Fridayy’s Manager EXPOSES The Music Industry

What does it really take to break an artist in today's music industry? In this episode of The Manager's Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Edgar Cutino, manager of Fridayy, to unpack the realities of artist management, record label politics, and building successful careers in the music business. From managing viral sensation Lil TerRio and breaking into television to helping Fridayy land his career-changing feature on DJ Khaled's "GOD DID", Edgar shares the strategy, relationships, and hard-earned lessons behind his journey. We dive into music industry politics, negotiating artist deals, the importance of leverage, building strong teams, and why managers who demand accountability often get labeled "difficult to work with." Whether you're an independent artist, aspiring music manager, or music executive, this conversation offers an inside look at what it really takes to win in the music business. Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap. Book a 1-on-1 meeting with the guests you’ve been watching. See who's available on The Manager's Marketplace: https://themanagersplaybook.com/home Want the full conversation? TMP Patreon members get early episodes, exclusive clips, and two live Q&As with guests every month. Join at https://bit.ly/patreonTMP Want your music everywhere, properly? DistroKid is a straightforward way for independent artists to distribute globally and keep momentum moving. https://distrokid.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Why Music Industry Politics Are Manipulation 02:39 Edgar Cutino's Journey Into Music 07:05 Breaking Into the Music Industry Through SXSW 11:58 Sales, Networking & Handling Rejection 18:30 Building the Right Artist Management Team 34:14 Music Contracts & Artist Leverage 37:49 Managing Lil Terio & Going Viral on Vine 44:56 Influencer Marketing & Brand Deals 48:28 From Social Media to Television Production 58:48 Marketing O.T. Genasis' "CoCo" 01:05:57 Discovering Fridayy Before His Breakout 01:09:33 Timbaland & Fridayy's Vocal Production 01:13:16 How Fridayy Landed DJ Khaled's "GOD DID" 01:15:34 Fighting for Fridayy's Feature Credit 01:19:54 Fridayy's Def Jam Record Deal 01:22:40 Navigating Overnight Music Industry Success 01:27:34 The Truth About Record Label Politics 01:32:49 Building Your Own Music Industry System 01:35:56 Advice for Independent Artists & Managers 01:45:46 Final Lessons on Artist Management The opinions shared by our guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or The Manager’s Playbook. Follow The Manager's Playbook Newsletter https://www.the-managers-playbook.beehiiv.com/c/subscribe Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mauroisruiz/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@managersplaybook Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mngrsplaybook X https://www.twitter.com/mngrsplaybook LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-managers-playbook Website https://mngrsplaybook.com Host: Mauricio Ruiz Executive Producer: Mauricio Ruiz Director of Photography: Austin Bourdages On Location Sound: Francisco Sabio Editors: Kuion Martin Co-Editor: Mauricio Ruiz Colourist: Austin Bourdages Sound Engineer: Madeline Currie Project Manager: Erica Kongvongxay Marketing Coordinator: Melanie Letra-Frade Production Company: 8 Til Faint #TheManagersPlaybook #MusicBusiness #ArtistManagement #Fridayy #EdgarCutino