To the uninitiated, Abou “Bu” Thiam is most often known as Akon’s youthful brother, the topic of a line within the MC’s 2008 Billboard Sizzling 100 hit “I’m So Paid”: “My little brother Bu acquired that imaginative and prescient, child.”
For these within the know, nonetheless, he’s quietly turn into a really profitable businessman within the music trade over the previous 20 years. He’s labored with not solely his brother, however artists akin to Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chris Brown, T-Pain and Jeremih — as a report government at Def Jam and Columbia, as an artist supervisor and, most not too long ago, because the founder and CEO of BuVision, an imprint for which he not too long ago signed a partnership cope with Atlantic Data. An completed A&R and supervisor, his credit embrace engaged on albums like Rih’s Speak That Speak, Jay and Ye’s Watch The Throne and DONDA, amongst many others; signing Gaga to her first cope with Interscope by way of his and Akon’s Konvikt Music; signing 4Batz and Central Cee to Columbia; and managing the careers of Ye and Brown at completely different instances.
Now, with BuVision by way of Atlantic, the place he introduced 4Batz, he has been working to interrupt the rising star Sailorr, whose “POOKIE’S REQUIEM” reached No. 10 on Billboard’s Sizzling R&B Songs final 12 months and who was named Billboard’s R&B Rookie of the Month in February.
“Sailorr has one of the vital unimaginable pens within the trade, and I’m excited in regards to the second she’s having,” Thiam tells Billboard. “She’s finished a fantastic job understanding construct her personal world on her personal, she has unimaginable style and nice instincts, and now it’s about supporting her and permitting her development to be natural between her and her followers.”
Thiam, who is predicated in Atlanta, had spent the previous three years as executive vp of A&R at Columbia, the place he realized below the tutelage of Columbia CEO Ron Perry. “I give him a lot respect as a result of no person noticed what I might be — LA Reid first, however then Ron years later, actually honed in on my items,” Thiam says. “Ron is sort of like me; we’re each artists at coronary heart. He not solely ran an organization, however he bought one, so he understood that dynamic. So being there for these years actually educated me on run my very own firm.”
Getting his begin alongside his brother within the early 2000s, Thiam loved a profitable stint as an government at Def Jam earlier than beginning his administration odyssey, in the end working with Brown by way of a lot of the 2010s after which serving to shepherd Ye by way of the DONDA interval, earlier than returning to the label world. Of his new cope with Atlantic, he says, “Elliot [Grainge] gave me the imaginative and prescient of the place he was taking Atlantic and 10K, and I assumed it was actually spectacular.
“I’ve additionally seen the corporate that he’s constructed with Zach [Friedman] and Tony [Talamo] through the years, and I’ve all the time been impressed with their work ethic and the way they’ve been in a position to construct one thing so small that grew to become so massive,” Thiam provides. “Each time I used to be making an attempt to signal an artist, they had been on the desk — they had been actually my solely competitors in closing artists. So I used to be like, if we be a part of forces collectively, I can simply think about what that may be. So it simply made sense.”
Right here, Thiam discusses his journey by way of the music enterprise, his work with a number of the most high-profile stars of the century and what retains him optimistic in regards to the music enterprise transferring ahead. “I look ahead to change, I embrace it, I believe it’s needed, and I additionally really feel that no matter what occurs, nothing will ever have the ability to change the core of what we do on the subject of music,” he says. “Nothing will ever have the ability to change how you are feeling while you go see somebody carry out at a live performance, or while you meet your favourite celebrity, or while you hearken to your favourite album. Will the enterprise change? After all; it all the time does. However I’m all in regards to the music, and that can by no means change. It’s about how we adapt to not get left behind.”
You’re primarily based in Atlanta. What’s your setup like there?
Workplaces can really feel, for me, like a entice; it’s not artistic in any respect. So once I determined I needed to have my base in Atlanta, I used to be like, I would like a home, not solely to do enterprise and have my crew in there speaking about technique, but in addition, if I’m within the studio with an artist and we make a fantastic tune, I can stroll subsequent door into my lounge or a convention room and discuss a video concept in actual time. Oftentimes, while you work in a company construction, to try this takes so many layers of getting everybody on e-mail, having conferences, discussing the only. Whereas with BuVision, if you happen to’ve acquired a good suggestion, everyone seems to be there to speak about it. Whenever you hear a great tune after which can discuss a video and a advertising and marketing plan on the spot whereas the tune is being made, that has all the time been my success.
