June 26th 2023.
BLACK ENTERPRISE sat down with legendary music mogul, entrepreneur, and investor Julius Erving III, better known as J Erving, to learn more about his Black-owned music publishing company and how he is building it with a focus on developing the next generation of Black executives.
Erving is passionate about combating the industry’s need for diversity and inclusion and this is reflected in the makeup of his team. Human Re Sources, the company Erving founded in 2016, has 14 employees, all of whom are 100 percent people of color, and the majority are women.
In 2020, Sony Music acquired Human Re Sources, which resulted in Erving's title being upgraded to Executive Vice President. He remains committed to hiring diverse talent and continuing to move the culture forward. When asked about this commitment, Erving told BLACK ENTERPRISE, “It was an intention when I went into Sony. To their credit, they’ve supported it.”
J Erving knew from a young age that a regular job wouldn’t cut it. After internships that opened his eyes to the business side of music, he started his journey of becoming a respected executive. His roster now includes names like Floetry, Angie Stone, Rodney Jerkins, and hip-hop artist Freeway, as well as more current acts like YBN Nahmir, YBN Cordae, Baby Rose, Bren Joy, and Damian Lillard.
Erving has also acquired deals with major companies like Sony Music and Spotify. By providing major keys of insight to anyone interested in an A & R role in the music industry, he is leading by example and training the music executives of tomorrow.
It's clear that Erving is passionate about leaving a legacy of Black excellence in the music industry and it's inspiring to see him taking the initiative to make it happen.
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