The Business of Hip-Hop/Urban Music Symposium: Ladies First Edition

On Monday, October 3, 2011, Berklee College of Music's Music Business/Management Department presents its fifth annual Business of Hip-Hop/Urban Music Symposium at the Berklee Performance Center. This year is Ladies First Edition, and the panel consists exclusively of female industry execs at the top of their game. The Symposium will focus on best practices, challenges, executive development, and more.

The Business of Hip-Hop/Urban Music Symposium is open to all ages, $8 in advance, $12 day of show, and begins at 7:00 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC), located at 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. For more information, call 617 747-2261 or visit berkleebpc.com.

Panelists scheduled to appear:

• Nina Packer, general manager of Bryant Management (Young Money Records, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne)
• Sharon Heyward, EMI Music executive, former president of Perspective Records, and former general manager of Virgin Music, serving as moderator and coproducer
• Lynn Scott, vice president of marketing for Universal/Republic Group
• Shanti Das, founder of Press Reset Artist Development Consulting and former top marketing executive at Columbia Records and Universal/Motown
• LaTrice Burnette, cofounder, digital/social media, business development, and strategic marketing, GAME Media (past credits include Atlantic Records and Roc-a-Fella projects for Jay-Z, T.I., Lil' Kim, Lupe Fiasco, Sean Paul, Danity Kane, Flo Rida)
• Rose Daniels, director of business development/head of operations for MusicIndustryOnline (credits include Universal/Motown, Hip-Hop Caucus, Russell Simmons's Hip-Hop Summit, and more).

In a brand-new segment called Show Me What You Got, a few students and one lucky person from the general public who apply in advance will be selected at random to perform and be critiqued live, on the spot, by members of the esteemed panel, This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To receive the application, follow twitter.com/BizHH and watch for the link.

Also debuting this year is a new approach to the Q&A segment. Guests will be able to submit questions in advance via twitter.com/BizHH and also live during the event, and the panel will try to work those questions into the discussion, making the event truly interactive. Guests are encouraged to also follow twitter.com/berkleeperfctr for additional special announcements.

Copies of Shanti Das's book The Hip-Hop Professional will be available for purchase at the Berklee Bookstore located at 1080 Boylston Street, Boston.

Additional updates to the program will be announced as the date approaches via the Twitter feed.

For media inquiries or to learn more about how to apply for a chance to perform and hear a live industry critique in front of the audience, please contact Darcie-Nicole Wicknick, coproducer, at dwicknick@berklee.edu 617-747-2839.