Steve Stoute is an American businessman and author. Stoute is the founder and CEO of the Translation, a marketing agency, and the author of The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy. Previously, he worked in the music industry as an American recordexecutive and artist manager. In 2017, Stoute received $70 million from investors such as Alphabet Inc. and Andreessen Horowitz to launch UnitedMasters, a music venture.
Music executive
From 1990 to 1999, Stoute was an executive at several labels in the music industry. At Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Stoute served as President of the Urban Music division and executive vice president. Prior to joining Interscope, Stoute was president of Urban Music for Sony Music Entertainment, where he played a role in launching the music careers of Will Smith and Nas. Stoute was the former manager to Nas and Mary J. Blige.
Advertising executive
In 2009 the American Advertising Federation inducted Stoute into their Advertising Hall of Achievement, the industry's premier award for outstanding advertising professionals age 40 and under. In 2010, Stoute was recognized as “Innovator of the Year” at the ADCOLOR awards ceremony, an initiative launched by the ADCOLOR Industry Coalition, to promote increased diversity in the advertising, marketing and media industries. In 2013, Stoute was named "Executive of the Year" by Ad Age, the leading publication for the advertising and marketing industries.
Stoute released his first book The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy in 2011 through Gotham Books. In the book, Stoute draws from his diverse background in the music industry and brand marketing to chronicle how an upstart art form – street poetry set to beats – came to define urban culture as the new embodiment of cool. In February 2014, the book was made into a four-part VH1 Rock Doc, “The Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip-Hop.” In April 2014, the book was released as an audiobook narrated by Kerry Washington. Stoute has been the keynote or featured speaker at many notable events including the International Consumer Electronics Show, the Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest, Fast Company Innovation Uncensored, and AAF’s ADMERICA. He also appeared on the main stage at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with Sean Combs in 2013, and again with Kanye West and Venture Capitalist Ben Horowitz in 2014.
Charity work
In 2008 Stoute worked with Mary J. Blige to co-found the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now.
