PRIMARY VIOLATOR'S Larry Mestel, Chris Lighty, and Blue Williams have made Billboard's Urban Power Players List 2012, comprised of the 25 most powerful players in the space, the men and women who define the game, direct its flow and determine its outcome. See their mention HERE
Billboard's Steven Horowitz writes:
“In the nine months since Larry Mestel's Primary Wave Music merged with Chris Lighty's Violator Management in September to form Primary Violator Management, the new company has been busy leveraging the proven experience of its executive team, which includes president Michael “Blue” Williams (formerly of Primary Wave Talent Management), and a roster of blue chip talent to build a branding powerhouse. Recent deals include helping 50 Cent establish his Street King energy drink and accompanying initiative to feed 1 billion kids, teaming Busta Rhymes with Google Music for a unique digital distribution deal for the artist's upcoming album E.L.E. 2: End of the World and working with Cee Lo Green to expand his presence beyond music through Primary Violator's in-house Brand Synergy Group and Lighty's Brand Asset Group.
“Branding is what we do,” Williams says. “And because we're able to flow in and out of the urban and hip-hop world and back into the pop world, we're able to do branding on a number of different levels and work any type of artist.”
Next on the agenda? Brokering even more brand extensions for their clients and breaking artists on multimedia platforms. “We're constantly trying to move the culture forward,” Lighty says. “Music is being consumed more than ever but not necessarily being consumed and paid for. But that doesn't mean that someone is unable to build a brand around that. That's what I think sets us apart.”