The Urban Influencer Radio [EPISODE 6]: Music/TV Exec Phil Thornton, Hitmaking Production Duo Ayo and Keyz, and R&B/Soul Artist Donnell Isaac

Hello!

Welcome to episode 6 The Urban Influencer Radio. On this program, our host Savannah will be interviewing a variety of guests and showcase new music that we discovered!

For this week's show, we are very excited to have Sony Music Executive/ television/film producer Phil Thornton, hit-making production duo Ayo and Keyz, and R&B/Soul artist Donnell Isaac!

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Host: Savannah (IG: sav2humble)

Host/Producer: Kazu (IG: takebreakkazu)

Check out the new artists we played!
Nick Caster:  https://soundcloud.com/nickcaster
Yellow Days:  https://soundcloud.com/yellow-days

About Phil Thorton:

Born and raised in the Norfolk, Virginia, Thornton knew that he wanted to be part of the entertainment business at age 10, and by the time he was 12, his fascination with radio landed him an internship at WOWI-FM, a local radio station. Three years later, at only 15, Thornton became an intern and rising star at Arista Records, working with Notorious BIG, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin to name a few.

Thornton didn't stop there. As a marketing major at Norfolk State University a few years later, he and a fellow student wrote a 40-page proposal to the school's president to have the college radio station, WNSB, Hot 91.1-which could be heard all over Virginia-switched from all jazz rotation, to a hip-hop and R&B format. The president loved the idea and Thornton went on to become 91.1's student music director, turning the station into an overnight sensation that rivaled other Virginia FM stations, and attracted celebrity guest hosts like Diddy, and at the time, up-and-coming artists like Pharrell Williams. After graduating in 2003 and moving to New York City, Thornton started his first company, Bright Star Entertainment, an artist management/consultant firm where he represented artists such as Bad Boy Records' GRAMMY® award-winning group 112 and singer Lil' Mo. In 2007, Phil settled in Los Angeles and partnered with Marcus Spence and Paul Coy Allen to form the successful Ten2One Entertainment, a multimedia, television production, and artist management conglomerate.

Overseeing the artist management side of Ten2One, Thornton has guided the careers of Faith Evans, Michelle Williams, Kenny Lattimore, and Mack Wilds. He was also responsible for launching TV One hits including "LisaRaye: The Real McCoy", which set ratings records at TV One, and "I Married A Baller," starring former NFL running back Eddie George and his wife Taj, of the multi-platinum recording group SWV. Thornton served as executive producer of TV One's hit show "R&B Divas Atlanta," which included cast members such as Faith Evans, KeKe Wyatt, Monifah Carter, and Syleena Johnson, as well as its wildly popular spin-off "R&B Divas L.A.," which has featured Kelly Price, Michel'le, Chante Moore, Lil' Mo, Chrisette Michelle, and Claudette Ortiz.

But that's not all. In addition to running Ten2One, Thornton was recently named senior vice president and general manager of RCA Inspiration, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, where he works with a wide range of inspirational artists including Kirk Franklin, Fred Hammond, Marvin Sapp and Donnie McClurkin. Prior to his position at RCA, Thornton served as vice president and general manager, Urban Inspirational at eOne Music, where he oversaw a diversified list of Gospel, Christian, and R&B artists such as Lalah Hathaway, Erica Campbell, Michelle Williams, Shirley Caesar, Jonathan McReynolds, and Tweet. Thornton still serves as executive producer on the eOne-created hit show "It's a Mann's World," starring David and Tamela Mann and runs Phillionaire Worldwide Publishing/Beat Syndicate, his publishing arm that has co-written and produced records for a several artists including Eminem's single ft. Bruno Mars "Lighters," which garnered two BMI Awards for the Most Played Pop & Urban Records of 2011.

Thornton credits other hardworking visionaries as his inspiration growing up. "Berry Gordy, David Geffen, Quincy Jones, and Clive Davis have definitely inspired and influenced me during my professional journey," he says. Now, not only does Thornton want to continue to deliver high quality music and TV content with Ten2One Entertainment, but his goal is to also expand the company by producing more scripted projects, especially with the success of Surviving Compton. He first ventured into film in 2014 as associate producer of the movie Lap Dance, starring Omari Hardwick and Stacey Dash, and is now working on a scripted series and made-for-TV film project with Kelly Rowland.  In 2015, Thornton was named one of the 48 industry leaders chosen from across the country to participate in Leadership Music's 27th class, an annual forum in Nashville for established music community leaders to identify and explore issues currently affecting the music industry. He also sits on several boards including the National Grammy Board and the board for the new National Museum of African American Music, which is currently being built in Nashville and slated to open in 2018. 

About Ayo and Keyz:

Beyonce made them hail the queen on "Bow Down/ I Been On." Bryson Tiller
celebrated being No.1 on the Billboard 200 with "True To Self." Wiz
Khalifa's "Something New" became the No.1 most added at Urban Radio. And
Pop royalty Chris Brown and Hip Hop pioneer Yo Gotti will release their
respective new albums "Heartbreak on a Full Moon" and "Still I Am" in less
than a week! What do they all have in common? Production from a powerhouse
production duo that you've never heard of - Ayo N Keyz.

Behind great artists like these, regardless the genre, are the very
versatile, music-first producers also known as "The UpperClassmen." Keyz
and Ayo give their solid sound and understanding of music credits to the
church. The duo agrees that growing up around live instrumentation they
learned how to play a variety of instruments and create with sultry
melodies.

The industry hasn’t experienced a dynamic producer duo since Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis. This duo paired their dreams and craft in 2011 while producing
Omarion's single “Let’s Talk.” The UpperClassmen was created as a
production company that combined their dope creativity while producing
upper-quality sound. From Myspace messages to Grammy nominations, this duo has since grown from a collaborative plan to a growing empire taking music
back to its core: the actual music!

With famed artists and personal heros falling in love with the duo's
production and trusted creative senses, they continue to make history and
prepare for what's next. "We live based on this motto: Love, Life, Health,
and Wealth," the duo shared. "And that's what life is about!"

*List of Credits 2017 (Unreleased to Oldest)*
Chris Brown - To My Bed (releasing on Oct 31st)
Chris Brown - Covered in You (releasing Oct 31st)
Yo Gotti- Oh Yeah (releasing Oct 27th)
Wiz Khalifa ft Ty Dolla Sign - Something New
Lecrae - 8:28
Bryson Tiller - Teach Me A Lesson
Bryson Tiller ft. Young Thug - Get Mine
Oneinthe4rest ft. Chris Brown - Jiu Jitsu
Justine Sky - Back For More

*List of Credits (Career List)*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Keyz_(producer) - Beyonce, Diddy, Omarion,
Monica, Kelly Price, Sean Paul, Troy Ave, Gunplay and Maybach Music Group

About Donnell Isaac:

In an uncertain world, the refreshing and soul touching music of Donnell Isaac, which is uniquely fused with Neo-soul and Gospel music genres, grows into a powerful genre of music filled with love and happiness. It is music for the soul, which is beloved by all, and that is why the career of Donnell Isaac continues to go grow in leaps and bounds.

Twitter: @thedonnellisaac
Instagram: donnellisaac15
Facebook: @experiencedonnellisaac1