Board Member At-Large:  Mary Datcher

NABFEME  North: Illnois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin

Mary Datcher should be crowned the “Queen of Hip Hop Promotions.”  Blessed with the gift of persistence, drive and passion, Mary entered the music entertainment world as a teenager.  She began her career as a manager at George’s Music Room where she assisted in organizing the first National Urban Independent Retail Coalition.  From there she skipped the college education and opted for real-life, record label education.  In regards to this decision Mary states, “Learning the record label business is the hardest school of learning.  I chose not to attend when my classmates decided to go off and earn their degrees because I really felt that this was where I really belonged in my heart.  So when everyone else was on ‘line’ pledging … I ate, slept and lived the music business, especially the record label side.  This was my higher learning… hands-on experience is greater than any book in my opinion, especially in this profession.  Explaining the process of record promotion is not easy…you have to experiece it because each of us has a different style and method of working a record.”

Mary continued her higher learning as a Southwest Promotions Manager for the company we now know as Def Jam.  She then went on to form On The Street Promotions and Marketing, a company that specializes in executing field and event marketing programs with its primary focus on the music industry.  Given Mary’s background, record promotion was On The Street Promotions’ main core and presence in the  marketplace.  One of the most recent ventures Mary has touched with her expertise is the Global Mixx Music Retreat held annually in Chicago.  In its fifth year the retreat brought in high-level music executives to school the newest generation of artists, producers, DJs, and soon to be executives.

The best to ever do it have inspired and taught Mary along the way and in true DIVA spirit she is taking the time out to share her wealth of knowledge and experience.  Mary is a DIVA behind the scenes with the wherewithal to boost a dimly lit star into superstar power.  She has lived her life in the business and is willing to help others along the way.  Mary Datcher is a true Hip Hop DIVA.