About this episodeRemo and Adam of Box Boys discuss their evolution from underground music video creators to successful festival…AI summary
Remo and Adam of Box Boys discuss their evolution from underground music video creators to successful festival organizers, highlighting how they leveraged the post-pandemic void to build a loyal community. They emphasize the importance of curating cohesive lineups, maintaining non-transactional relationships with artists, and adapting to the challenges of live event management while expanding their brand into music production and merchandise.
Key takeaways 6
Lineup Curation Strategy: Box Fest lineups are designed to sound like a cohesive playlist; booking artists with similar sonic vibes ensures crowd unity and prevents disjointed audience demographics.
Post-Pandemic Opportunity: The pandemic halted mainstream events, allowing agile, independent promoters like Box Boys to fill the void by being nimble and taking risks that larger corporate entities (like Rolling Loud) could not due to liability concerns.
Relationship-Based Booking: Early success was built on non-transactional relationships; artists agreed to perform for free or in exchange for music videos because they trusted the founders personally, rather than for monetary payment.
Artist Safety Protocols: Following a stage altercation between Summer Walker and Homicide, Box Boys implemented strict separation protocols, ensuring artists do not interact backstage or in green rooms to prevent future conflicts.
Brand Diversification: The business model is expanding beyond events to include a full album project (collaborating with 100-150 artists), merchandise, and streaming content, aiming for equal brand recognition across all verticals.
Attention Span Economics: Short-form content (TikTok) drives awareness but does not necessarily convert to long-form engagement (podcasts/videos); however, it remains essential for brand visibility in the current media landscape.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“Make sure your festival seems like a playlist. If someone has a playlist in their phone, all six artists should sound good together sonically.”
Remo explains the philosophy behind curating Box Fest lineups to ensure a unified vibe rather than clashing genres.
“We offered like two or three free music videos per artist just to hop on our show because we didn't have money. We shot 5,000 music videos as payment for them hopping on our show.”
Describing the initial resource exchange that allowed Box Boys to build their first festival lineup without capital.
“If you have 100k people that'll buy merch, go to your show, subscribe to your Patreon... that's invaluable. A fan like that is something you can't lose.”
Remo distinguishes between passive social media followers and active supporters who drive revenue and community growth.
“We're still independent. It's just me and my brother. Everything is DIY till this day... but we can't be doing a 3x3 room closet green room anymore.”
▶ 19:17Clarifying that despite partnerships with venues like Irv Gotti's team, Box Boys maintain an independent operational structure.
“You got to know what moves to make... reading the room. If your artist can sell 500 tickets, get a 450 capacity venue. Sold out 500 looks better than 750 people in a 1,000.”
Advice on venue sizing and managing expectations to maintain a perception of high demand and success.
Chapters & Sections (37)▼
0:00Remo and Adam's Background and Music Interestchapter4
0:00Interview with Box Boys Podcast Hosts
1:32Early Interest in Music and Underground Rap
2:50Nostalgia for Underground Rap Scene
4:13Origin of Box Boys Music Collective
6:30Fake Vaccine Cards and Festival Lineup Decisionschapter2
6:30Fake Vaccine Cards and Festival Lineup Advice
8:42Social Media and Viral Sensationalism
10:37Music Industry Trends and Underground Artistschapter3
10:37Music Industry and Underground SoundCloud Artists
12:07Impact of COVID-19 on Underground Music Scene
13:22Music Festival Organizers Discuss Competition
16:55Music Video and Festival Organizing Experiencechapter4
16:55Music Video and Festival Organizing Experience
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