Russell Simmons Quotes

I started as a writer and when I sent my demos out everyone wanted to know who was singing and if that person wanted a record deal.

Artist development is something that I've been passionate about from my days at Uptown and Motown Records.

It's about finding great artists and being part of their careers.

I'm developing artists for my new record label, my son's band, Intangible, being one of them.

I will be developing artists for my new label. The rest is in God's Hands.

I'm signed to Atlantic through 300 Entertainment [Lyor Cohen's label]. That is my only contractual relationship.

Let's Face it, - Sinatra is a king. He's a very sharp operator, a keen record chief, and has a keen appreciation of what the public wants.

The record business. It’s exactly what it is-Record-Busin ess. You have to take care of both, or they won’t take care of you.

I certainly don't want to be a record label guy.

My function at Verve was that of a genuine producer in artists and repertoire.

I want to be the president of Columbia Records, maybe C.E.O. - kind of like L.A. Reid.

I love TV. I love being behind the scenes on a TV show but there's something about, I don't know there's something very special when you've signed an artist and that first record comes in and it's a good record. It is an indescribable feeling.

There was a bidding war between Epic Records and Jive - now RCA - which was bittersweet. Just having labels bid over me was really cool, but I ended up going with Jive because it felt better over there, and they have my favorite artists like Usher, Chris Brown, and Justin Timberlake.

I was signed by L.A. Reid on Arista Records when I was 16. He understood me and believed in me. Arista folded and I got put on RCA or whatever, then there were new people there, and every six months it changes and more new people come in.

Drake was a fan before a friend. He already was a Cash Money millionaire. When opportunity came, maybe we put the most on the table. That was my thinking because I just thought that this was a very talented young man. We saw a future with him, so it was about him being comfortable.

I have a solo deal with Columbia Records. So it's about, do I want to release an album, when can we do it, what kind of album should it be, how should it be released and marketed and what's the right timing? Do I have time to do it? It's all about questions.

I remember telling the head of Warner Brothers that if they'd just make a video for 'Ol' Red'... and if it didn't work, they could drop me from the label.

I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I learn about it, the less and less interested I am in it.

At the end of the day, you sign a record deal and you understand where it could go if you had the right song.

I know it is common nowadays for artists to start labels but this is a thoroughly constructed vehicle for inspired talent. This is a market that we've been living, breathing and eating for our entire lives - one where a huge void currently exists. Favored Nations is a long-term commitment.

We're giving RCA another record, and that should finish them.

After we wrote The Wreckoning, our record label did listen.

My record label is treating me like I'm a new artist, which is exciting after all this time.

I have an independent record label called Favored Nations on which I released an album by an artist called Johnny A, who plays an arch top Gibson through a Marshall, but the tone is all in his fingers.

We were ready to launch Barry White, but the record company wouldn't put it out. Said it wouldn't sell.