We spoke to Pete Todd, founder of No Hats No Hoods to find out first hand what the ‘Get Paid Crew’ mentality is all about. How he went from nothing to a big something – with little more than a few good ideas and plenty of hard work…

 

What is No Hats No Hoods, where did it come from and what’s it about?

No Hats No Hoods was born from putting on grime club nights in London when it was virtually impossible to do so and has evolved into a record label, merchandising and publishing company. One of things that first drew me to grime was the creative DIY mentality and that there weren’t any rules – it’s a strong part of our ethos. We are a proudly British company and represent the culture just as much as the music we put out.

What have been your biggest achievements to date?

One of the highlights for the label was Tempa T – Next Hype – we shot the video for virtually nothing but it just caught on with our audience and is now on 4.7 million views with no radio or TV play. At the start of the year Urban Outfitters got in touch to say they wanted to stock it in all their stores throughout Europe, which a big achievement as they are a large clothes retailer and hardly stock any music.

What experience/background did you have before then?

I worked for a music promotions company called Soul 2 Streets and learned how to promote and market tracks. My business partner at the time worked for a PR company, which combined with our club night, gave us a good platform to start a label.

Who inspires you?

The way Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin started Def Jam from a college dorm, then went on to sell millions of records around the world is amazing.

What has been the biggest learning curve?

It is hard to say what our biggest learning curve has been – when we started the industry was a lot less developed and there weren’t really any role models or beaten paths for us to tread because of the transition from physical to digital. At first it was a bit daunting and we made loads of mistakes but it gives you a great confidence when you know you can turn an idea into reality through determination and creativity.

How does the term ‘Get Paid Crew’ resonate with you?

To me the Get Paid Crew Idea is that of independence and identity, and I think that’s the reason people buy our records and clothing – because we have a strong identity. We are very business minded when it comes to maximising our income streams, but it is all led by the creative process rather than the other way round.

How have you helped the community and how has it helped you?

Like all businesses having good relationships with the right people is very important, although when I started I knew no one in the industry and we built our reputation through merit rather than being brought in. However, we now do youth projects and seminars that always inspire me, because young people don’t have a fixed idea of how things should be done.

Any advice for young people hoping to follow in your footsteps?

Sometimes the path you originally set out on isn’t where you end up, so it’s always good to learn as much as you can about the industry and be as self sufficient as you can. Go to as many events as you can afford to and build relationships with as many people in the industry as you can. A guy I met handing me a flyer outside a club five years ago is now a senior A&R at a major label so be prepared to start from the bottom and work your way up.

Find out more about No Hats No Hoods: www.nohatsnohoods.com