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Jill Scott

Kindred the Family Soul

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www.BREmagazine.com
hen I heard about the Harvard lawyer who was
running things for Jheryl Busby at Motown
Records, I groaned, hoping this label, an icon like no
other in Black music, wasn’t being entrusted to a stuffed
shirt who didn’t know anything about the music or the
history of it all.
Lawyers as ‘creative’ had caused a few train wrecks--
often you could find more suits in the studio control room
than artists. It was not a good scenario. So I was a little
squinty-eyed when ushered into his office to talk about the
future of Motown. But then I grinned. On the wall behind the
desk was a giant blowup of a toddler so in love with his piano,
he couldn’t take time to get dressed before sitting down to play.
His sweet little face was a study in joy. The same joy was evident
in the grown man as soon as he started talking about music. Steve
McKeever wasn’t your conventional lawyer--not then, not now.
The complexities of his nature and dimensions of his dreams have
provided ample conversation in the years since that first meeting. Cornel West

He’s from the kind of family that expects accomplishments and stellar careers and he ful-
filled those expectations, but he’s done much more. McKeever is the architect and propellant of
Hidden Beach Recordings, the music label that has changed the model for upstart young com-
panies in the minefield that is today’s music business.
On that long ago day at Motown, some of the philosophies that would spring full blown at HB
were beginning to emerge. McKeever, in talking about his vision for MoJazz intended to make
music that was “true” to the artist; he was looking for artists like Norman Brown, who could
deliver the best in live performances and powerfully connect with the public that way.
McKeever was successful and with MoJazz guitarist Brown created quite a stir

in 1992 being joined by other acts before history

took on a darker chapter for Motown.
McKeever started Hidden Beach Recordings in
1998, on a miniscule operating budget--three mil-
lion dollars. In the earliest days, there were three
acts: Brenda Russell, Jill Scott and Mike Phillips.
Old sage heads thought McKeever might be
a pretty smart guy and all that, but there just
wasn’t enough money for him to do things the
right way. He had no intention of trying the
old ‘conventional’ ways. In fact, this label was
not even going to have titles for its executives
because titles often box people in. He and his
group had their eye on making music that was
Onitsha
steeped in truth that would resonant with the
buyers, so they chose carefully, structured their
approach and their corporate culture and along

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the way made a new kind of Black History.

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Today Hidden Beach is a leader in the music industry, with

acts such as performer Jill Scott, revered scholar Cornel West,
For an artist like myself, it has been
saxophonist Mike Phillips, singer Darius Rucker, new gospel star
Onitsha and Kindred the Family Soul. McKeever has also intro-
my saving grace to work with Hidden
duced a variety of unconventional initiatives under the Hidden
Beach banner. Most groundbreaking, is the College Internship
Beach, to be a part of their family.
Program, an international effort that provides college students
with hands-on music business experience. This program of nearly
I don’t know any other place, any other
400 members became a model for the entertainment industry
In 2008’s Black History Month, Hidden Beach Recordings
label that is as understanding of what
marked the celebration with an outdoor media campaign in Los
Angeles. Timed to maximize industry awareness to coincide with
it means to be an artist.
the 50th Anniversary of the Grammy Awards, the campaign con- —Jill Scot
sists of one dozen 30-sheet billboards in the Hollywood, South-
Central, and Crenshaw districts of Los Angeles, as well as the City
of Inglewood.
Thornell Jones, Marketing for Hidden Beach explains, “People
often think of history as something from the past.” But Jones notes
that Hidden Beach is creating Black History for a new generation
with its “commitment to quality music and artists. In a declining
marketplace – it’s a notable distinction which sets this label apart,
not to mention the fact that Hidden Beach is Black owned and
operated.”
One of the artists featured in the campaign can be said to have
made history right from the beginning; it’s Jill Scott. She encap-
sulates everything HB was about. She is the real thing. When
her first recording came out, there really wasn’t an existing slot
in R&B/hip-hop where the album fit. HB brought its marketing
concept to the front and it worked miracles for the midnight funk,
soul, and jazz verbal virtuoso. HB said they were going to grab
onto the new. In her first album, the CD put a new spin on the use
of bonus and hidden tracks. There’s at least a dozen, including an
alternate version of “Love Rain” which gives us a peek into the
future pairing of Scott and Mos Def on Collaborations. Scott,
in fact, nominated for three Grammy nominations this year,
just won her latest Grammy for her duet with Lupe Fiasco on
“Daydreamin’.”
In her own words, Scott says, “for an artist like myself, it has
been my saving grace to work with Hidden Beach, to be a part of
their family. I don’t know any other place, any other label that is
as understanding of what it means to be an artist.
I think that Hidden Beach feels mythical, because of what it
means. It is a safe haven for artists to express themselves and
share the God-given talents that they have, and that I’m so grate-
ful for. I’m just really, really grateful for that.
With Hidden Beach creating the intern program, it’s almost
like an adoption of children that are waiting for a reason to
believe in music. And that is really powerful. It’s really, really
powerful to be able to invite young people into the industry so
they know how it works, and I really hope that the program will
continue to bloom so that music may save the world.”
When McKeever first spoke of discovering artists who were
Renaissance figures, he didn’t know about Jill Scott yet, but that is
exactly what she has proven to be. In addition to her 12 Grammy
nominations and rousing live performances (captured in the
“Live in Paris” DVD that debuted in the Top 5) she is currently
proving herself to be an actress of considerable depth
Following her debut in Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married,”
she says acting has become a new joy for her. She made the
scene at Sundance earlier in the year in support of her role in the
movie “Hounddog,” starring Dakota Fanning, in which she plays
Big Momma Thornton, the artist who originally sang the Elvis
Presley hit. Jill is also currently in talks to star in several upcom-
ing films and the singer/actress will star in her first lead role with
Oscar winning director Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain/The
English Patient) in “No.1 Ladies Detective Agency” (Weinstein
Co./HBO).
Meanwhile she’s on the road now with On the Road NOW: The
Real Thing Tour featuring special guest Raheem DeVaughn.

