Penn State Law degree helps alumnus turn passion into profit

“This is not just a ‘man’s world,’ says Law School alum Stacey M. Brewer ’05, founder and CEO of Hampton Blu Entertainment, LLC.

“My goal is to ultimately be one of the most influential people in the music industry,” said Brewer. “What’s rare about me, however, is that I’m a woman, and there are not too many female moguls running a successful independent entertainment company. I hope to be one of the few who will be highly influential and inspire other professional women to go after their dreams, despite the inevitable adversity.”

Hampton Blu Entertainment, LLC is a New York City-based entertainment company involved in music publishing and artist management. Brewer’s goal for the company is to produce music that has universal appeal as well as longevity. In order to achieve her goal, Brewer focuses her energy on developing artists and songwriters that are both innovative and commercial.

She networks with top executives in all fields of the entertainment industry, including music, film, television, fashion, and print. “That’s the golden rule, you have to network,” Brewer said. She also spends her time strategically developing, branding and promoting her company and artists. “The Internet has made the world a lot smaller, so it’s not just about the tastes of Americans, but the tastes of the international community,” said Brewer. “Hampton Blu is a world company.”

Brewer began her love affair with music at an early age. She learned to play instruments, including the saxophone, piano, and clarinet, and studied the music of the greats, such as Motown & Stax, The Beatles, Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, and Michael Jackson.

“Whenever music was played or heard, I would come alive and all inhibitions would disappear,” she said.

Brewer not only studied the music, but she also studied the lives of great musicians and those in the music business. At the age of 10, she caught the management bug and started a singing group of her own. Brewer set up rehearsals and demos and chose songs for the group, and by the age of 13, she was co-writing songs and setting up photo shoots.

A woman with a vision

“I had vision and would execute that vision with no fear,” said Brewer. “I still have that vision today, so much that I have been aggressive on my journey and have worked with great companies like Universal Music Group (Interscope and Motown) as well as Sony Records.”

At Sony Records, Brewer worked in the Artist & Repertoire Department with Michael Caplan, veteran executive in the music industry, who has worked with artists like Michael Jackson, Timbaland, and Ginuwine. “I feel fortunate to be connected to him,” Brewer said. “He definitely encouraged me to start my own company.”

Created in 2008, Hampton Blu is in its infancy stage, but has nonetheless blossomed quickly due to Brewer’s songwriting abilities and her presence on the frontlines of the New York City music industry scene.

“The most satisfying part of my job is watching the dreams of my clients and artists come true, particularly my client H. Wood, a popular underground hip-hop artist in the tri-state area who is about to be launched nationally,” said Brewer.

Due to advances in technology and shorter attention spans, Brewer believes that we are part of the “right now” generation. “Trends change today in a matter of seconds,” she said. “So to maintain your ‘shine’ you have to constantly ‘wow’ people and reinvent yourself.

“Furthermore, it’s extremely difficult to get folks to purchase music today.… I always go back to what Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, has said, ‘Just make good music, stupid!’ At the end of the day, people will buy good music. So, that is my goal: to always create and help others create simply good music that is innovative and has longevity.”

Law school helps open door to success

Brewer acknowledges Penn State Law for its impact on her career today. “Had I not gone to law school, I would have not likely been able to start my own company … or to connect with artists on a business level like I have,” said Brewer. “I am also grateful to Professor Geoff Scott. It was because of him that I was exposed to the music industry on a major level. I appreciate how he opened the door for me to be a part of the Art Sports and Entertainment Law Clinic, where I was able to learn firsthand how the music business really worked. I have taken those lessons and applied them to my company today.”

In the music industry, where you’re more likely to get a “no” than a “yes,” Brewer is proud of herself for never giving up when a door closed. “I had to look within myself to find that open door,” said Brewer. “The key is to believe in yourself and to press forward despite the naysayers.”

Brewer resides in Queens, New York, the hometown of the great Russell Simmons, the founder of Def Jam, and continues her search for new talent.