Marketing guru Steve Stoute said that he made the strategic decision to leave the music industry after realizing that the real money wasn’t in arguing over song splits, but in leveraging star power to sell higher-priced items.
This insight wasn’t random.
It stemmed from his experience working on Will Smith‘s 1997 “Men in Black” album, which dropped alongside the blockbuster movie. At the time, Stoute was an executive at Columbia Music, collaborating with Trackmasters and overseeing the project. His focus was on ensuring the album’s success in a market that had shifted significantly since Smith’s earlier days as a rapper known as The Fresh Prince.
The album performed exceptionally well, with the lead track topping the Billboard Hot 100 and earning Smith a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1997. But it wasn’t just the music’s success that influenced Stoute’s career path.
“We made ‘Men in Black’ and the song went crazy. It changed his music career,” Stoute said during an interview on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” in March.
Those Shades Changed It All For Steve Stoute
“The album sold 10 million but the glasses sold more,” Stoute continued. “And we never got paid from the glasses. The small advertising agency that did the product placement for the glasses, I spent time with them and literally over the next three years, I left the music business and got into advertising.”
This realization led Stoute to a crucial turning point. If music could drive such significant sales for a product like sunglasses, he wondered what could be achieved by focusing entirely on marketing and product strategy.
That money moment was built into the movie like a ready-made commercial. It occurred when Smith’s character said, “I make these look good,” referring to the Ray-Ban Predator 2 sunglasses that became iconic in the series, people flocked to the store.
The glasses saw their sales triple, reaching $5 million, according to KoiMoi.
The film, which cost $90 million to produce, grossed $250,690,539 internationally, with a successful 26-week run in theaters, Box Office Mojo reported.
The glasses’ sales surge was enough to convince Stoute to leave his high-ranking positions in the music industry, including his roles as executive vice president of Interscope Geffen A&M Records and president of urban music at Sony Music from 1999 to 2009.
“I’m gonna leave the record business, $2.5 million, all of the perks that come with it, who you are, the rooms you walk in, everything that comes with that, to go work in an agency where I don’t know anybody. I really don’t even know the business. I just know that one aspect of the business,” Stoute said, before adding, “And I’m like, ‘If I don’t make that bet on myself now, and I’m 28 years old, 29 years old, when would I ever do it? When I have a family, when I have kids, I’ll never make that bet.’”
He continued, “I made that bet. We sold that agency within two years for $190 million. I was rich as f—k at about 31.”
Today, Steve Stoute boasts an estimated net worth of $55 million.
As the CEO and founder of United Masters, he now teaches artists how to navigate the industry as independents, applying the same strategies and hustle that he initially overlooked during the “Men in Black” project.
Good post. I will be dealing with some of these issues as
well..
Hello there, I found your site by means of Google even as
looking for a comparable matter, your website came up, it appears good.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hello there, simply was aware of your blog through Google,
and found that it’s really informative. I am going to be careful for brussels.
I will be grateful if you proceed this in future.
A lot of other folks will be benefited out of your writing.
Cheers!
Wonderful blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News.
Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get
there! Thanks
Hello there! Quick question that’s entirely off topic.
Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My site looks weird when viewing from my apple iphone.
I’m trying to find a theme or plugin that might be able to correct this issue.
If you have any suggestions, please share. Many thanks!
I’m really loving the theme/design of your blog.
Do you ever run into any browser compatibility issues? A small number of
my blog visitors have complained about my website
not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Firefox.
Do you have any recommendations to help fix this issue?
When I Thought All Hope Was Lost, (www .BSBForensic. com) Came Through BSBForensic Ltd recovered my funds quickly and professionally when I had nearly given up. If you’re a victim of online fraud, don’t lose hope BSBForensic is the real deal.
Does your website have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it
but, I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some recommendations for your blog you might be interested
in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
This page really has all the information I needed about
this subject and didn’t know who to ask.
Spot on with this write-up, I truly feel this web
site needs a lot more attention. I’ll probably be
back again to read more, thanks for the info!
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It in truth was once a leisure account it.
Glance complex to far brought agreeable from you! By the way, how can we be in contact?
It is not my first time to visit this website,
i am visiting this web page dailly and obtain pleasant data
from here every day.
Spot on with this write-up, I really believe that this amazing site needs a lot more attention. I’ll probably be
back again to read through more, thanks for the information!
