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Carrie Carnie/ CC Smooth
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Serchlite Music Co-Owner and President Carrie Carnie, often
called “CC”, by those who know her well, has
been described as “dynamic”, “a powerhouse”,
and a relentless professional.” These are hearty descriptions,
but ones that justly define the executive who has garnered
attention as a “Power Player” from the likes
of Fortune 500 Executives and Boardroom Colleagues throughout
the industry. Why? CC, along with her partner, MC Serch,
have unmatched expertise in urban marketing, promotion, branding
and advertising, which has helped steer the superstar careers
of many a recording artist or professional athlete. She
is fueled by her intense passion for everything she does. CC
makes sure she lives life without regrets, that’s her
philosophy and it’s one that has kept her at the top
of her game in a career that now spans more than a decade.
What is the secret to her success? “Happiness.
Plain and simple. There is no success without happiness.
I love what I do! If I didn’t, I would never
be able to put in the time & effort it takes to run a
successful business. You have to get up and go out
there every day and make sure you work harder & smarter
than anyone else you know.” explains CC, who handles
the day-to-day operations of Serchlite Music. “To
stay relevant, you have to. It’s my life.” CC
is considered a top leader in her field, she has helped guide
Serchlite Music to be considered one of the Premiere Independent
Urban Marketing and Promotions companies in the industry,
working over 500 Urban and Rhythmic records, charting an
amazing 80% of those to Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart. Her
groundbreaking vision for the music and the hip-hop artists
she works with has brought CC to the head of the pack.
Having successfully marketed hip-hop across the country,
Serchlite brought their street marketing skills to radio
and then eventually moved into the events, film and
television world with the newly formed Serchlite Events and
Marketing Division. This division was created to successfully
market urban products to the mainstream consumer, a consumer
not defined by ethnicity, but rather by lifestyle. But
long before Mainstream came calling, CC made it a point to
pursue broader opportunities for many of her clients. She
created “The Mix”, the first Urban Music Double
Compilation CD for ESPN The Magazine, which is now on its
5th edition. This CD partners Professional Athletes and Artists
and was also tied into a column in the magazine entitled “The
Hook-Up-Playlist”. In 2006, she transitioned
into producing shows and features for ESPN360 and ESPN.Com
that include “Sweat Spot”, “HomeBase” and
others. She is also set to co-executive produce 3 more
music compilations, as well as executive produce and score
for 4 nationally syndicated television series. In addition,
she has managed national marketing tours and radio campaigns
for tens of multi platinum recording artists. “ It
was about staying in there, continuing dialogue and getting
those companies to see what I saw, that my clients, the artists
or the athlete, were the perfect match.” Corporate
Clients and Partners now include Hummer/H3 Brand, ESPN The
Magazine, Cartier, McDonald’s, Keihl’s, Ecko,
Bliss World, Absolute, GM, among others.
“We’re translators,” says CC. “We
act as a laison between our clients and the Corporate Community,
to smooth out the differences in culture. The Hip-Hop
lifestyle has crossed all lines and we explain that. It’s
not about race anymore. It’s about the music
you listen to, the clothing you wear, the language, the kind
of experiences you claim as your own. Once we can get
them to identify with the lifestyle and help them see that
in their viewership or consumer, that’s when they see
the bigger picture.”
And just because CC is now doing business with the corporate
elite, she is unapologetic about selling the hip-hop lifestyle
to mainstream America. “That audience has not
just accepted, but embraced our culture without us having
to change it from the way it is” she explains.
The journey to become one of the music industry’s
most passionate players began for CC in college radio on
a small station outside of Boston. It was at WPCR,
as a DJ and then Music Director, where she first learned
about hip-hop imaging and artist development. “That
was my introduction to the music industry. It is where I
first met my mentor and now business partner, MC Serch, it
was where I first was introduced to the business side of
things, where I got to meet Biggie, Tupac, Outkast, really …..everyone. Breaking
them on college radio, introducing them to the world.” Passion
she says got her through. “Back then, it was
all about the passion. I was a fan, had a great mentor, common
sense and intuition. I found I had a natural talent
for hearing a hit.” It’s a talent CC has
put to good use since she began working records to radio
for airplay across the country. Her clients have included
every major record label from the Big 4, Universal (Def Jam,
Bad Boy, Interscope, Geffen and A&M), Sony/BMG (Arista,
Columbia, Epic, Sony , Jive, J and RCA) WMG (Elektra,
Atlantic, and Warner Bros.) and Virgin/EMI (Capitol/Priority
Records)
CC was asked to run the day-to-day operations for Serchlite
in 2002, when her partner, MC Serch, took a high profile
gig in Detroit, as the morning show host at the #1 ranked
radio station, WJLB. Since then she has continued to
expand her relationships with record labels and their artists. “It’s
more than getting airplay or helping them sell records at
this point”; CC believes in power positioning label’s
artists. “I try and only work with labels, artists
and athletes that have their own unique sense of self that
sets them apart in the marketplace. Just as important
is their dedication to their craft and to themselves as artists
or professional athletes.” Says CC. “I need people
who are serious about what they do, who are willing to put
in the hard work. I won’t work harder for them
than they do for themselves. I look for clients who
are hungry; who will do whatever it takes to make it happen. That’s
the way I work, that’s what I expect from my staff
and that’s the level I expect the client to meet and
work at with us.”
Being single allows CC a certain amount of autonomy to devote
much time to her company, although it isn’t always
easy. “Juggling my personal life and professional
life is a skill I am slowly learning with each passing day.” She
says with a smile. “The people I am involved
with understand that this is my life. But, I love it
all. The fact that we have been able to grow this company
without compromising the culture or ourselves or changing
the way we do things, I feel that in itself has been a major
accomplishment. What’s wonderful about the way
we’re working with our clients is that we’re
all growing together. The more I’ve been able
to achieve for Serchlite the company, the more directly it
benefits our clients.”
For CC it has always been about making the impossible, possible
for her clients, her company and finally herself.
photos by Allen Kee/ESPN
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