Chivon Dean
President, Ruff Ryders
"People don't really know our position
and who we really are", asserts Chivon Dean, Ruff Ryders
president, who along with her two brothers, Dee and Waah have
in six long years taken their company to the top of the music
industry. "DMX is signed to us through Def Jam, but the
fact is that we were a small company next to a big company,
we werent fully recognized. No disrespect to Def Jam, but
its time for us to continue growing."
After studying business administration at
new Jerseys Bergen Community College, Chivon decided to follow
the lead of her uncle and moved to join him in his party throwing
exploits. Down in Atlanta, the duo threw functions that showcased
R&B/Dance giants like Jody Watley and Colonel Abrams,
but then a call from her brothers led her back to Yonkers.
With their insistence, the trio along with a few others started
a label called Exclusively Hype. Chivon incorporated her experiences
and collaborated with her brothers who at the time were working
on getting rap trio, The Lox signed. When the Deans got The
Lox signed to Sean "Puffy" Combs Bad Boy Entertainment,
Ruff Ryders foundation was built.
As a hard nosed negotiator, Chivon works
long hours as she knows that in any thriving business, there
is always room for improvement. And despite the attention
she and her siblings are beginning to receive, Ruff Ryders
maintains a down to earth approach thats a rarity in the music
industry and appreciated by outsiders and colleagues. Hard-working,
staying true to the streets and quietly building an empire,
Chivon Dean and company won't be satisfied until they control
their own destiny. "In the future, we hope to become
more independent and create and distribute our own product,"
Chivon reveals. "But no matter how much we grow, we know
it's important to stay in close contact with our artists and
producers. We are a family and that's how we function."
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