jelani-wray

[jelani-wray]

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.

[jelani-wray]

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?

[jelani-wray]

Different Types of Music Managers

Jelani (Lani) Wray has a bachelor of arts in music & performing arts, business, & marketing. Jelani Wray is also the owner of Wray's Caribbean and Seafood Cuisine in Brooklyn, NY, and a music production manager at Humble King Records. There are different types of music managers in the industry, and music management compromises many different managers. Some of the various music managers include road managers, tour managers, and technical managers. Technical managers manage set construction and design and other technicalities that are a part of the actual performance. Road managers ensure that everything on the road happens according to contract, including payments being made on time. Tour managers and road managers share many similarities and can often be performed by the same person; if budget is an issue. However, if a tour manager is separate from a road manager, their key tasks include planning merchandising, tour routing, catering, hospitality, and other related functions.

#Music Managers

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Nine Notable Musical Cities Chosen by UNESCO

Since January 2020, Jelani Wray has served as Humble King Records’ music production manager in Brooklyn, New York. Outside of work, Jelani Wray enjoys global travel. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, has recommended nine cities with thriving music scenes. UNESCO did not choose items for their list based on size alone. The organization selects entrants based on their musical history and formal educational institutions emphasizing music. It also accounts for more recently turning a city’s music scene into an economic draw for tourism and other industries. One example of this kind of city is Hamamatsu, Japan. Hamamatsu has less than one million residents, but its musical heritage runs deep. Multiple world-renowned instrument manufacturers hold their headquarters there, and music festivals and competitions attract talent from across the world. It has multiple schools teaching all aspects of the music industry, from playing instruments to managing concert halls. Another notable city, according to UNESCO, is Bogotá, Columbia. Bogotá has over 500 music venues and hosts the country’s largest music festival, “Festivales Al Parque,” which features artists from diverse genres. City leaders have even harnessed Bogotá’s music scene by creating the Bogotá Music Market, a resource for music agents, locally and regionally.

#Musical Cities

[jelani-wray]

The A3C Conference Unites Hip Hop Artists

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jelani "Lani" Wray has served as music production manager at Humble King Records since January of 2020. In total, Jelani Wray has over five years in the music production business and has spoken at conferences like the 2013 All 3 Countries (A3C) conference. A3C hosts performances from famous hip-hop artists and panels where artists and producers can learn new skills. Since the first A3C festival is intended for artists local to the Atlanta, Georgia area. Since the 2005 A3C festival, its audience and importance in the music industry have grown. While A3C hosted in-person events between 2005 and 2019, it offered three interrelated opportunities for newcomers to the music business, live performances from hip hop veterans and newcomers, panels about industry topics, and constant formal and informal networking opportunities. Throughout the whole event, artists are encouraged to Hand out CDs and business cards. During A3C’s in-person conferences, held in October of the given calendar year, several artists performed on each scheduled day. Usually, the convention lasted three days, but in 2019, it lasted for six. They consisted of both established and new performers for that year. Alongside the stage shows, artists, producers, and businesspeople hosted panels to share their expertise. They explained how they created popular songs of the time and how to build distinguished brands. Business leaders also discussed the partnerships between musicians and entrepreneurs, especially in the Atlanta area.

#Hip Hop Artists

[jelani-wray]

UNESCO’s Nine Best Musical Cities

Since January 2020, Jelani "Lani" Wray has served as Humble King Records’ music production manager in Brooklyn, New York. Outside of work, Jelani Wray enjoys global travel. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, has recommended nine cities with thriving music scenes. UNESCO did not choose items for their list based on size alone. They select entrants based on their musical history and formal educational institutions emphasizing music. They also account for more recent ways of turning a city’s music scene into an economic draw for tourism and other industries. One example of this kind of city is Hamamatsu, Japan. Hamamatsu has less than one million residents, but its musical heritage runs deep. Multiple world-renowned instrument manufacturers hold their headquarters there, and music festivals and competitions attract talent from across the world. It has multiple schools teaching all aspects of the music industry, from playing instruments to managing concert halls. Another notable city, according to UNESCO, is Bogotá, Columbia. Bogotá has over 500 music venues and hosts the country’s largest music festival, “Festivales Al Parque,” which features artists from diverse genres. City leaders have even harnessed Bogotá’s music scene by creating the Bogotá Music Market, a resource for music agents, locally and regionally.

#Musical Cities

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B-Roll Footage Explained

A music production manager at Humble King Records, Jelani “Lani” Wray also manages his restaurant, Wray’s Caribbean and Seafood Cuisine in Brooklyn, New York City. Having enjoyed a successful music and entertainment career, he worked with FreeForm Productions to deal with management and music production. At Humble King Records, Jelani Wray engages in multiple responsibilities, from pre-production to post-production, including B-roll footage. B-roll refers to the extra footage captured to complement the main story (A-roll) that is being told. The advantage of B-roll footage is it allows video editors more flexibility when editing as they have extra content which can be included to add dimension to a story. B-roll includes still photography, video footage, and animation, among others. The best way to get B-roll content is to plan adequately by evenly dividing filming between capturing the main content and B-roll. Since B-roll is often captured within fixed intervals, it’s always advisable to first identify the must-have content and prioritize it within the filming schedule. Having plenty of B-roll content is beneficial as it makes a video more engaging. To attain the best results, B-roll should be shot at varying focal lengths to have more shot choices that can be utilized. For instance, an editor may get two similar shots, but one should be wide-angle while the second, a closeup to capture more detail. In addition, shooting at a high frame rate is a good way to transform a normal B-roll into incredible footage. Slow-motion can also enrich the value of the footage and make it appear more cinematic and captivating. Finally, the best B-roll should focus on clearly identifying the position of the subject within a frame. It’s vital to locate the target and focus on it while capturing it from multiple positions, angles, and focal lengths.

