Billboard’s Chief Content Officer of Latin Music and Billboard Español, Leila Cobo moderates a discussion with the team at Rimas Entertainment, Noah Assad, Jonathan Miranda, Junior Carabaño, Raymond Acosta about how they went from digital distributor to international powerhouse in a single decade at Billboard’s Latin Music Week 2024.
Leila Cobo moderada un discusión con el equipo de Rimas Entertainment, Noah Assad, Jonathan Miranda, Junior Carabaño, Raymond Acosta sobre cómo se convirtieron de distribuidora digital a potencia del entretenimiento en una sola década.
Leila Cobo moderada un discusión con el equipo de Rimas Entertainment, Noah Assad, Jonathan Miranda, Junior Carabaño, Raymond Acosta sobre cómo se convirtieron de distribuidora digital a potencia del entretenimiento en una sola década.
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MusicTranscript
00:00Benito, obviously, was the blessing that opened all the doors to the whole world.
00:05And really, we were able to show what we can give
00:08when we are in the market, to monetize, to work with clients.
00:21Welcome, Rimas Team, to Billboard Latin Music Week.
00:26Okay.
00:27I have to say this.
00:29First interview in public
00:32that the founders of Rimas do.
00:34Yes or no?
00:35True.
00:38Poor Noah came here punished.
00:40He said, I don't want to lie like that.
00:42But I want to say, Jonathan is not here today.
00:45There is Junior, who co-founded Rimas with Noah.
00:49And there is, of course, Raymond, who is...
00:54Wow, Raymond, you are winning the popularity contest here.
00:59Always.
01:00Raymond leads Habibi, which is the management arm of Rimas.
01:03Rimas turned 10 this year.
01:05We have them here, not only for being the Bad Bunny label,
01:09but for being the label of many of the great artists of Latin music today.
01:14And a label that has redefined the business
01:17and that also has several business areas
01:22that are doing extremely well,
01:24including Habibi, the management area,
01:27whose clients include Karol G,
01:30Sebastian Yatra, Eladio Carrion, and many others.
01:34Now, Noah, 10 years ago,
01:36I said last night that we went out to have lunch one day.
01:39I had no idea who Noah Satt was.
01:41He calls me.
01:42We went out to have lunch.
01:44He showed me what he was doing,
01:46which was getting these incredible numbers on YouTube.
01:49I said, wow, this is like a change in the way you see the business.
01:55What were you trying to do?
01:58A decade ago.
01:59Well, what I was trying to do is what I like to do.
02:06I've always been passionate about reggaeton.
02:08Close to you.
02:09Here.
02:10Sorry.
02:12What I was trying to do is really what I like to do.
02:16And everything that had to do with reggaeton,
02:18at some point in my life,
02:19that was what was driving me.
02:21It doesn't matter what,
02:22I think that little by little that was my start of the journey.
02:26And why did you call,
02:27from the beginning of the company, it was called Rimas?
02:30No, there were many names, many inventions,
02:33but when it came time to formalize everything,
02:37it ended up being Rimas.
02:39Why?
02:41Look, Rimas has rhymes in Spanish,
02:46but it also has another meaning,
02:48which is the name of my little brother, Mediano,
02:50who is very passionate about music.
02:52His name is Samir,
02:53and it's Samir backwards, and it's Rimas.
02:56So, a fun fact that we never said.
02:59I love it.
03:00So, all these years I hadn't asked you that.
03:03Okay.
03:04So, Rimas really started as a digital aggregator, right?
03:09Or did you always envision it as a label?
03:12Well, I think what we started to be,
03:16what we still are,
03:18the perfect word that I use a lot is facilitators.
03:22We are facilitators to the clients and artists
03:24in all the businesses that we do.
03:27But,
03:29did I forget what I was going to say?
03:35What we really started to be was a back office.
03:38I mean, we started being behind the scenes
03:41at all times,
03:43and we were facilitators for the complaints
03:45and problems that each client had at a given time,
03:47and we came in the back of everything.
03:50We came to solve everything at once.
03:52So, technically, we're still doing the same thing,
03:55but simply on a greater scale.
03:58So, yes.
04:00So, the clients came from many different labels?
04:04Look, when we started,
04:05when we started,
04:06there were a lot of artists in record labels,
04:08in major labels,
04:09and there were also a lot of independent artists
04:11that, well,
04:12the only source of income at that time was to do shows.
04:17You know, in the publishing department,
04:19it wasn't generated the way it is generated today.
