Rap agent Jeremiah “Ice” Younossi has formed A List Talent Agency, a hip-hop booking agency based in New York, Billboard.biz has learned.
He will be working closely with 50 Cent’s G-Unit Records and label president Sha Money (Michael Clervoix) in pursuing touring and live concert opportunities for G-Unit acts like Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, Mobb Deep and G-Unit.
Sha Money also operates Money Management Group, which oversees the careers of Banks, Young Buck and Tony Yayo.
“It’s a unique situation where you’ll find a very successful record label, a management company and an agency all in one house,” Younossi tells Billboard. “It’s three separate entities, but there will be a constant circulation of information with the idea that we’re better developing these artist’s careers by all being in the same building.”
Younossi recently left Emmel Communications, the booking arm of top rap management firm Violator Management, where he was involved at varying levels in tours and international concerts by such acts as 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, and G-Unit.
Younossi says A List will consider strategic partnerships with film and international booking agencies. He believes that his brand of hands-on representation is often a better fit for many hip-hop artists than a large agency.
“Rap tradition has a certain model that works for their talent,” Younossi says. “You’re sort of caught between worlds where the artist is selling millions of records but they’re from the streets. You don’t want to abandon their core audience but at the same time if they’re so marketable you want to provide bigger opportunities [to] put them in front of mainstream American audiences. It’s a balance.”
Younossi serves as CEO of A List, and is in the process of putting together his team. He expects the new office to be up and running next week. The first major project for the company will be a large club tour for Mobb Deep, whose new album “Blood Money” will be in stores in early April on G-Unit
