Join the building session!

I'm excited to announce that I've partnered with SondSurge — a live, fan-powered music discovery platform where artists compete on a real-time chart driven by real listeners, not industry connections or opaque algorithms. No label. No gatekeepers. No algorithm deciding who gets heard. There are two ways to get involved: 🎧 Have a released track? If your music is already on Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud, YouTube, or another streaming platform, you can submit it directly to the SondSurge Chart. • Free to submit • Keep 100% of your rights • Compete for chart placement based on real fan votes and engagement Submit here: https://sondsurge.com/submit 🔥 Have an unreleased track? If your song isn't out yet, submit it to a Live Surge session. Your music will be played live for real listeners and curators who provide immediate feedback. Once the track is officially released, you can then submit it to the chart and start competing for votes. Submit here: https://sondsurge.com/livesurges 📈 Watch the chart move in real time Every vote matters. Every share matters. The rankings change based on genuine community engagement. Explore the live chart: https://sondsurge.com/discover I'm sharing this with the Future Producer Society community before announcing it publicly. Right now, the chart is brand new, which means early submissions have a unique opportunity to establish themselves while the community grows. Getting your music on the chart now gives you the chance to build momentum from the very beginning. My live reviews aren't going anywhere overnight. I'll continue working through the existing review queue while we gradually introduce SondSurge into the community. Over time, I see this becoming the primary destination for music discovery, fan engagement, and chart growth. If you already have music released, don't wait. Claim your spot on the chart. Start building momentum.

Today is a difficult one. Like many in Atlanta's music community, I'm saddened to hear about the passing of Alley Boy. When we first relocated from New York to Atlanta, Alley Boy was one of the very first artists we built with. We created records together during an important period in both of our journeys, and I got to witness firsthand why he meant so much to this city. Not every artist changes the entire industry. Some change a city. Some become the soundtrack to neighborhoods, inspire the next generation, and leave a cultural imprint that can't be measured by charts or streams alone. Alley Boy was one of those artists. As producers, we often focus on placements, royalties, and building careers. But moments like this remind us that behind every record is a person, a family, and a legacy that extends far beyond the music. If you've had the privilege of working with artists throughout your career, cherish those relationships. Document the stories. Save the photos. Keep the sessions. One day those memories become part of music history. We're grateful we had the opportunity to create alongside Alley Boy, and we'll always remember the impact he had on Atlanta and everyone who believed in his vision. Rest easy, brother. 💫 RIP Alley Boy 💫

Welcome to the Future Producer Society — you made it in. This community is built for producers and independent artists who want to level up in today’s industry, especially with the rise of AI, new creative tools, and modern music workflows. Let’s kick things off the right way. Drop your intro below and share: 1. Who you are (name or alias) 2. What you make (genre, style, or tools you use) 3. What you’re working toward (placements, AI workflows, consistency, sync, etc.) 4. What you want to learn here No pressure — short or long is fine.The whole point is to connect with creators who are serious about growing. Welcome in — take a second and say what’s up. 👇 Drop your intro in the comments.

When most people read the headlines, they see one story: "Jermaine Dupri and So So Def sue Sony Music for more than $18 million in alleged unpaid royalties." The conversation immediately becomes about who's right, who's wrong, and whether the lawsuit will succeed. But if you've spent enough time in the music business, you see something very different. You see a reminder that the biggest challenge often begins after the hit record is made. Regardless of how this lawsuit is ultimately resolved, it highlights something every producer, songwriter, artist, and independent label should understand: Getting paid isn't a single event. It's an ongoing business process that can last decades. Most Producers Think The Process Looks Like This Create the beat. Get the placement. The record is released. Royalties arrive. The End. Unfortunately, that isn't how the music business works. In reality, a successful record can generate income for 30, 40, or even 50 years. During that time, the rights attached to that recording may pass through multiple labels, distributors, publishers, royalty systems, accounting departments, mergers, software migrations, estates, business managers, and ownership changes. Every one of those transitions creates opportunities for administrative errors, missing information, delayed payments, or unresolved questions. The Work Usually Starts When Something Doesn't Add Up Many producers don't begin investigating their royalty accounts until they notice something doesn't seem right. Maybe a statement looks unusually small. Maybe royalties stop appearing. Maybe a song becomes more successful than expected, but the accounting doesn't reflect that success. Maybe another producer mentions they're receiving payments you never knew existed. That's when the real work begins. Not making music. Finding answers. The Search For Information One of the biggest misconceptions about royalty recovery is that someone simply "checks the numbers." In reality, the process often starts with locating documents that may not have been seen in years.