Kapital: The Life of an A&R

When you think of an A&R in the music business, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Discovering new talent…check! Artist development…check! The person who acts as a liaison between the label and the artist…check! Well, for over a decade Felton “Kapital” Brown has established himself as one of the most sought-after A&R’s in the southern music game.

Getting his start in the music business at the age of 19, he knew he not only had a passion for the music, but believed that he was skillful enough to put in the hard work to turn his passion into a moneymaking career. And that he did. He developed a strong interest early on in motivating others to believe in themselves, while helping them to stay focused on reaching their dreams. From creating and running his own indie record label, to orchestrating a deal in 2008 between a local Miami artist by the name of Kane and R&B singer Ray J for a single called “That Girl”…that still to date he still receives a royalty check for… Kapital saw a glimpse of his future and learned early on that with the right focus, this industry could bring him the lifestyle change that he had desired since childhood.

I recently got the chance to sit down with Kapital and talk “music” with him. Here’s what he had to say…

Most 19 year olds are enjoying life and still trying to figure out who they are and what they want out of life. How did you know that you wanted a career in music?

Getting into music right after graduating from high school was very simple for me. Music has always been a part of my life. My mom was singer. When I was younger I would go to the recording studio and watch her make records. It was only natural that I would gravitate towards the music industry. By the time I was a freshman in college, I was an artist manager.

Over the years you have done so much. How do you think people view you in this day and time?

I’ve always been known for my work and how I handle my business when it comes to logistics and making sure that all of the dots are connected behind the scenes. However I am also pretty popular with the youth living in the Miami inner cities because I have taken on a greater roll as a mentor that spends a lot of time motivating youth to be great. In everything I do, I make sure I leave a positive, epic impact.

What are some of the things that you have noticed about the “new” music industry verses the old one?

I’ve been noticing the change for some time. Now more than ever this music game is the “go industry.” Things change fast. There are no longer any decade long trends. You have to not only know what is happening now, but you have to be able to predict what is about to happen in the next few weeks and months. Fad music is in and at this time it is generating the industry’s revenue in hip hop.

What projects are you working on now?

I’m truly blessed to work beside music mogul and CEO of Slip N Slide Records, Ted Lucas. He has given me the amazing opportunity to work with the legendary brand that he built from the ground up. I’ve been able to bring all of my abilities to the Slip N Slide table. I’m doing quite a bit. I’m connecting artists with producers as well as connecting songwriters with producers. We have several projects on the table right now and they include Teenear, Sebastian Mikael, Mike Smiff, Swazy, Trick Daddy, Trina, and Plies.

What words of encouragement do you have for those trying to break records and really get their music to the masses?

You are in luck, we are in the age of the internet. The internet gave us an innovative wave that makes it easier to spread music across the globe. Social media and music streaming platforms are the way to go. The internet connects us all to a global market where there are billions of people right at our fingertips. Use it. Don’t sleep on it. Make the internet work for you.

Follow Kapital on Instagram at @Kapital247.

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Tags: kapital, Miami, Mike Smiff, Plies, slip n slide records, Swazy, Ted Lucas, Teenear, Trick Daddy, Trina