“We’re the Ivy League of independent labels.” – Zack Johnson

“Being an entrepreneur is just in my blood. I’m always finding solutions to problems around me.” – Teague Egan

“I’ve always been a go getter.” – Zack Johnson

I have been fortunate enough to talk with the people around the rising young rapper, Sam Adams. We always get to hear about the face, but what about the people who helped bring that face to the surface? Those people for Sam Adams are Teague Egan and Zack Johnson. These two guys have been best friends for 7 years. They have a pretty cool story on how their company, 1^st Round Records, began. For those who don’t know, 1st Round Records is the independent record label Sam Adams and G Curtis are signed on.

Once upon a time on July 6, 2009, Teague was out visiting Zack in Nantucket for his 21^st Birthday. Teague will now take you back to the beginning: “We were on the beach and I saw Sam free styling against one of my other friends I brought out from California. When I saw them battling against each other, it just hit me right in the face that this is something that people enjoy. There were probably 80-100 people surrounding them. If there was that much attraction to what was going on and something that people liked, I figured I could turn this around and make it into a business.”

BOOM! And just like that Teague and Zack began working on 1^st Round Records. To tell you a little more about Teague, he’s a serious entrepreneur. He started his first business in high school and prior to starting 1^st Round Records, he was working on 1^st Round Entertainment full time, which is a company that promotes and throws parties in the Los Angeles area. Zack and Teague were always interested in doing business together, so when the opportunity with Sam came about, they jumped on it. Teague actually made 1^st Round Records a branch off of his entire 1^st Round company. In addition to the 1^st Round Records branch there is 1^st Round Sports, 1^st Round Capital, 1^st Round Pictures, and 1^st Round Entertainment. Pretty intelligent of Teague to form a whole plethora of companies around the main one. We asked Teague his goals for 1^st Round: “What were really going after with 1^st Round is to make it a lifestyle brand where the term 1^st Round is all about being in the winners circle.” That motto has spoken with Sam Adams and his #1 album on iTunes.

Teague and Zack know how to get things done. I was freakin’ shocked when I found out how fast they moved with everything. Soon after the guys decided to start 1^st Round Records, Zack moved out to Los Angeles to join Teague. I asked Teague how it was for them getting into a business so quickly with little knowledge. He answered, “We kind of just jumped in head first. Zack typed up a little contract online and we signed on Sam. We really had no idea what we were doing.” An independent label taking a no name rapper to the top of iTunes…yup. These dudes’ prove what happens when you set your mind on something and work your ass off for it.

What about college?

Teague: Last semester he had to drop a class. He’s going to keep going to school, but is going to take 2 classes a semester and graduate a year later.

Zack: After two years at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Zack decided to dropout and head to Los Angeles where an opportunity awaited him.

Bombarded with people claiming to be the next Sam Adams?

Teague: “I have people saying, ‘I got this buddy over here that sings, I know this guy that raps’ We got 1 in a million, so lucky with Sam Adams.”

Zack: “We have a lot of emails coming in daily. I never really turn anybody down, but you’ve got to be really selective about who you choose on a label.”

G Curtis?!

Zack: “I was at a local dive bar in Los Angeles. There was a live band playing and it was a group of guys that kind of looked like they knew what they were doing, but the lead singer really caught my eye and his name was G Curtis. I went up to him while he was performing and he wasn’t actually singing, and just humming into the mic, but I could tell he had vocals.”

Where will 1^st Round be in 3 years?

Teague: I see our label having around anywhere from 6-9 artists. I think that Sam is probably going to be winning Grammy’s here and there. Our next album for Sam is probably going to go platinum.
(They’ve actually discussed working with Drake, Taylor Swift, and David Guetta – I would love to see collaborations with each of those people).

How have you been dealing with all the craziness?

Zack: “I stay composed, realizing I’m going to be the same guy I was a year ago.”

Working with friends?

Zack: “It’s cool that we’re friends and I disagree with the people that say to not do business with friends.”

Advice?

Zack: “The best advice I can give to any college kid that has an opportunity of a lifetime – don’t second-guess it. If you believe in it, follow your heart.”

Teague and Zack are doing big things and have the mindset to continue to do so. They have an exciting future ahead and if they keep producing talent like Sam Adams and G Curtis, they will be the next major record label…

Listen to the jam by Sam Adams and G Curtis – Still I Rise

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Check out our interview with Sam Adams
Also check out our interview with Sam’s manager, Alex Stern