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McKeever called in to talk

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and in the background
Cornel West could be
heard holding forth. It’s
nearly impossible to
listen to any other
voice when Dr. West
is in full throttle
mode, which he was
on this day. MTV was
rolling the cameras for
its 52/52 MTV Artist
feature and the chal-
lenge would be how
to capture the com-
plex and challenging
West. You never know
what you might hear
from a man who
is known to inter-
twine such disparaging themes as religion, racism, love, Word” gospel program. Onitsha proudly says, “Hidden Beach
homophobia with Danish existentialist Soren Kierkegaard and is dedicated to true music, free from discrimination, never
the ideas of Martin Luther King Jr. and all other of the wide compromising sound nor substance for the trends of today’s
ranging subjects that fall under his riveting gaze and provoke market.”
that wicked grin. Also currently appearing on this season’s “American Idol,”
He has won numerous awards, Onitsha adds, “With great art-
including the American Book Award, ists like Jill Scott, Mike Phillips,
and has received more than 20 Kindred, and a prolific figure such
honorary degrees. In his scholarly as Dr. Cornel West, you will always
work, he has authored more than find positive, lyrical content and
17 books including the best-selling soothing music that makes you feel
“Race Matters” which has sold nearly good and reminds you of who we
400,000 copies to date and contin- are as a people. I am honored to be
ues to influence a national dialogue a Hidden Beach/Still Waters gospel
on race. A political theorist who’s artist, where I have the freedom
worked on presidential bids by Bill to express who I am and share the
Bradley, Al Sharpton and now Barack love Christ has shown me.”
Obama, West has also been involved Saxophonist Mike Phillips, in
with such projects as the Million the studio recording with Prince,
Man March and Russell Simmons’ will begin the BMW-Pop-Jazz-Live
Hip Hop Summit. He continues to be Tour in April and is working on his
an integral part of social change as third studio album.
well as a driving force in pop culture. Kindred The Family Soul, cur-
That’s why BET Honors recently rec- rently working on their next
ognized him. project due this summer, also
His third album project, Never exemplifies what Hidden Beach
Forget: A Journey of Revelations, is all about. Family. Literally,
under the Hidden Beach Forum label they just added twin girls to
was produced by Mike Dailey and their growing nest, making five
Clifton West of Black Men Who Mean children in their family. Says the
Business, Sacramento-based writers father, Fatin Dantzler, “Hidden
and producers. The project has served Beach has always tried and suc-
as the focal point of discussion at loca- ceeded in giving people what they
tions across the country. West’s new want, sneaking in what they need.
CD project gives an explosive critique, These days it seems that many of
addressing major issues such as racial our independent black labels are
profiling, politics, 9/11, war, and a lita- not as concerned with the latter.
ny of other concerns of not just Black This is the kind of responsibil-
people but Americans at large. ity that seems to come naturally
West comments, “As a label, Hidden Beach takes seriously for Steve and his staff. This is why we will always be honored
its calling to be a channel for edutainment in the genre of Black to be associated with Hidden Beach Recordings. Our image
music, having to do with the traditional function of music in the has become a mirror for the average young black family just
Black community not only as a source of entertainment, but also trying to survive in a world that would soon see it destroyed.
as a source of education as well. Hidden Beach takes seriously Most companies wouldn’t come near it, but HB has never had
that calling and continues to carry that banner in these bleak a problem “getting it.” In fact, their complete support of our
times.” concept is damn near a revolutionary act in the current state
Another of the subjects of the Black History Month campaign of the music business.”
is Onitsha. The ‘Church Girl’ on Hidden Beach’s gospel label, That could be truth, Hidden Beach has always been revo-
Still Waters, who just received a Dove Award nomination for lutionary which is how they’ve made Black History for a New
Best Urban Album, is the voice of KJLH radio’s “Spread the Generation.

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