The Bhandwagon Podcast - Navjosh Singh - ‘I let my work do the talking’ #143
Navjosh is the visionary founder of Hip-Hop-N-More, one of the most influential music publications of the blog era. From studying law to getting early co-signs from legends like Prince and 50 Cent, Navjosh built a media powerhouse while remaining completely anonymous for nearly a decade.
Today, as the founder of creative agency 86 Sonics, Head of A&R for Mass Appeal South Asia, and a Recording Academy Grammy voting member, Navjosh shares his incredible journey. We dive into the Golden Era of music blogging, securing TV sync placements on hit shows like 50 Cent’s Power, the global explosion of South Asian and Punjabi music, industry mentorship, and the real cost of ambition.
In this episode:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:30 Role & Identity
00:06:33 Studying Law vs. A Passion for Music
00:08:00 The Origins of Hip-Hop-N-More
00:10:50 Transitioning from Law to Full-Time Music Media
00:13:28 Major Milestone: Prince & 50 Cent Sharing Articles
00:15:18 Biggest Life Lesson from His Father
00:17:33 The Growth of Hip-Hop-N-More & The Blog Era
00:19:10 Why Navjosh Stayed Anonymous Until 2017
00:21:25 Building Relationships with Artists
00:24:35 Defending Hip-Hop Culture & Navigating Media Ethics
00:28:27 The Shift to Social Media & Evolving Past Blogging
00:34:40 The Kendrick Lamar Artwork Story
00:36:24 Going Public at the UnitedMasters Launch (2017)
00:40:37 Founding 86 Sonics: A&R, Marketing & Sync Placements
00:44:02 Working on 50 Cent's Power & TV Syncs
00:47:00 Becoming Head of A&R at Mass Appeal South Asia
00:49:53 Becoming a Grammy Voting Member
00:51:00 The State of South Asian & Punjabi Music Globally
00:56:20 Superfans, Longevity, and the Industry Ecosystem
01:03:54 Future Goals: Mentorship & Empowering New Talent
01:07:07 Bhandwagons’
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