By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
With every Michael Jordan came a Scottie Pippen, with every Notorious B.I.G. came a Puff Daddy, and there was once a time when every Jay-Z had a Damon Dash. The point being, behind every success is a right-hand man. For Blue Marley, the man he turns to most often is Jceo, who helps him run the Burdskool operation.
Blue Marley and Jceo have outlined a vision for Burdskool. The company is much more than a record label, it is a one-stop shop for those looking to break into the rap game. In addition to the label, Burdskool also has a radio station and a DJ coalition. DJ Mystik handles the operations for both of those branches.
Hands on in every situation involving Burdskool, however, is Jceo. Typically, Jceo is behind the scenes, but he decided to allow Hip Hop Vibe access to him. Jceo explained how he wound up working with Blue Marley and the impact they are having on the game. Blue Marley, in addition to leading Burdskool, is signed to Rocko’s A1 Recordings.
Read the entire interview below:
How long have you and Blue Marley been working together? Blue Marley and I have been working together since the summer of 2011.
When did you guys decide to form Burdskool? We formed Burdskool late in 2011 and we jumped into it full force in 2012.
So far, are you pleased with the growth of the company? I am overjoyed with the success of the company because we have covered a lot of ground.
How did you get the name ‘Jceo?’ Well, J is the first letter of my government name and Blue Marley added the CEO to it when we began working together. Since then, I have handled myself as such and he credits me for creating an empire.
Can you talk about the exact role you play in the Burdskool movement? I am the road manager of Blue Marley, booking manager of our female group, Surreal, booking manager for TWIZM TV, our media network, president of Burdskool Radio, and Vice President of our Probe magazine. Probe has a distribution deal with several Walgreens pharmacies.
What are some of things you guys have done to stay ahead of the competition? Recently, we began doing business in South Africa, with Victor Rose Incorporated and Inanda 88.4 FM, who plays Blue Marley’s music. Currently, Blue Marley is in the top five on their countdown. They are also playing Surreal’s record with Blue Marley, which is in the top fifteen. Both singles are heavily requested by the locals. We are also getting radio play in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, courtesy of my friend, Vic. Going international is one way to stay ahead of the competition.
How is the working relationship between you and DJ Mystik? Mystik has a strong role with the company and he plays a big part to the overall operation.
With Blue Marley’s next project on the way, what should fans expect? Fans should expect one of the greatest projects, ever, and a lot of features. Not giving it all away, but Shawty Lo, LA Da Boomman, and Future will be featured on his next project.
How hands-on are you with the actual music? I tell the artist to give me the music and I will provide the rest, as you can see, I have access to a lot of resources.
Can you leave us with your online contact info? Twitter is @JCEOBSMGHG and the Facebook is Jceo Jpesos.
