A lot has been said in the space of entertainment and the seismic shift from physical to digital mediums. The entertainment sector accounts for nearly $100 billion annually in revenue, and is estimated to reach an astounding $200 billion by the end of the decade. That’s where industry execs such as Lamont “Renzo” Bracy are stepping in to capture the energy and help shape the experience for consumers world-wide. Born in Virginia, but raised everywhere, Renzo shares his vast knowledge of the Entertainment industry with execs looking for an advantageous springboard over the competition.
The story for Renzo begins in Montgomery; a historic city in Alabama known for its heritage and serving as the catalyst of the social justice movements in the 1960’s. It was in Montgomery, where Renzo was introduced to hip-hop sensation the 69boyz who was in town to perform at the famous “Top Flight” club. The introduction, yet brief, inspired Renzo to change his career path of studying Education, to starting his own boutique artist management company, Renzo 1 Entertainment. For the next 10 years, the struggle of breaking in the music industry was steadily taking its toll on Renzo, both mentally and financially through funding projects that never charted nor materialized. “Staying consistent, and never giving up on your dreams, no matter what”, was the focus and motivation that kept him pushing forward, states Renzo. And for good reason; In 2005, all the small tokens of progress matured into opportunities and lanes that couldn’t have been imagined.
Off the strength of the impromptu meeting, Renzo began finding himself involved with major recording projects via his publicist. Record labels would call Renzo to act and assemble street teams to drum up euphoria for artists on their roster needing a push in the South. The door was wide open for interpretation, and Renzo ran with the opportunity as an introduction to learning the music business from an executive level. Renzo 1 Entertainment started making a name in the South East as the go-to resource for marketing and promo needs. This was the time period when DJs were breaking artists through mixtapes and promo’s at clubs. “Those were the days before the internet hustle took hold,” explains Renzo. “Physical product and organic networking was paramount in the pre-social media world.” In the past 15 years, the need for a major label deal has vanished along with pressing up cd’s through mediums such as disc makers. The internet has changed the way medium is received, purchased, and consumed. To adapt to the change, Renzo had to make a pivot to the social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok as a main marketing tool to scout and promote artists. The internet has completely revolutionized the music industry by providing stand alone platforms that give artists the power to produce music, upload, and promote on their own terms. The advancement in technology has leveled the playing field for the artist that 15 years ago, only had one channel of hopes to be discovered. The option was clear for Renzo; move to where the money resides! In 2012, Renzo shifted his focus to educating and assisting artists in the arena of promotion. Renzo 1 Entertainment became a publishing house producing press releases, marketing campaigns, and management, to aspiring artists in search of an identity and brand awareness.
With the change of guard in the recording industry, labels target artists that appeal to the masses through popularity and influence. The permeation of the culture has shifted recording contracts to consider celebrity endorsements, brand partnerships, and product placement. “The cultural universe has changed the narrative,” explains Renzo. The future of the music industry presents a virtual world with unlimited possibilities.
In addition to navigating the recording industry, Lamont Renzo Bracy is known globally as a journalist and published author.From contributing to the Huffington Post, Medium, Sho-TimeTV, and many national news organizations, Renzo has become known as an authority in headline news, politics, and entertainment culture. In 2017, Renzo penned the foreword for celebrity chef Shawnae Dixon cookbook, “With this Plate I Thee Wed”..Amazon Publishing, which serves as a prelude to his own book “The Insignificant, Significant” due to be released in 2022..In addition, as CEO of Renzo1 Entertainment, ProMediaBank, and Hydyhost, Renzo continues to expand the realms of technology and social sciences on a global scale.
Today, Renzo wears many hats in the entertainment industry. From working hands-on with New York based media company, Wazzup Media Group which is led by founder, Dwayne “D-Teck” Grant, to scouting talent for major labels in search of the next big star, Renzo keeps his hands on the pulse of what’s next. In addition, Renzo is in the process of inking a deal for his motivational novel, “The Insignificant, Significant” due to be released in October 2022. The Insignificant, Significant is a true life account of the life of Lamont from a lens that projects adversity, triumph, and obstacles that would make the average joe, fold in despair.
Renzo works in an array of conglomerates as either an executive or strategic advisor for numerous fortune 500 companies. As of recently, Renzo was named as Public Relations Director for Kandiid (Kandiid App). Kandiid is a one of its kind social media platform designed to give users full control over their content. Kandiid boasts the first of its kind, “The Klub” feature which allows users to monetize and add value through cash and cryptocurrency transactions. Unlike many other social media apps, Kandiid operates on a “Judgement Free Zone”, which means, comments are disabled to encourage true expression.
