Ivan Berry
From the year 1983 to present, a substantial number of Canadian
acts that has gained any notoriety in the hip hop and R&B
field can credit, either directly or indirectly Ivan Berry.
Ivan Berry and Rupert Gayle started BeatFactory to manage
Gayleís group and this partnership has grown into a lucrative
corporation that manages the careers of the top urban music
artists in Canada.
Since that beginning step, the artists that Ivan works with
have sold over a million records worldwide. He also prides
himself on signing the first Canadian rap artist to an international
record deal, signing the most rap, hip hop and R&B artists
to record and publishing deals, attaining the most international
releases for Canadian rap, hip hop and R&B artists and selling
more rap, hip hop and R&B records worldwide than any other
manager.
Ivan Berry and his BeatFactory roster has included such noted
acts as Dream Warriors (Island Records), Michie Mee & L.A.
Luv (First Priority/Warner Music), Index (Bigshot Records),
Love & Sas (BMG Music), Devon (EMI Music), Rupert Gayle (A&M
Records / BMG Music Publishing), Split Personality (A&M Records),
HDV (Isba/Sony Music), Krush & Skad (Island Records), Rumble
(Gee St. Records), Organized Rhyme (The Tom Green Show) (A&M
Records), Jazmin (Attic/Song Corporation), Bliss (BMG Music),
Mathematik (BeatFactory/Page), Madlocks (BeatFactory/Page),
Glenn Lewis (Electra Records), Kuya (BeatFactory), RapEssentials
and GroovEssentials (BMG Music) and numerous others. His most
famous and notable client is hip hop group Dream Warriors.
The group emerged almost out of nowhere in 1990 and went on
to sell 800,000 copies of their ground breaking hip hop/jazz
album, "And Now The Legacy Begins". The Dream Warriors have
won numerous awards, scored international top 10 hits and
continue to produce music which is on the cutting edge of
the genre with songs like ìMy Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz
Styleî, ìWash Your Face In My Sinkî and ìLudiî.
In September 1996, Ivan Berry started a record label division
of BeatFactory committed to a multi-level development of urban
music in Canada. This label furthered BeatFactoryës vision
of seeing urban music at the forefront of the Canadian Music
Industry. Because EMI Music Canada distributed Ivanís music
division, the label had the distinguished title of being the
first urban music label in Canada to be nationally distributed
by one of the five major record companies in the world.
Heading into the Millennium, Ivan is predominantly a manager
who still handles the careers of Dream Warriors (Isba Music),
Rupert Gayle (BMG Music Publishing), Mathematik (BeatFactory)
and Bliss (BeatFactory).
Ivan has learned much over the years and he wants to give
back to the community by sharing his experiences. He regularly
contributes his time, energy and money to various community
organizations. He also teaches an International Marketing
program regularly at the Harris Institute Of The Arts. Ivan
Berry is well known for his openness and approachability.
His expertise is constantly called upon both by up and comers
in the music industry and record label executives that appreciate
his understanding of the urban music scene and the mainstream.
Of urban music in Canada, Ivan says: "...until the word "represent"
means "support", there will never be a progressive urban music
industry in Canada. And until we unite to educate ourselves
more about the business, there will always be music but never
a music business." With Ivan Berry and BeatFactory, Canada
can be assured of the ongoing development of Canadian urban
music on an international level.
Ivan is currently the ìHead Of A&Rî and the ìHead Of Internationalî
for BMG Canada. His duties includes the signing, recording,
development, international exploitation and marketing of BMG
Canadaís domestic roster on an international level. Artists
such as Shawn Desman, Sloan, Rascalz, Treble Charger, Gino
Vannelli, Keshia Chante, In Essence, Ryan Malcolm (Canadian
Idol) and many more are all part of his job description.
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