04:24Digital sales didn't exist, almost.
04:27YouTube started to grow, to monetize,
04:30and then SoundExchange, at that time,
04:32was like the new era of people making money again.
04:35So, you know,
04:37those moments were,
04:39we came in to help collect everything for everyone.
04:42At the time, there were a lot of questions,
04:44a lot of ignorance, even for myself.
04:47We were learning how everything was going
04:49at one moment in time,
04:50going from physical to digital.
04:52So, we were just there very early, early, early on,
04:54to be able to pivot everything,
04:56to be able to maximize those independent artists.
04:59So, for our audience to understand,
05:01when you started this company,
05:04and I say you because you started it with Junior, right?
05:06Yes.
05:07I understand that Junior was,
05:09correct me if I'm wrong,
05:11like the digital guru.
05:13Yes, he was the one who helped us
05:15to code everything on YouTube,
05:16to maximize the ads.
05:19I was, well,
05:21I'm good at bringing people together,
05:23but Junior's work was essential at that time
05:27to be able to maximize and monetize all the content.
05:30That's what we were known for at the beginning.
05:32Okay.
05:33And I ask you because it's a clear example
05:35of the importance of having teams
05:37where each person has their area of expertise.
05:41One person can't do everything.
05:45Undoubtedly.
05:46And I think the cool thing,
05:48not just Rima,
05:49all the things we do,
05:51is that we have a spectacular team
05:53in each department,
05:54in one way or another.
05:57In everything that we do.
06:00Raymond is my boss at Habibi.
06:02He runs everything.
06:03He tells me what to do, how to do it.
06:05It's a shared vision,
06:07but it's completely led by him.
06:09And we talk every day,
06:11but really,
06:12every person who runs a department
06:14has the liberty of doing so.
06:17It's not like I'm here
06:19micromanaging in any way, shape, or form.
06:21You see something spectacular,
06:23I'd say 80, 90 percent.
06:25Like, in everybody's division
06:27is their doing.
06:29Without Raymond,
06:32I don't know what I'd do.
06:35Everyone is very essential in our team.
06:37And let's talk about Raymond.
06:39Before I do that,
06:40who was your first artist?
06:43Was it Bad Bunny?
06:44Was he the first artist
06:45that you signed as an artist
06:47to the Rimas label?
06:49Well, Benito, obviously,
06:51was the blessing that opened all the doors
06:54to the whole world.
06:55And really,
06:57we were able to show
06:58what we can give
06:59at this time in the market
07:01of monetizing,
07:02working with clients.
07:04And thanks to him,
07:05no doubt,
07:06we're very well known around the world.
07:08He's helped us
07:10open a lot of doors.
07:12And when we started,
07:14we started,
07:15I think the first artist
07:16that signed in Rimas
07:17was Joel and Randy.
07:19So, there was a couple of artists
07:21that signed before him,
07:22but obviously,
07:23he was the one that paved the way
07:24and helped us build
07:25what we have today.
07:27And Junior,
07:30so, when you started building,
07:32when you started building,
07:34when they started building the company,
07:36you told them,
07:37they both sat down
07:38and you said,
07:39here's an open opportunity.
07:42Because this was 10 years ago,
07:43there was no TikTok,
07:44no Instagram,
07:46was there Instagram?
07:47There were no Reels,
07:48no Shorts,
07:49nothing like that.
07:50Nothing like that.
07:51And YouTube,
07:52YouTube was there,
07:53but no one was monetizing it.
07:55What was the opportunity
07:56that you saw there?
07:59I feel that
08:00more than just sitting down
08:02and planning
08:03what we're doing today,
08:05it was more like
08:06we were the right people
08:07at the right time.
08:09And we were able to see
08:11how music was growing,
08:14it was going from one era to another.
08:16And we saw
08:19an opportunity
08:21where we were also able
08:23to release our passion
08:25within an industry.
08:28And it was relatively easy for us.
08:31Today we see it as
08:32this was 10 years ago
08:34and it doesn't seem like it for us,
08:37because every day
08:39we do what we love.
08:40And one of the things
08:42that is perhaps
08:43a step further,
08:45but one of the conversations
08:47that one usually has
08:48is like,
08:49what's next?
08:50Or when are you going to retire?
08:52And it's very difficult for us
08:54because we really love this.
08:57And we realized
08:59from that moment,
09:01from the moment
09:02we understood
09:03that there was a possibility
09:05to literally live
09:07from something we love.
