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Media Mastermind Justin Hunte- Create Your Own Path

Justin Hunte is the Head of Video Production & Development for Ambrosia For Heads, and Director of Content and Strategic Marketing at Empire Distribution. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of HipHopDX, Hunte is the architect behind DX’s video platform and creator of popular series, #DXBreakdown. Hunte’s also a weekly contributor to Shade45’s All Out Show on SiriusXM.

In 2017, he participated in a debate at the prestigious Oxford Union on whether Kanye West is more relevant than William Shakespeare. A graduate of Wofford College, Hunte spent 5 years working at Bank Of America/Merrill Lynch.  He sacrificed a profitable investment banking career in order to follow his passion, with the goal of becoming the greatest Hip-Hop writer on the planet.  Hunte has since covered music, politics, and culture for numerous publications, and is a great example for anyone who has a dream and a vision, but is hesitant to take the necessary leap of faith.  Hopefully this episode inspires you to take the next step.

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Show Notes:

3:16 Justin was inspired to give up a profitable career in investment banking

8:54 The goal of being the greatest Hip-Hop writer of all time

11:21 Justin talks about the start of his on air experience

16:05 How Justin manifested his career as a writer

28:18 Living at the edge of your capabilities and growing

29:58 Why Master P is the most successful person Justin knows

33:49 The importance of failure

39:11 The impact of Martin Shkreli’s interview with Justin Hunte

47:51 Creating deeper long form content

54:27 People gravitate towards extremes

58:21 Justin took a job with Empire to learn more about the Industry inner workings

1:07:28 Do artists need to live in a metropolitan music hub?

1:12:09 How Justin responded to being fired from his volunteer job at Brooklyn Bodega

1:20:15 The importance of maintaining your faith during the hard times

1:22:48 Everything is achievable

1:36:54 How Justin would spend a $10,000 album release budget

1:45:43 Justin doesn’t allow money to dictate his decisions

1:46:36 The perfection of Kendrick Lamar’s Damn album

Check out this episode!

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Journalist Soren Baker- A Love for Hip-Hop Created a Lifetime of Opportunities

Soren Baker is an incredibly respected journalist in the world of Hip-Hop. After years of writing and interviewing numerous rap legends, he went on to become the editor at The Source magazine, which was the bible for all of us Hip-Hop heads growing up. More recently, his online channel Unique Access Entertainment has surpassed one million views on YouTube. As you’ll see, Soren is also a true Hip-Hop scholar, historian, and fan. Find out how Soren’s love for Hip-Hop culture and rap music has led to amazing opportunities to pen books and write for television and films.

13:59 Why Soren stood out as a young writer
16:56 Soren always tried to make the story compelling about each artist, no matter what his personal opinion was
19:58 Soren explains why he should have tried to be more visible earlier in his career
23:43 Why genuine relationship lead to great opportunities
27:23 YouTube as a revenue stream
34:51 Why Outkast is the best group of all time
36:57 Why A Tribe Called Quest went downhill
40:43 Soren sets himself apart by studying an artist’s entire catalog instead of just the single
47:04 Being a good listener is fundamental to being a good writer
48:06 Writers need to make the articles about the artist, not about themselves
52:11 The importance of being diverse in creating revenue streams
1:08:25 The importance of follow through
1:14:48 How Soren sets and accomplishes goals
1:18:19 Soren’s advice for an artist who had a $5000 album budget
1:20:31 The value or lack thereof of a publicist
1:27:40 Soren’s dad told him not to take a job he didn’t want, which led to a gig with Rap Pages

Check out this episode!