"How to Take An Idea and Shape It Into a Powerful Movement" | A Conversation with Michael Mauldin, CEO, ScreamNation, former president of Columbia Records Black Music Division and Senior Vice President of Columbia Records Group
Michael Mauldin, CEO of Scream Nation, a hip-hop and pop music tour franchise, has been making an indelible mark on the music industry for 35 years and has been instrumental in shaping the careers of some of the most successful, talented artists and groups on the planet—Destiny’s Child, Alicia Keys, and Bow Wow, to name a few. Mauldin recently partnered with Live Nation to create SCREAM NATION, a live event platform that will bring some of the most popular acts/artists today to the stage as well as help introduce and develop up and coming stars. This joint venture is an extension of the hugely successful Scream Tour brand, which Mauldin created and launched in 2001. The Scream Tours have played an integral part in the discovery and promotion of multi-platinum artists including, Bow Wow, Chris Brown, Omarion, Trey Songz, B2K, T.I., Ne-Yo, and Ciara. SCREAM NATION’S first official tour will be the Scream “Back-to-School” Tour (The Arena Bowl)” hitting 33 cities, in September of 2015.
Previously, Mauldin served as the president of Columbia Records Black Music Division and Senior Vice President of Columbia Records Group. During his tenure at Columbia, he directed and successfully generated over $200 million dollars in revenues for the label, signing Destiny’s Child and discovering and signing Alicia Keys. He is also responsible for putting the “Child” in Destiny’s Child and “Keys” in Alicia Keys’ name.
Additionally, under Mauldin’s leadership, Columbia released multi-platinum albums from Maxwell (“Urban Hang Suite”), The Fugees (“The Score”), Lauryn Hill (“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”) Wyclef Jean’s solo project (“The Carnival), the Men in Black soundtrack and the Love Jones soundtrack. At the time, the label also had joint ventures with Ruffhouse Records, Trackmasters, and So So Def RECORDINGS; the label he helped his son, mega-producer and artist Jermaine Dupri create and make a household name. With Mauldin as COO, So So Def went on to enjoy landmark success and become an iconic brand, while spearheading the careers of artists and projects including, Bow Wow, Da Brat, Xscape, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, and the Bass All-Stars, all of whom would go on to garner numerous gold and platinum hits.
In 2004, Mauldin transformed Artistic Control Management (a company he started in 1994 prior to joining Columbia Records) into Artistic Control Group/Mauldin Brand, INC., a multidimensional entertainment conglomerate focused on music, motorsports, apparel, live presentation, music-publishing, and corporate endorsements. Falling under the ACG/MBI umbrella was also Mauldin Brand Agency (MBA), a marketing, branding, artist management, and concerts/touring firm. MBA’s marketing and branding places a heavy emphasis on corporate endorsements and connecting brands to the urban consumer. The firm’s projects have included working with NASCAR, as well as its drivers, crew, and sponsors to help the sports franchise build a relationship with an urban audience. Mauldin also managed the Otis Redding Estate and was responsible for producing “An Evening of Respect: The Otis Redding Music Tribute Concert.” Now MBA is expanding its brand even further with the Live Nation/SCREAM NATION venture.
Music may be Mauldin’s first love, but he is also passionate about his community and politics. In 2008, he teamed up with Shad Moss A.K.A Bow Wow to register students on college campuses across the nation to vote. Mauldin’s “Walk Across America Campaign” was instrumental in registering thousands of young people to vote and acknowledge their civic responsibility, which ultimately helped elect the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. Working with the younger generation to make a difference and get their voices heard propelled Mauldin to create the Next Generation Leaders (NXG), a philanthropic community and educational driven program, focused on youth, teens and young adults. Through Science, Technology, Education, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM), the NXG Leaders program is propelled by 12 Codes of Leadership, nationally organized teen town hall meetings, and community outreach through music, artist and live entertainment.
Whether it’s helping to create superstars or using his philanthropic efforts to help the teen community evoke change, Mauldin’s entire career has been focused on young people and using art, culture and entertainment to reach them.
So what has been the secret to Mauldin’s longevity and success? Good instincts, determination, integrity and the incredible ability to take an idea, an artist, or a brand and shape it into a powerful movement. Even if that brand is himself. “I’ve always been able to identify talent, or identify what’s next or what’s going to make a tremendous impact in our culture,” he says. “I want to do things that withstand the test of time. I am good at creating something from nothing and making it grow. The idea is to affect change among the next generation and use the urban culture, particularly hip-hop, to push that forward. “I acknowledge the past and inspire the future. That is who Michael Mauldin is today.