Elevating Icons Network

Linked up with a real one✊🏽 @ohgeesy speaks about how he got on, and his first big check on @elevatingicons We gon continue to give yall the blueprint on how to get on! Following IG & Subscribe on YouTube @elevatingicons S/O my dawg @bankrollgotit.jb 🙌 #music #rap #ohgeesy #elevatingicons #podcast

ELEVATING ICONS: On The Rise @2kbaby (Part 1) Some artists don’t just make songs. They make pain sound melodic. They make struggle sound real. They make the streets, the scars, and the growth all live in the same record. 2KBABY is one of those artists. Coming out of Louisville, Kentucky, 2KBABY built his name with emotion, melody, and honesty that cuts through. From the breakout of “Old Streets” to becoming the first artist signed to Masked Records through Warner, he came in with a sound that felt different from the start. His rise is real: • Louisville native with a story in the music • Broke out with “Old Streets” • Dropped his debut EP Pregame Rituals • Showed range with records like “Like This” featuring Marshmello What makes 2KBABY stand out is the feeling. The vulnerability. The pain in the melody. The fact that he can make records that sound street, personal, and big at the same time. He’s not just making music. He’s telling survival stories in a way people can feel. This is what it looks like when real emotion meets real talent. 🎥 @ted.ture #ElevatingIcons #2KBABY #music #explore #fyp

ELEVATING ICONS: @arnoldltaylor (Part 3) This one is about artist development…..the part of the game a lot of people talk about, but not everybody really understands. Arnold breaks down why developing artists still matters, why you can’t just chase what’s already hot, and why his mission is to keep finding and breaking new talent every year. For Arnold, it’s bigger than one artist, one record, or one run. It’s about making sure @southcoastmusicgroup keeps contributing to the culture and keeps putting new energy into the industry. As we speak, @DaBaby ’s “POP DAT THANG” is sitting at #1 on Urban Radio, #30 on the Billboard Hot 100, #2 on Rap Airplay, #2 on Hot Rap Songs, and still moving across multiple charts🚀🚀🚀 Now the remix produced by @the.wizardz is out featuring GloRilla, Yung Miami, and YKNIECE — taking the record into a whole new space🔥🔥🔥 Arnold Taylor isn’t just talking about artist development. He’s still proving it in real time. This is Elevating Icons. Real conversations with the people building the culture from behind the scenes. 🎥 @ted.ture #music

ELEVATING ICONS: TOO $HORT (Part 1) @tooshort is hip-hop history. Before the world knew Oakland had a sound, Short was already outside selling tapes, building his own name, and turning real Bay Area game into a movement. No major machine in the beginning. No blueprint handed to him. Just hustle, consistency, and a voice that couldn’t be duplicated. From the cassette grind to platinum albums, Too $hort became one of the first artists to show what independent power could look like in hip-hop. He helped put Oakland on the map, influenced generations of artists, and stayed relevant in a game where most people don’t last five years. Short didn’t just make records. He helped build the West Coast foundation. Some of the wins: • Started selling tapes independently in Oakland in the early 80s • Helped make the Bay Area sound national • Born to Mack broke through independently before Jive Records picked it up • Life Is… Too Short went double platinum • Dropped classic records like “The Ghetto,” “Blow the Whistle,” and “Gettin’ It” • Worked with legends from Tupac, Biggie, Jay-Z, E-40, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Lil Jon, and more • Part of Mount Westmore with Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and E-40 • Honored by Oakland with his own day and “Too $hort Way” • 40+ years in the game and still active Real pioneer. Real longevity. Real Bay Area legend. This is Elevating Icons! Where the people who moved the culture tell the story themselves. 🔌@senorwavy

ELEVATING ICONS: ARNOLD TAYLOR (Part 2) @arnoldltaylor doesn’t just talk about artist development — he lives it. In Part Two, Arnold breaks down what made @DaBaby different early: the focus, the discipline, the work ethic, and the smart business decisions that helped turn a regional movement into a real industry run. But what stands out most is Arnold’s mindset🧠 He’s not just trying to hold on to past wins. He’s focused on finding and breaking new artists every year…because to him, contributing to the culture means continuing to discover what’s next. And the timing couldn’t be better. As we speak, DaBaby’s “Pop Dat Thang” produced by @sean_da_firzt @kayothewizard is currently #1 at Urban Radio….proving @southcoastmusicgroup is still moving, still building, and still impacting the game🚀🚀 Arnold Taylor isn’t just part of Carolina music history. He’s still helping write what comes next. This is Elevating Icons. Real conversations with the power players behind the stars. 🎥 @ted.ture #ElevatingIcons #music #explore #DaBaby

