2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
The evolution of Tony Franklin
"Soulja Boy" publisher emerges from the farm land of BG to the red carpet of LA
By: Christy Johnson
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Pulse
Walking down the red carpet at the Grammy Awards is a dream for some students at the University.
For alumnus Tony Franklin, that dream became reality on Sunday night.
Franklin attended the 50th annual Grammy awards as part of Element 9's management team. Element 9 published the Grammy-nominated hit for best rap song, "Crank That," performed by up-and-comer Soulja Boy.
This is the first time Franklin has been at a major award ceremony and the journey leading up to it has been anything but easy.
Franklin, a 1987 graduate, has been from Cleveland to Houston and back trying to get his foot in the door of the hip-hop industry. It all started right here at the 88.1 WBGU, where Franklin disc jockeyed the station's first hip-hop hour in 1983.
Along with being involved in radio, Franklin was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
After graduation, Franklin took a job at Monroe Contractor and Supply, but wasn't happy with it.
"My mom wanted me to get a real job, but I absolutely hated going to work," Franklin said. "I remember saying to myself, if I don't get out now, I will be stuck forever - I didn't just want a job, I wanted to live, I wanted a life."
Not long after Franklin decided to pack up and move to Houston, Texas in 1988 where within six months he landed a job with Rap-A-Lot Records, who he still is associated with today. But success did not come in the forms of dollars and cents. Franklin remembers not earning a "dime" during the first eight years in the business. Still do all of the Midwest for Rap-A-Lot promotions.
"It was like some of the darkest times of my life," Franklin said. "A lot of people were telling me that I was stupid, but I was having so much fun, I didn't even know I was broke!"
Franklin also works with Suave House, who broke, among many, Smooth Rhyme Criminals and 8ball. It was then Franklin began to see revenue.
In the mid-90s Franklin started conceptualizing NuBlud Management, which was named after fellow University alumni Ann Chapman suggested it. Again he picked up and moved, this time back to his hometown of Cleveland to work with NuBlud Management, which was officially founded in 1995. Franklin was trying to carve out an area of the United States where he wanted to manage. NuBlud held shop from Chicago to Buffalo and from Louisville, Kentucky to Toronto, Canada.
For alumnus Tony Franklin, that dream became reality on Sunday night.
Franklin attended the 50th annual Grammy awards as part of Element 9's management team. Element 9 published the Grammy-nominated hit for best rap song, "Crank That," performed by up-and-comer Soulja Boy.
This is the first time Franklin has been at a major award ceremony and the journey leading up to it has been anything but easy.
Franklin, a 1987 graduate, has been from Cleveland to Houston and back trying to get his foot in the door of the hip-hop industry. It all started right here at the 88.1 WBGU, where Franklin disc jockeyed the station's first hip-hop hour in 1983.
Along with being involved in radio, Franklin was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
After graduation, Franklin took a job at Monroe Contractor and Supply, but wasn't happy with it.
"My mom wanted me to get a real job, but I absolutely hated going to work," Franklin said. "I remember saying to myself, if I don't get out now, I will be stuck forever - I didn't just want a job, I wanted to live, I wanted a life."
Not long after Franklin decided to pack up and move to Houston, Texas in 1988 where within six months he landed a job with Rap-A-Lot Records, who he still is associated with today. But success did not come in the forms of dollars and cents. Franklin remembers not earning a "dime" during the first eight years in the business. Still do all of the Midwest for Rap-A-Lot promotions.
"It was like some of the darkest times of my life," Franklin said. "A lot of people were telling me that I was stupid, but I was having so much fun, I didn't even know I was broke!"
Franklin also works with Suave House, who broke, among many, Smooth Rhyme Criminals and 8ball. It was then Franklin began to see revenue.
In the mid-90s Franklin started conceptualizing NuBlud Management, which was named after fellow University alumni Ann Chapman suggested it. Again he picked up and moved, this time back to his hometown of Cleveland to work with NuBlud Management, which was officially founded in 1995. Franklin was trying to carve out an area of the United States where he wanted to manage. NuBlud held shop from Chicago to Buffalo and from Louisville, Kentucky to Toronto, Canada.
Be the first to comment on this story