The entertainment and legal community took a big hit last week with the transitioning of the beloved Kendall Minter, Esq. Minter was loved and respected by everyone who had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. Living up to his surname, he made it his business to personally mentor entertainment lawyers and professionals who came behind him. When he opened the door for Black men and women seeking careers in the entertainment industry, he left it wide open for anyone who wanted to come through. He did not simply help raise most of the Black entertainment lawyers practicing today, he provided that same mentorship and guidance to his clients who were trying to find their way in the business of entertainment.
At any given point, you could walk into his office at Minter & Associates and it was like a gathering of family and friends, because that’s exactly how he made his clients and everyone else feel — at home and welcome. With over 40 years in the business and an impressive roster of entertainment clients, like Jermaine Dupri, Desmond Tutu, Teddy Riley, Peter Tosh, Musiq Soulchild, The Exonerated 5, Ashanti, Goodie Mob, Backstreet Boys, Onyx, Silk, Donnell Jones, Ying Yang Twins, Jagged Edge, to name a few, when Kendall wasn’t serving his clients, he served on the boards of the Living Legend Foundation, SoundExchange, Black Entertainment & Sports Lawyers Association (and co-founder), Rhythm & Blue Foundation, American Youth Hostels, 100 Black Men, Georgia Music Partners and the DeKalb Entertainment Commission. He also served as an adjunct professor at Georgia State and Benjamin Cordozo School of Law. Amid wearing many hats and fulfilling all of these tremendous roles, Minter always made time for family, friends and mentorship.
Minter is survived by his lovely wife Pamela; his beautiful daughters Kamali, Namik and Amani; his brothers Karl and Kevin, his grandbabies Gaia, Nova and Sierra; and, a host of friends, colleagues and mentees.
His celebration of life service will be held Saturday, Dec. 16, where people will gather from far and wide to pay their respects to the man who made a major impact on the entertainment industry and the world.
Kendall Minter — forever in our hearts and minds and the work that we do. It was truly an honor. Gone — but never forgotten.
