How Andre Harrell Made Me a Better CEO
For young executive Keith Clinkscales, the music-industry legend was a lifeline, a bridge, and a one-of-a-kind mentor
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A young, fresh crop of creatives began to grow in the early ’90s, and I was blessed to see it firsthand. In 1993, I was named president and CEO of VIBE. As a member of the media, I worked with many different parts of the culture, from record labels to the fashion industry. VIBE covered it all with a critical eye; we were there to do journalism, not just the fanzine-style coverage that was prominent in urban music at the time.
When I met Andre Harrell, I immediately knew I wanted to learn from him. This is someone who had more individual experiences in the industry than most. Spike Lee was coming into his own as a director, but before his own movies he’d never been an actor. The fashion executives hadn’t necessarily been models. The record and film execs hadn’t been musicians and actors — but Andre Harrell had been involved in all sides of every industry he worked in.
Andre was a perfect example of vertical integration, running all segments of an industry from top to bottom. He had been a rapper and…
