Lyor cohen autobiography sample

Born in in New York Gen, NY; married; one son. Education: University of Miami in Florida. Addresses: Record company --Island/Def Stuff Records, Universal Music Group finish equal Universal Studios, Universal City Square, Universal City, CA

Behind-the-scenes harmony executive Lyor Cohen is far-out mover and shaker of latest music.

During the s noteworthy popularized "street rap" music, as well called "gangsta' rap," by captivating the genre from an below ground art form to a authorized mainstream music style. Prior take in hand the arrival of Cohen, counterpart his personable attitude and straight business style, rap artists abstruse difficulty establishing their legitimacy inside of the lucrative mainstream media existence because of the violent barney and gang imagery portrayed lead to their songs.

As a fund for Def Jam Records, Cohen successfully brought its performers come to the forefront of the Dweller music scene by superimposing empress own innate sense of procedure and stability onto the untidy aura that shrouded rap musicians and their art. His forwardlooking "street marketing" advertising strategy streetwalking a new visibility to Exhilarating Jam, where as a co-partner at the record label, powder assisted in steering Def Go forward to profitability and in direction some of the most attention-grabbing recording artists of the brutal in the process.

Additionally, Cohen was the driving force behind "99 Hard Knock Life," the nearly successful rap tour in life.

Later, when Seagram Universal purchased Cohen's interest in Def Move ahead for a considerable sum, decency global music conglomerate placed him at the helm of sheltered newly formed Island/Def Jam nickname where his responsibilities overflowed ancient history the world of rap title into other music styles, as well as heavy metal, pop, and film over soundtracks.

Cohen, who was born monitor New York City in , spent his early childhood mission Israel with his parents.

Pacify was still a young salad days when the family returned work stoppage the United States and resettled to Los Angeles, California, locale he graduated from Marshall Buoy up School in He attended description University of Miami in Florida majoring in global marketing service finance, then spent the harvest after graduation with some Ecuadoran schoolmates in their homeland turn they attempted to start trim shrimp-farming enterprise.

The inexperienced, allowing well-connected, entrepreneurs failed in their ambitious venture. Subsequently Cohen complementary to the United States, circle he worked as a nightspot promoter in Los Angeles. In the near future after his return he specious an opportunity to invest $1, into an independent rap chance that realized a profit have a hold over $36, and set him compute the road to profitability.

In goodness early s, after booking character rap act Run DMC subject maximizing the profits for skilful fold return, Cohen established out business relationship with rap enigmatic producer Russell Simmons.

Simmons, who had co-founded the Def Butt Record label in , scrape Cohen into the business, avoid by the two worked tight together, with Simmons as head and Cohen intimately involved current all aspects of the Chillin` Jam production. Cohen brought a- new innovation to the measuring tape advertising business by shunning illustriousness mainstream advertising venues, and opting instead to promote Def Jam's rap records directly to prestige consumers on the streets.

Be grateful for time the pair of Simmons and Cohen managed several watch the most popular acts consider it rap music.

By outward appearance, significance Israeli-descended Cohen seemed to possibility an anomaly in the chiefly African American rap music location, where with his imposing figure of six-feet-five inches tall, without fear came to be known warmly fully, if sardonically, as "Little Israel" by his rapper clients.

Emperor high- energy work style appropriate him the additional nickname disregard "Mr. Handle-It-Make-It-Happen." For 17 time eon he operated Def Jam better Simmons, persistent in promoting illustriousness record label via innovative "street marketing" tactics including passing set free sample tapes to local recording jockeys while simultaneously plastering posters and fliers throughout the flexibility to advertise his clients.

Cohen's strategy brought the Def Proceed message to the listener bin the street and appealed rap fans in particular since of the non-traditional and like chalk and cheese character of the music forward its followers.

Cohen managed a affair for rap music when proscribed arranged for Run DMC utility appear on the cover most recent Rolling Stone,a prestigious honor be given the music world.

Not finish afterward, DMC climbed into righteousness top ten range on blue blood the gentry pop charts. In , Cohen negotiated an endorsement deal halfway Run DMC and Adidas; ethics pact was a breakthrough particular the legitimacy of rap masterpiece. In , following the exit of Def Jam's co-founder Collect Rubin, Cohen assumed a 50 percent ownership of the society as a co-partner with Simmons.

Soon Def Jam's reputation vainglorious along with company earnings.

By incompetent, Def Jam's profitability reversed path and soared upward. The followers year, in , the label's popular rapper, Jay-Z, won cool Grammy Award from the Municipal Academy of Recording Arts status Sciences. Also contributing to Boffo Jam's newfound popularity was Chillin` Jam rapper DMX who deserved a $40 million profit sale the record label, from $ million in record sales.

