The management and business-development firm of Qadree El-Amin — the executive behind some of the most enduring careers in modern music, from Boyz II Men and Janet Jackson to Michael Jackson.
Qadree El-Amin is a music industry executive with more than 30 years of experience in artist management, record label operations, promotions, marketing, strategic planning, and entertainment business development.
Raised in Newark, New Jersey, he built his reputation as a savvy artist manager and a crafty negotiator — the executive labels called when a career needed to be built, protected, or taken global. Over three decades he has guided GRAMMY-winning artists through their defining eras, run a record label as its president, and served as manager to the most famous entertainer in the world.
His relationships reach the top of the business — Clive Davis, L.A. Reid, Jimmy Iovine, Tommy Mottola — and the artists he has represented are collectively responsible for more than 100 million records sold. Southpaw Entertainment is the vehicle for that experience: a firm that pairs institutional knowledge of how the industry actually works with the discretion and access that high-stakes entertainment deals demand.
Today, Qadree advises artists, executives, investors, and partners on artist development, label strategy, brand partnerships, and entertainment ventures across the United States and international markets.
Direct artist management, branding, business strategy, recording, touring, promotions, media relations, and partnerships for a roster of world-class talent.
Managed executive business operations, scheduling, strategic initiatives, and media communications for the King of Pop.
Led record label operations, artist development, marketing, promotions, and strategic planning.
A roster spanning pop, R&B, and global crossover — artists whose records, tours, and cultural moments still shape the business.
Oversaw Boyz II Men through their most dominant chart era, including “One Sweet Day” with Mariah Carey — which held the Billboard Hot 100’s top spot for a then-record sixteen consecutive weeks.
With an introduction facilitated by Ambassador Andrew Young and Zindzi Mandela, arranged a four-show South African tour for Boyz II Men, including meetings with President Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela.
Helped secure Boyz II Men’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — permanent recognition for one of the best-selling R&B groups of all time.
Served as manager within Michael Jackson LLC from 2004 to 2009, overseeing executive operations and communications during a period of intense global attention.
Worked alongside the Black Promoters Association and Rev. Al Sharpton in the 1990s, urging American acts not to perform in Sun City, South Africa during apartheid.
Decades of direct dealings with Clive Davis, L.A. Reid, Jimmy Iovine, and Tommy Mottola — and with cultural giants from Michael Jackson to Muhammad Ali.
Southpaw Entertainment works with artists, labels, investors, and brands on the strategy, structure, and relationships that turn talent into lasting enterprises.
Long before the boardroom, Qadree marched with the National Youth Movement for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, D.C. That sense of purpose has never left the work.
His autobiography, Qadree El-Amin: AMAN, published in 2012, traces the road from Newark to the highest levels of the entertainment industry.
Co-Founder of Circle of Humanity, Inc., alongside long-standing support for the American Diabetes Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, and the Newark Boys Club.
Inducted in 2018 as a member of the College of Seers in Kenya and granted the title “Wangai” — Man of God. Serves as Goodwill Ambassador and Culture President of Global Peace for Mount Kenya.
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