Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Phillips Hammond.
Mario, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Hello, my name is Mario Phillips Hammond, I’m the founder/CEO and manager of MiND BoggLE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP in Memphis, TN. I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army I was medically discharged in 2019 due to injuries while I was still active overseas.
While in the military I did DJ from 2010-2015. Prior to that, I was a rapper/singer and poet. I have basically been in and out of the music for over 20 years. I started managing artists in July 2021 and I went from managing my nephew and younger brother to running a full indie label with 12 artists from rap acts like Trippy Tribbitt, and BLO Reckless (whose my nephew) and R&B artists like Phoenix Keyz and newer artists like JLOUD (Hip-Hop R&B) and Lemon King Oddy (Experimental Hip Hop), I also manage artists in Portland, OR (Snx LvBoy) Houston, TX (Skoowop also my younger brother), and I have and in the UK (Elijah Nile).
That’s just the surface of the current slate of artists that I have to name the rest of my Famlee off (family is what my artists are) we have Mollywop (my only female artists from Memphis, TN), OnFlamez (Memphis, TN also one of my A&Rs), Big MULLA (Memphis, TN), Kaiyo ( Chicago, ILL), K-Dawg ( Mobile, AL), Xodeine (Atlanta, GA) MU$IC MIND ( St. Louis, MO) GBG Jizzl3( Memphis, TN).
I started this with my COO Judaea Payne since then we have grown to a fully staffed team that consists of, President Marsayes McIntyre (Also CEO of MUTEGANG Productions), CFO Lateshia Hammond, CBO Tony “Trippy “Tribbitt, EVP Robert James, EVP Marlon “Skoowop” Dockery (founder of 1137 Music Group), and my 3 A&Rs (Mickaylon “MK” McClendon, Kendrick Demming, and Robertn “OnFlamez” Whitley. We also have 2 subsidiaries MUTEGANG Productions and 1137 Music Group. Our Business motto is, “Stay Humble, Always Hungry !”
Family is important to me so I look and my entire team as family. We fight like a family, we disagree like a family and we stand together like a family. If you would have asked me if I would be in the music business and doing this for a living. I would have laughed honestly. When I stopped DJing and making music myself I never looked back I just got pulled in and wanted to help the next generation. Outside of that, I consult for other artists and Podcasters as well.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It is still a struggle to be perfectly honest. It’s a lot that goes into leading a company. I mean finances can be one and making sure the budget is right. Artist in particular and their egos (not referring to my artist) and making sure that the choices I make with my team are the right choices. Most of my artists are still learning the business which is something I teach my artists so they move without me in the future.
My philosophy is to team them on how to do business the right way. They make great music but they’re still learning how to navigate the music industry. Some artists get upset that their career isn’t moving as fast as they would like so they lash out. I have had to make the tough decision to part ways with artists which is never easy. But at the end of the day, all of my artists are loved by me and I allow them to figure out what’s best for them as young adults. But I’m not afraid to be real with them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
In Memphis, I’m known for being the new kid who makes a lot of noise in a short amount of time. Mind Boggle Entertainment Group is a Limited Limited company. The name came about when I was 14 years so back in 2003 when I was still rapping buy wasn’t incorporated until 20 years later in 2022. I used to rap with my uncle who actually taught me how to rap in 1999 and gave me the idea of the name.
When I was coming up with the name I was playing around with Grus Americana Records or G.A.R. for short which my best friend and business partner Judaea hated. MiND BoggLE was revisited when I was talking to my younger brother on the phone. I originally had reservations about the name because it felt like something from my past and I wanted to move forward into the future but as my younger brother told me, “Sometimes the past can inspire your future ” and the rest is history.
This company is never just about me and me giving back to my city through my volunteer work around my city and through my Fraternity Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. I specialize in artist development which is something I have done from the start. I set up time to allow them to set up studio time to help them create, set up a space for them to rehearse, and get used to being on the mic which most artists don’t think about ironically. And make sure they have the skills they need to succeed in the music industry.
What sets me apart is my drive and determination to see my artists succeed. And to support in any way possible and teach them to one day be their own boss. My biggest accomplishment brand-wise is the fact that in this year alone I have been getting the spotlight on my artists and my company as a whole.
What I want people to know about my brand is what we say in our motto: “Stay Humble, Always Hungry!” Which for us is a way of life. We are here to win but we keep GOD first in our lives and in the way we do business. Our brand is a family (family) business. We offer artist consultation, bookings, tours, showcases, a rehearsal space, and a space to record, and we give back to our community.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Love one another!!
Pricing:
- Consultations start at $100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://g.co/kgs/iU9zse
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mindboggleentertainmentgroup?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086444088019&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindboggleentertainmentgroup
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/i3qbC
- Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mindboggleentertainment?_t=8atcUifmLut&_r=1
Image Credits
Samantha Riley and Larry K Photography
