Inside the Playbook: Steve Rifkind on The Street Team Strategy That Built Hip-Hop Fans

In this clip, Steve Rifkind breaks down the year he spent managing New Edition, and why it became his real-world education in the music industry. From meeting key players like Lady B, Hiriam Hicks, and Russell Simmons, to learning how artist management, A&R instincts, and music industry networking actually work in practice, Steve walks through the moments that shaped his approach to building careers.

He also shares the behind-the-scenes story of packaging a bold rap cartoon concept into a real business opportunity, how creative development turns into deal-making, why partnerships shift, and what it takes to push an idea far enough to land a $250,000 record deal with Capitol Records. If you’re an independent artist, artist manager, or aspiring music executive, this is a masterclass in artist development, record deals, label politics, negotiation, and career strategy, told with the kind of honesty you only get from someone who lived it.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

Listen to the full episode here -

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/30zqrBREeAf2j61iIJzPm2?si=U3aK6O-OTsmO0uTCHmR09w

Watch the Episodes On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook