Photo credit: Erskin Issac

Mark Green began his journey in Hip Hop in 1977 as a DJ and MC in the Bronx, later introducing the artform to New Jersey and inspiring future Sugar Hill Gang member Master Gee. While studying at VSU, he interned at Sugar Hill Records and went on to hold senior roles at EMI Records, where he was named Promotions Person of the Year in 1992. Over his career, Mark has signed and worked with icons like Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Salt-N-Pepa, and Grandmaster Flash, and has managed tours for Usher, SWV, and the Backstreet Boys. Today, he serves as Chair of Artist Relations at The Hip Hop Museum, Associate Director at Lehman Center, and runs Celebrity Talent Agency.

We caught up with Mark Green to talk about his role at the Museum, his storied history in the music industry, and what he thinks about the state of Hip Hop today.

Adam Aziz: Can you start by introducing yourself and telling us what you do with the Museum?

Mark Green: I am the Chairman of the Museum’s Artist Relations Committee and deal with anything involving celebrities and artists we work with.

AA: And as the construction ramps up within the Museum, what would you say are your primary responsibilities right now?

MG: We’re trying to find content to provide for the Museum. We’re looking at ways to promote and market the Museum and combine that with the artists we’re working with and the artists we would like to work with.

AA: Who are some artists who have already supported the Museum greatly?

MG: Nas, LL Cool J, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Slick Rick, and many others are some of the names that have been heavily involved with the Museum and helping us move it forward.

Mark Green and Slick Rick Photo Credit: Mark Green

AA: As someone who has been involved in talent management and booking for many years, how has that side of the business evolved or devolved over the years?

MG: It has changed dramatically because Hip Hop has changed how we do business. Going back to when I started in 1984, we would get paid after the shows. As Hip Hop evolved, artists started demanding they get paid a deposit before the show. Back then, we didn’t make a lot of money. The amount artists are making today is many multiples times what we were paid back then. The direction of Hip Hop has changed a lot.

AA: For people who will visit the Museum and may only have a cursory understanding of Hip Hop, what do you hope they get out of the experience?

MG: I’m hoping people will dig deep into the history of Hip Hop. When I talk to the younger generation, they often don’t know the backstory of Hip Hop. They don’t know the history; they don’t know certain songs and certain people. I’ve had an opportunity to speak at several colleges, and when I bring up names like The Sugarhill Gang, students don’t know who that is. How can you call yourself a Hip Hop head if you don’t know who The Sugarhill Gang is?

AA: You wrote a book called ‘The Show Must Go On: Backstage Stories of a Hip Hop Agent.’ Was there a challenging or rewarding story to put down to paper that stands out for you?

MG: There were a lot of stories. I didn’t want this to be a tell-all, but I wanted to share my experiences as an agent, manager, and record executive—the trials and tribulations I had to endure coming up in Hip Hop. The book dives into the business side. What happens if somebody doesn’t show up for a gig? What about the money? How are the deposits being paid?

As I said, people sometimes didn’t get paid back in the day. The people who would get paid many times were the headliners. We didn’t have cell phones back then, so the promoter would pay the headliner and jet out. Anyone in between would be left holding the empty bag. And you’re like, well damn, where’s the promoter? Where’s my money? I eventually caught on to things, and I would just be the opening act for my artists because I knew I would get paid.

I call it the Scarface era because there were a lot of drugs involved and janky promoters who were con artists.

The structure has changed a lot since then. We used to tour for a whole year, making $1500 a show. That’s insane now, but the money was steady. We were making $3500 at the high end, but that included flights and everything. 

AA: As someone who has been involved in it for so long, what is your view of Hip Hop culture today?

MG: I like the fact that the culture has changed how we do business, market our music, and sell it. It just phased over to the corporate end, where you now look at all the corporate companies utilizing Hip Hop to sell and market their products. 

Who would have thought, forty or fifty years ago, that this would even be conceived as something that would happen? And for me, it’s mind-blowing to think that when I started in Hip Hop, we just did it for fun. There was no money. It was just pretty much like playing the dozens. You said what you said, and he said what he said. And it was just a game. And now it’s a billion-dollar industry. It really has transcended into something major and amazing.

AA: Who were your favorite artists to work with back then?

MG: One of my favorite artists to work with was the Boogie Boys. That was the first Hip Hop group I worked with. I was also on tour with Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, and Whodini, but Boogie Boys were the first artists I helped groom and take them to the level where they were. They were easy to work with and took direction well. 

AA: Anything else you want to share?

MG: I’m celebrating 26 years of owning my own company called Celebrity Talent Agency, where we focus on Hip Hop and R&B artists and actors that we find work and bookings for.

I’m also the General Manager of the Lehman Performing Arts Center in the Bronx, where I run the day-to-day shows.

Follow Mark Green on Instagram.