09:09And when did you realize
09:11that this worked?
09:12Because money started
09:13coming in digitally?
09:15Or because of the concerts?
09:17Or why?
09:18Because everyone did
09:19a little bit of everything, right?
09:21I think because of the digital.
09:23I remember that
09:24when we started
09:25we only monetized
09:26content on YouTube
09:28and we were watching
09:30the system all day long.
09:31Every day we called each other
09:33and said, look,
09:34today we made 80 dollars,
09:35today we made 100 dollars.
09:37I think that the day
09:38we made 1,500 dollars
09:41we said,
09:42here's a business.
09:43It's working.
09:44We can live.
09:45It's working.
09:47I think that also
09:48one of the things
09:49that helped us all
09:52is that obviously
09:54the music industry
09:55has been around for many years.
09:57And obviously
09:58there are many corporations
09:59that have rules,
10:00that have a system
10:02where the flexibility
10:04of changing
10:05the mentality
10:06of the businessman
10:07is very difficult.
10:08So,
10:09these young people came
10:11with hunger,
10:13who love,
10:14first of all, music.
10:15They love what they do
10:16and when you combine
10:17those two things
10:18you have different results.
10:20In a moment
10:21where the physical
10:24is changing to the digital,
10:27in which a corporation
10:28changes that style,
10:30these men came
10:32to change the whole thing.
10:34So, the story was different.
10:36Well, and one thing, Raymond,
10:37because when,
10:38I think that people think
10:39that you three
10:41entered this business
10:42and learned the business
10:43with rhymes.
10:44Well, and you learned
10:45some business,
10:46but I know that Noah
10:48had been doing concerts
10:49years before
10:50and you too,
10:51because at some point
10:52you had called me
10:53and I hadn't answered
10:54the phone.
10:57That's true.
10:59That's true.
11:00So, you came,
11:01I say it because it's important,
11:03it's not that you came out of nowhere
11:05to create a company,
11:06it's that you had been doing it for years.
11:09I think that
11:11there is one thing
11:12and I think that here
11:13there are also many young people
11:14who want to have
11:16the opportunity
11:17to work in this industry
11:18or who are starting
11:19to work in this industry
11:20and maybe it hasn't been
11:21very easy.
11:22I started when I was 16,
11:24I'm 39.
11:25Today I'm,
11:26right,
11:27in this company
11:28called Rhymes Entertainment,
11:29we opened a division
11:31through Rhymes
11:32called Habibi
11:33and the reality of the case
11:34is that it's a process.
11:36It's a process
11:37where we all
11:38have to go through.
11:39Here we had to
11:41charge the cable,
11:42here we had to
11:43move chairs,
11:44tables
11:45to be able to be
11:46where we are.
11:47This is not like
11:48I'm going to study it
11:49and tomorrow I'll be
11:50in this position.
11:51No,
11:52here you have to learn everything.
11:53I started working
11:54when I was 16
11:55as a security guard
11:56in El Choliseo
11:57and thank God
11:58we have continued
11:59persevering,
12:00we have continued working,
12:01we have continued training
12:02to be able to get
12:03where we are.
12:04It's not that the path
12:05has been easy,
12:06but I can tell you one thing,
12:07there is nothing more
12:08gratifying
12:09than being able to
12:10work in something
12:11that you love
12:12and also have a family
12:13that accompanies you.
12:19I love it.
12:20I want to add something
12:21that Raymond is saying
12:22that it really is something
12:23that I'm seeing
12:24from my perspective
12:26today.
12:27I'm 34
12:29but I come from the 15
12:31making inventions
12:32every day,
12:33you know,
12:34but
12:35something that
12:36at least they don't know about me
12:37is that they can stop me
12:38in any position
12:39in the industry
12:40and I can do it.
12:41I can be Raymond,
12:42I can be a DJ,
12:43I can find lights,
12:44I can
12:46invent in the sound panel,
12:47right?
12:48I mean,
12:49if I have to record voices,
12:50I record voices.
12:51I mean,
12:52I worked in each area
12:53even if it's
12:54minimally something,
12:55I worked
12:56and that's very important
12:57for anyone who wants
12:58to work in the industry.
12:59Learn genuinely
13:00from each department
13:01so that you can appreciate,
13:02understand the perspective
13:03of others,
13:04understand everything,
13:05maximize everything
13:06at all times
13:07because
13:08I really did everything
13:09in music
13:10I mean,
13:11it's not that I wanted
13:12to be a manager
13:13or a
13:14digital guru,
13:15none of that.
