Being rejected by Atlantic Records did not discourage one ASU student from pursuing a career in the record industry.
An interest in music marketing led bioengineering senior Mark Schmitz to pioneer a new hip-hop record label in the Valley. His label, The Grid Records, will host its first event Wednesday at The Sets on Mill.
Schmitz said he was excited to see the event was finally happening.
"There's always something that sets me back," Schmitz said of his preparations for the event. But he added that this event will be a huge start for the label.
Nationally known hip-hop performer Paul Wall will headline the event.
"Mark has a good vision and is really ambitious," said Ben Harris, a local hip-hop artist and ASU broadcasting senior who goes by Ol' Green. "He's making a lot of good moves."
While performing the duties of Atlantic Records marketing manager for the Phoenix metro area and attending ASU, Schmitz started to build relationships with local artists and take a heavy interest in local hip-hop.
"There's a lot of local talent," said Schmitz.
Continuing his duties under Atlantic, he pushed the label's attention toward Phoenix artists Atllas, E and Ol' Green with hope of future contracts.
After Atlantic showed no interest, Schmitz was not disheartended.
Sitting in a university entrepreneurial class, he saw an opportunity with talented hip-hop artists and took it.
"The Grid Records actually started as an assigned project," he said.
A seven-page business plan assignment for his introduction to entrepreneurship class grew into a 57-page plan to change the city's hip-hop music scene.
Schmitz credits his progress and any future successes to his mentor, Thomas Duening, program director at the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering.
According to Schmitz, Duening was a driving force for The Grid Records and made it possible for him to be where he is today, as well as for the success he sees "right around the corner."
Reach the reporter at bradley.butterfield@asu.edu.
