March 02, 2018

The teenager is driven to bring authenticity back to Texas hip-hop.

N
Contributor

Forbes recently reached out and interviewed Ezra Averill, a 17-year old that manages Tay-K, the immensely popular rapper whom he also considers to be his best friend. The high-schooler is also an essential piece of the grounded, Texas-based hip-hop company called Stomp Down Entertainment, which provides management for Maxo KreamD Flowers, and more (+ Tay-K). Ezra is currently the youngest person to ever successfully A&R a platinum record with Tay’s “The Race”, and started managing the trial-awaiting rapper when he was 14, along with his previous rap group the Daytona Boyz.

“Hopefully, I get to change the industry, me and my partners formed an entertainment company called Stomp Down Entertainment with my partner Toby. Right now we’re working with artists, talking to labels, trying to make stars. What’s important for me and for them is Texas hip-hop, we’re really focused on making Texas a mainstay in hip-hop again. Texas really hasn’t made much noise this decade. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish, to make Texas a permanent figure in hip-hop, truly showcase all the talent that we got here ’cause Texas is a family, all one big family. We got Tay, Maxo, CJ Casino, we got a lot of people and a lot of talent in Texas.”

The Arlington, Texas teenager is more than a manager or A&R though, as he started throwing shows for major acts such as Playboi Carti and 21 Savage when he was only 15.

I had an investor and a partner named Lou, and we would throw concerts for whoever we felt like seeing. When I was 15, instead of throwing a birthday party or getting gifts, I told my parents, “Give me a little bit of money, and I’ll make you a lot more,” and that’s what I did. That first show, on my 15th birthday, it was called “Dallas 300,” it was with Playboi Carti, he was the headliner, and Tay performed. There were a LOT of people who pulled up. It was really an important Dallas show, did crazy numbers, I’m pretty sure we sold out, and from there we just started building.”

Ezra offers a lot of insight to anyone looking to get into the music industry, and shows through his own experiences as a teenager that there are no barriers to what you can accomplish. You can read the full interview here.


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