13:16I just wanted to be
13:17in music,
13:18to be in reggaeton
13:19and I wanted to survive
13:20among those waters
13:21and today
13:22we pivot to this
13:23but
13:24what Raymond is saying
13:25is 100%
13:26enjoy the process
13:27and don't despair,
13:28you know?
13:29It doesn't matter
13:30what you're doing
13:31in the business
13:32but
13:33wanting to learn
13:34is very important
13:35and accepting to learn
13:36because sometimes
13:37everyone wants to reach
13:38the destination
13:39but when they reach
13:40the destination
13:41they don't handle it
13:42to perfection
13:43because they simply
13:44didn't enjoy
13:45that process
13:46or didn't take
13:47the necessary steps
13:48to maximize
13:49that moment
13:50in the process.
13:51Yes, I also think
13:52that one of the
13:53important things
13:54in the process
13:55is to enjoy it
13:56and not like
13:57ah, this is not
13:58what I want to do
13:59but I'm not going to do it
14:00because you're going to
14:01get to a point
14:02in your career
14:03where basically
14:04you're going to start
14:05judging the work
14:06of another
14:07but if you didn't
14:08you would have
14:09a bad time.
14:10You know?
14:11I think that the value
14:12that people give
14:13to it is when you
14:14go through the same
14:15path and understand
14:16that it's the right
14:17way to do it.
14:18There you not only
14:19help that person,
14:20you can understand
14:21it, and in addition
14:22to understanding,
14:23you can also
14:24help them
14:25to, if they're
14:26doing something wrong,
14:27change it
14:28and tell them
14:29don't worry,
14:30I did this
14:31and that,
14:32this way
14:33is the right way.
14:34It's not about
14:35who knows more
14:36but it's about
14:37Well, Rimas has been growing.
14:42Explain to me what exactly Rimas is today and what each division is.
14:47Wow.
14:49Who wants to?
14:51That's a difficult question to answer today.
14:53Really?
14:54Yes.
14:55Okay, let's try.
14:56But really, one way or another, we stand out in each business.
15:02Wow.
15:03Is Rimas the label?
15:04Rimas is the label, Rimas Entertainment, Rimas Nation, a JV that we have with Light Nation.
15:10We do some tours around the world.
15:13Some of you may know.
15:15We also have the publishing entity.
15:19We also have Habibi, which is the management department.
15:22It's the new venture that we've been dedicating a lot of time and resources to.
15:26And a lot of effort.
15:27Apart from Raymond, without a doubt.
15:30Ray, don't fire.
15:32I didn't fire anyone.
15:34I'm waiting for the poster that says, we love you, Raymond.
15:44We also have Rimas Sports.
15:46We also have Rimas Sports.
15:48And Rimas Foundation.
15:51That's another one.
15:52There are other additional branches that we are generating.
15:56In addition, we are a hub, really.
15:59We are a house.
16:00We listen to the artist's needs.
16:03And I think this is what makes Rimas different.
16:06Here it's like when you go to the doctor and they ask you, where are the pains you have?
16:12And according to that, they prescribe you.
16:14So we listen to the pain of the artists.
16:17And according to that, we make the plan.
16:19And we say, I'm going to provide you.
16:21Stay with your management.
16:23Stay with your label.
16:24But I'm going to provide you with a marketing service.
16:26I'm going to provide you with a publishing service.
16:29I'm going to provide you with a concert or tour service, etc.
16:34Because we adapt to the needs of our clients.
16:37We are not a directional structure.
16:40We are a structure that has different guidelines.
16:42And we say, OK, we can collaborate with you here.
16:44In other words, not all Rimas clients are signed to Rimas.
16:48Nor do they have management with Rimas.
16:50That is correct.
16:51Now, Noah, you had told me, you have told me many times.
16:54And I love this equation.
16:56That when an artist comes to work with you, you guarantee them 30% more.
17:02And you always tell me, if the artist comes with 100% effort,
17:07we will do 130%.
17:09If the artist comes with 20% effort, we'll get to 50%.
17:13Exactly. Our philosophy is that we do everything.
17:17We are a perfect complement.
17:19For example, I say that we are the corn nuggets of any ingredient
17:24when it comes to work.
17:26If an artist, and when I say 100%, 50%, 30%,
17:31I mean the level of discipline, time, dedication, effort, vision,
17:38that he or she has everything clear as an artist,
17:42we contribute 30%.
17:44If the artist gives 30%, we give 30%.
