Benoni Tagoe, a Digital Entrepreneur, talks to enewsgh.com on as his journey as a music manager, creating web series with renowned Director/Writer Issa Rae and starting his company Volume Visual.
Q. You managed or were involved in the growth of the careers of some musicians early in your career, mind mentioning the names of these artistes?
A. I started my career working for the pop trio, the Jonas Brothers; I basically learned everything I needed to pursue a career in the music business from them and the team they surrounded themselves with. From there, I became a day-to-day manager for Interscope artist, Mateo and I then went on to become the tour manager for urban pop group, Mindless Behavior.
Q. Reason(s) why you decided to start Volume Visual?
A. Working in the music industry, I realized that there was disconnect between artists and the only social media platform that pays them in which is YouTube. Since I had a strong social media background (specifically as it relates to YouTube), I figured I tie in both of my passions, music and social media and create a company that ultimately assists the music industry as a whole with their digital video presence.
Q. What specifically does the company do?
A. Volume Visual is the first and only all hip-hop YouTube network. We take hip-hop artists and personalities and help increase their online viewership by using analytics, strategies and proven theories to make sure all of our artists’ channels are being operated at the highest level possible. For our larger channels, we then start helping them work with brands. If a brand is looking to target a hip-hop audience our network is made up of only hip-hop influencers so in a sense our goal has always been to take up the hip-hop real estate on the web and the brands work with us to reach that audience.
Q. Names of clients you’ve worked with so far?
A. Some of the bigger artists that we have worked with have been DJ Whoo Kid and Chanel West Coast.
Q. How many years have you been creating digital content?
A. I’ve been producing digital content for more than 5 years now. I started off working on a web-series called; ‘The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl’ with Issa Rae and from there, I’ve gone on to produce other web-series with Issa Rae Productions.
Q. How many shows have you produced so far? Names?
A. I’ve produced well over twenty shows at this point. Some of them include: The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, The Choir, TKO Series: Peter Quillin, Black Actress, First, How Men Become Dogs and so many more that have all been released digitally. My latest project ‘The Bizz Plan’ highlights entrepreneurs as they explain their thought processes and motivations in everything they do. Be sure to check it out!
Q. Your company has a partnership with Pharrell Williams’ ‘I Am Other’, how did that come about?
A. At the end of the first season of ‘The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl’ Google came out with a 100 million dollar initiative where they were looking to program channels similar to the television model. There were channels created for comedy, cooking, sports and more! At this time whenever someone was looking for urban programming they would come to us first because we had the biggest urban web-series out. After multiple offers, we decided to work with Pharrell because well, he’s a genius and you just don’t pass on an opportunity like that. Period.
Q. What do you call yourself? Digital creator?
A. I consider myself to be a digital entrepreneur; I’ve worn many hats in the digital world; from producing to being a curator of content.
Q. What motivates you to keep creating quality stuff?
A. The web is an open platform when it comes to content! Not only that, but as a content creator there are tons of liberties that are given. I love being able to put out the type of content that I want to see, there is no other way that I would do things.
Q. Do you follow the entertainment scene in Ghana?
A. Yes, of course! My Dad and I talk about the emerging hip-hop scene all the time and there are a lot of initiatives for filming that I’m currently looking into.
Q. Future plans/last words?
A. I’m working on a series of workshops that will highlight my different theories in both business and digital content, I’d love to present and teach in Ghana! Be on the lookout for that to happen real soon. The Bizz Plan is out now! It’s only the beginning, its cool to be smart.
By Gameli Hamelo/enewsgh.com