Dark Matter and Night Eight books present Darcus Beese in conversation with Richie Brave to celebrate the launch of his upcoming memoir Rebel with a Cause: The Black CEO who made Hits and History.
Darcus and Richie will be talking all things music and business and diving into the impact of Beese’s extraordinary career.
Copies will be available to purchase on the night via
Round Table Books and Darcus will be signing copies.
About the Book
The must-read memoir from Darcus Beese - the UK's first Black record company CEO and one of the greatest A&Rs of his generation. From growing up as a teenager on the streets of West London to running one of the biggest record labels in the world in New York - this is a truly remarkable rags to riches tale.
Rebel With a Cause is the story of how a teenage apprentice hairdresser from Fulham worked his way up from tea boy to head one of the UK's biggest and most successful record labels, Island Records, signing and nurturing some of the greatest artists of the twenty-first century - from Amy Winehouse and Jessie J to U2 and Florence and the Machine.
But this is also the story of a young man raised in musically fertile and politically febrile times. His activist parents Darcus Howe and Barbara Beese were tireless campaigners for racial equality at a time when racism was rife, not only on the streets, in schools and on the terraces, but also in the highest institutions of power. Fighting for equality - for himself and for his artists - has therefore been a key part of Darcus's life.
This is the incredible tale of an indomitable leader, an industry pioneer and rebel with a true cause.
About Darcus Beese
Darcus Beese OBE spent thirty years working at Island Records where he became the first black CEO of a UK record company when he was made president of Island Records UK.
He is regarded as one of the best A&Rs of his generation, signing and nurturing the likes of Amy Winehouse, Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons, Taio Cruz and Jessie J.
Darcus is now executive vice-president of Warner Music UK and runs his own Darco label. He lives in London with his family.
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Dark Matter is an inclusive marketing agency that works collaboratively to connect Black audiences with culture and the arts. Find out more
here.