ELEVATING ICONS - On The Rise: @wayno119 (Part 1) Wayne “Wayno” Clark isn’t just part of the culture….he helps translate it. From music executive to media personality, host, storyteller, and cultural strategist, Wayno has built a lane that connects hip-hop, fashion, gaming, and real industry conversation all in one voice🔥 His resume speaks loud: Roc Nation. Amazon Music. Complex. Twitch. Dreamville. Rolling Loud. Weezyana Fest. Camp Flog Gnaw. But what makes Wayno different is the way he bridges generations. He can speak to the executives, the artists, the fans, and the next wave coming up….without losing the authenticity that made people trust him in the first place. With over 5.7M total reach across platforms, 13M impressions, and major hosting moments from Dreamville Fest to Rolling Loud, Wayno has proven that being behind the scenes doesn’t mean being invisible. It means understanding the game from every angle💪🏾 This is what @elevatingiconsnetwork is about. The people who don’t just talk culture. They build it‼️ 🎥 @ted.ture ✂️ @ww.kai #music #fyp #explore #wayno #mindset

ELEVATING ICONS - On The Rise: UGLY MONEY NICHE (@uglymoneyniche ) Everybody with influence didn’t get there the same way! Some artists stay artists. Some personalities stay personalities. And some people build themselves into a whole platform. @uglymoneyniche is one of those guys. From music to media, from personality to platform, Niche has built a name that moves across culture. CEO of Ugly Money Entertainment. Owner of HVM Network. Host of the Ugly Money Podcast. A voice that knows how to turn attention into conversation and conversation into brand power🔥 His run is different. He didn’t just show up online. He built an ecosystem. Success highlights: • CEO of Ugly Money Entertainment • Owner of HVM Network • Host of the Ugly Money Podcast • Built a strong digital presence with 1 Million+ followers across all platforms • Expanded his brand into interviews, live content, speaking, entertainment, and film • Added acting credits to the resume while continuing to grow his media presence Ugly Money Niche represents a new kind of media figure — part host, part brand, part entrepreneur, part culture commentator. Salute to the ones who know how to create motion, build community, and turn their personality into a business. Follow @elevatingiconsnetwork for more exclusive content and music biz gems! Shot by @ted.ture Edited by @ww.kai #money #fyp #explore #podcast #facebook

ELEVATING ICONS: ARNOLD TAYLOR (@arnoldltaylor ) Not every superstar stands in front of the camera. Some build the stage, spot the vision early, and create the run before the world catches on. Arnold Taylor is one of those guys💪🏾 Founder and CEO of South Coast Music Group, Arnold turned years of industry game into a real movement. From building his own DJ record pool and learning the business around legends like L.A. Reid and Sylvia Rhone, to signing DaBaby in 2016 and helping position him for a major breakout, Arnold has shown he knows how to find it early and scale it big. His track record is serious: • DaBaby to the top • Toosii to a Capitol deal • Tia Corine to Interscope • South Coast stamped as a real force in the business And the run is still running. Right now, @DaBaby “Pop Dat Thang” is back moving, showing real chart motion. That matters because it speaks to staying power. Not just one hot moment. Real motion. This is what a superstar behind the superstars looks like. Arnold Taylor didn’t just sign artists. He helped build trajectories. He helped turn regional energy into national impact. He helped make South Coast Music Group a name the industry has to respect. Success highlights: • Founder and CEO of South Coast Music Group, one of the biggest labels to come out of the Carolinas • Built his early name through Taylor’s Record DJ Pool • Turned that momentum into South Coast Marketing • Worked through Blackground, Def Jam, Interscope, Universal Republic, and Epic Records • Recruited by L.A. Reid to become VP of Marketing & Promotions at Epic • Built South Coast Music Group into a respected label and launchpad for major talent • Recognized by Billboard on its R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players and Indie Power Players lists Salute to the architects. The tastemakers. The executives with real ears. The ones who see it before the world does. 🎥 @ted.ture #ElevatingIcons #music #explore #DaBaby

