July 8th 2024.
Roc Nation co-presidents Shari Bryant and Omar Grant are celebrating their fifth anniversary leading the entertainment empire in a big way. Ever since they took over in 2019, the Roc Nation roster has seen incredible growth in each artist's career, resulting in a collective boost to the label's cultural impact. With their extensive backgrounds in the industry, including Bryant's previous role as GM/Partner of Alamo Records and Grant's experience as a tour manager for top artists like Destiny's Child and Beyoncé, the two industry leaders joined forces at Roc Nation to develop and nurture emerging talent.
When they first took on their roles, the label had a few promising artists with modest followings. But with the guidance and support of Bryant and Grant, these new artists have grown into cultural powerhouses. For example, Maeta's 860K global streams in 2019 skyrocketed to a staggering 60M global streams in 2023, a 70x increase. Ambre also saw a significant increase in streams, going from three million in 2019 to 50 million in 2023, a 17x jump. And Kalan.FrFr, who recently released an album with support from big names like Ty Dolla $ign, Tyga, and G Herbo, has experienced an 840% growth in social following since the co-presidents came on board.
Bryant spoke about their success, saying, "I'm confident when I say I truly believe we've created some next-generation superstars in the short time we've been in this role." She also acknowledged the growth of the internal team at Roc Nation, with skilled professionals in marketing, A&R, and management supporting the artists. Bryant shared, "It's been very cool to collaborate with teams on ideas and see their innovations come to life to drive our talent forward."
Through Bryant and Grant's leadership, Roc Nation has formed partnerships with major streetwear brands like PUMA for Hip Hop 50, challenged the norms of NYC's rap scene, and utilized the influence of legendary predecessors like Jadakiss, DJ Guru, and Jay-Z to elevate their new talent. For Bryant, this role at Roc Nation is a full-circle journey, as she began her career as an intern at Roc-A-Fella Records at just 16 years old. She has since worked her way up the industry ladder, holding positions at Def Jam Recordings, Warner Bros, Atlantic Records, and serving as GM/Partner of Alamo Records.
As co-president, Bryant oversees the label's marketing efforts, leveraging all aspects of the Roc family, from sports to fashion, to create comprehensive marketing strategies and enhance artist visibility. Her experience in previous roles has prepared her for the tough decision-making required in her current leadership position. She spoke about the challenges she has faced as a Black woman in the industry, saying, "I think there's always certain challenges women, especially Black women, face in the entertainment industry. I've worked hard to get here...That work sometimes meant fighting to get your voice heard, your ideas considered, taken as seriously as some of your peers."
Bryant continued, "Fortunately, those experiences helped me develop a sense of confidence and certainty in myself. It's easy to be swayed or question yourself –- especially in an industry where there really is no single formula for success. At Roc, my job requires listening to my intuition often, and every experience I've had over the years has helped me do that."
With new artists constantly emerging in the music scene, both Bryant and Grant remain dedicated to building a legacy, a mission that lies at the core of Roc Nation's DNA. Bryant shared, "We don't chase trends...We're focused on staying true to each artist's essence. We've been in the game long enough to understand trends change. Many of our artists don't really fit into a traditional box; some have sounds that blend multiple genres that you can't quite put your finger on."
As they celebrate their five-year mark at Roc Nation, both co-presidents have an exciting lineup planned for the summer, including new artist signings, collaborative album releases, and some first-ever initiatives for the label. Bryant teased, "We're excited for a lot coming down the pipeline at the label...We saw a lot of success doing a compilation project last year and the rapport and inspiration it built among our artists. So we're eager to see what another iteration of that looks like this year."
The future looks bright for Roc Nation under the leadership of Bryant and Grant, who continue to make waves in the entertainment industry and support the growth of emerging artists.
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