Kendrick Lamar’s Manager Dave Free leaving TDE?

[postnutclarity]

Didn’t see this posted.

Dave Free is no longer working with Top Dawg Entertainment — the label known for elevating the careers of Kendrick Lamar, SZA, and Schoolboy Q — according to two insiders with knowledge of the move who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Sources said Free has been working on his own for several months. He is helping the rising rapper Baby Keem, whose July album Die for My bytch has amassed more than nine million streams to date. Last year, Free also announced his intention of “getting heavy into the film game.”

Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith founded TDE more than a decade ago. Free met Lamar when the two were in high school; according to Forbes, he later found an excuse to play Lamar’s music for Tiffith while attempting to fix his broken computer. Free was also a gifted producer — “Dave has one of the best ears for finding samples that nobody would ever ever listen to,” the producer Sounwave said in 2012 — and he became president of TDE in 2007.

TDE grew slowly before achieving a mainstream breakthrough with Lamar’s multi-platinum good kid m.A.A.d city. “I would say [it took] about eight years ’til we figured out what not to do,” Free said last year. “The earlier stages we were just really grinding through.”


Dave Free Leaves Top Dawg Entertainment

 

[OnlyInCalifornia]

Sometimes people want to try to do their own thing and be their own Top Dawg.

 

[postnutclarity]

Sometimes people want to try to do their own thing and be their own Top Dawg.

True but I heard he was responsible for a lot of TDE’s success. Producing, scouting for new artists, managing, booking tours, etc.

Sounds like a huge loss for the label.

 

[Piff Perkins]

You guys want to delve deep into the industry weeds with a former insider? Don't tell em you heard it here

As we all know, Dave Free brought Kendrick to TDE. He's been Kendrick's personal manager and elevated his own personal clout with the masterful release and success of DAMN, including directing some of the music videos for that album. Ever since the DAMN victory lap, Dave has been MIA publicly...but has been working very close with Baby Keem, who is ALLEGEDLY Kendrick's little cousin. Keem produced tracks on recent TDE projects (Black Panther, Jay Rock album, Crash Talk) and even has a placement on the Beyonce Lion King soundtrack. He released a pretty successful mixtape/album "independently" as well. Keem's album was heavily produced by Cardo, who is managed by...Brock Korsan, AKA Brocky Marciano. IE a major player at Interscope who also was heavily involved in the creation/success of DAMN. Korsan leveraged that success into getting a better job, leaving Interscope for Warner Bros as their new senior VP of A&R/urban.

I'd bet money that Keem is actually on Warner and the independent stuff is bs. Not criticizing it btw, that's the way the game works. And I'd also bet that Dave Free will have his own imprint on Warner Bros next year. And...Kendrick just might follow him there. Obviously Kendrick is making bank on the best major label in music, plus he now has an ownership stake in TDE...but if he leaves bet on him going to Warner.

Who knows, maybe the entire TDE label will move to Warner.

 

[OnlyInCalifornia]

True but I heard he was responsible for a lot of TDE’s success. Producing, scouting for new artists, managing, booking tours, etc.

Sounds like a huge loss for the label.

For as much success as they have had there is never just 1 or 2 or even 3 people that get it all going. It takes a number of people, dumb luck, and hard work.

TDE already had it's foundation laid long before Kendrick blew up so I don't think we know the whole story. Certainly I don't. Im just speculating.

 

[Finesse]

I'd bet money that Keem is actually on Warner and the independent stuff is bs. Not criticizing it btw, that's the way the game works. And I'd also bet that Dave Free will have his own imprint on Warner Bros next year. And...Kendrick just might follow him there. Obviously Kendrick is making bank on the best major label in music, plus he now has an ownership stake in TDE...but if he leaves bet on him going to Warner.

Who knows, maybe the entire TDE label will move to Warner.

Is Warner even popping like that? Who they got over there right now as far as rap? Just Wale?

Why would TDE or Dave leave one of the hottest labels in the game to go to a place like Warner?

 

[L&HH]

Is Warner even popping like that? Who they got over there right now as far as rap? Just Wale?