#Jelani Wray #B-Roll Footage

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Record Labels Look for in New Artists or Bands

An accomplished artists and repertoire representative and music production manager at Humble King Records, Jelani Wray has successfully helped establish music brands that utilize creative marketing strategies. A former production manager at New York-based FreeForm Productions, Jelani “Lani” Wray identified and acquired new talent for the record label.

Record labels are always on the lookout for new talent and bands to acquire them before competitors do. A&Rs have their mechanisms of finding talent, and artists and bands need to be aware of what record labels look for in them before engaging them.For starters, A&Rs are keen on artists and bands with an interesting story behind their work coupled with unique visuals and branding. A&Rs examine the design, graphics, photos, and bio and go through an artist or band’s website.A bio allows artists to share their stories or information they would want the industry to know. Bios can mostly be found either on the about section of a Facebook/social media page or an artist’s or band’s website. The best bios should be brief and objective, preferably under five paragraphs, especially for artists who may not yet have a full-length album or more.An established fanbase is an excellent advantage as A&Rs seek to enroll artists and bands who have gained a significant following using their effort and resources. An artist with a solid fan base demonstrates their music provides value to their audiences, and therefore, record labels will be more confident investing their resources in them. To build a fanbase, artists should have star qualities and utilize their branding campaigns to appeal to the right audiences. This encourages friendships and connections among fans which significantly strengthens a fan base.

#Bands

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Choosing Guest Speakers for Your Event

With a bachelor's degree in music, business, and marketing from Lincoln University, Jelani “Lani” Wray is interested in new music talent and breaking musical acts. Before joining Humble King Records, he was a music production manager at Free Form Productions in Brooklyn. Jelani Wray has also been an invited speaker to several music conferences. Identifying the right guest speakers for your event is critical if you want to have a successful function. Here are three tips when choosing your event guest speakers:f 1. Relevance to the audience - Knowing the audience of your function or event can be useful in identifying a guest speaker. It makes no sense to pick your favorite musician, comedian, author, or wellness coach if they are unlikely to appeal to your attendees. For example, suppose your conference audience is younger entrepreneurs. In that case, it may be more fruitful to choose an energetic speaker with innovative, fresh ideas and known for pushing boundaries than a more demure speaker. 2. Speaker diversity - Diversity means bringing in diverse opinions, views, ideas, and different angles to the subject matter. By selecting speakers from different backgrounds such as gender, race, and religion, you can create a more enriching and engaging experience for your audience. 3. Speaker’s credibility - Credibility refers to an audience’s perception that the guest speakers are qualified and well prepared to speak on a particular topic. Credibility helps the speakers to connect with your audience.

#Guest Speakers

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Tips for Long-Haul Flights

Jelani Wray serves as a music production manager at Humble King Records in Brooklyn, New York. Some of his responsibilities include identifying and acquiring new talent for the label's roster. He combines his music production work with running a restaurant out of Brooklyn in New York. When not attending to his professional interests, Jelani "Lani" Wray enjoys traveling. Traveling around the world occasionally entails taking a long-haul flight. Long-haul flights are typically over 4,100 kilometers or more than 2,200 nautical miles. Here are several tips to make your upcoming long-haul flight more bearable: 1. Adjust to the New Time Zone - Once on the airplane, it may help to imagine that you are already in the new time zone of your destination. That might give you a head start on beating jet lag and faster adaptation. Change the time zone settings on your devices to reflect that of your where you are going. You may want to try sleeping at a time that is closer to the new time zone. 2. Bring your entertainment - Most airlines filter out in-seat screens as many passengers prefer using their own devices. Besides, in-flight entertainment systems designed to work through apps may stop working during the flights, so consider bringing your screen and entertainment such as downloaded films and shows. 3. See no evil, hear no evil - Noises from your fellow traveler as he watches his comedy movie across the aisle, and your seatmate’s tablet light can ruin your slumber. A pair of noise-canceling headphones and an eye mask are recommended if you want peace during your long flight.

#Traveling

[jelani-wray]

UNESCO’s Nine Best Musical Cities

Since January 2020, Jelani Lani Wray has acted as Humble King Records’ music production manager in Brooklyn, New York. Outside of work, Jelani Wray enjoys global travel. UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, recommends nine cities with thriving music scenes. UNESCO did not choose items for their list on size alone. They select entrants based on their musical history and educational institutions emphasizing music. They also account for more recent ways of turning a city’s music scene into an economic draw for tourism and other industries. One example is Hamamatsu, Japan. Hamamatsu has less than one million residents, but its musical heritage runs deep. Multiple world-renowned instrument manufacturers hold their headquarters there. Its music festivals and competitions attract talent from across the world. Hamamatsu houses multiple schools that teach all aspects of the industry, from playing instruments to managing concert halls. Another notable city, according to UNESCO, is Bogotá, Columbia. Bogotá has over 500 music venues and hosts the country’s largest music festival. Festivales Al Parque features artists from diverse genres. City leaders have even harnessed Bogotá’s music scene by creating the Bogotá Music Market, a resource for music agents.

#Musical Cities #Jelani Wray