| Subject: Floetry Interview |
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Date Posted: 22:02:03 04/15/02 Mon
J. Erving, Julius’ son, is making a name as a manager of musical artists
Erving Soars in the Music Industry
By John Hareas
Floetry took the stage Thursday night at Reebok Club NBA, mesmerizing the delirious audience with such eclectic songs as “Big Ben,” “Floetics,” “Opera” and “All My Love” and seen backstage bobbing his head to the unique beats was Philly legend Julius Erving.
“I like it,” said Erving of the songs that combine the fusion of soul and the spoken word that is known as Floetry. “It’s easy for me to listen to. I can’t not have my foot or hands move or my head bob when I listen to them.”
Them is Marsha Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart, the talented London duo whose first album, “Floetics” is due out in June. “They affect me emotionally and spiritually with some of the lyrics that the girls have come up with,” said Erving. “Talking about life, talking about love, talking about circumstances that are real that people can relate to. It’s something you don’t hear every day.”
Erving is also grooving to the fact that his 27-year-old son, Julius Erving III, is responsible for having Floetry perform as part of the NBA’s All-Star festivities. J. Erving is the group’s business manager and owner of the J. Erving Group that also oversees hit record producer Rodney Jerkins and rapper Journalist.
The Erving clan gathers with the Floetics
Ron Hoskins/NBAE/Getty Images
“It’s rewarding,” said J. Erving of his role. “But a lot of times I’m reminded that we’re still in a battle, that we still have to fight and work hard to get to where we want to go.”
The path to musical entrepreneur opened up when J. Erving met Charles Suitt, a vice president at Universal Records. They met while J. Erving was attending Clark College in Atlanta. Both struck up a friendship and J. Erving kept the possibility of pursuing a career in music management open. “I went and did an internship with the Sixers for the summer and it wasn’t what I aspired to do,” said J. Erving. “I knew I wanted to do something outside of basketball, just outside of what my dad had done and sort of what people expected me to do.”
It was then when he determined that he wanted to pursue a management career in the music industry and called his friend, Suitt. “I wanted to start my own company and with Charles in place at Universal, I had some of the connections that I needed to get to the next level.”
Similar to his father, who was known as one of the NBA’s greatest players and preeminent dunkers, the younger Erving is soaring with Floetry. Not only does the duo have their debut album on the horizon, which is A Touch of Jazz/DreamWorks Records release, but they are also in demand by other artists for their songwriting talents. Ambrosius and Stewart recently recorded a duet for Jill Scott and Jazz from Dru Hill and have received songwriting requests from Faith Hill and Brandy. But the duo scored a major hit when they penned “Butterflies,” a song that Michael Jackson recorded on his latest CD, “Invincible.”
“Michael heard the track and he loved it and invited us up to the studio for two weeks to cut the song,” said Stewart of the song that is ranked 17th on this week’s Billboard chart. “It was an absolutely incredible experience. I don’t think there’s been an experience that’s beaten it. After you do Mike, that’s enough to retire, but we’re just beginning.”
And so is J.Erving and his goals for his clients and his company. He would eventually like to create a full service agency with Suitt that includes clients from the sports, music and entertainment fields. And there isn’t any reason why he won’t be able to accomplish his goal. After all, he has already displayed a deft touch in identifying talent plus he has one of the world’s best teachers in his father, who was one of the first athletes to transcend sports and parlay his on-court success to off-the-court corporate success.
“He guides me,” said J. Erving of his father. “I call him a lot for advice, situational advice, like what different moves I should make and different people he knows that might be able to help me get to where I need to go. He’s very supportive.”
And the proud father is more than happy to see his son succeed.
“I think he’s come a long way,” said Erving. “I’ve been watching him do this for about a year in a half now and he really has a knack for it. As a father standing on the sidelines, I’m very, very proud of him.”
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