Dee Dee Cocheta-Williams, President of A.B.C. Associates Entertainment Firm (www.abc-aef.com)
Ms. Dee Dee Cocheta has been married for 18 years with seven children who is a 18-year entrepreneur and veteran in the entertainment industry and lives by her hometown NIKE'S motto "Just Do It," staying true to her astrological sign, a Gemini, balancing all of her passions - realizing the seven goals that she set forth at the age of 11.
Before Dee Dee made her mark in the entertainment industry as a hair show model for Paul Mitchell, she was already absorbed into in HipHop life. Born in Portland, Oregon, Dee Dee had to 'dig in the crates' for the music she loved hearing in the late seventies once the only black radio station closed down in 1979. She turned to the community radio station that only played HipHop two hours a day, 3 times a week. Music has always been in her life and it's the call of the drum that brings out Dee Dee's happiness. Indigenous to the Yakama tribe of Washington State, for Dee Dee the beat of any drum sets forth the constant reminder of who she is and where we all come from. Therefore, HipHop allowed Dee Dee to express herself and the culture became Dee Dee allowing her to flourish and display many creative talents she has. Dancing was definitely one element she loved and had an opportunity to be taught by one of the New York City Breakers while in Middle School. Dee Dee had the ability to move and loved the freedom felt while on stage dancing her heart out. Still destined to do something in the entertainment industry, she became very involved with theatre and performing arts while in High School and got her calling not directly TO the stage but behind the scenes, doing makeup, stage management, lights and sound along with writing shorts and scripts. Dee Dee knew this would soon become a building block for what she would become. See behind the scenes, Dee Dee saw the power she could have in having more creative control and realizing how she could help shape artists and their talent. Dee Dee loved seeing the performer smile once the performance was done, the audience screams, the performer takes a bow and you could feel their adrenaline. It is that feeling a performer lives for that lets Dee Dee know she played a small role in commanding that success without having to be in the limelight…an absolute thrill for Dee Dee.
That joy fed her as she was on her way to being a leader as a sophomore class president, creating events, peer counseling and being a decision maker. However, it was the same year her best friend and advisor in life died – her daddy. Overwhelmed with adversity due to her fathers passing, Dee Dee withdrew from high school only to return a year later with a renewed sense of purpose and drive. During that short stint of being out of school her leadership qualities didn't come to a halt; becoming enthralled in HipHop, Dee Dee began to work with a independent record label and build a career by booking artists, promoting concerts, developing community relation campaigns and fundraising efforts for non-profit organizations. She graduated on time with her class and matriculated through college becoming the first in her family to earn a degree from Clark Atlanta University; the first of many goals achieved. Once she graduated with a Bachelors degree in Marketing, she honed all of her marketing skills from street to corporate at Radio One's affiliate Magic 107.5 as a Marketing Director creating multi-million dollar promotions. Recognizing her own inner "guerilla marketing" entrepreneurial spirit and yet another goal to accomplish, Dee Dee left Radio One to launch A.B.C. (Accenting Business & Culture) Associates Entertainment Firm, a PR, Marketing and Event Production Firm in Atlanta, Georgia.
Today, you can still find Dee Dee joyful when she is doing everything from consulting new entrepreneurs in developing businesses within the urban arena, creating marketing campaigns for indie labels in efforts to land label distribution, publicizing her clients to creating proposals and completing production schedules for events she produces. Although she has worked alongside notables such as Chaka Khan, Tony Terry, Professor Griff, KRS ONE and Almighty Kay Gee of Cold Crush Brothers, Dee Dee's passion is to empower upcoming artists who have the same love for the culture of HipHop, want to make a difference or get out of difficult situations they are in YET they must be able to help themselves. Therefore, Dee Dee supports entrepreneurs, leaders and activists by being an advisor to Atlanta/SE Network for NABFEME (National Association of Black Female Executives in Music and Entertainment) and serves as an Advisory Board Member to SOFRAS (Society of Future Recording Artists & Songwriters) and the Atlanta HipHop Film Festival. Furthermore, Dee Dee speaks to numerous youth organizations and schools throughout the nation about goal building - life's plans and purpose, leadership roles, entrepreneurial direction, rebuilding the divided bridge of the generations, raising expectations/being responsible as well as behind the scenes careers opportunities within the entertainment industry.
