Dallas Martin has helped guide the careers of everyone from hip-hop superstar Rick Ross to R&B singer K. Michelle. However, before the Flint, Michigan native was working with the industry’s hottest names, he realized what his life’s work would be after grinding to help promote his cousin, an aspiring rapper. “I was in the studio with him every day and…I was pretty much like his manager,” Martin recalls. “That was pretty much my first time working with music–trying to get him a record deal and trying to make him the best he could be as an artist.” Things really took off for Martin when he attended Clark Atlanta University as an intern at the Def Jam offices under the label’s executive vice president, the late Shakir Stewart.
Serving as A&R consultant under Stewart was the perfect training for Martin. “When Shakir was training me, we would listen to hundreds and hundreds of beats every day and artists’ songs every day,” Martin explains. “We might be listening to five or six songs by Rick Ross and [Stewart] would be like ‘Which one do you think should be the single?’ [You become] trained like that–and by you bringing stuff to the table and building the trust of whomever you’re working under.”
After Stewart’s passing in 2009, Martin stayed at Def Jam for another year before moving over to Warner Bros., where he worked with Joie Manda, former President of the label’s urban division. It was there, that the relationship Martin had forged with Rick Ross, one of Stewart’s biggest signees from Def Jam began. Martin helped close the deal for Ross’ Maybach Music Group imprint to sign with Warner Bros. “My proudest moment is being a part of the whole MMG movement and being involved in the success of so many dope albums,” shares Martin. “And for Rick Ross to believe in me and let me A& R his projects has been a blessing. Being involved in the success of Wale and Meek Mill has been incredible.”
Martin is also proud of the role he’s played in helping another star, “Love & Hip-Hop” firecracker K. Michelle fulfill her dreams.
“I think my standout and my personal best has probably been the signing of K. Michelle,” he says. “A lot of people thought I was losing my mind when I was so interested in signing her. Now, seeing her become a superstar and she’s about to have the no. 1 R&B album in the country is amazing.”
Martin is now continuing to build his career and legacy with Atlantic Records (Atlantic distributes Warner Bros. releases as of December 2012), and he hasn’t lost an iota of the love for the music. “I do it because I have a passion for the music and the music business. There’s nothing like working on something and putting it out there for the world to acknowledge or getting positive feedback,” he shares. “If you do anything, you want to be the best at it. If you’re working with the artists at the top of the chain, you feel you’re meeting the challenge and accomplishing your goals.”
