Peter York Quotes

I have inherited two of the most important brands in hip-hop, Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella. Reid and Universal Music Group have given me the opportunity to manage the companies I have contributed to my whole career. I feel this is a giant step for me and the entire artist community.

Music is one of those businesses in which, if you're talented and hustle hard enough, you can make it - specifically as an entrepreneur. If you look as far back as Berry Gordy, Russell Simmons, Andre Harrell, L.A. Reid, and Sean 'Diddy' Combs, there's a whole lineage of successful black entrepreneurs who have built their own companies from scratch.

I always look at Akon as inspiration, and the fact that at one point Lady Gaga was signed to Konvict Muzik.

The only biography I read was about Al Bell, of Stax Records. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of Al Bell.

I came to California and got signed at a young age. And it's not like you see in the movies, where you start rubbing shoulders with Timbaland and Pharrell, and you become a giant pop star.

LL Cool J is a huge presence. He is a music mogul. He brings that experience and that life into the room.

Def Jam is an iconic label.

I have the weirdest career in hip-hop, and I say that because I started so young. I started So So Def when I was 17 years old.

Since I was 19, I've said, 'I'm gonna sign for a million.'

I don't want to be judged next to guys like Suge Knight. I want to be measured next to David Geffen, Irving Azoff, and Clive Davis. Whether I measure up or not, I let my record speak for me. That's how I want to be judged - by what I've done, not by what people like Ice Cube and Dr. Dre have said about me.

Birdman is probably one of the most intelligent music moguls out there.

Music reality shows are a good thing, especially for those seeking a career in music.

I don't think any of us can compete with Cowell. He is the best at what he does.

My lifelong friend and mentor Frank Barsalona is gone. And the music business as we knew it went with him.

I was signed to A&M, I was signed to Lou Adler, who had a company within a company, which was A&M Records, and everything - James Taylor, Rita Coolidge, Carole King - I worked on all of that stuff.

I know I'm no Whitney Houston.

We never had a billionaire brand in music; the closest thing we had was Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson sold 750 million records. I think we're gonna set the tone for other youngsters to make more money and see that a billion dollars can be accomplished.

You wouldn't find a Joni Mitchell on 'X Factor;' that's not the place. 'X Factor' is a specific thing for people that want to go through that process - it's a factory, you know, and it's owned and stitched-up by puppet masters.

An artist don't make you bigger than life - being that person that can break artists can make you bigger than life.

I'm a fan of Jay-Z, I'mma always be a fan of Jay-Z.

There are pop managers, and then there's Simon Cowell, who isn't gay, Jewish or particularly riveting. He's not without interest but he doesn't exactly have the hinterland of, say, Brian Epstein.

I would love to continue working behind the scenes in music - to produce and manage up-and-coming musical talent would be a dream!

I was signed by L.A. Reid on Arista Records when I was 16. He understood me and believed in me. Arista folded and I got put on RCA or whatever, then there were new people there, and every six months it changes and more new people come in.

I like Simon Cowell - look at how many great artists have come out of the U.K. because of him.

I've hung out with Jay-Z a couple of times, and he was awesome.