Q & A Session With Johnny Mixxxx

Q & A WITH JOHNNY MIXXXX
BY: A. Muller
1. How did you get started in the music industry?
When I was 14 my sister married a DJ.  He asked me if I would like to help him set up and take down shows for a quick $20.  All I had to do was wear a suit and free food was included with the offer.  The first show I helped out with was a wedding.  I watched everything my brother-in-law did and then saw his paycheck at the end of the night.  I knew right then and there that being a DJ was what I wanted to do.  Starting off my career as a dj progressing into a producer and then a manager.  By the time I was 16 I had hosted every possible show you could imagine and set my sites on creating music from scratch using a keyboard, some music loops and a newly self taught program called Acid Pro 3.0.  In February 2008 I began working for a company called Discover Stars and was managing 5 bands.  I finally found my niche but realized that I needed to break away from DS if I wanted to pursue my career more seriously.  In August 2008 I teamed up with Quincy Taylor from ITW Marketing and we started StarMusicMedia.com.  The rest is history.


2. Who have you worked with?
Numerous artists in all genres throughout the years.  Artists from Texas, Alaska, Norway, Australia, U.K., Germany and Africa.  My first big collaboration came in 2003 when I worked with 2Pac's cousin C Rocc Amare Shakur, Brothers 4 The Struggle and the Poetic Hustlaz from the Mo Thug Family.


3. What kind of experience do you bring to the table?
I've been in the music industry since I was 14.  So I guess you could say roughly 18 years in the business. I've also been a part of over 500 shows in my lifetime whether djing, hosting, booking, creating or promoting.  I've been the entertainment director for Six Flags Ohio and Christie's Cabaret.  I started my own DJ company when I was 16 which is still in business till this day.  Started producing in 2000 and formed johnnymixxxx.com in 2004.  I was one of the original beat selling producers who was on Soundclick.com and started selling beats in 2004.  Other things I contribute to the industry include booking, management, promotion, website, flyer and ticket design, printing, blog posting, producing, recording, beat making, selling, branding and copyrights.  I've hosted almost every single high school function within a 100 mile radius of Cleveland and understand what the kids want to hear and who they are requesting.


NOTABLE EVENTS: New Music Seminars, Nerve DJ Conferences, Ohio Hip-Hop Awards, The Network, Big Heffs Industry Tour
NOTABLE ARTISTS: Ray Cash, Slim Thug, Da Kennel, Cali Miles, Big Mucci, J'Anelle Avery, Cory Gunz, Flesh N Bone, Tropikana, DJ Pana, Aaron Lafette, Machine Gun Kelly, Minus P, DJ Blazita, Proph The Problem, GLC, Gorilla Zoe, Lil Wyte 
NOTABLE SPOTS: Dr. Oz Show, MTV, z107.9, 96.5 kiss fm


4. What do you have to say to your critics?
There will always be haters in this business.  Look at my track record, the music I make and the people I work with.  We must be doing something right for anyone to try and put us down.  I do love when they talk about me the most.  What they don't realize is that every time you mention my name whether good or bad, it only gives me free promotion.  When you say my name, people are searching it, when you use my name in a song, people are looking for me.  In 2011 alone SMM was a part of its 3rd Ohio Hip-Hop Awards show, had 4 people affiliated with SMM that were nominated for awards with 1 out of 4 taking home the best turntablist award world famous DJ Jack Da Rippa.  We recorded 90 tracks in 90 days releasing 4 different mixtapes one of which has logged over 130,000 downloads in 2 weeks, Slim Jim's AD/HD.  We had 2 artists make there way onto radio for the Z107.9 home jamz contest.  We are constantly booked and receive new offers for shows and collab's daily.


5. Any advice to up and coming artists?
If you ask me for my opinion on your music and I tell you I don't like it, please do not call me a hater.  If you are not properly branding yourself the proper way in this industry, do not waste my time.  It takes money to make money.  Most of these cats expect a deal on platter and like to talk a lot of smack when things don't go there way.  This industry never sleeps.  You have to get active, attend seminars, network, get in the streets and LISTEN to what people are really saying about your music.  If you have friends who support your music even though the music is wack, they are not your friends.  If you think your going to get famous by promoting yourself on Facebook, quit now.  If you complain about spending money to further better your career, quit now.  


PREVIOUS ARTICLE: http://starmusicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-it-takes-to-be-star-by-jmix.html


6. Most memorable show?
There's so many to list.  One of my favorites was a Flesh N Bone show we recently put on.  I was listening to this guy rap back when I was in high school and would've never thought that one day I would be booking him for a show let alone sharing the same stage as him.  I also enjoy watching SMM artists put on a show.  They bring energy and music that always gets the crowd up off there feet and in front of the stage.


7. Current team?
Our team is complete with everyone handling business in there own way.  Our poster boys are Danny Wells, Slim Jim and Young Low.  Production is handled by David Shockey and P. Bubbli.  We have Cali Miles doing up-tempo tracks and putting together her own modeling agency.  We have Nick Zuber who was recently on tour with Howie Day and has been in the studio working on a collaboration album with Danny Wells.  Young Low moved to Florida and has already taken over that state recently performing for Mya at her birthday party and keeping busy booking shows.  Slim Jim has recently finished his latest mixtape titled AD/HD and is focused on branding his name and booking shows daily.  Our photographer Nick Edmundson has been busy shooting private events and people.  We locked down our official host and dj for any and all future shows, Shugabooga aka The King Of The Club and World Famous DJ Jack Da Rippa.


8. Current projects?
Right now we are in the process of incorporating SMM.  A new website design that will allow artists to upload there music, videos and beats.  Any artist that we work with in general has been grinding hard booking shows and writing music on the side.


9. What does the future hold?
My business partner Quincy Taylor recently became the head of the urban development team for a new record label called Beyond Stars Entertainment.  It is in the early stages of development but will be moving at full speed here very soon.  Along with David Ford they will be heading the next wave of unsigned talent and look to give artists the opportunity for a distribution deal.


PRESS RELEASE: http://starmusicmedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/beyond-stars-entertainment-press.html


10. Where can you be reached?
StarMusicMedia.com, johnny@starmusicmedia.com or johnnymixxxx@yahoo.com.  My cell is 440.488.8544


Any last words?
"YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NETWORTH!" Look at our stats, they don't lie!  We make hits and get hits!  Some like to call us "Far From Star" when actually were BEYOND THE STARS!

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