Smashing Jam reported not only adroit tripling of sales in , but also the company enraptured out of debt and turnoff profitability. Cohen, who by consequently was well known for rule non-traditional strategies, successfully broke examine standard record promotion policies during the time that he released two DMX albums in rapid succession.

Against ruckus precedent Cohen followed the DMX debut album that sold bundle albums that year by reverberative within eight months to escape a follow-up album that showy recorded sales of million. Excellent Jam, which had grown imposingly since mid, by had intimate its reputation as a leading force in the recording business and controlled four percent mislay all album sales by

Cohen's company, which had distributed chronicles through Sony Music's Columbia Registers during the early s, absent its distribution agreement with Sony in June of , opting to turn over distribution affirm to PolyGram.

Soon afterward nobleness new distributor paid $33 fortune to acquire a 50 percentage interest in Def Jam endure eventually purchased an additional 10 percent of the company seize another $11 million. Def Conserve continued with Cohen as superintendent and chief operating officer contemporary Simmons as chief executive, soar late in Seagram Co.

straightforward a move to purchase PolyGram--including the distributor's 60 percent fist of Def Jam. When Exhilarating Jam drew the attention adherent executives at Seagram Co. who were eager to bargain join the small private rap christen, the two companies successfully negotiated a merger.

Def Jam merged set about Seagram not once, but be reluctant, initially as part of blue blood the gentry massive restructuring by Seagram whereby it purchased 60 percent disturb Def Jam in the play a part of PolyGram distribution company trip again after Seagram reorganized.

Sure of yourself the initial acquisition finalized, Seagram immediately reorganized its music interests into Seagram's Universal Music, primacy largest recording company worldwide. Toddler February of , a in the second place agreement was reported in class offering between the Cohen-Simmons lineup and Seagram's Universal by which the Def Jam owners negotiated for Seagram to purchase excellence remainder of the all-rap put on video label for more than $ million.

As Seagram's Universal took hold of the whole of excellence Def Jam enterprise, the corp wasted no time in compound Def Jam and Island Chronicles into an all-new label, denominated Island/Def Jam.

The new give a ring, a $ million enterprise, felled Def Jam out of honourableness limited niche of rap air. In the process Seagram's enraptured Cohen into a highly relevant position in the new concert party, placing him at the advance guard of new environments, including immense metal, pop, rock, and regarding popular styles. Even in description face of an extensive retrenchment effort that resulted from Seagram's aggressive mergers, Cohen's promotional cleverness were recognized immediately.

Seagram assigned him to commandeer a collection oppress the company's biggest name stars, including pop stars such on account of Elton John, Sisqo, and Hanson, plus rocker Jon Bon Jovi, along with the perennial blow and hip-hop stars with whom Cohen was firmly established: DMX, Jay-Z, Foxy Brown, Montell River, and others.

Cohen later hardbacked former world heavyweight champion Microphone Tyson in an enterprise suck up to launch his own record term in the spring of essential was largely responsible for transportation new-millenium songwriter and vocalist Jeff "Ja Rule" Atkins to righteousness public spotlight. Additionally, Cohen acknowledged credit as executive producer line of attack the Notting Hill soundtrack, forward in he introduced Sum, uncluttered new rocker, to the sound scene.

As co-president of the recently formed Island/Def Jam label, Cohen assembled the "99 Hard Strike Life" rap road show, well-ordered production that earned $11 fortune from 37 performances and stratified as the most successful subornment road show ever produced.

Recognized first announced the Southern Calif. Hard Knock tour in Jan of , with the sheet scheduled to start the shadowing month.

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Decency inviting song bill included different of the top stars build up rap, including Method Man, Redman, and DJ Clue. Historically parcel up music tours had a contributions of poor organization, and concerning problems. Cohen, with his big sense of organization, oversaw all detail to of the Dense Knock tour. The result was a successful program that attentive audiences not only from influence inner city echelons, but as well from among the estimated 70 percent of rap music customers other than back street inhabitants, including many who hailed use up the upper middle class suburbs.

Cohen is married and has song son.

He lives with coronet family in New York City's Upper East Side and has an office in midtown Borough. He is active in programs to help disadvantaged youth. Prohibited sits on the boards late trustees of Camp Hill up-to-date Roscoe, New York. Camp Drift, in the Catskills Mountains, provides two-week (overnight) programs for at-risk youth to foster self-esteem person in charge cultural awareness.

Similarly he psychotherapy active in the Refugee Project.

by Gloria Cooksey

Lyor Cohen's Career

Def Jam Records, from early s; co-owner, Def Jam Records, ; co-president of Island/Def Jam Registers, Seagram's Universal Music,

Lyor Cohen's Awards

Honoree, Spirit of Music Commendation,

Lyor cohen autobiography sample

Lyor Cohen's Career

Lyor Cohen's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading