Mark Pitts

Mark Pitts
Birth name Mark Pitts
Also known as Mark "Gucci" Pitts
Born Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Origin Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s) Producer, A&R Manager
Years active 1993–present
Labels RCA Records, ByStorm Entertainment, Bad Boy Entertainment, Arista Records
Website bystormentertainment.com

Mark Pitts is an American record producer, manager, and President of the urban music at RCA Records.[1] Pitts has either managed or produced musical tracks for a number of artists and performers including: Notorious B.I.G, Faith Evans, Miguel, J. Cole, Jawan Harris, Kardinal Offishall, Ciara, Chris Brown, Usher, TLC, Anthony Hamilton, and Cee Lo Green. Pitts has also co-produced Notorious (2009), Blue (2009) and I Got a Story to Tell: The Lyrics of Biggie Smalls.[2] He is currently the CEO of ByStorm Entertainment and President at RCA Records.[3]

Early Life & Career

Pitts was born in Brooklyn, NY. He was first introduced to the music industry by his Grandmother who was classically trained piano teacher, she began giving Pitts lessons at the early age of four. Pitts spent 8 years of his childhood at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and later continued learning music at the High School of Music and Performing Arts where he also studied Music and Art. His professional music career started in the early 90's, prior to entering Howard University when he formed a rap group that was called Three Left. Pitts was a founding member of the group. He intended to pitch the rap group to his friend Sean Combs who was working at Uptown Records at the time.[4] After a meeting with Combs, Pitts decided that he wanted to work behind the scenes. In 1993, he started working with his friend Sean Combs at the recording company Bad Boy Entertainment where he managed The Notorious B.I.G, Faith Evans, and Changing Faces.[5]

In 2000, Pitts was Senior Vice President of A&R for Arista Records, where he worked with Usher, TLC, Anthony Hamilton, and Cee Lo Green. In 2004 Pitts joined Zomba Label Group as a A&R executive and rose to become a president where he signed Chris Brown and Miguel. In 2008 Pitts was diagnosed with Bell Palsy which paralyzed left side of his face. In 2011, he became President of Urban Music under RCA Records. The ByStorm Entertainment's current roster includes Kardinal Offishall, J. Cole, Jawan Harris, and Miguel.[6][7] As president of RCA Records in 2013, Pitts gained major success with Miguel’s Kaleidoscope Dream which grabbed 5 Grammy Award nominations.[8] Same year, he had also shepherded Usher’s Looking 4 Myself and Brown's Future which topped the charts for the year.[9]

Recognition & Honors

Pitts was featured in Crain Magazine's "40 under 40" after the diagnosis.[10] Based on worldwide chart data in 2005, he was named "world's No.8 A&R of 2005" by the music industry A&R site HitQuarters for that year after success in breaking new artists Ciara and Chris Brown.[11]

Chosen Few discography

References

  1. ↑ Caitlin Carter (February 11, 2015). "Miguel New Album: RCA Records President Reveals Working Title, Release Date & More". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "Mark Pitts". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Shenequa Golding (February 11, 2015). "RCA's Mark Pitts Gives Details About Miguel's New Album And Title". Vibe. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mark Pitts". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "My Day: Mark Pitts, President of Urban Music, RCA Records & CEO of Bystorm Entertainment". September 20, 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Grammys 2015: Beyonce, Jay Z, Kanye, Pharrell Hit Up Roc Nation Pre-Awards Brunch". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Hudson Mohawke says he's working with Miguel". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (September 26, 2012). "Grammys Deadline Spurs Early Vinyl Releases From Cher Lloyd, Muse". Billboard. Los Angeles. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  9. ↑ Richard Conte. "Watch Usher And Nicki Minaj Tear The Club Up In 'She Came To Give It To You' Video". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Mark Pitts". October 12, 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Interview with MARK PITTS, A&R at Jive Records for Ciara (US No.1), Chris Brown (US No.1)". Retrieved 12 March 2015.
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