nccmedia.com
With NCC GO, it's easier than ever for brands to reach consumers watching cable programming
on any screen. Whether they are at home or on the road, NCC GO goes with them.
hopes to serve as a bridge between
companies and urban youth to encourage
the type of talent incubation typically only
seen in the world of athletics.
"I can go to MIT and get the greatest
mind that's there, but the NBA doesn't
wait until a kid is in college to identify
him," Young Guru says. "They identify him
in junior high school, then groom him. If
companies took a vested interest in kids,
there'd be a direct funnel and you'd have
a better and more diverse workforce."
Although his work with Sleeping Giants
will be the focus of his SXSW appear-
ance, it's impossible not to mention
Young Guru's relationship with Jay Z,
and their partnership dates back to
the Blueprint era in the early 2000s.
What's the most fun thing about
working with Jay Z? Young Guru says
that it's having a direct line without
industry middle men. When pressed
for a less professional answer, he
diplomatically drew comparisons to
working with younger artists.
"Jay Z is a human being who knows what
he wants to talk about and who he is," says
Young Guru. "Sometimes young artists
are talented but don't know who they are.
They know they can sing really well but
don't know what they want to sing about.
Your job is to guide their talent."
Young Guru will be a
Featured Speaker in the
Music Culture & Stories
track, on Tuesday, March 13,
at 11am in Room 12AB at the
Austin Convention Center.
Young Guru at the controls.
SXSW.COM | M A R C H 8 , 2 0 1 8 | SXS W O R L D
3 3
