The Manager's Playbook

LaRussell is the rare independent artist who didn’t partner with Roc Nation because he needed a label. He partnered because he built enough leverage to make the label behave like a partner.
In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, LaRussell and his manager Tietta Mitchell break down the real strategy behind signing with Roc Nation (and what artists and managers get wrong when they hear the word “signed”). We talk record deal negotiation, non-exclusive licensing deals, and how to demand label deliverables instead of vague promises. They explain how alignment with the right people, clear success metrics (radio, press, DSP relationships, late night, sustained fan growth), and protecting autonomy can turn a major partnership into a growth lever, not a loss of independence.
Then we get into the operating system: how LaRussell’s team runs independent artist infrastructure (touring, merch, releases, content), why his marketing focuses on awareness ads over streams, how retargeting and funnels actually work for artists, the difference between clipping vs seeding, and why reinvesting into a contractor-based operation is the real “major label machine” built in-house.
If you’re an artist, manager, A&R, or music entrepreneur trying to understand how independent artists make money, how modern label partnerships should work, and how to scale a music career without losing control, this one’s a blueprint.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it.KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
New episodes drop Tuesdays @ 10am ET

Chapters:

00:00 Roc Nation Partnership (Independent Artist Scale)
01:21 Artist Management Alignment (Meeting the Team)
03:07 Record Deal Negotiation (Artist Proposes Terms)
04:38 Licensing Deal Explained (Short-Term Structure)
07:01 Non-Exclusive Record Deal (Keep Dropping Music)
13:40 When a Label Deal Makes Sense (Partnership vs Dependency)
15:44 Labels Don’t Develop Artists (Modern Artist Development)
18:16 Contract Process & Entertainment Lawyer (Paperwork Fast)
20:54 JAŸ-Z / Roc Nation Resources (Access Without Giving Up Control)
27:18 Defining “Independent Artist” (Leverage & Optionality)
30:16 DSP Relationships & Global Representation (Spotify/Apple/Press)
33:55 Music Business Success Metrics (Radio, PR, Growth)
41:55 Clipping vs Seeding (Content Distribution Strategy)
58:28 Paid Ads for Artists (Awareness Ads That Work)
01:00:31 Awareness vs Streams (Music Marketing Funnel)
01:06:06 Retargeting & Lookalikes (Meta Ads / Business Manager)
01:13:33 Artist Manager Role Evolution (From Helper to Operator)
01:22:22 Delegation & Scaling (Team Systems)
01:25:46 Team Structure Breakdown (Contractors, Ops, Live Days)
01:34:16 Reinvesting Into Infrastructure (Scaling the Business)
01:53:34 Revenue vs Profit (Music Business Money Talk)
02:03:04 Catalog vs Single Push (Release Strategy)
02:13:28 Offer-Based Booking (Touring + Monetization)

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we get into the unglamorous side of the music business that every independent artist eventually faces: release week feels stressful because you’re the label.
JMSN explains what it really means to self-fund your art, paying upfront for the rollout, the assets, and the overhead before you’ve made anything back. He breaks down the classic independent cash flow loop: release the project, tour to extract value from the album cycle, save what you can, and reinvest to finance the next record, while still paying for real life.
Then we talk music marketing and why JMSN has a real disdain for constant digital ads and billboard-style promotion. His long-game mindset is simple: invest in the product, protect the catalog, and let great work compound because the music is “out forever.”
There’s nuance, though. We separate album advertising from tour promotion, where ads can actually make sense because selling tickets is time-sensitive. We also get into promoter strategy, measuring ad baselines, building an email list, and why IRL postering can beat lazy online spend.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5v5XObpCdwwXn5N1OD1cFQ?si=iKzKWbABSoCiaw9hZxeuvg

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Keywords: music business, independent artist, self-funding, touring strategy, tour marketing, music marketing, Meta ads, promotion strategy, release rollout, artist management, direct-to-fan, email list, catalog strategy

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we talk about a music marketing truth most artists learn too late: a great music video isn’t “extra content,” it’s a long-term marketing asset.
JMSN explains why he’d rather put his budget into visuals than into digital ads, paid social, or “content seeding” that disappears in a day. His thinking is simple: a strong video becomes an evergreen commercial for the song and the artist brand, something that can keep working for years as your catalog grows.
We also break down how “Soft Spot” shifted the conversation around whether videos still matter, why iconic visuals can still turn a casual listener into a fan, and what it looks like to operate like a creative director: storyboarding, “editing in your head,” and choosing speed and control by directing and editing the work himself. The bigger takeaway for artists and managers is practical: spend where the audience can see it, and let one great idea beat a big budget.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5v5XObpCdwwXn5N1OD1cFQ?si=iKzKWbABSoCiaw9hZxeuvg

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Keywords: music video marketing, music marketing, artist branding, independent artist, artist management, release strategy, content strategy, creative direction, video production, touring and merch, music business

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, we talk about the part of the music business that’s driving artists crazy: the endless “how to blow up” social media advice that sounds confident and works for almost nobody.
JMSN explains why he pulled back from social platforms when it started feeling awful and how the unlock was getting less precious about it all. Instead of trying to look cool or chase engagement, he treats platforms like TikTok as low-stakes distribution: post the clips, post the memes, keep the reps going, and don’t let likes define the work. Because the goal isn’t to worship the algorithm. It’s to build a real fanbase and create repeatable momentum.
We also get into how streaming behaviour has changed across platforms, why views/streams don’t tell the full story anymore (even though they can still validate what’s working), and how to lean into traction using tools like Instagram Trial Reels to reach non-followers, while keeping Instagram more curated, like an artist homepage.
And we bring it back to the stuff that still matters: early community support, Toronto roots, and the real-world moments that often start the entire chain reaction.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5v5XObpCdwwXn5N1OD1cFQ?si=iKzKWbABSoCiaw9hZxeuvg

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Keywords: music marketing, social media strategy for artists, TikTok for musicians, Instagram Reels strategy, YouTube growth, streaming strategy, artist development, artist management, fanbase building, momentum, independent artist, music industry

In this clip from The Manager’s Playbook, JMSN breaks down the real economics of the music industry: a record deal isn’t automatically “support.” It’s a trade of ownership and creative control for convenience.
He explains why he’s stayed truly independent, keeping 100% of his master recordings and music publishing, even as major labels, “indie labels,” and distribution deals come with big advances and major-level resources. His deal math is simple: if a label is offering you a serious check, it usually means they believe you can generate far more on your own. So the real question becomes: what are you giving up for that advance?
We also talk about the reality of A&R bandwidth, why “label help” often lacks real thought and care, and how major label release volume makes it hard for artists to ever feel prioritized. JMSN shares how momentum (including “Soft Spot”) can trigger urgency tactics from the industry and why patience and long-term thinking matter when you’re choosing partners.
The takeaway for artists, managers, and aspiring music executives: the best support isn’t always a label. Sometimes it’s building the right artist management team, protecting the upside, and letting the right decisions reveal themselves over time.
Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pj

Listen to the full episode here -
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5v5XObpCdwwXn5N1OD1cFQ?si=iKzKWbABSoCiaw9hZxeuvg

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook

Keywords: music business, artist management, record deal, major label, independent artist, distribution, publishing royalties, masters ownership, leverage, A&R, artist development, music marketing.