How You Can Become a Guest Speaker at a University

Having obtained a bachelor of arts in music & performing arts, business, and marketing from Lincoln University, in Oxford, Pennsylvania, Jelani (Lani) Wray is the owner of Wray’s Caribbean and Seafood Cuisine in Brooklyn, New York, as well as being involved in the music industry. Lani Wray has spoken as a business music guest speaker at his alma mater. You may be wondering, how does one become a guest speaker at a university?

Getting a guest speaker engagement at a university depends on your audience. Do you wish to speak with college students at a university? Or do you want to talk with the faculty at the university? Suppose you wish to be a guest speaker for students at a university. In that case, it might be a good idea to understand the issues facing college students, make sure your message is clear and relatable to college students, and speak with both college students and faculty to get an idea of life for college students.

If you instead decide you want to be a guest speaker for the faculty of a university, then you may find more common ground to talk with them. Some ideas to consider are the level of education and expertise you currently possess, the faculty’s current issues, and understanding relevant topics for your audience.

A Closer Look at Artist Management and What It Involves

Jelani “Lani” Wray is an accomplished entrepreneur, marketer, and music professional with many years of experience in music production. Since 2020, he has served as the music production manager at New York City-based Humble King Records. Tasked with multiple managerial and administrative duties, Jelani Wray oversees all aspects of artist management.

Artist management plays a critical role behind every successful artist. There is a hardworking and talented manager who takes care of their welfare. A manager helps shape an artist’s career as there is a point where it can be overwhelming for an artist to manage both the creation of music and the business side of their brand. Artist managers are tasked with formulating and guiding strategy and act as an artist’s buffer as they interact with the outside world.

For instance, a manager acts as an artist’s representative when dealing with attorneys, agents, and requests, among other engagements, especially for popular and well-known artists. This is vital as artists are constantly under pressure since people want their time and attention. A manager ensures an artist is kept away from all distractions and focuses on their sole goal of creating good music.

Artist managers also handle the professional and business development of their clients, which includes tasks such as negotiating contracts, marketing, branding, and organizing tours. Contract negotiation is crucial as music contracts are often complex and require managers with excellent negotiation skills to secure the best possible deals for both them and their clients.

An artist’s success depends on how well they’re marketed, and managers ensure they formulate a sound marketing strategy that uplifts a musician’s public image in line with current music and pop culture trends. Managers also collaborate closely with an artist’s record label and other stakeholders, such as touring agents, to manage their client’s tour schedule. Tours involve getting artists booked for various events across different locations, and managers need excellent planning and logistical skills.

Advice for New Musical Artists

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jelani Lani Wray has served as music production manager at Humble King Records since January 2020. Experienced in finding promising talent, Jelani Wray has worked in the music business for over five years. As a new artist, it’s possible to grow an audience and establish an online presence.

Because music streaming services have changed how listeners engage with music, tailor song releases and promotions to their behaviors. Rather than recording and releasing an album, release singles periodically. If one of your songs is popular enough to become part of a Spotify playlist, you will acquire your audience through one song.

Alongside music streaming services, social media has changed how artists promote their work. Though a social media presence is important, create an independent following too. Build your own website and mailing list, and direct your social media followers to that site. If Instagram changes its algorithm after you have invested time in gathering followers there, you may lose their attention.

Joining an email list takes more effort than liking a song on Spotify, so you will engage more intimately with your fans. Directing them to your site will give you more control over who engages with your music and online presence.

Ackee and Saltfish – Essential Ingredients in Caribbean Cuisine

Jelani “Lani” Wray has almost a decade of professional music production experience, working for New York record labels to attract top talents. As part of his entrepreneurial efforts, Jelani Wray also manages the Wray Restaurant, specializing in Caribbean cuisine.

Ackee and saltfish have become a staple nutritious breakfast in Caribbean cuisine. Even though ackee is Jamaica’s national fruit, neither ingredient is native to the islands. Instead, the dish hails from the islands’ colonial period. The fruit originates from Ghana and is thought to have been transported to the Caribbean Islands in the 18th century, most likely in the same ships that brought slaves. The tree is relatively easy to grow. The similar climates of West Africa and the Caribbean allowed it to become ubiquitous across Jamaica, where it is recognized as an edible crop.

Saltfish is another imported product, this time from Europe. Typically made from cod, although most recipes allow any white fish, the dried fish is one of the earliest forms of food preservation. The ability to store fish in a hot, humid climate for an extended period allowed the ingredient to spread to the Caribbeans around the same time as ackee. Slaveowners imported huge amounts of saltfish to feed their workforce, and the ingredient remained a staple once slavery was abolished. Combining two readily available and cheap ingredients allowed it to become well-known around the island and spread across the world.

How Social Media Changed the A&R in the Music Industry

Jelani Wray is a successful New York-based restauranteur and music production manager. As part of his ongoing efforts to sign new artists into record label rosters, Jelani “Lani” Wray frequently turns to social media.

Social media has changed the perception and the responsibilities of artists and repertoire (A&R) representatives in the music industry. With downloadable music and streaming phenomenons that have shaped the previous decades, social media promotions can now make or break a new title. Considering the prevalence of social media following any upcoming entertainment star, A&R representatives must compromise between visibility, publicity, and the artist’s personal life and privacy.

Using social media as one of the primary sources of finding new talent also helps find the core audience quickly. New trends based on the audience’s preference allow A&R representatives to develop new content and marketing campaigns with minimal effort. Social media can turn the audience into creators and consumers simultaneously, allowing for constant change in the A&R responsibilities.

