Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanté.
Shanté, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Yes, I started a company called 222MAIN. It’s a brand consisting of a record label, management, and media company. The name was derived from my childhood address where the foundation of my passion for music was developed. During my pre-teen years, I started writing and creating music in my bedroom. It was my primary form of expression at a time when I didn’t feel as though I had a voice. As a teenager, I worked in different facets of the industry from modeling, to dance, and music. I signed with A+ Models in New York at 13 and attended Gwendolyn Bye Dance Center where I was active in theatre arts, ballet, and hip hop dance. Many of my early experiences in entertainment happened while living at that address, and were crucial times of development even as a person; some good, some bad, but all necessary for my journey. I had a very humble upbringing and it’s a reminder to never forget where you come from and keep your core values no matter how much success you gain. The number 222 also symbolizes happiness and prosperity gained through sharing and giving to others. It’s one of the personal reasons I believe that I am here, so it just made sense.
As of today, I have been in the music industry for 15 years as a songwriter, engineer, and producer. I have T.V Sync placements on VH1, Fox, & Google/AmazonVideo. I acquired an audio engineering certification from SAE Institute and went on to assist legendary mix engineer/producer Jean-Marie Horvat for a little while. From a professional standpoint, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Neumann University. I have worked for The Recording Academy/Grammys as an Awards Temp and Executive Assistant to the VP of Marketing Communications. I was also the music supervisor for the web-series God Complx Season 2. I always had a knack for business and entrepreneurship knowing that I am best suited to work for myself. As a child, my first “job” was a paper route that I loved doing and I also sold candy to my friends at school. I wasn’t as profitable at that, but it was a fun experience, lol. I have had plenty of jobs from then to now but felt the most success working for myself. I like the freedom it provides, creating your own schedule and managing your life the way you want to always resonates with me.
At the beginning of 2019, 222Main was officially launched with the intent to help up and coming talents push their careers forward through fair partnership deals while owning their own Masters. Our focus is to make sure the artist and his/her vision come to life without altering their truth. Our goal is to enhance their lives, not just through music, but through personal growth implementation so that they can sustain healthy lifestyles.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not, but I don’t believe that any road worth traveling is an easy road. When you step out on your own to go after your “dream” or “purpose,” you are bound to face adversities that most people would run away from. I don’t think we have enough time to tell my entire story thus far, but I have seen and experienced a lot on a personal and professional level, from bad partnerships, deals that looked promising that went left all of sudden, financial turmoil, homelessness, betrayal, being misunderstood, emotional breakdowns…I mean if you ask any entrepreneur that made it in any industry, it’ll pretty much be the same song.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the 222MAIN story. Tell us more about it.
As mentioned before, we are an entertainment brand consisting of a record label, management, and media company. As the founder, my main focus right now is artist management and development and putting that artist in a position to grow. Be it that we a fairly new, I am proud of the groundwork that my partners and I have put in so far. We have achieved yearly milestones in a matter of months and the momentum continues.
What sets us apart is again, our business model is based around being artist-forward and remaining independent. With the support of industry professionals, we’ve been able to cover a lot of ground quickly and it has put us in a position to make strategic partnerships that will contribute to scaling the brand to the next level. I am just grateful to be in a position to help someone else’s career manifest and also bring on the people that I care about the most and has supported me, to help them live out their dreams.
In a short period of time we have released 2 music videos and secured brand partnerships with Members Only and working on a major deal that will push our artists out much further. Our artist, Kimono Pat won Best Music Video at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, going up against Childish Gambino and Zedd. That was huge for us and opened up a few doors. He’s currently performing around the city at different venues and has a show coming up November 7th at The Peppermint Club. We look forward to continuing this journey and seeing where it takes us.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think the biggest shift in music is happening now with how we consume music through streaming. The same has happened within the culture, as Hip Hop has now become Pop music and the demand for Black music is at the highest it’s ever been. As I see it, It’s only going to get bigger from here.
Contact Info:
- Email: 222MainRecordings@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/Shante_Official
- Other: www.instagram.com/222Main
Image Credit:
Hugo Grey Photography
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
