Alabama’s #1 A&R For Unsigned Artists: GMO Shawty

Logan May 1, 2023 0

From Alabama, there’s a new A&R making a buzz for himself and his artists in the southeastern section of the United States. Originally from the state of the Crimson Tide, but building industry milestones in the Atlanta music scene – ladies and gentlemen – GMO Shawty from YNWA Management and The Music Business Academy.

In the last few years, the independent music scene has watched hundreds of “management servicing” companies or record labels come out of nowhere offering false promises and bad business to uneducated unsigned music artists. Over 90% of these independent “management” companies have bamboozled a lot of ambitious artists out of their life savings, or discouraged indie artists from trusting those that provide legit management services elsewhere. This is a very infamous topic within the independent music industry that we will have to come back to on another article because today we are here to recognize one of the few A&Rs left in the independent music industry that provides the best legitimate artist management services that guarantee new artists a professional career and longevity in the business.

We reached out to Kendall “Juice” Walker, A&R Director at the Music Business Academy, to ask what led Juice into bringing GMO Shawty onto the A&R team. “He’s one of the most hard working and genuinely loyal people I’ve met in this business. He keeps his artists busy and really gets things done for them. You put his work ethic and ability to do good business together with what we do at The Academy and we’re basically unstoppable together”, Juice mentions. Kendall, better known as Juice, has been crowned as one of the most powerful people in Hip

Hop by Lyrical Threads in 2021. So, to receive a co-sign like that from a future legend in the music business reflects GMO’s talent and future as an A&R.

Now let’s get to know more about GMO Shawty from himself, as we dabble into our exclusive interview with the man himself!

What made you interested in becoming an A&R?
I was always an artist, I wasn’t always the best artist. I became a manager first to help the masses of greatly talented artists around me, I started my own label YNWA. We wanted to be the new NWA, the new bad boys of the south.

Around this time 2015-2016 I managed artists like Trapp Ben Laden, Tra Black, and J Reddy. Then Came along Kueen K, there’s so much undiscovered talent in alabama. I really wanted to be an advocate for the state and show people it could be done.

Alabama isn’t a music scene known to have local A&Rs for the music artists in the area to work with. What is it like working with those Alabama artists knowing that you’re one of the few in the state to be able to give them opportunities?
It’s really cool, over the years I have become a respected artist and manager in Alabama working with artists from all around. I always do what I can to help other artists. Most of them wanted me to manage them because they saw what I was doing with Kueen K. I was able to keep her in the spotlight with limited resources. Now I have more resources and artists are flocking to me for management and represenation.

What are you looking to add to the culture of the independent music industry?
I would like to bring the REAL back, and i’m not just talking reels lol. I see a lot of reels about this and that and the others that are just not REAL. I don’t want to be compared to these music SCAM companies that take artist money with bogus project deals that aren’t fufulled. I want to be the reason the next Whitney Houston makes it big. LET’S BE REAL.

We see your artist Kueen K just signed a management deal with Juice and The Music Business Academy. Congratulations on the major power move! What has it been like working with Kueen K leading up to this moment?
TRRAAAPPPP!!!!! Hey, what more can i say she has been A1 since day1 she is the Kueen, K very talented artist skilled beyond the average female rapper, from her appearance the way she dress and the hard core seductive trap bars she spit. I see us getting plenty bags together, definitely congratulations to her and her future success #itsmoneytime.

We did see that you recently became an official A&R at The Music Business Academy which is known as one of the most resourceful independent music organizations for upcoming artists period. Knowing that you’re one of the few A&Rs to ever exist from your region of the country, how do you plan on using this opportunity to benefit artists around you?
I plan to show and prove it’s kinda like this article today and the Spring Fest in Atlanta May 19, the motion you will see with Kueen K. Each chance we get each opportunity we’ll show and prove the REAL in what it is we do. We recruit, represent,and manage the careers of our artists.

Whenever you’re scouting talent, what do you look for in an artist?
I’m looking for the overall quality of an artist. I have an ear and eye for quality. I’m looking for star power as well as someone who is manageable and understands the business. You gotta have it all or be willing to work your ass off to get it.

What are your plans for 2023?
2023, I plan on breaking some of the generational curses that have plagued Alabama and its natives. I plan on recruiting artists from all over helping manage their careers to great levels of success. I plan on releasing new music also and becoming one of the GREATEST OF ALL TIME!!!!!!