More industry insiders ready to Rip It Up

Six high profile (and highly successful) music industry mentors have been added to Sound City’s Rip It Up programme.

The programme sees teams at Sound City, Youth Music, sm-mgmt and others come together to drive real change, offering 10 important bursaries and providing the perfect nurturing framework for young talent to emerge and enter the music industry.

Newly announced mentors who have agreed to add their valuable insight to the programme include: Pierre Hall, co-runner of famed indie label Speedy Wunderground; revered music industry consultant Remi Harris MBE; Tanyel Vahdettin, director of Eleven Management, home to the likes of Gorillaz, The Clash, Riz Ahmed and Bastille amongst others; Co-Founder of Power Up, Founder & CEO of Unstoppable Music Group and Entrepreneur & Outreach Manager at AIM Ben Wynter; Chi Chi Nwakodo of Sony Music Publishing; and Big Drum Entertainment’s Nike Durosaro.

The join the industry insiders already announced last month, alongside course leader and long-standing industry innovator Yaw Owusu of THE PLAYMAKER GROUP.

Racial inequality within the music industry remains a vital issue, one that needs to be confronted with action rather than words. Rip It Up furthers Sound City’s work in championing young, diverse creative and business talent from all backgrounds.

Rip It Up offers an eight-session education programme covering a string of vital areas within the current music industry - including campaign strategies, publicity, recording/production, music distribution and management - to provide the framework for young creatives to equip themselves with a rich knowledge of the industry.
10 selected applicants will receive extensive support from the very beginning of the programme, with a financial grant assisting in their studies. The sole aim of the grant is to discover talent across different communities and backgrounds, and give them an equal opportunity to engage with and thrive in the eclectic music world.

Pierre Hall of Speedy Wunderground says:
“I’m so happy to have been asked to take part in the ‘Rip It Up’ initiative. As a black British man in the music industry – it’s of vital importance to me that we address the ongoing issues of diversity and representational imbalance in a sector which relies on and is richer for having input from people from a wide range of backgrounds. Too often are those doors closed to the minority and I hope that by offering guidance and talking from my experiences I can play my small part in opening up those equal opportunities to those that deserve it – and help improve this incredible and creative industry we work within. ‘Rip It Up’ is an important part of that change and one that I feel privileged to get behind.”

Chi Chi Nwakodo of Sony Music Publishing says:
"Mentorship changed my career and helped me get where I am today. I’m so excited to work with Rip It Up to help young people like me reach their full potential and diversify the next generation of creative talent."


Ben Wynter, (Co-Founder Power Up/Founder & CEO Unstoppable Music Group/Entrepreneur & Outreach Manager AIM), says:
"Rip It Up is a fantastic initiative that I am proud to be a part of. It is important for young people trying to navigate their way into the industry to be able to engage and communicate with people that look like them and understand cultural nuances. Throughout my career I have been fortunate to have mentors and executives that have provided me with words of wisdom to help me find my way through what can be a tricky business. I know first hand the important role that representation plays and the positive impact it has. I hope to be able to impart my knowledge, experience and offer guidance to the young ambitious participants. I hope they can see that if I could maintain an unstoppable attitude to make it happen, then they can too."

Nike Durosaro of Big Drum Entertainment says:
“I think initiatives like Rip It Up are really important because they provide young people invaluable insights into the inner workings of the music industry. These insights help them to manage their own expectations and will also influence what areas they are likely to explore and eventually end up working in. It's a privilege to be able to pass on knowledge and be a part of their journeys.”

Becky Ayres, MD of Sound City says about Rip It Up:
“We’ve been blown away by the response to Rip It Up since we announced its launch, and we can’t wait to get started with an incredible programme of speakers and insights from some of the most inspiring voices in our industry today. Rip It Up is incredibly important and dear to our hearts, increasing diversity within our industry and bringing those voices to the fore by offering an opportunity for the next generation of Black, Asian and diverse talent to make their mark for years to come. Making tangible change is more important than ever and Rip It Up marks an important step in the right direction.”

Find out more about Rip It Up. 

More industry insiders ready to Rip It Up
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