Kamal Jabbar is the founder and CEO of Palace Music Group, a Digital Distribution Company, marketing, and artist development firm.  Mr. Jabbar is a staunch believer in the notion that head-to-toe artist development is what is needed most to ensure longevity in an ever-evolving music industry.

Can we talk about the way you work for artists?

KJ: I was raised on my mother’s teachings.  I grew up on faith, believing in God, and struggling.  She said to me, “ Push yourself to do better and get more. You can do anything”  Moms taught my siblings and I survival skills.  So, I teach survival skills to each new artists because I think that people need to know how to take care of themselves.  Self-preservation is the first law of nature.  I stand very firmly on that foundation, and in my line of work you eat what you kill.

I understand that you have a background in jewelry.  How have you transformed that into being a manager and distributor for over 20 years?

KJ: I am still figuring that one out.  I started as a Jeweler relatively young in Sacramento, CA at 21-28 and did that for six and a half years.  I must say wanted a more exciting life.  Man, I had so many jewelry designs at first.    But I wasn’t getting any one to purchase my work.  One day Rick Calloway from the Sacramento Kings came in to the store, we started talking, and I explained to him that I was a Jeweler. I showed him my book and he agreed that my portfolio was okay.  I learned that day that, okay doesn't get you paid. You have got to be great. Over time he showed pictures of designs he liked and I worked constantly for two months sketching and hanging out at the Kings practices.  Asking them what they liked each time I came back.  I would show the team-Anthony Bonner, Rick Calloway, Anthony Fredericks, Ben Guillory, Kenny Smith and Lionel Simmons sketches and designs.  I graduated from the Gemological Institute of America  —I made around 10 or so designs for the Sacramento Kings--a lot of one of-a-kind pieces, too.    From that, I had the nerve to shop my designs around to potential retailers and had some of my stuff sold in nicer jewelry stores.

I was blessed with the opportunity of meeting Cedric Singleton.  Cedric is the Blackmarket Recs. label owner who had signed artist like “Homicide”, “Sicx”, “Brotha Lynch Hung”,“Mr Doctor”and “Triple Beam”.  He liked jewelry and used to come to a jewelry store I worked for.  A mutual friend approached me once at a show and asked me about doing some collaborative work with him and Ced’s artist-- Brutha' Lynch Hung's- latest release.  Ced and I became friends instantly—like family—and I would help him shop his artist around independently like the projects where mine.  He would talk to me about how the industry works. I would listen intently but I was clueless at the end of each conversation even after asking him lots of questions.  One day he came to me and said, “If really are that interested, you should come work for me.  I want you to general manage me, Black Market Records.”  I designed jewelry.  I didn’t have any clue why he wanted me, but reluctantly I agreed.  So, I started working for the Black Market Records, part-time.  I must’ve sat in six meetings with Priority records not knowing what the hell they where talking about.”  This went on for months.  He would have me read the contracts he had under manufacturing and distribution deals through Priority and Selecto-hits. Eventually, he told me “Kamal, I want you to talk to them (Priority) I want you to understand these contracts and find out how to lower these shipping and breakage fees they are charging me. What I do is creative end of the business. You, your going to be on the administrative end. I  need you to collect from my independent distributors as well as,  ship my product to the one stops and mom & pop stores. I need you to find out how save me  money in these areas if I can.” After that, I understood.

That’s how I got into music.  Around that time he created his corporation. At that time he also had a manufacturing and distribution deal with Priority.  I even started to manage several artists after working with him—clearly not knowing what I was doing.  I was smart enough to be able to add what I needed and put the pieces in place.  Cedric is a highly intelligent person, and was really my guide through it all.  He got the opportunity to film a major motion picture, called “Greedy”, which had several of his artist in it.  I was so happy that his persistence  got him the opportunity, but now he wanted me to get him some publicity.  I turned his office into my office, and I went and bought all the industry trade magazines.  I called all of them telling them about the new film, about the artist, and that my boss, Mr. Singleton, had done the movie.  I chased the press’ attention.  Thus, from jewelry came music.

Are you still active within the Jewelry community?

KJ: I’ve incorporated it all still to this day, both jewelry, fashion and music.  I look at what I have now as sort of a one-stop-shop.  Fashion is truly married to music.  Look at Lady Gaga, who has taken fashion to another level, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, and all these people.  I don’t think we can sell just music anymore.  We have to sell a sexy image and style.  When you go to a magazine stand or go online, you see how these actors and artist look first.  Then you get into the music.  Whenever we have a new artist, we focus on the importance of his or her image and style first before looking at their music.

How do you recruit clients?

