Won of One: A PLLRS Podcast
Before the Grammy, before the Live Nation deal, before 21 Savage was a household name, there was Kei Henderson, watching closely, betting early, and building differently. In this episode of Won of One: A PLLRS Podcast, the Founder and CEO of Third + Hayden traces a career path that began as a side hustle while she was still in corporate, ran through the underground Atlanta rap scene, and ultimately produced one of the most distinctive artist development companies in the music business today. Henderson talks openly about the risk calculus of entrepreneurship, deal structure, and leverage. With a landmark Live Nation partnership in 2024 and a roster built on ownership from day one, Kei Henderson is rewriting the music industry from within, on her own terms, and with receipts. About Today’s Guest Kei Henderson is the Founder & CEO of Third + Hayden, the Atlanta-based management, label, and publishing company rewriting what independent artist development can look like. You may know her name from the 21 Savage era: she spotted him as a local Atlanta rapper in 2014, built him into a global phenomenon, and earned a Grammy Award in the process. Launched in 2021, Third + Hayden operates on a deceptively radical thesis: that great artists require whole human beings first. That means ownership and masters retained from day one, and perhaps most unusually in this business, a non-recoupable personal development fund for every label signee, directed toward therapy, rehab, or whatever an artist actually needs to thrive. The business world noticed: in 2024, Live Nation announced a landmark artist development partnership with the company, the first time the live entertainment giant has ever partnered with an Atlanta-based management firm. A multiple Billboard Power List honoree, Kei Henderson is one of the most vocal and visionary executives in the industry on the intersection of wellness, ownership, and what a long career in music can actually look like when the incentives are finally aligned. Key Points from this Episode: * 0:00 Welcome Back to Won of One: A PLLRS Podcast with Today’s Guest, Kei Henderson * 2:00 From Corporate Side Hustle to Founding Third + Hayden * 4:30 The Risk of Entrepreneurship and Betting on Yourself Without a Roadmap * 6:45 The Live Nation Partnership and Getting Involved With Artists Earlier * 8:50 Managing 21 Savage From the Underground and What the Drake Co-Sign Changed * 16:00 Helping 21 Savage Secure His Masters, Label Leverage, and Building Ticket History * 22:27 Label Resources vs. Building Independently: How Managers Decide * 28:22 Why Third + Hayden Funds Therapy, Wellness, and Personal Development for Artists * 35:55 Kei Henderson's Advice to Artists on Navigating the Music Industry * 38:53 Is the Era of the Superstar Over? Mentioned on the Show * Connect with Kei Henderson: https://www.instagram.com/keiopensdoors/ [https://www.instagram.com/keiopensdoors/] * Third + Hayden: https://thirdandhayden.com/ [https://thirdandhayden.com/] Join the Conversation: 🏛️ Watch more on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thePLLRS [https://www.youtube.com/@thePLLRS] 🏛️ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepllrs/ [https://www.instagram.com/thepllrs/] 🏛️ Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepllrs [https://www.tiktok.com/@thepllrs] 🏛️ Connect with us on X: https://x.com/the_pllrs [https://x.com/the_pllrs] 🏛️ Connect with us on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thepllrs.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/thepllrs.bsky.social] 🏛️ Connect with us on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@thepllrs [https://www.threads.com/@thepllrs] 🏛️ PLLRS Press and more: https://linktr.ee/ThePLLRS [https://linktr.ee/ThePLLRS] 🏛️ Connect with Won of One Host, Reg Calixte: https://www.instagram.com/LTLENG [https://www.instagram.com/LTLENG] 🏛️ Connect with Keith Nelson, Jr.: https://www.instagram.com/keithnelsonjr [https://www.instagram.com/keithnelsonjr] 🏛️ Connect with Rose Mercado, MA.Ed.: https://www.instagram.com/photo_bombshell [https://www.instagram.com/photo_bombshell] 🏛️ Manhattan Neighborhood Network: https://www.instagram.com/mnnnyc [https://www.instagram.com/mnnnyc] 🔊 Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/thepllrs/ [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/thepllrs/] 🔊 Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/won-of-one-a-pllrs-podcast/id1840643899 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/won-of-one-a-pllrs-podcast/id1840643899] ✉️ For Business Inquiries, email: rose@photobombshell.media [rose@photobombshell.media]
18 episodes
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