On September 3, New York City’s Hot 97 held its monthly “Who’s Next Live” music series at S.O.B.’s, hosted by the station’s own, Peter Rosenberg. The event was headlined by one of hip-hop’s newest and most talked about MCs, Asher Roth. Joining him on the bill was Shalone and the classic group Heltah Skeltah.

Opening up the night in front of a packed house was the lyrically talented and rhythmic assassin, Homeboy Sandman. Next to do his thing was Shalone, assited by a couple of associates on stage, getting the crowd warmed up for the main attraction. Following Shalone’s set, Peter Rosenberg issued some commentary for a few minutes about the man that packed the venue - Asher Roth.

After the introduction, Asher made his presence felt immediately. Joined by a band of herbalist (they passed the weed like it was the mic), the Morrisville, Pennsylvania rapper, delved into songs from his mixtape, “The Greenhouse Effect,” performing “Roth Boys,” “They Know,” “Cannon,” and an acapella of “Just Listen.” After concluding his set, the crowd encouraged Asher for one last song, in which the rapper signed to SRC decided to do his rendition of “A Millie,” graced onstage by fellow up-and-coming artists - Mickey Factz and Charles Hamilton.

Although “The Industry’s Guide” departed before Heltah Skeltah rocked the stage, we now know that the comparisons to Marshall Matthers need to stop (the only thing the two artists have in common is that they’re both talented white rappers; if anything, he’s more comparable to the Beastie Boys ). However, our verdict is in, Asher Roth has the talent, stageshow and charisma to make some headway in the world of hip-hop.

On June 10, 2008, New York City’s premier music showcase, R&B Live, celebrated its one-year anniversary at its regular Times Square habitat of Spotlight Live. The featured guest on hand to help commemorate the special night was Akon and his roster of Kon Live artists.

Produced by 1st Class Entertainment co-founders and music executives Shanti Das (Executive VP of Urban Marketing and Artist Development for Universal Motown) and Eric Nicks (former SVP of A&R for Universal Motown and current manager of the Trackmasters); Lenny “The Barber” Hansen (LTB Entertainment), and DSA Media, the show’s existence is resonating throughout the industry. Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Shanti Das stated: “I think it’s really a monumental day for us because I can remember when my partner and I first started talking about this concept about three—three and a half years ago, and now I feel like R&B Live is the staple for the music industry; and in New York it’s very exciting for us because we were able to accomplish something that hasn’t been done in a very long time.”

This exclusive, invite-only event has become a haven for music executives, recording artists, actors, and other notable entertainment personalities. A major attraction of the event is the venue’s supper club style seating, which enables patrons to dine and watch urban music’s top performers of past and present showcase their talent, creating a casual atmosphere for members of the music community to relax, socialize amongst peers, and be fans on the night.

There were a number celebrities in attendance to observe the milestone, including: Ne-Yo, Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes, Michelle Williams, Nina Sky, Yung Berg, DJ Clue, DJ Scratch, The DJ Twinz, Monami Entertainment’s Mona Scott, Czar Entertainment’s Jimmy Henchmen, Imani Entertainment Group’s Manny Haley, Upfront Entertainment’s Devyne Stephens, Hot 97 Program Director Ebro Darden, Hot 97’s Asst Program Director/Music Director Jill Strada, MTV Director of Music & Talent Buttahman, VH1’s Sr. Director of Music Programming Breeze, VH1’s Music & Talent Relations Manager Angela Fisher, BET producer Candida Boyette, actor/comedian Tony Rock, and choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson.

Comedian and host, Drew Fraser, warmed up the audience with an assortment of jokes, establishing the mood before the start the show. The first act to hit the stage was new artist Colby O’Donis, performing his debut single, “What You Got” featuring label boss Akon. Next up was Ray Lavender singing his hit record “My Girl Gotta Girlfriend,” much to the delight of the female patrons. While the first two acts fit nicely into the R&B theme, the night was sparked by the hip-hop acts in Akon’s camp. Brooklyn MC Red Café set the tone for the rest of the evening when he performed his street anthem, “Paper Touchin’,” causing the VIPs to bob their heads and mimic the rhymes in excitement.

