By – Derrius Edwards – @rawcommnc
Sometimes it’s not a matter of what you know, but instead it’s of importance who you know, or in this case who knows you.
At the crossroad where business and getting sh*t done meets, one name in particular tells the story of an undeniable work ethic and a name that rings bells, Dee.
Casino, Young Scooter, Trina, NBA Youngboy, Key Glock, Pap Chanel, Lil Baby etc. the list goes on. The depth of who Dee325booking agency has worked with knows no limit.
You can imagine the level of trust and accountability required to carry out the day-to-day task associated with a position of such value.
Leading the role as a force capable of acquiring some of the most sought out and talked about talent, Dee is good at what he does to say the least.
But what exactly does Dee do?
We had the opportunity to catch up with Dee to discuss how he got started in the entertainment industry and his agency.
Q: What is it exactly that you do?
A: I do management, artist development, but my foundation comes from my booking agency, Dee325booking.
Q: How did you get started?
A: It was crazy bro. I started out doing bouncer work at night clubs. When artist would come in, everybody else was so intrigued by the artist, but I was more fascinated with the person responsible for bringing the artist and making sure everything ran smooth.
One of my first times working this club in Tuscaloosa we had Yo Gotti coming. He had a manager named Pepper at the time and while everyone was excited about Gotti coming, I was focused more on talking to Pepper. Once he started giving me game and showing me how it worked, I started building up my portfolio with different celebrities in Atlanta. My phone started ringing and I had people paying me because I could get close that certain celebrity.
People have to trust you. Once I figured out what worked best, that’s really how it all started.
Q: When did you get started with your agency?
A: I started my booking agency in 2012. People don’t know, I went through all the proper channels to get in touch with promoters etc. I found ways to talk to people that knew nothing about me and connect with them enough to trust me to book their next talent.
People have to trust that you can be the one to deliver.
Q: What motivates you?
A: To be honest, my passion. My father, he would throw concerts and parties in Birmingham, Alabama and man I just knew. I remember when I was 14, I told my mom I would move to Atlanta and work in the music business. Everybody till this day is tripped out, because I moved to Atlanta, with $3,000 dollars and no car. I’ve been here ever since.
When I was in school, one of the first things they taught us was: who, what, when, where and why. I made a flyer promoting a house-party at my home address, while my parents were out of town. I made like 30 flyers, everyone started making copies at school to the point where the student body came and said they were going to contact my parents. My parents really weren’t going out of town, I just put that on the flyer so people would come. But man, just seeing all the people showing up at my house just lit a fire in me.
Q: What makes your agency different than others?
A: I’m more so hands-on, regarding trying to build long term. I’m going to provide my opinion from my personal experience. It’s not just about the money, I want the long-term relationship. I’m actually book something and actually come to the show, win, lose or draw.
Q: Closing remarks?
A: Dee325booking will be here for a while. If you want to get in touch with any celebrity, this the place to get it done. I can make it happen.
For more updates with Dee325booking, be sure to follow Dee @dee325booking