You began on this enterprise working along with your brother at Konvict, then labored at Def Jam, then with Kanye, Chris Brown, Rihanna. What’d you be taught every step of the best way that led you thus far?
Working with my brother was a blessing as a result of I used to be in a position to simply be me; I didn’t need to work by way of the trials and errors of getting to slot in or work my approach up. He allowed me to be one hundred pc who I used to be. So once I met somebody like a Rihanna, we clicked very effectively as a result of I used to be very sincere and actual about my opinions, and she or he accepted it. Then once I met ’Ye in Hawaii, similar factor, I used to be there for 3 days, and he was like, “LA Reid, can he stick with me for every week or two?”
Artists which might be stars, they’re so used to everybody being sure males, they usually can inform while you’re saying issues to make them really feel good. So while you’re sincere and real in your strategy and the way you are feeling, these are the folks they often maintain round them, as a result of they don’t have a number of that.
The place did that confidence come from?
I’m the youngest boy out of 4, so I’ve all the time needed to overachieve. And I really imagine in my coronary heart that I’m blessed, that it’s not luck, it’s actually a present. And realizing that offers me the arrogance to execute. Early on, my brother ‘Kon was the primary to provide me that confidence, after which working with massive artists and having success at a excessive stage, when more often than not they had been at their lowest, gave me confidence. Working with Rihanna when she had Rated R, an album that wasn’t her greatest one, after which I come together with LA Reid and Ester Dean and we make Loud and Speak That Speak and persons are like, “Oh, she’s again!” She had by no means left, but it surely was a gray space at a time. After I met Chris Brown, he was at a low, and I introduced in “Loyal” and that simply sparked the entire s–t once more. I labored with Kanye West when he was sporting the [MAGA] hat, and we did DONDA. So all the time overachieving helped me with my confidence as effectively.
Why did you wish to go into administration?
After I acquired to Def Jam, LA Reid was there, after which with the reorganization, he went to Epic. I didn’t have a relationship with Lucian [Grainge], and I didn’t wish to be someplace the place nobody is aware of me. That was once I met Chris Brown, and I began managing Chris.
I used to get so annoyed as an A&R, as a result of I felt like I didn’t have the facility to see my imaginative and prescient by way of; I’d make a report with an artist after which my job was finished. However I felt like I used to be extra beneficial, that I might assist with the advertising and marketing, assist with the rollout. However while you work at an organization, there are tiers: you do your job, you cross it to the following division they usually do theirs, and on and on. So I made a decision I needed to handle, since you’re managing their complete profession, not simply the report facet.
However I didn’t notice you need to babysit somebody, too, you recognize what I imply? [Laughs] I gotta cope with this dude’s private life, too. And that’s my brother, so it’s all love, and that’s part of it, however you need to do all these different issues that I felt was taking away a number of my time. It’s a really demanding job, a 24-hour job, and the one factor I didn’t love about it was that it felt like, as a supervisor, you all the time made selections primarily based in your job. As a result of in any other case you’d get fired. Do you inform the artist the way you actually really feel, or do you simply say sure and maintain the fee? And I didn’t wish to need to turn into the sure man. So I made a decision to do one thing else — till ’Ye known as me.
I acquired to Wyoming, he was engaged on DONDA, and I used to be like, “We must always do that, we should always try this.” He was like, “Why don’t you simply handle me?” And Ye is probably the most persistent individual on this planet. So I used to be like, “Pay attention, I’ll simply handle the music facet of your profession whereas we’re doing DONDA” — till he finds another person. As a result of with ’Ye, as a lot as I really like him, he fires you 10 instances. After which he by no means fired me.
Then we saved working and had a number of success. We did DONDA, we did the stadium listenings in Atlanta, Chicago. After which it got here again to what I used to be saying earlier — I simply acquired bored with being a vessel. That was the primary time in my profession the place I used to be like, “I’m bored with constructing another person’s empire.” And it was time for me to deal with simply me and what I needed to be and what I needed to construct.
What did you be taught from the administration world?