Why would TDE or Dave leave one of the hottest labels in the game to go to a place like Warner?

Atlantic (Meek, Cardi, NBa Youngboy, Kodak, Kevin Gates, A Boogie, Uzi) is under Warner

 

[Sauce Dab]

Is Warner even popping like that? Who they got over there right now as far as rap? Just Wale?

Why would TDE or Dave leave one of the hottest labels in the game to go to a place like Warner?

They got lil pump and
I think they had Mac Miller too

 

[bourgeoisie tall freak]

Dave is the prototype
Best wishes for all parties involved

 

[Alvin]

They got lil pump and
I think they had Mac Miller too

lil pump lol!
but gucci is under atlantic, he fukk with todd heavy though and I believe he works for warner or warner is the parent company of atlantic

 

[SpacelySprockets]

You guys want to delve deep into the industry weeds with a former insider? Don't tell em you heard it here

As we all know, Dave Free brought Kendrick to TDE. He's been Kendrick's personal manager and elevated his own personal clout with the masterful release and success of DAMN, including directing some of the music videos for that album. Ever since the DAMN victory lap, Dave has been MIA publicly...but has been working very close with Baby Keem, who is ALLEGEDLY Kendrick's little cousin. Keem produced tracks on recent TDE projects (Black Panther, Jay Rock album, Crash Talk) and even has a placement on the Beyonce Lion King soundtrack. He released a pretty successful mixtape/album "independently" as well. Keem's album was heavily produced by Cardo, who is managed by...Brock Korsan, AKA Brocky Marciano. IE a major player at Interscope who also was heavily involved in the creation/success of DAMN. Korsan leveraged that success into getting a better job, leaving Interscope for Warner Bros as their new senior VP of A&R/urban.

I'd bet money that Keem is actually on Warner and the independent stuff is bs. Not criticizing it btw, that's the way the game works. And I'd also bet that Dave Free will have his own imprint on Warner Bros next year. And...Kendrick just might follow him there. Obviously Kendrick is making bank on the best major label in music, plus he now has an ownership stake in TDE...but if he leaves bet on him going to Warner.

Who knows, maybe the entire TDE label will move to Warner.

can u get me a record deal

 

[Ziggiy]

Why would TDE or Dave leave one of the hottest labels in the game to go to a place like Warner?

Money and creative freedom.

 

[Yaboysix]

You guys want to delve deep into the industry weeds with a former insider? Don't tell em you heard it here

As we all know, Dave Free brought Kendrick to TDE. He's been Kendrick's personal manager and elevated his own personal clout with the masterful release and success of DAMN, including directing some of the music videos for that album. Ever since the DAMN victory lap, Dave has been MIA publicly...but has been working very close with Baby Keem, who is ALLEGEDLY Kendrick's little cousin. Keem produced tracks on recent TDE projects (Black Panther, Jay Rock album, Crash Talk) and even has a placement on the Beyonce Lion King soundtrack. He released a pretty successful mixtape/album "independently" as well. Keem's album was heavily produced by Cardo, who is managed by...Brock Korsan, AKA Brocky Marciano. IE a major player at Interscope who also was heavily involved in the creation/success of DAMN. Korsan leveraged that success into getting a better job, leaving Interscope for Warner Bros as their new senior VP of A&R/urban.

I'd bet money that Keem is actually on Warner and the independent stuff is bs. Not criticizing it btw, that's the way the game works. And I'd also bet that Dave Free will have his own imprint on Warner Bros next year. And...Kendrick just might follow him there. Obviously Kendrick is making bank on the best major label in music, plus he now has an ownership stake in TDE...but if he leaves bet on him going to Warner.

Who knows, maybe the entire TDE label will move to Warner.

What really happened tp Alori? Did they ever figure out getting Ab-soul his interscope deal yet?

 

[Yaddam Yussein]

Ain’t Baby Keem Kendrick’s cousin

 

[El Jefe]

@Piff Perkins Brocky sure kome along way from servin as strong arm steadys roadie roadie 2 bumpin around wit nicky diamonads and managin ev , bein in house AnR for tde

all the way 2 his current come up # progress