A Behind the Scenes look at what it was like to be a music manager for hip hop stars in the 90s.
Written By: Zoe Holguin
“My dad worked at a label growing up; he was in charge of creating the art that goes on the vinyls,” Artist manager Suzy “Doll” Lopez says. “Growing up I admired my dad and wanted to do what he did. He always encouraged my brother and I to do what we love.”
Lopez is an artist manager, currently independent, in Los Angeles, California. Her passion for the arts; both visual and audio opened up doors to the music industry. When asked what inspired her to pursue music, she said, “I’ve always been a creative person.”
Lopez grew up in South Central Los Angeles during the 1980s. At this time the seeds of hip-hop were starting to be sown; the graffiti scene was starting up, street fashion was just starting out, and the DJ scene was on the rise. She was involved with it all. Lopez reminisces about how her and her cousins dressed in baggy clothes and thought they all looked “fresh” with their ‘fits.
“My parents always told me to be careful with the way I dressed, because while the outfits themselves were cool to us, they were still considered "gang dressing", Lopez says. “But, I know they just wanted to keep us safe.”
One of Lopez’s biggest inspirations is her brother, Jose a.k.a Noek One. He was a DJ and graffiti artist during their teens. Lopez always tagged along to his gigs, or just whenever he’d go out and tag.
“Graffiti is something I loved doing. It wasn’t always about tagging up walls; it’s about the people you meet,” Lopez says. She met a lot of people through the graffiti community. She emphasized that it’s all about talking to everyone. When you have friendly conversations people feel more comfortable around you, and they’ll mention you around; that’s how the connections are made. Lopez wouldn’t be in the place she’s in without her lovable personality; she really knows how to make you feel like family.
What event landed you the job as an artist manager?
LOPEZ: It all started from hanging out with my brother [Noek One]; he was into DJ-ing and the whole hip-hop scene during the beginnings of the genre during the late 80s. B-boys dancing, turntables, mixing… the whole thing. I met KRS because he was at one of these small shows. He asked if I knew of any graffiti artists, of course, I mentioned Noek
KRS was a fan of Noek’s work, and they got to know each other a little more through Lopez. He [KRS] saw how Lopez was always taking care of her kids and nephews during their kickbacks, and he came up to her and asked, “Do you want to be my nanny on tour?” Shocked; Suzy accepted the offer and brought her whole family to help. KRS was also signed with Stone Throw at the time so he introduced Lopez to Chris Manak (Peanut Butter Wolf) and Charles Edward Hicks Jr. (Charizma,) the founders of Stone Throw Records– an independent label based in Los Angeles, CA.
LOPEZ: Since then, I’ve met some of the coolest people ever… the BBQs where it’s at.
Would you say working at an indie label has allowed you to have more control over your work in comparison to a larger label?
LOPEZ: The thing about working with an indie label is the freedom that comes with it. Bigger labels want more of a say in what goes into the album, or single you’re creating, which makes sense when you take into account the resources bigger labels have.
Lopez says that there’s definitely a lot more leeway working with an independent label, especially in regard to pricing negotiations. For the artist, being signed to a larger label means that they are going to receive the marketing to make their album a hit, however, the label is only going to do so if the album is up to par with the interests of the label. This means that the artist has less creative direction, and a higher percentage is cut from their total profit of the album sales.
LOPEZ: The production process of an album is a very complicated thing, and when you’re a new artist trying to get your name out there, you won’t be able to see the red flags present until you’re practically done with the album. All the money that is given to you is essentially a loan from the label to make the album; used for features, software, instruments, and whatever else you might need. Once it’s [the album] finished, approved, and released then once you have sold the same amount as the loan… you have to pay the label back.
Another factor Lopez mentioned had to do with artists having full ownership of their work. When you work for a larger label all of the intellectual property you create is going to be a product of the label itself, not the artist. The extensive legal battles artists have to go through in order to gain ownership of their albums. For example, De La Soul is an artist Suzy was close to and was there alongside them through the years of legal battles. This year they were granted their royalties for their work, a bittersweet moment due to ⅓ of the trio, Trugoy the Dove, passing away this February.
How has your experience been working with Stones Throw? Any fun stories?
LOPEZ: I was at one of the BBQs that they [Stone Throw crew] hosted and DOOM was there. We were all just talking and he came up to me and was like, “What you doing girl? You not gonna talk to me?” Then goes and asks me out. I was like “Fool you need to put on some sandals that fit your feet first.” He had some sandals on that were way too fucking small for his feet, showing his dogs.
The people Lopez has met are like family to her now. Lopez says, “When family introduces me to someone new, immediately I treat them as I would my own– no matter where you come from. Life is too short to spread hate.”
Her relationships that are built through everyone’s love of music as an art is incredible. It really shows you the sense of community that can be created with a passion for something so beautiful.
Do you have any last thoughts? Anything you want to share with anyone reading?
LOPEZ: The most important thing I think everyone should keep in mind is to prioritize your mental health. So many people struggle in silence because they don’t think anyone is going to care about what they’re going through, but I promise you that someone cares. I care about my family and everyone who surrounds us. Being in this industry has shown me that everyone is going through something, and sometimes you don’t know until it’s too late. Please value your life, and make the most of all of it. You only have one, so make sure to fill it up with great people and memories.