Expand and see what Prolific Magazine  had to say about us on Page 30

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Moe:  I am so excited to feature Digital Platinum A&R in Urban Mogul Magazine.  The first thing I have to do however, is to introduce the man of the hour, CEO of Digital Platinum A&R, Mr. Carlos Johnson.  If I may, I want to rewind the clock for a moment.  Can you give us a brief description of your background?

 

Carlos:  I was born in Youngstown Ohio. Attended Youngstown College of Business. Spent 4 years in the Air Force. Worked on Wall St. as a stockbroker and worked with some of the largest investment companies and mutual fund companies in the world. Black belt martial artist. Play 7 musical instruments. Read, write, compose, and performed my own music. Was scouted to play professional baseball before a career ending knee injury. Former Guardian Angel.

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Moe:  It is my understanding that you have tested at a genius I.Q.  Do you feel like because of that there has been or is a lot of pressure on you to succeed?

 

Carlos:  I have a tested I.Q. of 154. I probably could have scored higher but I fell asleep during the test. People feel high I.Q. equals automatic success. It doesn’t. I put extreme pressure on myself to be the best I can be. My I.Q. is just a number. It takes vision, purpose, and faith to succeed.  Pressure comes from not living up to your God-given potential.

 

Moe:  I understand that before you created Digital Platinum A&R, you were a musician.  Tell us a little about that journey and why you chose a new career path.

 

Carlos:  Back when I was a musician, there was no internet promotion. There was none of the digital media we have today. The journey was tough because I was considered a gifted musician with a great stage show, but could not get my music heard. I had a unique sound, but I did not have contacts. In this business, contacts are everything. Without contacts, you may as well be playing your music for your friends and family.

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Moe:  Has music always been an important element in your life?

 

Carlos:  Music has always been therapy for me. I had to endure mental and physical abuse basically since I was 5 years old. I would stay in my room for hours on end listening to and studying music. I studied and read about the music greats. Music made its way into my subconscious mind to a point where I could see the notes of the music. I developed perfect pitch by turning my back to a piano and still know what notes were being played. To say music was an important element in my life is an understatement. Music became my life.

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Moe:  You experienced as most entrepreneurs do during their ascension upwards, some rough times, even homelessness.  Tell us about that and the defining moment that caused you to turn your life around.

 

Carlos:  I went from sleeping on the streets to working on Wall Street. I knew what I wanted so bad that I was willing to go homeless to get it. I can definitely be considered one of America’s risk takers. I invest heavily in myself financially, spiritually, physically, and mentally. The turning point came when I was sleeping in my car and I hit a point where I said to myself, I am going to succeed or die on the streets…and I meant it. The next day, I went knocking on doors on Wall Street.

 

Moe:  Let’s talk about when and why you created Digital Platinum A&R. 

 

Carlos:  I had the idea for Digital Platinum back in 2009 while watching some snippets of American Idol. I saw how people were sleeping on the streets just to get their shot in front of the judges. I saw how many people were in a stadium with hopes of getting on the show. That showed me the independent music market is huge. I created Digital Platinum A&R to give independent artists the opportunity to audition for and speak with music industry executives who are willing to mentor, develop, and possibly sign artists.

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Moe:  Digital Platinum A&R is not one dimensional. You cater to various clientele and professions within the entertainment industry.  Please explain.

 

Carlos:  Digital Platinum A&R has drawn attention from a couple of Silicon Valley investors, as well as investors from New York. The reason why is that we have the technology to become a multi-national music conglomerate due to our multiple platforms. We will have an entertainment division, music division, A&R division, and publishing division. I cannot discuss specific technologies for obvious reasons. We have partnerships with major and independent record labels, entertainment companies, Grammy-winning producers. It’s kind of strange because I now have these same types of individuals contacting me.

 

Moe:  What is proprietary about Digital Platinum A&R?  Explain why you are not just an ordinary pop up A&R company.

 

Carlos:  We are taking Digital A&R to a new level. Not only are we looking to pioneer the concept of digital a&r, we will run it on multiple platforms. We are running Mansion Showcases, Digital Platinum Live! which will be our radio show, we are going to stream shows worldwide on Digital Platinum A&R TV, not to mention our soon to be released Membership Card initiative which will give our member access and discounts to goods and services the world over. We are pioneering the digital a&r industry. We are innovators. We are creative thinkers.  Just like Steve Jobs of Apple said…..Think Different, which is what we do. Others will try to imitate what we do but they will never duplicate what we do.

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Moe:  I love that you have found a way to bridge a gap between artists and authentic A&R’s who actually work directly with prominent record labels.  What are some of the labels you are currently working with?

 

Carlos:  Konvict, Bad Boy, Def Jam, Island Def Jam, Ruff Ryders. So So Def, Society Music Group, Elite Music Group, we also have contacts with EMI, Atlantic, and various entertainment companies, music publishers, radio airplay promoters, digital music distribution firms, artist development firms, and more.

 

Moe:  There is always something new and interesting to learn in the entertainment industry.  What good and positive things have you learned about the business that you have truly taken to heart?

