Book Review - The Hip Hop Professional 2.0: A Woman's Guide to Climbing The Ladder Of Success In The Entertainment Business

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    "All About The Benjamins." "Cash Rules Everything Around Me." "The Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told." Income and intellect are important, of course, but  there's much more to longevity in the entertainment industry than flexing the skills and stacking the chips. In fact, according to entrepreneur and longtime Music & Marketing Executive Shanti Das, extra nurturing is essential to Generation Next and women seeking higher positions in the ever-changing world of Entertainment, which is why she authored the The Hip Hop Professional 2.0: A Woman's Guide to Climbing The Ladder Of Success In The Entertainment Business. 

    "All About The Benjamins." "Cash Rules Everything Around Me." "The Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told." Income and intellect are important, of course, but  there's much more to longevity in the entertainment industry than flexing the skills and stacking the chips. In fact, according to entrepreneur and longtime Music & Marketing Executive Shanti Das, extra nurturing is essential to Generation Next and women seeking higher positions in the ever-changing world of Entertainment, which is why she authored the The Hip Hop Professional 2.0: A Woman's Guide to Climbing The Ladder Of Success In The Entertainment Business. 

    "I called the book The Hip-Hop Professional because I started working in the hip-hop culture," the Atlanta-based industry vet shared during a recent stop in Dallas. "but the tips I include in the book can transcend to fit any industry. I want everyone to draw inspiration from it because there are tips that we all can work and live by." 

     
    Chock-full of insider anecdotes, photos chronicling the who's who of performers and power players she's worked with over the years----she worked with L.A. & Babyface straight out of college and held multiple positions at LaFace Records before becoming a Marketing VP at Columbia and Motown Records----Ms. Das's biography and insider's manual reveals career highlights, personal struggles and crucial wisdom to guide those navigating through the now-smaller, yet still complicated maze of the music biz. 
     
    "The industry has shrunk for the young people of this generation," says Das, "but there's still room at the different levels for everyone who wants a job there. When I started back in the 1990s, you had a gazillion labels to choose from, but now they can all be counted on one hand. It's about working smart, working hard and watching your back. It's an ongoing challenge, but that doesn't mean you can't get there."
     
    Ms. Das's book isn't the only way she's making moves: her Atlanta-based firm, Press Reset Entertainment, procures celebrities for events and produces live events, including her successful annual artist showcase "ATL Live In The Park." Shanti is also giving in-person professional guidance via scheduled stops as a speaker at various HBCUs and Division One college campuses across the county, helping newbies with mentoring and internships. The industry may have changed dramatically in the last few years, she acknowledges, but what it takes to rise to the top has not.
     
    "Be yourself, be assertive and be prepared," says Das. "Your work ethic is going to speak for yourself, so if you do all of that and know your worth, they can't deny you."
     
    By Melody Charles