You are now watching the Drink Champs Experience in 4k Ultra HD!!! N.O.R.E. & DJ EFN are the Drink Champs. In this episode we chop it up with the one and only, Ryan Leslie! Ryan stops by to share his journey! Ryan discusses how people doubted his plans early on, building a core fanbase, and much more! Ryan shares stories of working with Fabolous, his past relationship with Cassie, losing his laptop prior to “Watch The Throne” album and much much more! Lot’s of great stories that you don’t want to miss!! Make some noise for Ryan Leslie!!! 💐💐💐🏆🏆🏆 *Listen and subscribe at https://www.drinkchamps.com Timecodes: 0:00:00 - Intro 00:02:27 - Ryan discusses navigating Ivy League environments and credits his father for instilling values of education. 00:03:39 - He shares his family’s background in the Salvation Army and his parents' service-oriented lives. 00:04:09 - Talks about attending top-tier schools through his father's advocacy and balancing between private school and Boys & Girls Club. 00:05:14 - Ryan shares his transition from Harvard to the music industry and his initial struggles with family expectations. 00:08:03 - Mentions his method of testing music by playing it for Uber drivers as informal focus groups. 00:10:43 - Ryan addresses paying off student loans for people and discusses the lack of financial planning in the music industry. 00:14:02 - Talks about making himself accessible through social media and offering direct contact with fans. 00:17:12 - Discusses artists' struggles during the pandemic and his role in helping them financially navigate challenges. 00:20:19 - Shares his early adoption of cryptocurrency as a way to maintain financial control. 00:23:06 - Describes the decentralized financial system and the value of control over his assets. Producing for Artists Independently 00:26:00 - Ryan reflects on working from a small Harlem apartment, producing successful music without big studios. 00:29:12 - Talks about producing Cassie's album from his apartment and leveraging Myspace for promotion. 00:34:50 - Ryan Leslie receives his Flowers! 💐 00:35:38 - Describes his ticket-buyout model, buying all tickets from venues and reselling them independently. 00:38:45 - Discusses the importance of analyzing analytics for artists to manage their careers effectively. 00:44:20 - Talks about creating a "creative middle class" and how proper financial planning could support artists' long-term success. 00:47:25 - Shares anecdotes about collaborations with big artists and the impact of going independent. 00:50:18 - Talks about working with industry names and insights from early music experiences. 00:53:28 - Emphasizes the value of independence and the challenges of controlling one's customer data. 00:59:10 - Mentions the influence of independent artists in Texas and the impact of authenticity. 01:01:00 - Quick Time with Slime 🏆 01:25:06 - Details how he manages finances for tours and independent albums to appear "major." Cultural Influence and Future of Independent Artists 01:35:40 - Talks about DSPs making significant revenue and the importance of maintaining control. 01:39:06 - Discusses his admiration for icons like Lauryn Hill and the impact of early performances. Wealth Education and Final Thoughts 01:42:42 - Explains his mission to educate others on financial management and long-term wealth. Follow Drink Champs: https://www.instagram.com/drinkchamps https://www.twitter.com/drinkchamps https://www.facebook.com/drinkchamps https://www.youtube.com/drinkchamps DJ EFN https://www.crazyhood.com https://www.instagram.com/whoscrazy https://www.twitter.com/djefn https://www.facebook.com/crazyhoodproductions N.O.R.E. https://www.instagram.com/therealnoreaga https://www.twitter.com/noreaga