ELEVATING ICONS: YUNG JOC (@joclive ) Yung Joc is one of Atlanta’s real success stories. He didn’t just make hits….he made records that moved the streets, the clubs, radio, and the culture. Highlights: • Broke out with “It’s Goin’ Down,” which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Hot Rap Tracks  • Followed it up with “I Know U See It,” proving he was way bigger than a one-hit run  • Debut album New Joc City dropped through Bad Boy South, Block Entertainment, and Atlantic Records  • New Joc City debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 with 150,000 first-week sales  • His second album Hustlenomics hit #3 on the Billboard 200  • Built his name beyond rap with business ventures including Mastermind and Swagg Team Entertainment  • Reinvented himself again as a media personality and now co-hosts the hit radio show Streetz Morning Takeover  Yung Joc represents more than a rap run. He represents longevity, reinvention, and staying connected to the people🤝. From hit records to business to radio, he found a way to keep evolving while staying rooted in Atlanta culture. That’s what Elevating Icons is about ✊🏽 Shot by @ted.ture & Edited by @ww.kai

ELEVATING ICONS: BANGLADESH (@bangladeshproductions ) Bangladesh is one of them ones. Born Shondrae Crawford in Des Moines, Iowa, he built a sound that cut through everything and helped shift the direction of hip-hop. His beats had space, knock, bounce, and attitude — and that formula made artists rap different! Highlights🌟: • Produced @liltunechi “A Milli” — peaked at #6 on Billboard Hot 100, won a Grammy, and went 6x Platinum • Produced “6 Foot 7 Foot” — cracked the Billboard Top 10 and went Platinum • Also behind major records like @ludacris “What’s Your Fantasy,” @beyonce “Lemonade,” “Diva,” “Bossy,” and “Break Up” • Helped create a sound that influenced a whole era of rap • Catalog has generated millions of sales and major cultural impact Bangladesh didn’t just make beats. He helped create a sound, a feeling, and a whole moment in music. That’s what Elevating Icons is about🙌 Thanks for letting us use your space @raydaniels 🎥 @ted.ture @ww.kai #music #lilwayne #rap #explorepage

ELEVATING ICONS: Solomon Sounds @solomonsounds really one of them ones. Quiet dude, loud resume. A lot of people may not know the name right away, but they for sure know the impact✊🏽 Highlights: • Managed XXXTentacion • Discovered @6ix9ine •Signed @IceSpice , @theslumpgod ,@cochise , @mayorcapellagrey and more • Played a part in records and artists that generated BILLIONS of streams • Helped build real moments in the culture, not just songs • One of those behind-the-scenes people with a real ear, real relationships, and real results! This is what real exec work look like. No gimmicks. No extra talking. Just being involved in some of the biggest artists and viral moments of this era. A lot of this game moves because of people the public don’t even see, the STARS behind the stars🌟 Follow @elevatingicons on Instagram and YouTube #explore #Music #XXXTentacion #IceSpice

ELEVATING ICONS: KEVIN WEAVER Everybody sees the artists… but they don’t always see the people putting the plays together behind the scenes. Kevin Weaver is one of those guys✊🏽 He started at Atlantic back in the 90s and really built his name through A&R and soundtracks—finding ways to connect music to culture in a bigger way. Not just songs… moments. Now he’s the President of Atlantic Music Group, and his fingerprints are on some of the biggest records, soundtracks, and artist runs of the last few decades. He’s worked with and helped push records involving artists like Ed Sheeran, Cardi B, Bruno Mars, Lizzo, Kehlani, Wiz Khalifa, Charlie Puth, Gucci Mane, FloRida and more…either directly through A&R, soundtrack curation, or major label strategy. But what really separates him is how he turned soundtracks into real cultural drivers… not just background music. S/O @bigblockesc for making this happen ✊🏽 KEY ACCOLADES: • 30+ years at Atlantic Records — worked his way all the way up • President of Atlantic Music Group • Helped drive projects totaling 50M+ albums sold & 65B+ streams • Executive behind major soundtracks: → Barbie The Album → The Greatest Showman → Suicide Squad → Furious 7 • Multi-GRAMMY winning & nominated projects • Involved in Academy Award & Golden Globe winning music • Consistent Billboard Power List / Power 100 executive • Known for bridging music, film, and culture at a high level That’s the real play… Not just making hits. But knowing how to position the hit so it lives bigger than the record. This is what Elevating Icons is about— the architects behind the moments. #music #explore #business #fyp #mindset