Three Things About Kedar Massenburg

Neo-Soul Music Maverick

Kedar Massenburg, president and CEO of Kedar Entertainment is not afraid to zig when everyone else is zagging. When Erykah Badu and DAngelo came along in the mid-1990s, Massenburg heard something unique in their sound. He dubbed their music "neo-soul" and blew up the industry with a new musical genre that made everyone check out the evolution of R&B. While managing the careers of India.Arie, Kem and Chico DeBarge, Massenburg became known as someone interested in the integrity of the music and the development of the artist.

It's all About the Brand

After six years at the helm of Motown Records, Massenburg has returned to his entrepreneurial roots with a new company that specializes in music as well as sponsorship and licensing deals. He's planning a reality show called 'Fallen,' a "where are they now?" type show that helps music artists and others whose careers have stumbled to get back on track. Two artists being considered are Chico DeBarge and D'Angelo, Massenburg says.

But it's with another product that Massenburg is taking his biggest calculated gamble -- as a winemaker. As founder and CEO of Kedar Beverages LLC, which makes K'orus wines -- chardonnay, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, Massenburg hopes to bring a fine wine experience to the masses. Four years ago, after working as a consultant with French wine expert Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, Massenburg decided there was an opening for an African-American in the wine industry. "I've been developing wine and you can see the fruit of my labor,' Massenburg says. "Everybody does Champagne or vodka, I'm giving them something different. I wanted to target African-Americans and novice drinkers."

But ever the promoter, Massenburg plans to pair his wine with a sampler CD in April 2008 and a series of showcases featuring some of his neo-soul artists, including his latest, Algebra. "It makes sense to have a K'orus lounge and introduce some of the artists that are not mainstream," he says.

Man With a Mission

Raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Massenburg has not been afraid to work hard to move beyond his modest family circumstance. After graduating from North Carolina Law School in Chapel Hill, N.C., he worked at Pepsico Corp and SmithKline Beecham. In 1991, he started a small entertainment management business with just $1,700. He became known as a maverick, foot-to-the-ground promoter and talent manager. His hustle and drive eventually took him to the top of the music industry as president and CEO of the legendary Motown Records and vice president at parent company Universal in 1999. At Motown, he worked with such artists as Brian McKnight, Michael McDonald and BeBe Winans. His artists sold more than 65 million albums, helping Motown broke even as after a decade of losses.

Today, when Massenburg reflects on his career, he says he wants to be known as a man of integrity, honor and culture. With his track record, that is a given.