Carnegie Hall

Entrepreneur Terry “TR” Ross joined forces with childhood friends Chris Hicks, Ryan Glover, and Henry “Noonie” Lee in the late 1990s to form Noontime Music. The record label’s roster of talent was unparalleled and included many prominent musical forces, including Ciara, as well as producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jazze Pha, Polow da Don, Anthony Dent, Jeffrey “J-Dubb” Walker, Donnie Scantz, Teddy Bishop, and Dave Young. In 2005, Ross partnered with Damon Thompson to form Innersound Music Group, to which they signed LeToya Luckett as their first artist, followed by Tori Kelly and Leona Lewis. Ross continues to work on many musical projects and manages Jaycen Joshua, one of the country’s top mix engineers. In addition to his many ventures, Ross is an executive producer for several film projects, including Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told on Hulu and an Allen Iverson biopic.

Catherine Brewton’s drive, tenacity, and integrity have made her one of the most respected and influential executives in the music industry. Her career spans more than two decades, working with the likes of Drake, DJ Khaled, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj, Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, and Kenny Chesney. As BMI’s vice president of creative, Brewton directs outreach to songwriters and music publishers from the BMI Atlanta office while working closely with other BMI locations around the globe. She produces and hosts many of BMI’s annual events, including the BMI R&B / Hip-Hop Awards, Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, installments of “How I Wrote That Song” series, and “Know Them Now” Showcase. Brewton is a founding member of the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame and co-chair of the Georgia Entertainment Caucus, which promotes the importance of activism. She also serves on the boards of the Recording Academy’s Black Music Collective and the National Museum of African American Music. Brewton was named an Ebony “Power 100” and Billboard’s 2022 Woman of the Year, in addition to being inducted into the Stellar Awards Hall of Fame.

Derek Dudley is a 35-year entertainment industry veteran and serial entrepreneur who has spent most of his life shaping the careers of artists like Common and producers like Jermaine Dupri. Dudley has also been the man behind the scenes, executive producing successful film and television projects like The Chi and the docuseries America Divided. He has been influential in crafting the marketing and branding campaigns for Lincoln Motor Company, Coca-Cola, and Microsoft. Aside from launching the hugely successful men’s luxury fashion label RyanKenny in the early 2000s, Dudley has been an early investor in several successful multimillion-dollar companies, such as Mayvenn, Viola, Beyond Meat, and Impossible Foods.

W. Cyrus Garrett has an extensive record of creating partnerships, programmatic policy, and social impact initiatives. He is senior vice president of Spero Studio and senior strategic advisor of Hip Politics. He previously served as senior vice president of Taskforce, a digital media agency where he oversaw a nine-state “get out the vote” and counter-misinformation operation during the 2022 midterm elections. He was associate director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Biden-Harris Inaugural Committee after concluding his service as Southern regional director for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. Other professional roles include Eastern constituency director for Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign, African American political director of the Democratic National Committee, political advisor to Everytown for Gun Safety, deputy field director for President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign in Ohio, and Northwest Indiana political director for Obama’s 2008 campaign. Garrett started his political career as a field organizer in Iowa with Obama for America in 2007. His work has been featured in Black Enterprise, The Hill, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Times (London).

Chris Hicks is one of the industry’s most successful executives, known for his creativity and innovation that can only result from passion, drive, and the ability to leverage relationships. Concise and to the point, Hicks has led the pack in the competitive pool of high-profile music executives, making strides throughout the years with his ability to identify the needs of an artist and organization and help bring them to life. He currently serves as chief innovation officer of Quality Control Holdings; principle of DSRPT, a media and ideation production company; and chief executive officer of Noontime Publishing.

Grammy Award–winning super-producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins is a dynamic music master, whose undeniable magic touch infuses his productions with a one‐of‐a‐kind, unmistakable winning sound. He has collaborated with such megastars as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, George Michael, Mariah Carey, Sam Smith, Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Brandy, Jennifer Lopez, JAY Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, Drake, Big Sean, Toni Braxton, Kelly Clarkson, Keyshia Cole, Britney Spears, Cher, Janet Jackson, Destiny’s Child, TLC, Natasha Bedingfield, The Pussycat Dolls, NYSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Jessie J, Ludacris, Black Eyed Peas, Monica, Ciara, Spice Girls, Ray J, Maroon 5, and countless others. He has also lent his talents to cinematic music, including several soundtracks in The Nutty Professor and Rush Hour franchises. In 1997, Billboard named Jerkins one of the hottest R&B producers in the country, echoing that praise in 1999. In addition to producing and various philanthropic initiatives, Jerkins’s is CEO of Seventy7 Music Publishing and his own production company, Sonix, Inc.

Kevin “Coach K” Lee is a luminary in contemporary hip-hop who possesses an uncanny ability to unearth raw talent and pioneer innovative promotional approaches. As co-founder and chief operating officer of Quality Control Music, he has propelled artists like Lil Yachty, Migos, Lil Baby, and City Girls to paramount success. Acclaimed by Billboard and Variety, Coach K’s influence extends to sports, film, and industry-wide transformation, including founding Quality Films, QC Sports, and Solid Foundation Management alongside business partner Pierre “P” Thomas. HYBE’s recent acquisition of Quality Control underscores Coach K’s profound impact, signifying a pivotal milestone in his remarkable career.

Lewis Tucker is a music industry veteran who has transformed talented artists into household names. He began by working his way up to be regional marketing director of Uptown Records, where he was instrumental in pushing the burgeoning R&B / hip-hop art form beyond its ground-level roots. In 1995, Tucker was appointed Uptown’s chief marketing officer, brokering lucrative cross-marketing deals and media support for stellar artists like Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Heavy D. When Universal Music absorbed Uptown Records in 1998, Tucker’s eye for talent and commitment to hard work catapulted then unknown artists like Nelly, Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Erykah Badu into the spotlight. Two years later, Tucker moved on to Bad Boy Entertainment, crafting marketing campaigns for artists such as 112 and Faith Evans, before pursuing his dream of representing the NBA’s brightest stars. As the co-founder and chief executive officer of Essential Sports, he brings his gift for spotting talent to the athletic world. With a roster of Grammy-winning musicians and top-10 NBA selections to his credit, Tucker is an internationally respected media professional and sports luminary.