Dee Dee looks to her mentor - THE MOST HIGH to assist her in ultimately combating social ills to help move this nation forward. On her path of goal setting, Dee Dee's final three objectives are to write a book, direct a film and create an Educational and Business Development Center focusing on teaching the youth to become leaders and entrepreneurs. She's been on her own since the age of 15 and thus has acquired the knowledge of how to hustle for food and shelter, insight that she now applies to her everyday business life. Dee Dee declares, "There are no time for failures and no excuses. Faith is not just knowing but doing and I am a living my movement."
KNOWELEDGABLE AS A PERSONAL SPEAKER:
Ms. Cocheta-Williams not only speaks; she informs by bringing materials on the following topics:
¨ Understanding Urban Marketing & Promotions
¨ How to independently release a project or product
¨ Entrepreneurship – What does it really mean? (From business plans to financial concepts)
¨ Do you understand the difference between Public Relations, Media Relations & Publicity?
¨ Do you know your life's purpose? (Speaking to Gang members and troubled youth to young adults)
¨ Hustle for you (Planning to leave the workplace and start your own business)
¨ The H-LAW (Health, Love, Awareness & Wealth)
¨ BALANCE – women raising a family and a business
¨ Women of HipHop – Our voice, our contributions
¨ HipHop can never die…Realizing a kulture.
¨ Rebuilding the divided bridge of Civil Rights to the HipHop generation
¨ RESPONSIBILITY in HipHop
¨ HipHop 101 – The Elements and History
¨ Native American traditions
PREVIOUS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
2007 – NABFEME Int'l Leadership Conference, "The Superwoman Syndrome: The Power of Balance"
2007 – SCLC 50th Anniversary Convention – Workshop Panelist "Hip Hopology"
2006 – Clayton County Guest Speaker at local schools – "RAISE YOUR EXPECTATIONS & BE RESPONSIBLE"
2005 – "Power of our Voices" Auburn Research Library, Atlanta, GA
2005 – "Celebrating Three decades of Music" at Georgia Perimeter College, Atlanta, GA
2004 - FAMU PRSSA Conference Breakout Session, Tallahassee, FL
2002 – 2005 HipHop Appreciation Week panels, Moderator various topics, Atlanta, GA
2002 – 2005 Music Therapy 101 Music Business Conference & Monthly Seminars, varies locations
2003 & 2004 – Literacy Leadership Conference, various topics Atlanta, GA
2003 & 2004 – The M.I.C. – Music Industry Conference, moderator and panelist, Birmingham, AL
2003 - ASCAP Education Series Tour, Birmingham, AL
2003 - "Shout it out loud", Moderator of Atlantis Music Conference, Atlanta, GA
2002 – "Independent Women", Atlantis Music Conference, Atlanta, GA
2003 – 4 Kings Ent. Present - Hiphop Activists discuss Responsibility in HipHop, Atlanta, GA
2002 – Atlanta Public Library, Moderator "How to Start & Run Your Own Record Label"
2002 – Clark Atlanta University SEMA presents "From Media to Technology…"
2002 - Black History - CAU - "Understanding the Business of Music & Entertainment", Atlanta, GA
2002 - Black College & Radio Conference "Marketing & Media", Atlanta, GA
2002 – Image Factory Presents "So You Want A Career In The Music Biz?" Alabama & Atlanta
2002 – Black History – CAU "From Intern to Employee" & "Urban Radio – Realizing the Game"
2001 - On Stage Live Revue with Lady Di/Bar Red Entertainment – Decatur, GA
2001 - NABFEME Leadership Summit "Mommy/Honey Why Do You Have To Leave Again", Toronto
1998 & '99 – Black College Conference Guest Speaker for CAU, Portland, OR/Tacoma & Seattle, WA
AWARDS/DISTINCTIONS:
2007 Temple of HipHop/In Spirit TRUTH HipHop Activist Award
2007 City of Riverdale, GA Outstanding VOLUNTEER
2007 Down Magazine – T.H.U.G. (True to His/Her Urban Genius) Award
2006 Delegator of the Year Award – Ryan Cameron Foundation
2002 Atlanta Action Leader for NABFEME, Toronto, CA
2002 Music Industry Leader awarded by SOFRAS, Atlanta, GA
2000 Leadership in Partnership awarded by US Department of Commerce, Census 2000
FOR BOOKING OR SPEAKING ENGAGMENTS: email: gatekeeper@abc-aef.com or call 888.525.0901 ext. 703