17:47We're 60 as a whole.
17:49If they are 100, and when they are 100...
17:53All in, you know?
17:56We add 30, it's 130.
17:58And you'll see the result as 130.
18:00If the artist is 150, you'll see the result as 180.
18:03And it's a theory that we use, that we are not everything.
18:07We are a complement to any artist or any person who has a vision
18:12to execute within the entertainment industry.
18:16You have also expanded to other genres.
18:19You started with reggaeton, but now Javivi handles Frontera
18:22and you opened offices in Mexico that Junior is managing.
18:25Can you tell us a little bit about that?
18:29Yes.
18:31Going back to the subject of services
18:34and what we have today as a company,
18:39we like it when the artist arrives with an idea,
18:43but almost always, not to say always,
18:47we listen to the artist and we accompany him on the path he wants to take.
18:52It's not necessarily going to be the easiest,
18:55it's not necessarily going to be what other artists have already done,
18:58it's just the path that artist wants to take.
19:05We are a company that likes to draw new paths,
19:09to draw new lines to reach the goals.
19:13As for Mexico, I am Venezuelan and I moved to Mexico in 2017
19:19because we saw an opportunity that was growing a lot on YouTube.
19:24There was too much local consumption in the region,
19:28but there weren't that many artists in the genre
19:32where we are mainly strong.
19:35Which is the urban genre.
19:36Which is the urban genre, correct.
19:38So, when I saw this opportunity, I decided to move to Mexico
19:42and in connection with YouTube,
19:44we are looking for a way to start developing artists
19:47and start developing content for that region.
19:51And well, today a lot of things are happening with Mexican music,
19:54not only something like Frontera, which is impressive,
19:59but also now they are making a movement of Mexican reggaeton.
20:04And well, Mexico has always been very strong in pop,
20:07but now there is like a new wave of artists
20:11whose main genre could be pop,
20:14it could also be something urban,
20:16and they managed to make a fusion
20:18and the perfect examples are Umbe, Latin Mafia,
20:21you know, like this type of new generation artists
20:24that are doing very well.
20:25Latin Mafia, you are very excited about them, right?
20:28I am super excited about Latin Mafia.
20:30I think they are the future of Mexican music.
20:36I believe in that.
20:39Now, where else are you expanding?
20:42What is going to happen with Rimas in the next 10 years?
20:45Or in the next 5?
20:49Well,
20:53we are going to keep working.
20:55I know that.
20:57A lot of things are coming, a lot of things are coming.
20:59We are always looking for…
21:01The most interesting thing about music is that there is always a pivot.
21:04I say every 6 months, every year, every 3 months,
21:07there is always like…
21:08It's not just a change,
21:10you have to adapt a little to the direction
21:13or see what we are doing at every moment.
21:15I can tell you the goals that I have here for 5 years,
21:17but I know that the path is going to change a little bit,
21:22but we are very excited about that path.
21:24But a lot of beautiful and interesting things are coming.
21:26But what are they?
21:27You told me, I can tell you the goals.
21:29Can you give me two?
21:31The goals.
21:32I think it's to keep listening.
21:35We are a group of people who are passionate about listening
21:41to the new talent, to the new producer, to the new writer.
21:45I think that's what makes us keep growing
21:49and keep leading.
21:51I say it with a lot of respect to the whole industry.
21:54I mean, really, in all the business units
21:57that we are leading today,
21:58it's simply because we listen to people.
22:00We don't know everything.
22:01We accompany the artist who has a connection with the public
22:07and what we do is adapt to those needs.
22:11And that's what makes it different.
22:13Here there is no plan,
22:14we give that plan a copy-paste
22:15and it's the same thing we did with so-and-so.
22:17No.
22:18Each artist, each writer, each producer
22:21has an identity.
22:23And we, as we listen,
22:25we can make plans according to the identity of that artist,
22:28the identity of the writer, the identity of the producer
22:31and make that different.
22:32Therefore, there will always be different rhymes.
22:35How do you decide who to sign with or who to work with?
22:39That's a good question.
22:41I think that, above all,
22:43in local management,
22:45Raymond really sends me,
22:47look, there's this opportunity, what do you think?
22:49But I say, what do you think?
22:51I love it, I love it.
22:53But there are times when I send clients too,
22:56I send ideas, I send songs,
22:58the label, I say, look, I love this artist.
23:00And also each one,
23:02I think each one has that voice and vote.
