Rachelle Jean-Louis Accepts the Executive Of The Year | R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024 - video Dailymotion

Billboard

Rachelle Jean-Louis accepts the Executive of the Year award from Victoria Monét at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

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00:00Hello everybody, my name is Dana Droppo. I'm chief brand officer at billboard

00:07It is my

00:09Tremendous honor to introduce an artist whose unparalleled talent earned her billboards rising star honor at women in music

00:18also

00:19seven Grammy nominations

00:21Three wins including best new artist. She's a decorated songwriter

00:27She's an explosive dancer and a visionary of R&B music a genre that is in her manager's words both

00:35timeless and influential

00:38Tonight, we're here to celebrate that manager an incredible executive who I am so proud and excited to honor

00:44She is someone who has always answered and come through for me when I needed a favor or advice

00:49She's been a big dreamer and quiet hustler since the day I met her and I also think it is illegal to be so talented

00:56And so incredibly fine at the same time. It's giving Virgo energy, which is very appropriate

01:04Because she is the second woman ever to be named

01:08Billboards hip-hop and R&B executive of the year. The first was Beyonce, please. Welcome to the stage Victoria Monet

01:26Hi everyone

01:29I'm gonna be reading from my phone and I have a lot to say so brace yourselves. I'm sorry. I'm long-winded

01:37First of all when you think of an executive what immediately comes to mind is that a man in a suit

01:43Making decisions and being firm is it a hard worker in an office at the head of the table making orders and distributing tasks

01:50to their hirees

01:51Well today when you think of an executive think of Rochelle Jean-louis an

01:57Unapologetically queer black woman with Haitian roots from Jersey and Florida

02:03She's defying stereotypes and taking down anything that stands in her way

02:07She can do what the top suits do with a rude vintage shirt a low-set back hat and some Nikes

02:14And you can find her in the field right alongside the creative

02:17She believes in and by the way, she's the very first woman to ever receive this award alone

02:23Round of applause to that and thank you so much billboard for seeing her for who she really is a boss

02:30What sets Rochelle apart and why I wanted her to be my manager is her grassroots approach

02:35relentless passion and

02:37personal commitment to what she believes in

02:40She can see things and develops them before it's cool to before it pays

02:44Monetarily and long before other people see the vision she invests not only in her time

02:49But her heart and to every project and artist she works with Rochelle doesn't color within the lines with in her job title

02:56She extends her multi-dimensional approach to every direction it takes to get the job done

03:01This is why I believe her impact will be felt far beyond any accolades numbers or traditional confines

03:08Something I respect about Rochelle is that she really doesn't take no for an answer

03:12Seriously, she takes it as a challenge and competes until she wins

03:16She has a tunnel vision for the big picture and she isn't guided by a playbook or swayed by what others say is impossible

03:22But instead she is driven by her gut and her instincts to top it off

03:26She does it with a great big smile that often introduces her order before she says a word

03:32She's a leader and simultaneously a student which means she will never stop learning and that

03:37Combination of bite and finesse sets her apart as a cream of the crop for as long as she wants to be there

03:43She also has a lot of talents that will unfold publicly in her future because she's more than a businesswoman. She's a creative herself

03:50She's more than an artist best ally. She's a visionary even more than an executive. She's a really really great human

04:00Just when you think being an executive is black and white

04:02Rochelle will show you how colorful it is and believe me on our journey together as underdogs

04:07There were plenty of people in high places trying to back her down

04:11Huff and puff in her face and intimidate her with their power. But look who's a power player now. I

04:19Cannot wait to see her use this platform to uplift those from her community and beyond her team

04:24Her family her friends and I are all elated to present to you

04:28This year's billboard executive of the year and I know if I know her she's trying to aim to make that word year plural

04:37She wants it to be for years to come and this is only the beginning. Congratulations Rochelle. We love you

04:58Thank you, oh

05:01So used to being behind

05:05Wow, thank you when I first got the call that billboard was naming me with this honor. I was shocked I

05:14Struggle with accepting it because I still feel there's so much left to be done. It honestly just feels like the beginning. I

05:21Want to thank my clients especially Victoria and my incredible friends loved ones and family from day one

05:28Who have been championing me? I want to thank my team

05:32The year that we've had with Victoria is a sum of incredible parts largely women

05:38That I was lucky and blessed enough to find and pull together

05:41The house is only as stable as its foundation and I thank God for the one that I have

05:46My friend Dana Dropo told me I'm the second woman ever to receive this award behind Beyonce, which is insane

05:55It's an incredible incredible and unbelievable statement, so thank you billboard for recognizing me in this way

06:01There are so many incredible women

06:04Who I really want to see up here soon and some of whom are in this room. I'm really really really honored to be among you

06:11Growing up, I'd never seen what I'm doing now modeled for me music as a career was not realistic

06:18I'd watch every single Beyonce documentary multiple times because she was the only black woman

06:22I could look to for inspiration of what was possible not only as a creative but also as a businesswoman and executive

06:29My path was anything but linear

06:32Some people here actually know me from the times that I was an intern at XXL to music journalist to music publicist to

06:39Music journalist to music publicist to music supervisor to A&R and then now to manager creative and executive producer

06:47This honor means the world to me because it represents every aspect of me

06:53All of these skills have afforded me the ability to be the executive I am today

06:58When I met Vic in 2018 everything clicked she was and is motivated talented

07:04Incredibly passionate and has incredible work ethic

07:07These partnerships really only work when you know that your client wants it for themselves at least as much if not more

07:14than you want it for them, so thank you Vic for trusting me with your career and

07:20Allowing me to work alongside you on this journey. This experience has undoubtedly changed my life in ways that you could never even know

07:29As a child who

07:32As a child I watched one woman in particular work tirelessly to provide for those around her not for any accolades

07:40But because it was the only option

07:42She fled Haiti as a teenager got her high school education here in New York

07:47And later she worked at Mount Sinai here as a nurse

07:51Put my father through law school and instilled very early on the importance of discipline work ethic and education

07:58That woman is my mother Yoli sitting over there

08:02And

08:04I am incredibly blessed and thankful that she gets to be here with my family today back in New York

08:10Where I was born down the street

08:13so it's incredibly a

08:15humbling

08:17We're back to where we started mom down the road from where I was born

08:20I did it and we did it and I'm so thankful for you and everything that you've ever done for me

08:27as

08:28A teenager who sat up in her room reading CD liner notes and obsessed over music

08:32I felt like a misfit black queer first-generation American all of these things that I was insecure about growing up

08:39I wouldn't trade the world for now

08:41When I was in college, I was laughed out of an office by my first boss. So many people want to do music

08:47What makes you any different?

08:49All of my identity is why I work so hard to prove someone like me belongs

08:54I put the excitement and optimism of what could happen over the fear of what may not and now I'm standing here today as

09:02executive of the year

09:07God is incredible. Thank you billboard for seeing all of me. This acknowledgement means the world. Thank you

Rachelle Jean-Louis Accepts the Executive Of The Year | R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024

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