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Spotlight: Yusef H. Shabazz and Magnatar Records

On The Verge Of A Very Bright, Musical Future
It isn't often that you get to sit down with dedicated music people. They are always on the go--setting up deals, hitting the road or living in an office or recording studio.

Yusef H. Shabazz often referred to as "The Godfather" met up with me to talk about his love and enthusiasm for "real R&B music."

That's where I learned that Mr. Shabazz is such a music aficionado that he founded his own independent record company, Magnatar Records.

How did it all come about? "Through a friendship with music producer and original Main Ingredient member Tony Silvester," Mr. Shabazz replies, when asked. We're sitting down in front of one another, wining and dining, during an informal dinner he's hosting for his staff at Houston's Park Avenue South nestled in the east Chelsea section of New York City.

Mr. Shabazz is a dapper and reserved, mature gentleman that is neatly dressed in very fine attire. He seems to have a flair for the finer things in life. He brings the spirit of legendary music mogul Clarence Avant to mind, when he speaks.

A few years ago, he collaborated with the Panama-born Mr. Silvester on The Main Ingredient's last album Pure Magic, which garnered rave reviews. It was only natural that a record label was formed to house the legendary R&B group--who gave R&B music lovers such timeless hits as "Everybody Plays The Fool," and "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely."

After teaming with Mr. Silvester, the Savannah, Georgia native was intent on finding a name for their new company. When Look Out Records did not make the grade, and Up-Right Records wasn't available, an associate came up with "magnatar." Mr. Shabazz liked the one-of-a-kind moniker, but didn't necessarily know what it meant.

"It meant the brightest star in the universe," he continues, "and when I presented that name to some prospective investors on Wall Street, they fell in love with it. They thought that Magnatar Records was a very unique name. As did I."

Mr. Shabazz has a firm belief in God and, he strongly believes in his product. As a Black business owner, he has to. "There are faithful record buyers who still go to the record stores. I love the music that we're doing. It is the return of the real R&B."

"When you put out a product, you have to put out a great product because of the competition," he says describing his approach to music and business. "If you put out the right music with the right artist who has the right personality and the right attitude... including the right team around you to promote that product, you will be successful."

Future aspiring music moguls, I invite you to take careful notes.

Mr. Shabazz has assembled a great team at Magnatar Records. The label's headquarters are located on Broadway in the Winter Garden Theater building, just north of Times Square in New York City. ("We have to be where the action is," he states.) It's there where the day-to-day operations are handled. Mr. Shabazz resides in Yonkers, New York with his family but clocks many hours in the Magnatar offices. He points out music veteran Maurice Bernard Dixon, and his younger brother Tyrone Shabazz as his backbone. "These two are the ones who keep the dream alive," he confides. "They share the same vision and commitment as I do for good music."

Good music indeed.

Carlton Blount is the newest artist to be released on the label. A native of Richmond, Virginia, he has done everything with his silky smooth vocals--from singing with legends such as Patti LaBelle, Roberta Flack and Al Green to being lauded as the winner of the nationally syndicated variety show "Showtime At The Apollo."

Soon after, he became lead vocalist of the Main Ingredient, filling in the shoes of the legendary crooner Cuba Gooding. And if Carlton Blount can stand in for Cuba, he has to have a mighty impressive voice.

His solo debut album (From) A Man's Point of View is set to drop next month. The first single, "Acting Like You're Free" encompasses the sizzling soul that brings to mind such great male R&B legends as Teddy Pendergrass, Dennis Edwards (of The Temptations fame) and even Luther Vandross.

These new guys on the scene can't touch Mr. Blount. His music is proof positive that you don't have to be packaged as a hip-hop homey in order to bring good new soul music to the masses. Simply put, Carlton Blount can sing Jaheim under the table. It's grown and sexy R&B music that is radio ready. The track should find a great home on play-lists like New York City's adult urban stations WBLS-FM and Kiss-FM.

Mr. Shabazz is happy with the process of breaking Carlton Blount's latest endeavor. "Carlton has a dynamic voice, a nice personality and he's very soulful. I think that he's going to be very successful. Make room for Carlton Blount. This record is a launching pad for more great things to come."

And the buzz is building. Billboard, Upscale and Right On magazines have already showed early support for the project. And that is nothing to shake a stick at for an artist releasing a new record on a Black-owned independent record label. It's remarkable.

"The early support is warmly welcomed, and appreciated," adds Mr. Shabazz. "My new team really is putting the work in."

After several attempts at hand picking a solid staff, Magnatar has set up an official re-launch of the company with a new team that is effectively overseeing promotions, marketing and media. A distribution pact is in the final stages of negotiations at press time. Their former distribution deal was with Chic front-man Nile Rodgers' Sumthing Distribution.

Forthcoming plans are underway to reunite Cuba Gooding with The Main Ingredient, and to release albums by chanteuse Natasha Coward and the sexy, chocolate and chiseled crooner Jeffrey Spence. "Magnatar Records is hitting the ground running with great music," concludes Mr. Shabazz.

With a slogan of being "The Brightest Expression In Music," the Black-owned Magnatar Records seems to be on the right track. We just have to be on the look out for it.

Message Yusef H. Shabazz or Margot Jordan and tell them what think

Margot Jordan

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