Moving toward Sourcing Localized Ingredients and Smaller Portions

In addition to his career in media, Jelani “Lani” Wray is also a restaurateur from Brooklyn, New York. As the owner of Wray’s Caribbean and Seafood Restaurant, Jelani Wray decided to remain open during the pandemic while taking precautions to protect workers and customers.

In 2020, many in food service had to make quick decisions to stay afloat. Like many in hospitality, restaurant owners adapted to challenges while adhering to public safety guidelines, including going digital and offering curbside pick-up. As a result, shopping for locally sourced food is one impact of the pandemic.

At the height of the pandemic, supply chain issues made it impossible for restaurants to stock up on items that were normally a part of the menu. To adjust, they have not only shifted to purchasing locally but also changed their menu items.

This reinvention of the menu has culminated in offering smaller portion sizes, which are more affordable for budget-minded consumers. Restaurant kitchens are also reusing the same ingredients in different dishes. They also expect restaurants to incorporate non-traditional options, such as meal kits, grocery items, and alcoholic beverages, as a part of delivery options.

Distribution and Licensing Agreements

Leading an A&R career in the music industry, Jelani Wray works with new artists as a music production manager at Humble King Records. In addition to scouting new talent, Jelani “Lani” Wray negotiates distribution and licensing agreements.

Distribution and licensing agreements are two options that record labels must consider when they release a new album. Distribution refers to stocking shops with the album while licensing entails selling the rights of an album to another label or distributor, typically for international distribution.

A distribution agreement takes place between a record label and a music distributor. This agreement states that the label will be responsible for manufacturing the album. The distributor is in charge of the promotion and stocking process. If the album makes a big profit in stores, the distributor regains its money and a portion of the profit.

A licensing agreement takes place between a record label and another company. This agreement gives the other company the right to manufacture, distribute, and sell the album. Licensing agreements usually are made to get an album into the international market. The original label receives a set licensing fee at the beginning of the deal and then delegates the overseas operations to the international distributor.

The 2021 SXSW Conference Goes Online

As a music production manager, Jelani Wray focuses on the acquisition of new talent for Humble King Records. His experience in the music industry includes artist management, record supervision, and distribution planning. In 2014, Jelani “Lani” Wray was invited to be a panelist at SXSW.

This year’s SXSW conference was held online beginning March 16, 2021. The five-day event covered film, music, and technology. The program featured keynote speakers that included Stacey Abrams, Willie Nelson, and Charles Yu.

The 2021 conference comprised more than 200 sessions that tackled topics such as transforming the entertainment landscape and embracing humanity in a time of disconnection. Additional topics addressed the role of technology in the arts with specific panels highlighting the danger of “deepfakes” and the importance of intersectional design in artificial intelligence.

All SXSW sessions were recorded and remained accessible online until April 18. The conference also included on-demand music and film events.

What Is A and R in Music?

Jelani Wray is a music production manager at Brooklyn-based Humble King Records. His professional responsibilities include scouting new talent and managing recording budgets. To facilitate contracts and strategize release, Jelani “Lani” Wray coordinates with other departments, including marketing and A&R.

The A&R department in the music business refers to artists and repertoire. Present in every record company, the A&R team mainly is responsible for discovering new talent. However, the work of an A&R representative encompasses all operations between an artist and a record label, including:

– Scouting and signing. A&R representatives scout talent and decide if an artist is a good fit for the record label. Serving as a liaison between the label and the artist, the A&R team plays an important role in preserving the artistic vision while meeting the label’s sales goal.

– Album decisions. The job of an A&R representative does not end with signing an artist. The A&R team oversees the recording process, works on artist development, and helps select the songs for the album.

– Marketing. The A&R team is heavily involved in album rollout and artist marketing. Team members manage an artist’s public appearances and promote their work to maximize sales.

An Overview of Recent Best New Artist Winners at the Grammys

Jelani Wray has served as the owner of Wray’s Caribbean and Seafood Cuisine in Brooklyn, New York, since 2014. In 2020, Jelani “Lani” Wray expanded her professional activities by becoming a music production manager with Humble King Records. She enjoys discovering new talent and breaking musical acts.

The Grammy Award for Best New Artist was first awarded in 1959. Over the last five years, winners of the award have enjoyed considerable success after receiving the honor. Chance the Rapper was named Best New Artist in 2017, one of three awards the independent hip hop artist won that night. The accolade helped Chance achieve several career milestones in the following months, ranging from two Emmy-nominated appearances on Saturday Night Live to his role as curator and headliner for an Obama Foundation community event in Chicago.

Alessia Cara received the award the following year. A few months after the honor, her second studio album, The Pains of Growing, debuted at No. 1 on the US iTunes Pop Charts just two hours after release. Cara’s reign as Best New Artist ended when R&B/disco pop star Dua Lipa won the award in 2019. While her debut self-titled album had performed well, her 2020 follow-up Future Nostalgia debuted at No. 1 in several countries.

Alternative pop star Billie Eilish and rapper Megan Thee Stallion received Best New Artist honors in 2020 and 2021, respectively. For Eilish, it was one of four Grammys won, making her the youngest person, second person ever, and first female to win Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year at the same show, leading her to be named to the Time 100 Next list by Time Magazine. Stallion, meanwhile, became the first female hip-hop artist to win the award since Lauryn Hill in 1999.