There's no official rule book when it comes to learning the ropes of artist management, but that didn't stop Anthony Saleh from snagging a spot on Forbes' 30 under 30 list.
Not only is he the CEO of the artist management firm Emagen Entertainment, he's also an influential member and part-time resident of Silicon Valley where he acts as an advisor to a collection of America's top technology start-up companies! Managing an impressive roster of artists, including the upcoming R&B sensation Alina Baraz, The West Coast's very own YG, Future 'Dirty Sprite' Hendrix, and hip-hop legend Nas, there's no doubt that Saleh has the industry know-how it requires to take music careers to new heights. Here are 5 solid reasons every artist would be lucky to have a manager like Anthony Saleh:1. He's good with money.
And we mean really good. Music management certainly isn't his only source of income, which is a quality every artists should seek out in a manager. He's had his hands in just about every sensible investment you wouldn't expect from a mogul in the making.
Over the past few years alone, Saleh and Nas have invested their own funds into 40 startups, including the Fancy, Coinbase, Rap Genius, Prism Skylabs, Zest Finance, Stance, mParticle, Proven, Earbits, Trendabl, Crowdtilt, 21E6, Balanced, MeCommerce, DeviantArt, 500 Startups, and many more. Sure, committing huge chunks of money to startup businesses is a major risk, but Saleh has proved that he's in it for the long haul.
2. He's a pretty genuine guy.
No one wants a jerk for a manager; that's a simple recipe for disaster.
“I think one of the some of the bigger lessons I learned pretty early is number one: there’s no reward in life for being a jerk, you don’t get a gold medal for being a jerk,” Saleh told The Influencer Economy. “... and sometimes that it’s not just about winning the battle or losing the battle. It’s also how you win or lose the battle that helps you properly for the war.”
3. He's not afraid of learning new things.
There's nothing worse than someone working in an industry they know nothing about. Saleh stumbled upon the music industry after taking a huge leap of faith, but figuring things out on his own is what got him to where he is today.
"When I didn't know something, I sought out the answer," he told XXL. "There’s no big deal in asking, “What’s this? What’s that?” I think people get a little nervous about asking [questions]. They’ll think that they’ll look dumb or inexperienced, but [forget] that, you have to learn it."
4. He doesn't mind keeping the limelight on his artists.
In a world where everyone seems to be selfishly searching for validation, it can be hard for up and coming artists to find a manager who isn't looking to steal their shine. Instead of being obsessed with who did what, Saleh would much rather make his contributions and enjoy the ride. According to the young entrepreneur, "You can accomplish anything in the world if you don’t care who gives the credit!"
5. He's knows when to make the right moves.
The rap game is certainly a game of chess over checkers. Simply knowing how to move the pieces on the board gives Saleh the potential to build an empire. According to Forbes, Saleh took the challenge of renovating the Future's career in late 2014 and was eager to prove that the rapper could create his own lane as a superstar. “He needed a team that he felt had his back for his vision. I advised him against doing a lot of features, and it worked," he told Forbes in an interview. "It made him feel like he was an independent act rather than a guy who just does big hooks. He had a lot more to offer than that.”
Want more of Anthony Saleh's golden advice? Join the A3Conversation w/ Freebandz Executive Team - The Future Of Music on Thursday October 6th @ 12:00 PM at the Loudermilk Center!
