008 WHO?MAG
Nice Jewish accountant by day, but hardcore producer, talent scout and promoter by night; Rob Schwartz is the CEO and founder of WHO?MAG, a new idea in music publications that you should all take notice of. The magazine’s format is as funky and fresh as the artists it features. Instead of traditional ink and paper, WHO?MAG (www.whomag.net) is based on the internet, on DVD and it even has a television show component. This multimedia approach has helped the magazine grow quickly, with a fan base that keeps growing by leaps and bounds. DVD magazines many believe are the way of the future, and if they are anything like what WHO?MAG puts up, I’ll have to agree.
In Rob’s own words the idea he had with his two partners was to “help upcoming artists get exposure”. For an artist in a world where Sanjaya makes it to the final countdown on American Idol, exposure is absolutely key. Add in a healthy dose of interviews with established, dare I say even, famous artists, and you’ve got yourself the winner that is this magazine. WHO?MAG’s (the WHO part coming from “who are you”) television show alone is seen in over 30 countries in Europe and the Middle East on Satellite TV on the CoolTV channel; and certainly isn’t light on content.
With over 95 print interviews posted on the web site, and 100 more interviews spread out over 6 television episodes, WHO?MAG is certainly fulfilling its mission in a big way. Getting to talk to Rob directly gave me an even better insight into the mind behind all of this. Rob’s work promoting up and coming artists can be traced all the way back to High School. As he puts it “A girl in High School was dating a guy, he had an early TV show called Krush Rap. The show featured new and undiscovered rap artists, and this really got me started on the path”. Helping upcoming entertainers achieve their dreams and “get recognized” is what it’s all about, and that phrase is even on the back of this business card.
And how does such a nice Jewish boy get to be involved in the rap and hip hop world? Apparently “when I was in 3rd grade, I was only a kid and I started listening to hip hop. It was tough; I was the only kid in school listening to it”. Rob then goes on to point out that one of the most famous pioneers of the genre- The Beastie Boys- are all of Jewish heritage. Not only that, but lots of people behind the scenes in the music business are Jewish, working in all genres. Slowly but surely, with artist like Matisyahu making it big in the music industry, it’s becoming more and more accepted that Jews can do more than just Klezmer music. Rob himself has had some success writing and producing and has worked for industry giants such as Sony and PolyGram.
It’s great to see WHO?MAG working so hard to showcase new talent, and it’s way cool that they are able to bring you content like interviews with Halle Berry, but what’s it like actually doing all of this? It is a lot of hard work, but is it really worth Rob’s while? “People look for me, and t hat helps me promote my magazine and the artists I represent. People like me. Bottom line, it is a business, and I have made money. It’s been an incredible roller coaster though, ups, downs, I’ve had some REALLY rough times, but it’s all been worth it.” Speaking of rough times, when I asked Rob how he feels about maybe quitting his day job, and doing this full time he added “I just CAN’T sleep in my car any more”.
It looks like all those tough times have paid off though, as this is the first and only DVD magazine to be reviewed by the New York Times. Not only that, but it is carried by Blockbuster video, Best Buy, Circuit City and Netflix. In Rob’s own words “Everything I do has got to be a step forward”. Getting your show on air in 30 countries, and the DVD available through Netflix and Blockbuster is one hell of a step forward if you ask me. Speaking of step forwards, it seems you just can’t keep Rob’s creativity down.
Rob’s been working on more than just his magazine; he’s also making plans for feature length, major studio release horror flicks. Rob was pretty tight lipped about it, but he says they’ll mix some urban legend horror with more traditional horror themes. It’s definitely something to watch for.
It wouldn’t be fair to mention a man who runs a magazine for up and coming artists and not mention Santalina, who Rob manages and produces. Not just another pretty face (although that pretty face has gotten almost five billion page loads on her page at MSN music), she’s got a voice that has carried her to radio play around the country.
Rob’s tireless efforts are paying off. From the success that Santalina is enjoying to upcoming reality shows he’s involved in, looks like he might be able to quit that day job soon after all.
To visit Rob, and see his work first hand you can go to
www.whomag.net, www.myspace.com/whomag, or simply e-mail him at Rob@whomag.net.