Thu 18 Jun 2009
Is Devyne Stephens The New Berry Gordy?
Posted by Models & Moguls
You’ve never seen him in a music video. You’ve never seen him casually showing off his rides and living space on “Cribs.” He doesn’t do reality TV or voice overs on his artists’ records. Devyne Stephens is one of the most influential entertainment moguls that you have never heard of.-Baller Status
Over the past ten years we’ve seen quite a few flamboyant, over-the-top, entertainment Execs who compete with their “Artists” as much as they promote them.
We’re not knocking them. No trademark is more exclusive then the brand of one’s self.
But it’s refreshing to witness the re-emergence of the Old-School Mogul…the behind the scenes strategist and dealmaker who moves “under the cover of darkness”, quietly secretly building entertainment empires right under the noses of would be competitors.
So we’d like to share BallerStatus’ coverage of Models & Moguls‘ Atlanta neighbor, music Mogul, Devyne Stephens.
Stephens is the CEO of Upfront Megatainment, “Not just a record label…an umbrella company for an array of other projects that Stephens has put together.”
Once an artist himself signed to LaFace Records, Stephens now operates The Complex, a large entertainment “boot camp” where recruits are drilled in everything from vocal instruction, to dance lessons, to image consulting and media training and operates a Devyne Intervention, an organization dedicated to establishing children’s hospitals.
Over the years Devyne’s expertise has assisted the careers of artists such as Usher, Mary J. Blige, TLC, Ciara, 50 Cent and Diddy.
But Stephens is best known as the Vice President of Akon’s Convict Music and one of the dominant factors behind the success of Akon and T-Pain.
For a five minute Mogul education, click here to read Baller Status’ exclusive interview of the Mogul known in close circles as “Music’s Best Kept Secret” and “The Next Berry Gordy”.
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