Sickamore Talks 2008 For Atlantic, Famous Firm
January 2nd, 2008 | Author: Jake Paine

After a 2007 that saw tremendous success from T.I., Plies and a promising start for Lupe Fiasco, Atlantic Records has plenty more in store to follow. DJ Sickamore, the director of A&R for the label, told HipHopDX about his own plans for 2008. "I'm really focused on acts that I brought in - mainly Wynter Gordon, an R&B singer that I signed almost a year ago. I'm excited about working on Plies' next album [tentatively titled Da Definition of Real]. I didn't work on the last one, but I'm counting on this one. Flo Rida's project is coming out too."

Explaining his day-to-day duties, the Brooklyn-based prodigious deejay added, "You can't just jump in and say, 'Oh, I'm on this project now;' you've got to earn your keep. You have to bring stuff to the table - hot records, hot beats, hot concepts. People have to trust your ear." To perfect his craft this year, Sickamore stated, "I want to get involved with even more projects on Atlantic, on a deeper scale. I was on a lot of the projects already. But this year, I want to get on with the bigger, more established artists and see how that machine works." Overall, after a year that bolstered Plies and Flo Rida as two of Hip Hop's biggest new stars, Sickamore says he wants to further deliver for the label. "My biggest goal for 2008 is to sign the next big star. I want the biggest new artist project in the world this year. Last year I came close to a lot of things, a lost out on negotiations or somebody might've gotten signed right before I got to it. This year, I'm not losing anything."

For over five years, DJ Sickamore has built his entire reputation around breaking new talent. In addition to his duties with Atlantic, Sickamore's Famous Firm, which was instrumental in Saigon's career in addition to artists such as Esso and Wynter Gordon. "When I started at Atlantic, the deal we cut, I [was able to keep] my company and do their projects. So with my people, it's different. It's from the ground up. Look at [New Jersey rapper] Neako. He's from Newark, had a buzz, and now he's looking at expanding it - from photoshoots to Myspace [click here to view], it's about getting a buzz."

Part of what Sickamore calls his present "campaigns" also include Slim from 112, Ashley Applewhite and recent DX feature Rich Hil [click here to view] in addition to Neako. "I'm still looking for other talent, but somebody who has it, and more importantly wants it." Using the famous Tim Notke quote surrounding success, Sickamore deduces, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

Labels: 80s Baby Observations