From managing Kanye and Chris Brown? Properly, one, that I’m f—ing nuts. [Laughs] You’re speaking about two guys who’ve a robust mindset of what they need, how they need it, when they need it. However I realized that it’s rattling close to unimaginable to handle a celebrity and construct round it. That’s why I give credit score to Sal [Slaiby] — how do you handle The Weeknd and likewise construct an organization? After I take a look at Future [The Prince], who manages Drake, he solely manages Drake. As a result of in some unspecified time in the future, the connection between an artist and a supervisor goes to pressure, as a result of superstars need you to themselves, and if you happen to’re working with another person, it’s gonna begin to really feel like they’re sharing with the opposite individual. I went into it with massive desires of constructing my very own firm, and I noticed early that that was not going to be doable. And I believe that was additionally an element of why I noticed I didn’t wish to be within the administration enterprise in that capability.
Why did you wish to come to Atlantic?
I felt like my future was to be right here, and I can’t let you know how a lot I admire and respect and admire what Elliot and Zach and these guys have been in a position to do right here. I’ve simply been impressed at how they transfer. These guys don’t go to mattress. They’ll name me at 4 within the morning and simply go, “Let’s go, let’s kill, let’s kill!” I really feel like we simply have this alpha power, kill everyone mentality. So I really feel like I’m round A-alikes. And I imagine every part occurs for a motive, as a result of I got here to Atlantic/10K, and actually earlier than I even put a desk in my workplace, we began having success.
What did Elliot say that bought you on the imaginative and prescient for the corporate?
I take a look at every part in life like sports activities: to win, it’s not about one individual, it’s in regards to the workforce. If you happen to take a look at soccer, the free security simply roams; if you need the most effective out of Bu, you need to permit me to roam and do what I do. And Elliot was like, “I simply need you to be you. I do know who you’re, let’s get it, let’s discuss it. What do you want? How would you like your title to learn?” He gave me a clean sheet and was like, “I need you to mark the way you need this to work out for you and for us.” And I did, and it was finished.
You introduced 4Batz over and you’ve got Sailorr and Georgiana, too. How are issues working within the new setup?
Sailorr is so vital to me. All my artists are, however together with her, Batz, Georgiana, I really feel for the primary time I’ve been in a position to totally have my workforce in a spot the place we will do artist improvement. And it’s been a fantastic course of right here with the workforce at 10K and Atlantic, speaking about storytelling. She’s been nice, she listens, she trusts me and the workforce and what we do, and to date, so good. I’m excited for her future as a result of I understand how unhealthy she needed this.
Batz had success early on and went by way of a section of melancholy, as a result of he didn’t know deal with success — nobody can. He was profitable so quick and so fast that he didn’t know cope with what got here with it. And even with me at his facet, strolling him by way of it, he needed to undergo it himself. And he did, and now he’s again and he’s robust and he’s completely satisfied and again to doing what he does greatest. I used to say, “Pay attention, music apart, deal with the psychological. We are able to all the time make a tune.” And he took his time, and he’s again. I’m excited.
And I’m actually excited about Elkan, who produced Drake’s “Nokia” report. Us and Toibox, which is his firm, and Atlantic Data, that will probably be our subsequent factor. Get your popcorn prepared.
You’ve been doing this for over 20 years now. Over that point, the music enterprise has modified considerably. How have you ever managed to remain up to the mark?
From once I first got here into the sport, there aren’t too many individuals round that had been round again then, you recognize? I’ve simply been in a position to adapt by educating myself on what was altering and never being caught in my methods. I believe oftentimes while you’re caught in your methods, you get previous. What I do at this time isn’t what I did 10, 15 years in the past. I maintain myself younger by adapting, educating myself and being round younger youngsters. My complete workers is below 23 years previous. The president of my firm, Malik, is 23 years previous. So I’m round nothing however younger youngsters, and I hearken to them and educate myself, however extra importantly, adapting with the instances and never letting my previous self dictate new ideas. That’s actually helped me.
And extra importantly than that, the best way I used to be raised formed my ears. To not sound cocky, however you may’t identify too many individuals that may work on a Woman Gaga report, a Rihanna report, a Young Jeezy report, then go do Watch The Throne, then go do an R&B album with Chris Brown. Most individuals that do what I do are very one-dimensional. I used to be raised in an African family. My mother and father had been African they usually had been poor, so I grew up within the streets, however then each summer season I went to Africa. On the time, Africa was pre-internet, and all you heard was Sizzling 100 data. So it gave me the chance to have a pop ear, but in addition a road edge, and I blended that up. That’s all the time been my benefit and edge over others — I can do all genres rather well, and most others can’t.