Rob Stone (entrepreneur)

Upon graduation in 1990, Stone joined SBK Records and rose to director of promotion. He also served as vice president of promotion at EMI Records. In "The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip-Hop," author and hip hop journalist Dan Charnas notes Stone's rise through the ranks at EMI. When label heads Daniel Glass and Fred Davis initially discussed bringing Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs and his label, Bad Boy, to EMI, they brought in Stone—who then was only a 25-year-old kid—due to his background and knowledge of hip hop. Like Combs, Stone made a name for himself at a young age, naming him "one of the first national radio promotions people for major labels who had grown up on hip hop." Stone rapidly became seen as the record business counterpart to innovative radio programmers such as Keith Naftaly and Hosh Gureli.[1]

In May 1994, Stone joined music executive Clive Davis at Arista Records who said:[2]

Stone has been at the promotion forefront of the hip-hop revolution for the last decade.

Upon joining Arista, Stone became friendly with Steve Smith, the then-Program Director for the top-rated hip-hop radio station in New York City, Hot 97, and is credited for introducing Smith to tracks from various up-and-coming artists that include Notorious B.I.G., Usher Raymond, and Craig Mack.[1]

Stone worked closely with Notorious B.I.G., Usher Raymond, and other various artists, including Sean “Puffy” Combs, Outkast, and Faith Evans, during their rise to fame .

Stone became an authority on music promotion, often quoted and called on for opinion pieces.[3] In 2010, Stone interviewed keynote speaker Pharrell Williams at music industry conference midem in France.[4]

Stone is a member of the board of directors for Sweetgreen, a farm-to-table salad chain, playing an integral role in the creation of the brand's popular Sweetlife Festival, an annual concert boasting a musical lineup of today’s hottest artists.[5]

He also sits on the board for the Children’s Cancer Association’s music medicine program, MyMusicRx, a digital playground that delivers music medicine to critically ill kids and teens in the United States and Canada.[6]

In 2015, Stone was featured on Forbes Get Paid To Be Yourself and was quoted "In today’s digital age, defined by content and experiences, a new breed of revolutionaries have emerged. These innovators are treading against the status quo to introduce progressive ideas that shape the inventions which drive our world today. Each possesses an unrelenting belief that shifts their massive visions into tangible achievements. Armed with an unmatched foresight, and clear understanding of the ethos that powers young America – this wave of skilled builders embodies a commitment to designing the society they want to see. Few trailblazers have personified this archetype more fervently than Rob Stone. " [7]

In 1996, Stone read an article on marketing magnate, Darryl Cobbin and his work on Sprite’s popular “Obey Your Thirst” commercials in an issue of Brandweek. In his book, Charnas explains how Cobbin “riveted Rob Stone because Stone wasn’t just a record producer anymore” and following a competitive bidding war among top labels such as Artista, Columbia, and Motown, Stone decided to strike out on his own, and in June 1996, he founded Cornerstone, a Manhattan-based music promotion firm that worked primarily with record labels to promote their artists.[1][8]

After being joined by business partner and co-CEO Jon Cohen in 1997, the firm began to grow into a full-service marketing and creative agency recognized for its integration of hip music names in corporate branding campaigns.[9] The agency's work with clients such as Converse, Microsoft, Nike, Mountain Dew and Diageo gave the agency a reputation as a pioneer in the movement of branding and music.[10][11]

In 2009, Rob Stone was featured on the cover of Billboard magazine's Music & Advertising issue with Cornerstone Co-Founder Jon Cohen and friend and marketing partner Pharrell Williams, where the agency was described as a pioneer in connecting musicians with brands.[10]

In 2015, Stone was featured on Forbes Get Paid To Be Yourself and it was mentioned that "Cornerstone has undoubtedly shaped the modern convergence of music, media and marketing."[7]

In 1999, Stone co-founded The FADER with Jon Cohen. The FADER is an award-winning magazine dubbed by the New York Times as the new music-and-fashion bible.[12] With its 39th issue, the FADER made publishing history was the first to offer a full issue's content available on iTunes.[13] The magazine also produces FADER TV.

In 2002, Stone co-founded FADER Label with Jon Cohen. Its roster includes Matt and Kim, Editors, Neon Indian, Bird Monster, Saul Williams and Yuna.

In the Spring of 2003, Stone and Cohen launched FADER Films, an artist-friendly production division that has released critically acclaimed motion pictures, including “Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius ‘Hook’ Mitchell” and “On The Outs.”

Recently Forbes stated that "The FADER has served as the empowering voice of an evolving music culture for over a decade, chronicling compelling stories, and breaking countless stars across genres. Merging Hip Hop and Alternative culture, the platform has given artists like Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, and Drake (rapper) their first magazine covers." [7]

In his book, Charna's documents Stone's work on the original "Obey Your Thirst" Sprite campaign as Stone spearheaded Sprite's first-ever DJ Summit, an event that brought together the country's top radio jockeys and artists. In turn, this event eventually led to partnerships with noted hip hop acts such as at Fat Joe, Red Man, Missy Elliot, and Common, and the ultimate creation of the "Voltron" Sprite Hip Hop commercials - one of the most popular commercial series in brand history.[14]

Additional campaigns under Stone’s direction at Cornerstone include Nike’s “Better Than I’ve Ever Been”. Commissioned by the sportswear company to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Air Force One shoes, Cornerstone executive produced the song, secured Kanye West, Nas, KRS-One and Rakim to collaborate, and oversaw production with Rick Rubin. The track was nominated for the Grammy Award for "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group." My Drive Thru was a collaborative single by The Strokes lead vocalist Julian Casablancas, American singer-songwriter Santigold, and The Neptunes producer and N.E.R.D member Pharrell Williams. The song was created for Converse's centennial and was released in June 2008.[15] Among Cornerstone's music related initiatives are Green Label Sound by Mountain Dew[16] and Rubber Tracks, a recording studio managed by Converse in Brooklyn, NY.[17]

In late 2010, Pepsi's chief engagement officer hired Cornerstone to do the creative on the brand's campaign, Pepsi MAX NFL Audible. TV spots aired during January 2011 NFL playoff games and online, featuring rappers Big Boi, Lupe Fiasco, B.o.B and Talib Kweli.[18] In 2012, Pepsi also retained Cornerstone for the NFL Pepsi Anthems campaign featuring Kelly Clarkson, Travie McCoy, Wiz Khalifa and Kid Rock.[19]

Cornerstone began construction on Rubber Tracks, a free recording studio managed by Cornerstone and operated by Converse in Brooklyn, NY, in 2010. The 5,200-square-foot (480 m²) space is open for free use to artists in the area.[20]

Pepsi-Cola North America's VP of portfolio brands Frank Cooper described Cornerstone's capabilities as a "rare combination", saying in an interview that "they understand the record industry while not being confined by it. They have great creative instincts, strong research, and they understand how to work with large companies." Geoff Cottrill, Converse chief marketing officer, said "their understanding of pop culture and youth marketing is really unrivaled in their space."[10]