The Business of Hip Hop Spotlight: Briahna Gatlin
Briahna Gatlin is an established media maven and entrepreneur on the cutting edge of the entertainment industry setting new trends and breaking new talent for over 15 years. She has a Bachelors’s Degree in Magazine Journalism with over 10 years of experience in writing for Source Magazine, Allhiphop.com, Mass Appeal Magazine, XXL Magazine and Tribune Media as well as other printing and online publications. After interning at various major publications including VIBE Magazine & N’Digo Magapaper, she wrote pieces ranging from biographies to concert reviews, feature articles and interviewed an array of signed and unsigned artists within the music industry. Briahna joined True Star Magazine in 2004 and served as the Editorial Director creating and building a brand that has become prominent among the teen demographic within Chicago. Along with this leadership role she was instrumental in creating the concept, content and personality of the publication as well as leveraging her relationships with major brands including Warner Bros., Atlantic Records, Sony BMG, Interscope, Island Def Jam Music Group and Tribune Foundation as well as other local and national corporations in the publications success. Briahna has over 15 years of grant writing experience in the non-profit sector and also participated as an Instructor in After School Matters programs, teaching at over 10 schools throughout Chicago. She has been a guest lecturer & panelist at Major colleges & conferences throughout the country including at New Jersey City University, SAE Institute, Illinois State University, A3C Music Festival (ATL), SXSW (Austin, TX), Columbia College Chicago, Google LAKE FX, Moraine Valley College. In 2007 she launched Swank Public Relations (Swank PR) and began providing services in public relations, media writing, media consulting, media kits & bios, event coordinating along with soliciting sponsorship and a vast history of proposal and contract writing. In May 2013 she received Music Publicist of the Year from Chicago notable Mary Datcher/Global Mixx along with being featured in major publications for her leadership and innovative tactics including Rolling Out, Voyage Chicago, Source Magazine, NDigo, and ThinkPynk.com. She has also been mentioned on media sites ChicagoDefender.com, JetMag.com & Pigeons and Planes for her niche of connecting and inspiring her colleagues within the industry. Her notable clients include The Gorillaz, Vic Lloyd, Fat Tiger Works, Vic Mensa, Comedian/Actor Lil Rel, Chance The Rapper, Hennessy, Lupe Fiasco Foundation, Raekwon, King Louie, Chrisette Michelle, Waka Flocka, Sway Calloway (MTV), New Era, Complex Magazine, Mos Def, The Shrine Chicago, Lupe Fiasco, Former Chicago Bears Kahlil Bell, Multi-Platinum Producers Christian Rich, Da Internz, Red Stripe, Grey Goose, BlackBerry, Volkswagen, G.O.O.D Music, Eighty81 (Jay-Z, Lebron James, Rich Paul), Stevie Williams (DGK) and more. CEO Briahna Gatlin has branded Swank PR in various and unconventional ways creating a lane for Public Relations in Chicago of what was only considered a minimal asset. Being a major beacon in the industry within Chicago, Briahna has become a trailblazer keeping her ear to the ground, connecting the dots and creating a legacy and lane for upcoming new media.
Briahna Gatlin