23:05For example, if I see someone and I say,
23:07wow, I love it,
23:08and no one else sees the vision,
23:10they accompany me.
23:12The same with Junior, Junior sees this artist
23:14and he sees something, we accompany him
23:16because something always happens
23:18that they are seeing something that others are not seeing.
23:20And as we have been together for so many years,
23:22we know that he will have some good reason.
23:25So, it's not that all artists
23:27are always all on board celebrating.
23:29It's like, I see this, I see this,
23:31I see this efficiency, I see this problem,
23:33I see this situation.
23:35Like us, as a label, as a product,
23:38we are one more
23:40when it comes to choosing among all the labels.
23:42We have our pros and our cons.
23:44I mean, I know what our
23:46where we're very strong and where we're
23:48where we have to improve.
23:49Just like all the labels have it too.
23:52Each artist has that same situation.
23:54So, when it comes to choosing,
23:56we trust a lot in the person who identifies it
23:58and knows, I can do this for this person.
24:00You see it, you can do it.
24:02Let's go forward, because not everything is perfect.
24:05In the insider who is there.
24:07Now, what have Rimas done in the last 12 months?
24:12I feel it has expanded enormously
24:15in terms of personnel, right?
24:17Now you have a CEO, Jorge, who is back there,
24:20who is like an army general.
24:23Yes, of course, 100%.
24:25It's just that we really,
24:27I say that we have always been very creative people
24:30and not very organized.
24:32That's why we don't understand a lot with the artists.
24:34They dream, we dream too.
24:37And there are times when we learn
24:39that we have to land things
24:41and be a little more protocol
24:43to be able to have more efficiency in each person.
24:45And it's a change we've made in the last year, year and a half.
24:48And we see the result.
24:50And well, in the next, from today to a year,
24:54there will be many things.
24:56We are obviously working internally on that.
24:59But next year there will be many things that will say,
25:04So there are many things like that.
25:05And it is based on that structure and that formality
25:07that we are pivoting this year.
25:11TH.
25:20One of the two.
25:22It's just that we don't like to talk
25:24until things happen.
25:26I think that's another thing we don't identify with.
25:29You know, I was thinking right now,
25:31you know that we came this year and we are going to do 20 things,
25:33and we are going to conquer the world,
25:35and we are going to do these things.
25:37Well, I think we are not like that.
25:39We want to show it instead of saying it.
25:42And there are times when we have everything lined up for it to happen.
25:44And at the moment we are 99.9% ready.
25:48And I prefer that the moment speaks
25:50than for me to have to talk about it.
25:52And I think that's very important, even for artists too.
25:54You know, saying,
25:56we came with a theme on Friday.
25:58No, everyone says that.
26:00So it's better to find a way to impact
26:02and be a moment that everyone says,
26:04oh wow.
26:05So I think that's very important.
26:08I would like,
26:09because I think you are also going there,
26:11because we don't have much time left,
26:13but I would love for you to tell us
26:15a concrete example
26:17of something that you did
26:19that you feel particularly proud of.
26:23Example.
26:25Years ago, in the middle of the pandemic,
26:27when Bunny did that concert in the truck,
26:30and everyone thinks that it was set up
26:32in eight days.
26:33No, that was set up for months.
26:35So, if you can give me an example
26:37of something that you say,
26:39fuck yeah.
26:40I love that example you gave.
26:43I love that example.
26:45And I see that example as a big team effort.
26:48Because there were a lot of people involved,
26:50you know, even Raymond.
26:52There were a lot of people involved
26:54for that moment to happen.
26:56So, I know it's not my story to tell.
26:59It's a story from Benito.
27:00But,
27:02I think it was a moment
27:04that we always want to do things
27:09that say anything is possible.
27:11And that moment was so, so, so
27:14complicated for everyone.
27:16And that opportunity called me.
27:19Wow, I don't want to say a name.
27:20It was someone else who called me.
27:22It was someone from Univision.
27:23I don't remember if it was...
27:25Ah, it was Jesus Lara.
27:27Jesus Lara called me.
27:28He said,
27:29Noah, I have this idea,
27:31this, the other,
27:32but I need to sign the NDA of life.
27:35And I remember that I got the NDA,
27:36and the NDA was very long.
27:38And we signed the NDA,
27:39and when we got to the meeting,
27:40there were people that I brought to the meeting
27:41that didn't have the NDA signed.
27:43So, we couldn't do the meeting.
27:44So,
27:45when finally everyone did the NDA,
27:47they gave us the idea,
27:49and I said,
27:50listen, it's too good to be true.
