American Consequences - September 2017

THE INNOVATION OF A BROWNIE

DIFFERENT Jesse stopped. His professor then asked a question that would define his career... “ What’s your point of differentiation ?” “They’re homemade, moist, and delicious.” “A thousand brownies come out every year,” the professor said. “If you want to be a brownie then you have to be better – different. A new, better brownie.” By the time Jesse returned to his seat, he had already begun changing his plans for after graduation. The year was 1990 and hip-hop was starting to explode on the music scene. He knew he could write rhymes and rap. He loved it. And well, he was white. Not too many white kids in the hip-hop scene in 1990. Jesse had found his new, better brownie. He calls it his $160,000 lesson. It’s the only thing he remembers learning in college – you have to be better. And different. It’s been more than 25 years since he learned it, but that wisdom has catapulted his success into the music business, airline industry, beverage industry, and publishing a New York Times bestselling book... “They can be gluten free.” “You can sit down now.”

From Mistaken Identity to the New York Knicks Months after graduation, Jesse sat in Mike Ross’ office at Delicious Vinyl... a hot new independent record label with signed artists like Tone Lōc and Young MC. As he waited, he looked around the dimly lit room to see album covers, celebrity photos, and graffiti art hanging on the walls. He wanted to be a part of it. It didn’t matter that Ross’ assistant mistakenly set up the meeting thinking he was Brooklyn-born rap star Dana Dane. And it didn’t matter that Jesse hadn’t corrected her when she made the mistake. He was exactly where he needed to be. “Who are you?” Ross, president of Delicious Vinyl, asked when he saw Jesse sitting in his office. “Where’s Dana?” Jesse used a Harry Truman technique, “If you can’t convince them – confuse them.” He started throwing words at him: Dana’s late, I record with him, I have my own tape, he’ll be here in 20. And it worked – Ross was confused. But after Jesse played his demo, he heard the four greatest words an artist can ever hear, “Who is your lawyer?” Jesse’s first single, “Shake It Like a White Girl,” reached No. 74 on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart in 1991 and received play on the Yo! MTV Raps hit television show. Not bad

22 | September 2017

Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker