“After years as a successful record company executive I wanted more. I wanted to make an even bigger impact in the arts. I wanted a family, I wanted more creative collaborations, I wanted more involvement in the community. Social good was on my mind. I wanted change.” — Karen Marie Mason

Karen Marie Mason is without question a Jamaican pioneer in the international music, film and entertainment industries. Another one of our unsung heroes, if you will. According to Sylvia Rhone, CEO of Epic Records, who is considered the most influential female executive in the history of the music business:

“Karen has a breadth of experience and depth of knowledge that truly sets her apart”.

Hailing from Reading/Montego Bay in the parish of St James in western Jamaica, Karen attended college in the USA before pursuing a 30-year career as a music marketing executive with major labels, where she worked with artistes such as Mary J Blige, The Fugees, Missy Elliott, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, En Vogue, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill, Kriss Kross, and Super Cat. In her illustrious and exemplary career as a music industry executive, Mason was director of marketing at Sony Music and head of Black Music Marketing at East/West Elektra. She also provided services as artiste manager and consultant.

One of the first record deals I worked on as an attorney was representing Super Cat and his then Manager Robert Livingston in their signing with Columbia Records in the early 1990s. That’s when I first came in contact with Karen Mason as a record company executive. She was the first Jamaican woman I interacted with who was involved at a high level in the international music industry. Her determination to assist, inform and guide young artistes (particularly from her homeland Jamaica) had a very significant impact on me, and we remained friends and colleagues ever since.

The 1990s represent the years when several reggae and dancehall artistes and producers broke into the global music market space with the support of USA-based major labels. Included among these are some of the projects that benefited from Mason’s branding and marketing expertise. The Super Cat album Don Dada released by Columbia in 1992 was one of the first dancehall albums released by a major label. Karen Mason is credited with providing the marketing direction that helped to transform Super Cat from a local Jamaican star to a household name internationally. The big global hit Informer, recorded by Snow and produced by Toronto-based Jamaican Marvin Prince, also benefited from Karen’s expertise and guidance, as did Action by Nadine Sutherland and Terror Fabulous.

After a very successful stint as a record company executive, Karen Mason was quoted as saying:

“… I wanted more. So I began creating collaborative and innovative programmes that combined my love for marketing and branding with my desire to do social good and bring about change”.

In her quest to bring about change in the music and entertainment industries, Mason was very active as a guest speaker and consultant, and designed and supported creative programmes and collaborations aimed at uplifting artistes and brands.

Throughout my many years of participation in music industry trade conferences such as MIDEM in France, SXSW in Austin, Texas, the Jamaica Music Conference in Kingston, and the New Music Seminar in New York, Mason was the only other Jamaican music industry professional I would see at all the trade shows I attended. Her passion for Jamaican music and the advancement of the music industry is revealed in the many local music projects she supported and participated in. One of her most rewarding and satisfying experiences was being invited to be special guest judge on the televised talent competition Digicel Rising Stars in Jamaica.

For the past eleven years Mason has struggled with and been fighting her breast cancer diagnosis. This did not in any way weaken her resolve to be an influencer and change maker in the global music industry. Her willingness to provide artistes and music producers with music business development advice and guidance continued to be felt and experienced by the hundreds of independent artistes who tune in to her various blogs, live presentations and social media music business information and networking initiatives.

In May 2015 she established the Facebook group Artist Launch as a private members only initiative designed for the exchange of ideas and information to support, inform and assist artistes with the launch and development of their brand. According to Mason:

“I started the group on May 31. I was headed to the MIDEM music conference in Cannes and I wanted to create a space where I could share all the latest information from the conference with you. It has been apparent to me for quite some time that there is a power shift in the business. This shift will work in our favour but we must stay informed. So with Artist Launch I will share everything I know with you. I trust that you will do the same with the group. I am focused on creating a supportive space for creatives.”

After her diagnosis with stage IV cancer, she established HealingATL, a mental health initiative and online destination to inspire, uplift, and promote healing for black women. HealingATL brings carefully crafted, curated content for those seeking healing, and leverages its supporters as well as supporters of the featured artistes, to amplify the work of non-profit organisations. It is also a platform for promoting the artistes who create healing music to share with the world. The first project from HealingATL, Through The Stages, Vol 1 is a compilation of music featuring artistes such as Chantae Cann, Mereba, Sunni Patterson, and TEN. Proceeds from Through The Stages, Vol 1 will benefit Silence The Shame, an Atlanta-based non-profit headed by American music industry executive, marketing consultant, philanthropist and author, Shanti Das.

It is not often that a record company executive is adored, loved and seen as family and mentor by the artistes they support. Karen Marie Mason is truly a rare breed. Her impact has been felt by many in the local and international music community. Mason passed away last Tuesday. She is without doubt a hero and inspiration to many, and the glowing and sincere tributes expressed upon the sad news of her transition speak volumes.

Farewell, my friend and colleague. You have been a source of inspiration and encouragement. Your contribution to the music, and entertainment industries will be celebrated and recognised. We shall miss you.

Lloyd Stanbury is a Jamaican music industry professional with a wide range of international experience. His expertise includes the practice of entertainment law, artist management, music production, event promotion, research, creative industries policy development, and lecturing. He started his journey in the business of music in 1983 as a concert promoter in Jamaica, and was instrumental in the establishment of the world’s first all reggae radio station IRIE FM in 1990. He has organised many music events, and was chairman (1999 to 2004), of the Caribbean Music Expo convention and trade fair. Stanbury is the author of the book Reggae Roadblocks, A Music Business Development Perspective, and is a partner in Majesty Media.