27:51How are you going to go around the city of New York
27:53as if you were the owner of the city,
27:55singing, doing a concert,
27:56making a ruckus in the street.
27:58And,
28:00without realizing it,
28:01they had everything 60% done already.
28:03They just needed us to get on board
28:05so they can go to the, you know,
28:06everyone who needs permission to come in.
28:09I say that it was,
28:11it was something so, so impressive.
28:13From the moment they introduced us,
28:15to see it happen,
28:16it was something
28:18magical, magical.
28:20It opened another portal in my head,
28:22that everything is possible.
28:23You know.
28:24Everything is possible.
28:25You were going to add something, Raymond, sorry.
28:27Tell me, Ray.
28:28I think that,
28:30for us,
28:32the fact that we have mentioned it a lot,
28:35we don't focus on
28:38the result that has rhymes.
28:41We focus more on the result
28:43that the artist has.
28:45And, therefore, it touches us.
28:47You know?
28:48But,
28:49what you are talking about,
28:51Bonnie,
28:52I think it was something
28:54impressive for everyone.
28:56We didn't say it,
28:57we did it,
28:58because it has never been our...
29:00No, and I must say that
29:02Noah never said that.
29:03That's why.
29:04Noah has always told me that there were a lot of people.
29:06That's why.
29:07For us,
29:08to say something that we are proud of,
29:10of what we have done
29:12in all this journey,
29:13I think it is
29:15in the development of the identity
29:17of each artist.
29:19To listen to them,
29:20to know what they want
29:21and to accompany them.
29:22But I would also say,
29:23give yourself some flowers, Raymond,
29:25for your fan club.
29:26And,
29:27I think,
29:28tell us a little bit
29:29about the pride you feel
29:30of having helped
29:32to do a stadium tour
29:33for Karol G,
29:34which was pretty amazing.
29:36I think that,
29:38well,
29:39all I did was work.
29:42I feel very proud
29:44of what she has achieved,
29:45of what she has done.
29:49She is a woman
29:50who works daily,
29:52who does not rest,
29:53who is always looking for the way
29:55for her to keep growing
29:57in what she does.
29:59She is a woman who really
30:01shares her dreams,
30:02opens her heart,
30:03and says,
30:04this is what I would love to do,
30:05this is what I want to do.
30:06Join us.
30:07And,
30:08basically,
30:09the challenge of the stadiums
30:10was set by her to us.
30:11I want to make a stadium.
30:12What are we going to do?
30:13I want to go here,
30:14I want to do this,
30:15I want to do this.
30:16So,
30:17when you see
30:18that you have a client
30:19who is very passionate
30:20about what he wants to do,
30:21who is very clear
30:22about the idea
30:23of what he wants to achieve,
30:25all you do
30:26is clean the path
30:27so that he can run.
30:29So,
30:30it is not just the fact
30:31that it is important
30:32to have a good team,
30:33but, above all,
30:34it is important
30:35to have a person
30:36who has the hunger,
30:37the passion,
30:38who has the commitment,
30:39not with others,
30:40but with herself
30:41to keep growing.
30:42I think that is the idea
30:43of this business.
30:44Because making money
30:45for making money,
30:46we would do it all.
30:47Yes,
30:48it is done.
30:49Money is made
30:50at different levels.
30:51But,
30:52do you know what
30:53no one can buy
30:54with money?
30:55History.
30:56And that
30:57is only done
30:58by love
30:59and doing.
31:00Nothing else.
31:01Well,
31:02before I let you go,
31:03there is a question
31:04that I had written
31:05that for me
31:06is very important.
31:07Every time
31:08I write to one
31:09of the three,
31:10they answer me
31:11right there.
31:12And for me
31:13that is so…
31:14But I say it
31:15with Noa,
31:16when Noa started
31:17and when Noa
31:18is now.
31:19And I know
31:20it is not because
31:21it is me.
31:22I know that
31:23that is part
31:24of the culture
31:25because there are
31:26many people
31:27who have
31:28a lot of
31:29passion
31:30for the
31:31culture
31:32because there
31:33are many
31:34people
31:35I write to
31:36and they
31:37don't
31:38answer me.
31:39So,
31:40let's start
31:41from that.
31:42Why does
31:43that matter?
31:44I think
31:45that even
31:46saying
31:47no
31:48weighs
31:49a lot
31:50more
31:51than
31:52saying
31:53ignoring.
