to say that your appointment has been cancelled. The A&R guy had an emergency come up and had to leave right away. DAMN! So close to meeting the big executive who could make it happen for you.

In reality you lost out two ways. ..:

The guy on the elevator wasn’t the mail room guy, he was James Lassiter. Will Smith’s business partner in the mega entertainment company Overbrook. The guy that you chuckled at on the ride up just received a grammy nomination for the film In the Pursuit of Happyness. A lot of artists know about Dallas Austin, Clive Davis and Oprah. But who is running the show behind Oprah? Does anyone know who Diane Hudson is? If Robbi Reed were standing in line at the checkout counter in front of you, would you recognize her?

How many opportunities did you miss, especially if you live in LA, New York or Atlanta. When I’m in the airport waiting for my flight. I am constantly scanning the crowd. You never know.

A very long time ago, I was a freelance writer for Right On! magazine. An urban teen magazine complete with celebrity stories and photos. Right On! has been around for years.

One day I woke up and said “I want to be a freelance writer”. Just like that. Sat down and started calling every music magazine in New York City.

Everyone laughed and hung up on me except one person, Cynthia Horner, Editor for Right On! magazine. I Love You, Cynthia!! She gave me a chance to write a full issue on hip hop. I could pick anyone I wanted to interview. I picked Public Enemy(BombSquad producers) , Big Daddy Kane, Audio Two, Finesse and Synquis, Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince and a few others.

I bring all of this up to say that when I met Fresh Prince(Will Smith) and Jazzy Jeff (Jeff Townes) in the office of their publicist (Bill Adler). I Also met their road manager, James Lassiter.

I ran into JL a few years ago on the set of Fresh Prince of BelAir. No longer a road manager for Fresh Prince but now a major player. Today he is on the cover of Black Enterprise magazine. Look at his picture. Did you brush past him at the last music convention?

Everyday you are running around trying to make things happen, but you never knew who you are standing next to. Make it your business to learn who the players are. Everyone knows Jermaine Dupree but does anyone know Sylvia Rhone? Here are few more people to know. Get to know their name and faces. As you read this, they could be standing right in front of you.

Robbi Reed – Casting
Reuben Cannon – Casting
Nelson George -Director/Writer
Jacquie Jordan – TV producer
Bill Coleman – Manager