KJ: My A&R's do that. I don’t do that much, really.  I spend lots of time marketing the company now. Sure, if you would like to become a client you can go to my website or call the office, but I have 27 plus years worth of relationship building under my belt.  Most of the clients I personally bring aboard come to me as a result of some sort of referral by association. I do believe building relationships is paramount to everything else.

What kind of things do you work on with artists?

KJ: Let me start by saying that I’m a hands-on guy, especially when I see something special in an artist.    I have them through an artist development program.  We have them worked on hair, skin, makeup, clothes, and style.  At the same time, we set them up with voice and dance lessons— some amazing teachers.  They got to do all this without complaining, they must always on time, and must always be happy to do anything we asked of them.  Their work ethic has to be incredible.  Their interpretation of lyric outstanding.  On top of that, they need to aligned themselves with PROs, for the songs they write.  I teach my clients that it’s important for them to be able to give back to the community and families.

Do you also teach them about the business-related aspects of music?

KJ: Very much so, yes.  Industry education is incredibly important.  You need to know what has been written in your recording contract, you need to know about publishing deals, endorsement deals, and things of the sort.   With the Internet, new artists are quickly achieving levels of success without being prepared adequately for all of it.  They don’t last very long at all either. I truly believe that,  if you invest the time, teach the necessary skills, and prepare an artist for what they will face, then that artist will have a longer career.  When an artist studies the business of music, he or she must understand that every entity is important.  You can’t go and get a manager without knowing about the work that he’s supposed to be doing for you.  He’s managing you, but you also need to be managing him.  Wouldn’t it be great for you to know all of the who’s, what’s, when’s, where’s, and why’s so that as this manager oversees your business you know the effect that his decisions will have?  It’s a real functioning business, and you have to indulge in every aspect.  If you don’t, you’re here today and gone tomorrow. We’ve seen evidence of this.  In the past, I’ve spoken out against certain hip-hop executives regarding the day in time when rap music was gaining popularity.  These executives were ripping these young artists off by taking their publishing rights and their royalties.  They now live in mansions and their children live a life of luxury, while the rappers who made the music have come and gone.  Those executives didn’t care about the artists, and the artists didn’t know anything about the business.  Where are the artists now?

Do you think that artists need to be as scrutinized in the media as much as they are?

KJ: I firmly believe that artists should be held accountable for their behavior just as you and I are.  With that as a base, they should take this into consideration. At this day in time, an artist has the ability to be more influential than the President.  Our own children want to be like the artists they see.  The problem in urban communities today are because influential artists in music videos are glorifying a materialistic lifestyle you know, jewelry, tons of cars, and plenty of women.  A lot of artists don’t realize that they have to take this seriously and think about how their words affect their audience.  
Is it unfair for an artist to have to live up to public expectations?

KJ: I really respected Charles Barkley for saying, “I am not a role model.”  He acknowledged that he’s fallible and that he’s human.  Unfortunately, that’s not really how it works in America.  You have to realize that any public figure, whether positively or negatively influential, is going to be idolized by someone.  That’s a conscientious decision that an artist makes when he decides to call himself an artist.  They give up a lot in their decision to be a public figure. That’s just the way it is. You have to be comfortable wearing your heart on your sleeve.

How do you handle artists’ crises?

KJ: I’ve had to deal with a lot of those, and people come to me most often when they have a crisis.   I try to really get to know my clients as people, because I feel that I’m better prepared to handle the situations that they get mixed up with if I can really get to the root of the issue.

Are some artists’ crises not manageable or fixable?

KJ: For sure, but it’s always preventable. So many artists don’t take the time to think before they speak or act.  A lot of them just react and it’s not always pleasant.  One has to ask the artist whether or not they realized they did something wrong.  I always tell people that America is “gangster”.  When you do not go by the customs of the masses, you get shut down.  I think that the record labels’ reluctance to take the time to develop artists like it used to do is the hugest mistake ever.  I understand the need for “artistry.”  There are certain things, however, that should not change in modern times.  One of those is artist development.  Diction, speech, and manners are what allow an artist to succeed—as well as knowing when to shut up.

Do you think most artists need to be developed?

KJ: If they want to reach their maximum potential, absolutely yes. They have to practice drill and rehearse.  For me, it’s not about the Drake’s of the world.  It’s about the artist who are trying to get to that same level, who have previously lacked the opportunities and chances to get there.  A lot of publicists won’t work with an artist who they feel “don’t have it” or that they feel are a “lost cause”.  When I started my whole artist development program, people laughed at me and thought I was totally insane for teaching things like fashion and etiquette to artists, especially to rappers.  When I started my management business, I emulated Berry Gordy. He realized that his people were being shunned by mainstream America; so he taught the people under his tutelage how to walk, talk, dress, and meet kings and queens.  I try to teach the same thing to my clients, and provide them with the best chance to succeed.