Rigo "Riggs" Morales launched his career in the music business at The Source magazine, discovering such "Unsigned Hype" as Eminem, David Banner and Juelz Santana. Credited for bringing 50 Cent's demo to Em and currently serving as Shady Records' Senior Director of A&R, Morales has a nose for new talent. Here, he shares with SOHH the five elements he looks for when compiling his scouting report. This is Riggs' official A&R checklist.
1. Charisma/Personality/Swagger:
Call it what you'd like, but without it you're just a human reading off a paper. Believe it or not, 50 being shot in his mouth area gave his style more personality from the straight forward, aggressive style he had during his Columbia days. It instantly stood out when his attorney (Theo Sedlmayer) played me his demo in the Summer of '02.
2. Substance
The ability to move people through words is a gift like nothing else. Add the right backdrop to that gift and you've got a winner. 50's "Many Men" is a prime example of street rapper taking audiences into the inner psyche of the stress that comes from living the life a street cat.
3. Lyrics
I believe MC's make great artists (Biggie, Eminem, Jay-Z, Big Pun). It's just a matter of knowing the advantages and disadvantages of being a wordsmith in a climate where dumbing down is widely embraced. When I got Em's demo in '97, he not only exhibited the qualities of top notch, battle-ridden wordsmith, he knew how to use them without boring the listener. He now uses that ability to make some of the greatest records ("Lose Yourself," "Way I Am," "Stan") ever recorded by an MC
4. Uniqueness
Whether it's perspective or style, I look for something that's going to stand out from the rest of the pack and eventually appeal on a coast to coast level. I found Bobby Creekwater; a Southern MC going toe to toe with a respected East Coast MC, without sacrificing his southern swagger. It instantly showed me that he could appeal to two different factions of the hip-hop audience.
5. Work Ethic
The current top 5 didn't get there off mere talent. You match talent with drive and a rapper's probability of being a long term brand increases daily. Take away 50's ability to make great songs and you still have one of the hardest working human beings I've ever encountered. From taking pictures with fans to showing up places on time, his work ethic is a major part of why he's one of the most successful artists ever.
The Come Up
It all started after... "I read an article in The Source in '94 and found out what an A&R was. When I found out people could get paid to find talent, I was like 'I can do that'-- I've always had a penchant for being up on things before they become big.
I wrote my first article... was written in The Source when I was 18. (Writer) Bonz Malone used to come around my neighborhood and hang out with a couple of the old graffiti heads. He took a liking to my writing (and) introduced me to Jeremy Miller at The Source who introduced me to Selwyn Hinds (music editor). My first assignment was 'See that refrigerator box right there? Go through all those demos and bring me the best ones.' It took about three days but in that box was David Banner. That was God saying, Here - you want to be an A&R this is where you need to be at, this is the column you want to be associated with, so I took "Unsigned Hype."
I got my break as an A&R when... Paul Rosenberg brought me over to Goliath Artists where he managed Eminem and Cypress Hill. I came in and started a producer division, I worked with DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, [The] Beatnuts and [The]Alchemist, who I continue to work with to this day.
Rosenberg and Eminem later expanded Riggs' duties within the company by appointing him as Director of A&R at Shady Records.
Play-O-Graphy
-From 1995-2001, Riggs wrote and edited columns such as "Hip-Hop Quotable," "Fat Tape Single," "Mic Check," "Unsigned Hype"
-Co-founder of Monday Night Fight Klub
- In the summer of 2002, Riggs began his campaign to sign 50 Cent to Shady Records
-As Senior Director of A&R for Shady Records, Riggs has received A&R credit for: 8 Mile Movie Soundtrack (4X Platinum), 50 Cent- "Get Rich or Die Tryin" (10X Platinum), D-12 D-12 World (2X Platinum) and Obie Trice, Cheers (Platinum+) and The Alchemist's 1st Infantry.
- Has A&R'd albums to the tune of 17 million records.
-In 2003, Riggs helped introduce Reggatone sensation, Tego Celderon, to the hip-hop masses when he asked Tego to appear on street remix of 50's hit single, " P.I.M.P."
- Voted 1 A&R in the world by HitQuarters.com, a respected website that tracks the work of music executives around the world (2004)
-Riggs is active in the hip-hop community as he frequently speaks on panels ranging from The Russell Simmons Latin Hip-Hop Summit to the The Annual Producer Conference in NY.
-Has consulted for Pepsi Inc., Sony Records, PolyGram, Adidas
-On air correspondent on MTV and VH1.
-Co-wrote with the book "Angry Blonde" with Eminem.
- Currently working on a project for Bobby Creekwater. "He's somebody that can definitely take the label in another direction. He's a reflection of not only what a southern artist can be at the highest degree but also what an MC can be because he's an MC first and foremost.'
- Executive Producer for "Hood News," a sketch comedy that airs on Shade 45 Sirius Radio and G-Unit Radio with Whoo Kid.
- The Breakbeat Music Group "I gathered a bunch of the breakbeat DJ's and for those producers who need inspiration we send a nice CD full of exotic, original, inspirational sounds and samples. We definitely work with some big producers. These are the kind of sounds beat diggers pay a lot of money for."
-Riggd Up Skits- From DJ Drama to 50 Cent to The Alchemist to Kymani Marley, Riggs' sketches/skits help add personality to albums.