 

Carlos:  Stay true to yourself and your art. Music is an expression of your inner being. Never forsake that. If you meet the right person at the right time, you could be well on your way to superstardom.

 

Moe:  On the flip side…what have you learned working in the industry thus far, that has been a hard lesson learned?

 

Carlos:  Be careful who you deal with. When people see you have something unique and marketable, they are your friend. If you do not have much to offer, they are not looking to deal with you, even on a friendship level. Nobody wants to hear from you when you are just starting out…but when you start to gain traction, now everybody wants a piece of what you are doing.  The industry is very self-centered.

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Moe:  Everything comes down to dollars and cents.  What should an artist expect to invest when working with Digital Platinum A&R?  Low to high end?

 

Carlos:  That would depend on the services they want to utilize.  Our music and video auditions range from $60 to $120. Our other services depend on the needs of the artist. For instance, getting prime radio spots with our partners in major markets can run from $2,500 to $5,000. Getting in front of our major Artist Development execs can run as much as $1,500 to $2,500 just to get your material reviewed.  We get great deals with our Artist Promotion partners ranging from $1,500 to $4,500.  To promote yourself in this business, you need a budget. Plain and simple.

 

Moe:  What can an artist expect from Digital Platinum A&R when they work with you?

 

Carlos:  For those artists that are serious about investing in their music, we provide the exposure, the resources and contacts for any serious artist to make a power move. You can grind all you want, but if no one of influence ever sees you, you will not be taken serious and there will be nothing separating you from the millions of others out there around the world grinding. Smart artists who treat their music career as a business will reach for every lifeline offered. You need exposure, resources, and contacts.  That is a cold, hard fact of this business.  Too many artists are looking to get something for nothing and will try to nickel and dime companies. We do not bother with those artists.

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Moe:  Why do you feel creating a digital platform for a professional A&R company was important?

 

Carlos:  Simple.  Music has gone digital, so it was just a matter of time before a company like Digital Platinum A&R came on the scene. Music big shots are now taking us serious because of our innovative thinking and creative concepts. We will be running on multiple platforms to give artists maximum exposure and credibility. All we have to do is recommend an artist to a label and they will get an audition.  That’s credibility. Any artist that does not embrace digital media and technology is completely missing the boat.

 

Moe:  You have taken a very innovative approach to help fuse the gap between artists and true A&R’s.  How are the label A&R’s that you are dealing with on a personal level, appreciating the ease and convenience of being able to use your platform to become acquainted with the artists you present to them?

 

Carlos:  They are very enthusiastic to be working with us. We act as a quasi-agent for our partners.  We filter out the artists who are looking to waste our partners’ time with nonsense. They really appreciate us for that.  Our partners have embraced our A&R business model.  We call it our A&R Management Initiative.  A first for the industry.

 

Moe:  What are the steps one must take to become a part of the Digital Platinum A&R roster?

 

Carlos:  I personally hand-pick the artists I want to work with. The artists I sign to Digital Platinum A&R will get guaranteed auditions and phone time with our partners. We will pay all fees and expenses related to auditions and travel.

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Moe:  Where do you see Digital Platinum A&R in terms of the near future, say five to seven years from now?

 

Carlos:  We will definitely be world-wide. We are already getting submissions from all over the world. In five years, we will have satellite offices around the country and within 7 years…around the world.

 

Moe:  How do you feel being a pioneer in a way that will impact and affect the way the music industry does business?

 

Carlos:  I feel very blessed. I feel like Steven Jobs must have felt when he first started Apple Computer in a garage.  All he wanted to do was sell a computer…now look at what it has morphed into. That’s how I feel about Digital Platinum A&R. We are a digital a&r startup that would have shot to superstardom had we been in Silicon Valley. We are definitely going to lead the way in the realm of digital a&r.

 

Moe:  I can not let you get out of this interview without asking you for inspirational words for those who are moguls in the making.  What are your words of wisdom for those that are dreaming of a better future.

 

Carlos:  Having a definitive purpose gives you a vision.  Vision gives you clarity.  Clarity increases faith. And Faith is what breathes life into your purpose.  Believe in yourself and never waver.  Doubt has no place in the mind of a mogul-in-the-making.

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Moe:  How can music artists, entertainers, moguls, advertisers and other high profile A&R’s connect with you?

 

Carlos:  I can be reached by email at (digitalplatinum.ceo@gmail.com). Go to our website at www.digitalplatinum.net and you will be prompted to visit our new site at http://digitalplatinumceo.wix.com/digital-platinum#!home/mainPage​

 

Moe:  Is there anything else you would like to say before we close out this interview?

 

Carlos:  We would like to thank all the artists who have supported us and have used our services. We are grateful and are here to support your efforts to hit the big time. We will do our best to provide you with quality. Our partners are here to help you and to give you the shot you feel you deserve.  Try us out and see for yourself. 

 

Moe:  It’s been a pleasure.  I wish you many blessings and a wonderful future with Digital Platinum A&R.

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