Music Management and Fostering the Arts, with Ricardo Frazer

Ricardo Frazer emigrated from Costa Rica to New York as a child, but he has spent most of his career in the Pacific Northwest, where he has been a pioneer of the music and arts scene for decades. Ricardo is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Seattle Theater Group (STG), which operates multiple historic performance venues in Seattle, including the Paramount and The Moore Theaters, which have formed the backbone of the live music and theater scene in Seattle for decades. Ricardo’s got his start at STG cleaning the floors of the Paramount Theater. Over time he worked his way up within the organization and in the arts community, getting to know every aspect of that business until finally being invited to serve on the board of directors. Ricardo is also Sir Mix A Lot’s longtime manager – a relationship that has spanned for almost 30 years. You know Mix from iconic rap and hip hop songs like Baby Got Back, and  Posse on Broadway. In addition to music management, Ricardo is the co-founder of Zaki Rose Media, a full service creative agency, production and entertainment company. Ricardo has worked in conjunction with Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Bros., and Rick Rubin, as well as the Seattle Arts Commission, and numerous other arts organizations in Seattle, helping to make Seattle one of the top music and arts communities in the country. 

What you will learn in this episode: 

• Ricardo’s unique approach to artist representation as it relates to the musical and video content created by the agency.
• Ricardo’s experience working for the Seattle Theater Group (STG), first cleaning floors and ultimately rising to become President and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of STG.
• How Ricardo learned the business of music management in his early 20s, which helped him manage Sir Mix A Lot, one of the most popular rap artists in the 90s.
  
• Ricardo’s tips for young people thinking about making a career in the arts.
• Ricardo’s perspective on the challenges facing artists in tech-driven cities like Seattle.
• The importance of networking and connecting with the right people to help the artists you represent obtain fair compensation for their work. Ricardo’s experience working for the Seattle Theater Group (STG), first cleaning floors and ultimately rising to become President and then Chairman of the Board of Directors of STG.  How Ricardo learned the business of music management in his early 20s, which helped him manage Sir Mix A Lot, one of the most popular rap artists in the 90s.

Additional Resources: 

• Ricardo’s website:  http://www.zakirose.com