Written by RL Burney

In the music industry, longevity is a virtue and the challenge to remain relevant gets harder everyday.

Kenny Lurry is one of the many individuals adamant about bringing forth the best talent.  Unlike the artist who has to create worthy material, Lurry is finding a way to provide a platform for acts to get recognition.

Miami is getting a lot of attention these days and Lurry wants to capitalize with Unlocked Music Group.  He is using some old connects and street credibility to build an organization that is trying to shake up the game.  He still maintains the attitude that quality music should be the emphasis when delivering to the masses and looks to use some of the same principals at former Stress Records with UMG.

His journey started back in the early 1990s with the creation of Stress in Miami.  At the time, the spotlight was on South Florida because of the fast paced bass music that captured the world.  To show that Miami had more to offer he put out groups like the Gangsta Shorties and State-O-Mind and solo acts like Rick Simon.

“There was so much talent in Miami, but the reputation of bass music had many artists overlooked.” Lurry said of his motivation behind Stress.

Lurry explains that Stress was a pioneering company that put out new music that was just as valuable as the explicit and party filled music coming out of Florida.  The people responded and record sales in the South further drove Lurry to grow his label.  He admits though that the biggest challenge was selling records up North and out West where artists like Notorious B.I.G and Tupac were taking over.

So Lurry was asked some questions to see how UMG was going to breakthrough this time around.

If you were to put a group out like the Gangsta Shorties today, how would you market them and ensure success this time around?

K.L.: Right now I would focus on getting them performances so that they could be seen.  Before, I was busy trying to break into the mainstream fought for radio play.  I would do more of the mixtape thing now and getting them visuals.

What types of challenges do you think they would run into in today’s music environment?

K.L.:  Not being able to perform and trying to compete with all these other rappers.  UMG has a unique model that gets artists on stage and be seen.  On top of that Miami is a mecca for music right now.

Define success in today’s music industry.

K.L.:  With so many people trying to get in the door, just being able to put on a show or deliver your music online or on disc is enough to be called successful.  Just being heard.

Lurry has put together a team of consultants and go-getters to create a company that will stand out amongst the rest and survive the pendulum so devastating for so many hopefuls in the music game.  He asserts that Stress Records was one of the only companies pushing to bring a different sound out of Miami when so many others were playing to the conventional.  He feels like this way of thinking will be the fuel behind UMG’s success.

“Those that maintain, survive,” Lurry said.

I have survived and will continue to hustle to see UMG a success.”

By RL Burney