Following the great performances by the artists from the States, R&B Live went international, bringing the Caribbean to 49th Street and Broadway. Performing for the first time in New York City was Akon’s group from Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands—Rock City. In opening their set, the brothers showed their appreciation for hip-hop by playing a medley of classic rap songs: “Eric B. Is President,” “Luchini aka This Is It,” and “Hip-Hop Hooray,” immediately winning the support of the crowd. After performing their catchy debut single “Losin’ It,” Rock City elevated the energy level in the building to high, turning the showcase into Carnival with a Calypso inspired routine that forced celebrity guests like Busta Rhymes, Mona Scott and other notable attendees to participate in the revelry by merrily waving their table napkins in the air.

Anchoring R&B Live’s lineup of Kon Live acts was the touted Toronto rapper Kardinal Offishall. The artist of Jamaican heritage started things off with his rendition of “The Tide is High” featuring Rihanna (she wasn’t in attendance), originally made by rocksteady group The Paragons, and later remade by Blondie during the ‘80s. For the finale, Akon joined him onstage, lending his voice to Kardinal Offishall’s single “Dangerous,” before the CEO closed the show with his Kon Live family in tow, serenading Spotlight Live with a few of his featured hits including, “We Takin’ Over,” “I Wanna Love You,” and “Soul Survivor.”

Traditionally, recording artists have been the principal recipients of public praise and admiration for their creative offerings, and are generally recognized as the face of the music industry. But with the success of highly acclaimed producers such as Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Swizz Beatz, notoriety has shifted from being exclusive to artists, as the composers behind the hits are now starting to garner equal attention in the spotlight.

Capitalizing from the rise of popularity in musical production is the service company, iStandard Producers. Started in 2005 by founders Don Di Napoli and Jason “J. Hatch” Hadshian, iStandard Producers connects promising beatmakers with the recording industry at-large. A hallmark of the company is the monthly globetrotting iStandard Producers showcase, which offers fledgling producers the forum to display their production skills in a formal beat battle. The event mobilizes members of the music community to assemble, network, collaborate and promote their artistic efforts in a sonic-friendly environment.

“The main purpose is to provide opportunities for up-and-coming producers to get seen and heard by the industry that they try so hard to get in front of. We break down the barriers and share our relationships with the producers. It’s also a great atmosphere for artists and producers to build and create music from the underground level up,” states J. Hatch.

In addition to executive duties, J. Hatch functions as the host of the event, setting the mood for the aspiring producers to confidently tout their material by employing the mantra that “every contestant is a superstar.” Since the iStandard Producers showcase is a competition, a myriad of music professionals (A&Rs, publishers, producers, etc.) are commissioned to judge the talent and offer their critiques of the producers’ respective tracks (sometimes to the contestants dismay). 

Although the panelists serve as arbiters of the music, they are also there to assess the producers’ potential for future opportunities and projects. In fact, a few iStandard Producer showcase participants have placed beats with some of urban music’s biggest names. “Producers that have been in our showcase have had placements with the likes of 50 Cent, Fabolous, Jill Scott, The Clipse, Snoop Dogg, and many more. We never promise anyone that they will be guaranteed a placement from our shows, you just get the connects and from there it’s on you,” says Don Di Naopli.

While New York City and Philadelphia have been the primary locations for the contests, iStandard Producers has extended the brand to include other cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix (this past March, the company packaged its format and participated in Sha Money XL’s 2008 “One Stop Shop Producers Conference”), and Miami, where they are hosting a “Beats on the Beach” showcase in October. (Plans are also in development to venture into Boston, Houston and Virginia.)

Even though iStandard Producers is an event that helps producers hone the technical aspects of their craft and provides new talent with a gateway to enter the music industry, it is also a valuable medium for novices to learn and educate themselves about the business of music production. And while receiving advice from industry insiders is normally difficult to obtain, the perks the showcase offers new producers is invaluable. “To gain knowledge from some of the most influential in music is priceless,” concludes J. Hatch. 

To learn more information about iStandard Producers, visit their website at istandardproducers.com.