This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Bay Area rapper, LaRussell. Known for his backyard shows, revolutionary ticketing and release practices, and motivational freestyling, LaRussell has become a blueprint for modern DIY artistry. His business, Good Compenny, is a multi-media brand that puts on shows, sells merch, and empowers independent artists.

In this episode, Ari and LaRussell discuss when and why it’s important to stay independent as an artist. LaRussell tells Ari how he continues to find joy in making music, even after releasing over 700 songs. He also breaks down his offer-based ticketing model—a game-changing approach that could change the entire live concert industry. Tune in to hear LaRussell’s secrets to community-building, his artistic approach to social media, and loads of inspiration heading into 2026.

https://www.instagram.com/larussell

06:20 – LaRussell explains “out the trunk” direct bookings

08:10 – Origin of the backyard concerts

12:21 – Full backyard experience (hospitality, free food, bounce house)

16:45 – How offer-based ticketing works (“What is this worth to you?”)

18:23 – His $1,000 birthday show that made $250K

20:12 – Full breakdown of all revenue streams

27:02 – Why he stays independent + label philosophy

43:48 – What “Good Compenny” really is (a community)

54:38 – Spending $120K on ads to make $800K back

01:02:01 – Full-circle moment: how the book changed his life

Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Matt B and his wife/manager, Angela Benson. Matt is a Grammy-winning R&B singer, songwriter, and global recording artist whose career spans over a decade. His most recent project, ‘Alkebulan II’, earned him and Angela a Grammy Award, following years of DIY artistry. Over the course of this album, Matt and Angela recorded across Africa, collaborated with artists like Eddie Kenzo and Oxlade, and worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. As a label owner, producer on ‘Alkebulan II’, and longtime Recording Academy member, Angela has been instrumental in shaping Matt’s artistic direction, visual world-building, and global strategy.

In this episode, Matt B and Angela Benson walk through their incredible DIY journey and how they found themselves on the Grammy-winning path. They discuss the challenges of writing and recording in multiple African languages, shooting a full visual album across multiple countries, and balancing the creative workload between artist and manager. The pair break down how independent artists can navigate the Grammy process, the importance of joining the Recording Academy, the role of networking and bartering in major creative endeavors, and most importantly, the communication and patience required to run a music career as a married team.

https://www.instagram.com/mattbworld

https://www.instagram.com/angelavbenson

01:40 – Home Studio & Recent Travels

02:10 – Returning to His Alma Mater After the Grammy Win

03:00 – Life & Opportunities After Winning a Grammy

04:15 – Performing in Uganda & Global Breakthrough Moments

05:20 – Inception of the Akebulan Concept

09:00 – Connecting With Oxlade & Eddie Kenzo

11:00 – Creating the “Gimme Love” Music Video

13:00 – Building a Full Visual Album DIY

17:40 – Finding Producers & Collaborators Worldwide

20:00 – Incorporating the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

30:00 – Navigating Grammy Nominations & Recording Academy Membership

47:00 – Working as a Husband-and-Wife Artist/Manager Team

Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Matt Jones, the CEO and co-founder of Medallion, a platform helping artists own their fan relationships and build new revenue models. Matt was previously CEO of Songkick, another direct-to-fan platform that was acquired by Warner Music Group. He’s now developing new economic models for artists to own their fan relationships.

In this episode, Matt and Ari discuss the direct-to-fan experience and why it’s beneficial to give artists full ownership of their data. Matt explains why traditional models like Patreon and Substack don’t fit the creative rhythms of most musicians. They also dig into the shortcomings of streaming and the need for transparency in artist payments. Tune in to learn more about how major labels might adapt, what lessons can be learned from Bandcamp, and why the next decade of music will be defined by artist ownership and sustainability.

https://medallion.app/

0:00 - Intro

10:45 – Why the term “superfan” has taken over the industry

13:20 – The challenges artists face relying on third-party platforms

15:50 – How Medallion lets artists own their data and build communities

18:30 – Why streaming’s economic model is outdated and unsustainable

21:50 – Why Patreon and Substack rarely work for most musicians

24:15 – The three main artist revenue streams: live, recordings, and merch

28:30 – How Bandcamp paved the way—but why it isn’t enough

31:40 – Handling rights, licensing, and label relationships on Medallion

38:00 – The future of transparency and fan-to-artist payment models

49:50 – Why blockchain and NFTs weren’t the right fit for Medallion

Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.