31:54And there
31:55is a problem
31:56today
31:57with many
31:58colleagues
31:59who
32:00say
32:01that
32:02there is
32:03a stressful
32:04life,
32:05that there
32:06are many
32:07things happening.
32:08I learned
32:09a system
32:10many years
32:11ago
32:12from Fabio
32:13Acosta
32:14that taught
32:15me
32:16in WhatsApp
32:17something
32:18about
32:19how
32:20I don't
32:21fail
32:22in the
32:23day
32:24how
32:25to
32:26answer
32:27someone.
32:28And
32:29that
32:30helped me
32:31to
32:32communicate
32:33with
32:34everyone
32:35because
32:36we are
32:37a great
32:38ecosystem
32:39not only
32:40because
32:41I have
32:42clients,
32:43I have
32:44demands,
32:45people
32:46write to
32:47me.
32:48So,
32:49we have
32:50to take
32:51advantage
32:52of this
32:53because
32:54there are
32:55many
32:56waves
32:57and
32:58I think
32:59it is
33:00very
33:01important
33:02for everyone
33:03and I
33:04understand
33:05especially
33:06when this
33:07industry is
33:08not
33:09starting.
33:10The
33:11bombardment
33:12of calls
33:13because
33:14when a
33:15new artist
33:16is
33:17going up,
33:18boom,
33:19boom,
33:20boom,
33:21boom,
33:22boom,
33:23boom,
33:24those
33:25calls
33:26are
33:27very
33:28important
33:29for
33:30everyone
33:31because
33:32we
33:33are
33:34a great
33:35ecosystem
33:36not
33:37only
33:38for
33:39us
33:40but
33:41for
33:42everyone
33:43because
33:44we
33:45are
33:46a great
33:47ecosystem
33:48not
33:49only
33:50for
33:51us
33:52but
33:53for
33:54everyone
33:55because
33:56we
33:57are
33:58a great
33:59ecosystem
34:00not
34:01only
34:02for
34:03us
34:04but
34:05for
34:06everyone
34:07because
34:08we
34:09are
34:10a
34:11great
34:12ecosystem
34:13not
34:14only
34:15for
34:16us
34:17but
34:18for
34:19everyone
34:20because
34:21we
34:22are
34:23a great
34:24that are always going to have the same faces.
34:27They are always the faces you know,
34:29they are the people you are going to sit with,
34:31they are the people with whom you are going to be able to trust your career or whatever.
34:35So, I think that is not going to change.
34:38Yes, until now no one has left, right?
34:41Nope.
34:42Hmm, okay.
34:44Raymond?
34:45I think that, well, to say that
34:48the same thing they are saying for me is essential.
34:52I think that in Rimas we find a family
34:58where we accompany each other
35:01and where we really feel super proud of each other for what we achieve.
35:06At the end of the day, when someone needs something,
35:09we all go to the table
35:11and we put aside everything we had to attend to this,
35:14to attend to that project, to attend to that plan, to attend to everything.
35:18I think that is our identity
35:22and I think it is one of the things that NOA has always taught us.
35:27There are times when I say,
35:28what is NOA doing at this meeting?
35:30And NOA says, I have to be there
35:32because I am interested,
35:34because this is a Rimas project.
35:36I think that, for ten more years,
35:39will make us, after we complete those ten more years,
35:41have ten more years.
35:43I love it.
35:44NOA, one last thing.
35:47How do you see urban music in the near future?
35:51It is changing a lot, isn't it?
35:53Yes, it is changing.
35:54I think that the future is quality.
35:56Everyone has to contribute to that, to quality.
35:58And not only our genre, everyone.
36:00Because of the saturation in the business,
36:02so much music, so many daily things.
36:04I think the data is 100,000 weekly songs
36:06that are uploaded to the platform right now.
36:08Daily.
36:09Daily.
36:10Yesterday someone corrected me.
36:11Daily.
36:12Wow, that's ridiculous.
36:15Wow, that's a lot of songs.
36:17I'm mistaken.
36:18Were they daily or weekly?
36:20Daily, right?
36:21Yes.
36:22Thank you for bringing me up to date.
36:24But yes, I think that is the next step for everyone.
36:28In English, in Spanish, in Portuguese,
36:30whatever language, in quality.
36:32And I think that is what we are taking care of a lot,
36:34which is the quality of everything.
36:36And that is my two cents.
36:39Quality.
36:41Thank you very much, gentlemen.
36:44Happy birthday.
36:46May it be ten more.