Entertainment

Meet Dren Starr: Our featured guest Feb 22

Published

1 year ago

February 3, 2022

Before the internet became a popular source of entertainment, Dren Starr was among those leading the hip-hop scene primarily through FM radio. Today, 44-year-old Dren Starr, a native of the Lower East Side Manhattan, is making strides in the music and digital marketing industries. He is associated with Roc Nation, D’ussé Cognac, Rolling Loud, and other hip-hop festivals and tours.

Starr, who has three decades of experience in the entertainment industry, can be described as a Music Mogul who has worn many hats as DJ, promoter, producer, recording engineer, plus a tour and artist manager.

He began his entertainment career at age 14 as a deejay. Then at 18, he started his own hip hop radio station in New York City called WBAD Radio 91.9 FM. This was to be a competitor for Hot 97, New York’s long-standing and top-rated radio station, and give many upcoming artists a platform. He captured his audience’s attention and successfully grew his listening. However, his radio station was later shut down by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Starr then went on to open Pirate Recording Studio, one of the first official studios on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He went on to start more recording studios around the city, where his role included producer and engineer.

He has worked with top names in the industry, including South Bronx rapper, Big Punisher also called Big Pun. He did an interesting interview with Pun before he passed away in 2000. This interview can be found on YouTube.

Starr also had the opportunity to manage hip hop artists like Terror Squad’s Cuban Link, Wu-Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah, and Kinetic 9 of Killarmy, a group affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan. He also produced controversial mixtapes for rapper Tru Life.

His music career continued to gain momentum as he collaborated and created within the hip-hop industry. But he experienced a slight pause when he served a five-and-a-half-year sentence in the New York State prison for gun possession.

This was enough to set back anyone’s career. But because of Starr’s hard work over the years, many people were willing to work with him when he was released.

He says, “Do good business, never burn any bridges, stay true to yourself and be humble! People can learn from me that as long as your grind is real and your heart is pure, you will always be good and have a good name in this industry.”

After his release, he was faced with adapting to the music industry in the digital age. However, through his willingness to learn and his perseverance, he is mastering the sector where it is today. He uses his social media presence to continue his work in music and marketing. He can be seen on Instagram associating with artists like Fabolous and Meek Mill.

Starr hopes to continue creating opportunities for himself and his family. He is currently committed to developing his brand – LES – and put the community of Lower East Side on the map.

For even more information or to collaborate with Dren Starr, visit his Instagram, www.instagram.com/drenstarr or his official website www.drenstarr.com

Entertainment

The fundamental features of community festivals’ social implications

Published

2 months ago

April 12, 2023

Jonathan Grilli

Music’s power is an extraordinarily vital and unique instrument that improves the human experience. When combined with a social gathering of individuals from all walks of life who have come to appreciate this art, it creates a force unlike any other. Music allows people to imagine their lives and evoke powerful memories. Music is integral to cultural gatherings, festivals, and belief systems. Sound and rhythm patterns provide a unique insight into an individual’s thoughts on current culture, subcultures, and societal concerns. Community festivals allow people of a community to engage in socialization, entertainment, and the formation of social networks, all of which can contribute to the promotion of community cohesiveness and the development of social capital within a community.

In addition to bringing people of all colors, races, and ethnicities together, these festivals also play a pivotal role in promoting upcoming artists in the music industry. Festivals have long been one of the most prolific venues for promoting new music and exposing listeners to contemporary artists. The absence of festivals and venues has significantly hampered fresh content and talent exposure. Music is vital during festivals because it creates an instant link among those who attend. Festival music speaks to our human yearning to connect, and music is a means of self-expression that transcends all language borders. Picking up performances at smaller or local music festivals is a terrific method for new performers to get into the live music scene.

Cultura Fest Las Vegas is organized by Alexis Lopez, CEO of artist-only entertainment in Las Vegas. The first large Latino Music Festival in the heart of Las Vegas, bringing together some of the top Latin artists from across the world to play on one stage, which includes some of the most prominent Latino Artists performing various types of music genres such as Regional Mexicana, Banda, Mariachi, and Reggaeton to create a first-time Latino music festival in the heart of Las Vegas. By reshaping live entertainment into an economic engine for growth and commerce and challenging humanity to live by its highest ideals, festivals have revolutionized the live music industry and become a crucial source of income for the music business. They also celebrate both the power of the individual and the collective masses.

The upcoming festival to send shockwaves

The festival is scheduled to take place in 2023. With over 20 artists and ten of the biggest Latin DJs and music producers on the stage, bringing Latin Culture together, various Latin food from different cultures, games, contests, and giveaways for all guests to eat and dance the night away.

Cultura Fest will feature Latin music genres such as Reggaeton, Dembow, Mariachi, Corridos, and Banda Regional Mexicana.

Becky G, Dalex, Jowell & Randy, Blessed, Ryan Castro, Luis R Conriquez, Fuerza Reguida, Enigma Norteno, Junior H, Rickstarr, Mr. Fernandez, Christian Nava, Eslabón Armado, Eladio Carrión, Lunay, Sech, Lyanno, Mora, and many more will be confirmed as headliners in 2023.

Through his music promotion venture, Alexis intends to introduce Cultura Fest to other big cities such as Los Angeles, Texas, Chicago, and Miami.

Introducing new artists to the audience

Alexis works as an A/R in the Latino business with numerous artists and frequently forges new ties amongst artists of various genres. Introducing numerous artists merging both cultures to be able to develop the new sounds of Latin Music, such as Grupo Firme from the Mexican Group and Jay Wheeler from reggaetón.

About Alexis Lopez

After suffering three ACL knee injuries, Alexis Lopez decided to hang up his boots and see what the future held for him. Alexis transitioned into music management, working with artists and DJs, and has worked for famous names in the music industry, such as Christian Nava, Rickstarr Baby, and Payso. Lopez has succeeded in every element of his life, and the new chapter of his life was no exception. Alexis Lopez knocked on many doors in his early days and was successful throughout his life. He has completed several missions. Lopez is now taking multiple Artists to South America, Central America, and Canada, such as Grupo Firme, Dos Carnales, Wisin & Yandel, Steve Aoki, Jay Wheeler, Oscar Maydon, Becky G, Luis R Conriquez, and many more Latino artists.