Ted Lucas Slip-N-Slide owner Ted Lucas has built his dynasty by seeking an array of unique talent. After signing artists like Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, Trina, and Plies, Slip-N-Slide has taken their chunk off of the Billboard charts. Now with the Slip-N-Slide DJ’s in full effect and a few new artists, check out this exclusive interview on Ted!
interview by Rob Schwartz
WHO?MAG: How did come up with the idea for Slip N Slide Records? TED LUCAS: Me and my homeboy were just working together and we came up with the name together. After we came up with the name, we just branded it. We are going to slide up to the top
W?M; How did the whole trick Daddy situation come about?
Daddy’s Brother, Hollywood, RIP. Hollywood was my partner who helped me get into the game and gave me the vision. Trick Daddy was in prison and I promised Hollywood that I would keep my eye out for Trick Daddy no matter what. When Trick came home from prison, I told him to keep his head up and we were going to make it happen. I stuck to my word with him.
WHO?MAG: As a former concert promoter, what elements did you take from that in creating Slip N Slide? TED LUCAS: Basically, I rather be on the side of money that’s right at the end of the night verses putting on concerts where whether rain, snow, or shine, people don’t come to the concerts. I just took it in full stride and got into it real hard. I seen what some of these other record labels out here were doing while I was out promoting. I said that I could do that. I put a strong team behind me and we made Trick Daddy happen.
WHO?MAG: How do you feel about the independent music scene right now? TED LUCAS: I think it’s great. If you have a good team behind you, you can make some money. There’s nothing bad about it. It’s an even playing field if you have a strong marketing and promotion team and what it takes. I been in the game long enough and I learned a lot of the tricks of the trade, plus I’m still learning everyday. But things change daily and at the end of the day, I know how to market and promote records.
WHO?MAG: What’s the toughest challenge you faced so far owning an indie? TED LUCAS: Just to keep creating the wheel. I have been in the game long enough, almost 15 years now. You have to keep finding the artists and keep finding the superstars, not just records. You see people want those one-hit wonders, but you need to find an artist that people will believe in and go buy their records and merchandise and want to see them on tour. You need to make artists that basically fans want to be like them.
WHO?MAG: Did you expect Rick Ross to have a #1 album? TED LUCAS: Oh yeah. That’s why I had Rick Ross on my label for almost 7 years before he came out because I believed in him when I got him from Suave House. One of my friends form Atlanta told me about him and he was right here from Miami, but he was signed to Suave House. I heard him rap and I thought he was dope 7 years ago so I signed him. I though he was above and beyond his talent at time because he could really spit.
WHO?MAG: How do you feel about Plies success? TED LUCAS: I knew Plies was a real dude too. We did our deal on a handshake, no paperwork or anything. As he blew up, then we did the paperwork, but he kept it real, him and his brother Big Gates. He kept it real for me and this day and age, you don’t find dudes who do business just of a handshake. I seen him in concert in his own town and he was selling his mixtape and people were buying his mixtapes like they were albums. The first mixtape he ever put out was crazy.
WHO?MAG: Tell me the marketing strategies behind the Slip N Slide DJs TED LUCAS: Basically, we just connect with all the DJs around the country. We keep the streets on lock. That’s the importance of the music industry. When you lose the streets and the foundation, that’s when the whole thing piles up. You need to get on the ground level and build it up and having these DJs lock up the streets. That’s a new era of the music business. We have DJs all up and down the country and all around the world with the Slip N Slide DJs. I’m definitely just showing love back to the DJs and that’s my team. I am just supportive of them. Slip N Slide DJs ’til the end!
WHO?MAG: Where do you see the future of Slip N Slide? TED LUCAS: We are starting our rock division. We are going to go into other genres and keep expanding and take it to the next level. When you have been in the game this long and have accomplished a lot, you have to keep working hard. We have the rock division, a gospel division, and an R&B division. We have a reggae artist that we signed by the name of Camar and an R&B/pop artist.
WHO?MAG: Besides Slip N Side, what else do you hope to accomplish before you retire? TED LUCAS: I’m just trying to leave my heritage for my children’s children’s children. I am going to work as hard as I can and take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way. I have a lot of good business ventures in front of me and I am going to take care of them.
