Mathew Knowles

Mathew Knowles, now President of Music World Entertainment/Sanctuary Urban Group, Inc., began his career as a sales and marketing representative for Xerox in his hometown of Houston, Texas. However, he is perhaps best-known for his role as manager of Destiny's Child, one of the most successful "girl groups" in the history of pop music and American Idol finalist RJ Helton.

"I think successful people will have success at whatever they do because there are common traits," says Mathew. "They love what they do with a passion, they think out of the box, they work smart and hard and they'll go that extra mile to achieve their goals."

He discovered his passion for music as a teenager growing up in the small town of Gadsden, Alabama, and first put that passion to work while at college at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Fisk University.

Hearing his daughter, Beyoncé Knowles, perform John Lennon's "Imagine" at a youth talent competition, Mathew embarked on the path of artist management. He began laying the groundwork for his daughter's career incorporating the skills he'd developed during his 20-year stint as a sales marketing representative with his burgeoning knowledge of the music industry.

A self-described "small town country boy," he credits his parents with instilling him with both drive and strong family-centered values. "My mother went to high school with Coretta King [widow of martin Luther King] and was a strong woman that really believed in desegregation and integration," he remembers. "As a result, I was the first black in junior high school, one of the first blacks in Gadsden High, and the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga."

In addition to managing Destiny's Child, Mathew also guides the careers of the Swedish girl group PLAY, his youngest daughter, Solange, Gospel trio Trinitee 5:7, and the solo careers of Destiny's Child members Beyoncé, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and RJ Helton, "American Idol" finalist. Sanctuary Urban/Management, which falls under the Music World/Sanctuary Urban Division recently purchased Ervin Wonder Management who brings Urban Artist Eve, Floetry, Jadakiss, and Angie Stone under Sanctuary Urban Management. Both Xhibit and Mary J. Blige are managed under Sanctuary Urban management.

His Music World Music label has released the Destiny's Child's platinum album, "8 Days of Christmas," the soundtrack for MTV's Carmen: A Hip Hopera" (which starred Beyoncé, Mekhei Phifer and Mos Def), Destiny's Child's "This Is The Remix," "Heart to Yours," and "Do You Know", the inspirational solo debuts by Michelle Williams, "Solo Star" by Solange, Kelly Rowland's debut solo album, "Simply Deep," and the first two volumes of the acclaimed "Spirit Rising" gospel compilation series.

As executive producer on every Destiny's Child album and single release to-date, he has overseen 13 #1 singles in the US and overall worldwide sales of more than 40 million records for the Destiny's Child and a total of 60 million records for all projects.

Knowles' Music World Music has most recently shepherded "Dangerously In Love," the #1 best-selling debut solo album from Beyoncé as well as the soundtrack to the movie, "Fighting Temptations," a Paramount/MTV film staring Beyoncé and Cuba Gooding, Jr. which spent 4 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Gospel charts, as well as the debut solo album from the Detroit gospel quartet Ramiyah. In addition Michelle Williams first two albums charted at #1 and #2 respectively and Kelly Rowland had two number one singles, a debut #1 Internationally and won a Grammy.

His latest venture is the creation of a new label called, after his association with Sanctuary, Sanctuary Urban Records Group (SURG).

"I wanted to create a genuine 'musical' home for a wide range of artists; more than just a label but a place where artists can really feel comfortable within the modern music business and in an environment where their creativity isn't stifled in an any way," comments Mathew.

Aware of the shifting dynamics of the industry, Mathew's alliance with like-minded Sanctuary allows him to explore his vision that puts the artist and their music first but at the same time gives him - and them - the ability to explore fully other creative and commercial opportunities. Artists signed to the label include the O'Jays, De La Soul, Earth, Wind & Fire, Ray J, Michelle Williams and new recording artist Mason Road.

The black music scene in the UK is recognized as one of the most varied and creative in the world - absorbing a lot of what has come out of America over the years but giving it a unique British twist.

Historically the UK has produced many global artists - from soul acts of the 80's (Soul II Soul, 5 Star, Loose Ends, Junior Giscombe, Billy Ocean) through the developments of Dance Music in the nineties into the various different strands such as drum & bass and jungle. Acts such as Grooverider, DJ Rap, Goldie, Craig David, Phats & Small moving to So Solid Crew, who burst on the scene in 2000, as well as Mercury Prize winner Dizzee Rascal have all in their way been hugely influential.

With the huge amount of music being consumed and created in the UK, the Sanctuary Urban US team have identified a gap in the market for a company that can bring a multitude of services for urban acts under one roof. They will be able to sign new talent and work with established acts and be in a position to manage all the US Sanctuary Urban acts in the UK - a hands on team that are connected and hooked up to the bigger urban music picture world-wide.

With a wave of talented UK acts, producers and re-mixers now is the time for the UK urban music scene to really become a force to be reckoned with. Sanctuary have identified the need for a full house service for urban British artists and have set up Sanctuary Urban to fulfill this need. Look out for Sanctuary Urban in 2005, the only Urban Music full service music company in the UK.