Great blog here! Also your site loads up fast! What host are you using?
Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded
up as fast as yours lol
Hello! I’m at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 4!
Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all
your posts! Carry on the superb work!
The other day, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and
tested to see if it can survive a 30 foot drop, just so she can be
a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views.
I know this is completely off topic but I had to share it with
someone!
What’s up everyone, it’s my first visit at this
web page, and paragraph is truly fruitful designed for me, keep up posting these articles or reviews.
I have been browsing online greater than 3 hours as of late, but I by no means found any attention-grabbing article like yours.
It’s pretty worth enough for me. In my view, if all site owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will
probably be a lot more helpful than ever before.
Attractive component of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to
claim that I acquire in fact loved account your weblog posts.
Anyway I will be subscribing in your augment and even I fulfillment you access persistently fast.
Very good info. Lucky me I ran across your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I’ve bookmarked it for later!
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing
this site. I really hope to see the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my very own website now 😉
Do you have a spam issue on this blog; I also am a blogger,
and I was wondering your situation; we have created some nice
methods and we are looking to swap solutions with others, be sure to
shoot me an e-mail if interested.
I like the helpful info you supply to your articles. I’ll bookmark your weblog and take a look at again here frequently.
I’m relatively sure I’ll learn lots of new stuff right here!
Best of luck for the next!
I think this is among the most important info for me. And i am
glad reading your article. But want to remark on some general things,
The site style is great, the articles is really nice : D.
Good job, cheers
Today, I went to the beach front with my children. I found a
sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter
and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed
the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit
crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
I really like it when individuals get together and share views.
Great site, continue the good work!
Nice post. I was checking continuously this weblog and I’m inspired!
Very helpful info particularly the closing part 🙂 I maintain such information a lot.
I was seeking this particular information for a very long time.
Thanks and good luck.
I’m no longer sure where you are getting your information,
however great topic. I needs to spend a while studying much more or figuring out more.
Thanks for magnificent information I used to be searching for
this information for my mission.
Hi, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I’m attempting to find things to enhance my
site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
Hello, all is going fine here and ofcourse every one is sharing information, that’s in fact good, keep
up writing.
Do you have a spam problem on this blog; I also am a blogger, and I was curious about your situation; we have created some nice procedures and we are
looking to exchange techniques with other folks, be sure to
shoot me an email if interested.
Wow! This blog looks exactly like my old one!
It’s on a entirely different topic but it has pretty
much the same layout and design. Outstanding choice of colors!
Its not my first time to visit this web page, i am visiting this
site dailly and take fastidious facts from here everyday.
Great site. A lot of helpful info here. I am sending it to some friends ans additionally sharing in delicious.
And naturally, thank you to your effort!
Hello! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Keep up the outstanding work!
You made some decent points there. I looked on the net for
more information about the issue and found most individuals will go along
with your views on this website.
Can you tell us more about this? I’d love to find out some additional information.
Excellent article. I’m experiencing a few of these issues
as well..
I’m really impressed along with your writing skills and also with the structure on your blog.
Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customize it your self?
Either way stay up the excellent high quality writing,
it is uncommon to peer a nice weblog like this one nowadays..
It is actually a nice and helpful piece of info.
I’m glad that you just shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi my friend! I wish to say that this post is amazing, great written and come with approximately all important infos.
I would like to look more posts like this .
Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this blog.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough to get that “perfect balance” between usability and appearance.
I must say you’ve done a superb job with this. Additionally, the blog loads
extremely quick for me on Firefox. Superb Blog!
I’m amazed, I must say. Rarely do I encounter a blog that’s both equally educative and interesting, and without a
doubt, you’ve hit the nail on the head. The problem is something which
too few folks are speaking intelligently about.
Now i’m very happy I came across this during my hunt for something regarding this.
Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I’m going to return once
again since I book marked it. Money and freedom
is the best way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide others.
It’s appropriate time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be
happy. I have read this put up and if I could I wish to suggest you some
attention-grabbing issues or suggestions. Maybe you could write
subsequent articles referring to this article. I wish to read even more issues about it!
I am no longer positive where you’re getting your info, however good topic.
I must spend some time studying more or figuring out more.
Thank you for magnificent information I was on the lookout for this information for my mission.
Thankfulness to my father who shared with me regarding this web site,
this weblog is really awesome.
Hello there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay.
I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.