Mixed and Mastered

Rob “Reef” Tewlow on The Source, Biggie, and Building Hip-Hop Media

Send us a textFrom graffiti tags to global playlists, Rob “Reef” Tewlow has been at the center of hip-hop’s evolution for 30+ years—and this episode maps the whole arc. Reef walks us through NYC in the late ’70s/’80s, bounces from BU to NYU, and lands at The Source where he helps build the legendary mic-rating system and champions era-defining records. He then pivots to A&R at Atlantic/Big Beat (Artifacts, Lil’ Kim, Junior M.A.F.I.A.), slides behind the boards (an early Eminem cut; 50 Cent’s “What Up Gangsta”), and shares fly-on-the-wall moments with Biggie, Puff, Primo, and more—right down to how greats learn to write hits.Reef also breaks down launching Eminem’s Shade 45 at SiriusXM, his leap to Apple Music (now leading hip-hop/R&B/reggae mixes), and why new tools like AI-powered stems are turbocharging real DJ creativity. It’s history, craft, and blueprint-level career wisdom—analog heart, digital hustle. This is Mixed and Mastered with Datwon Thomas.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Datwon Thomas: Part 2

Send us a textIn Part 2 of our conversation with Datwon Thomas, we trace his path from creating King Magazine to producing some of the biggest shows on television. He shares how his vision for a lifestyle publication—once rejected—became a cultural force that gave us iconic covers with stars like Tyra Banks, expanded into Rides Magazine, and helped launch XXL’s legendary Freshman List.Datwon opens up about his leap from print to digital at Global Grind, to live television with Dick Clark Productions, where he produced the American Music Awards and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. He also reflects on surviving open-heart surgery in 2022, reminding us that no career milestone matters without your health. From Brooklyn’s hip-hop roots to Hollywood’s biggest stages, Datwon’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and cultural impact.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Datwon Thomas: Part 1

Send us a textFrom Brooklyn to Tokyo and back again, Datwon Thomas’ story is as global as it is deeply rooted in hip-hop. In Part 1, he shares how growing up during the crack era, moving to Japan in the mid-’80s, and facing both culture shock and racism shaped his worldview long before he became an architect of music media.Datwon walks us through his early hustle—interning at VIBE, boldly cold-calling XXL’s Reginald Dennis, and turning deep knowledge of the culture into paid opportunities that launched his career. Along the way, he reflects on the golden era of hip-hop, the mentors who opened doors, and the relationships that would carry him through XXL, King, and eventually to producing some of the biggest stages in entertainment.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell: Part 2

Send us a textIn Part 2 of our conversation with Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell, we follow her journey from LaFace Records—where she went from publicity to marketing and helped launch Usher’s My Way—through the politics of Arista, HBO’s digital experiment, and Jive Records. She shares raw stories of industry clashes, the reality of being paid not to work during her most lucrative years, and the constant challenges of being a Black woman executive in a business built on loyalty and power plays. Along the way, Lisa gives us a front-row seat to artist development at its highest stakes, from guiding a teenage Chris Brown to shaping how international audiences experienced some of the biggest names in R&B.Lisa also opens up about her transition into coaching and why mentorship alone won’t sustain the next generation of creatives. For her, true patronage—the intentional act of surrounding emerging talent with the support they need to succeed—is what built her own career and what’s missing in today’s music and media landscape. It’s a conversation that mixes career highs and industry politics with timeless lessons on leadership, resilience, and the future of creative communities.This is Mixed and Mastered with Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell: Part 1

Send us a textIn Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Jeffrey Sledge welcomes industry vet Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell for a deep dive into her early life and rise in music. From growing up in New York and navigating a volatile home, to founding We Three Marketing and landing at Uptown and LaFace, Lisa shares candid stories of resilience, risk-taking, and working with icons like Andre Harrell, Mary J. Blige, and TLC.A raw and inspiring look at how she carved her path in a business that wasn’t built to support women—and why her story still resonates today. Tune in for Part 1 now, and stay locked for Part 2 where the story continues.This is Mixed and Mastered with Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Caron Veazey

Send us a textThis week, Jeffrey sits down with the incomparable Caron Veazey — a music industry force whose career has spanned MCA, Epic, RCA, Island Def Jam, global marketing at Sony, and nearly a decade managing Pharrell Williams. Caron shares her journey from growing up in the DMV to discovering the music business at NBC’s Saturday Night Live, championing artists across genres, and helping shape landmark moments like Rage Against the Machine x Wu-Tang Clan, Christina Aguilera’s Stripped era, and Pharrell’s “Happy.” She opens up about navigating a male-dominated industry without being pigeonholed, the global impact of music, the founding of Black Music Action Coalition, and what it means to create space for artists — and executives — to be their full, multidimensional selves.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Best Of...

Send us a textIn this special Best Of episode, Jeffrey Sledge celebrates the first 25 episodes of Mixed and Mastered by revisiting three unforgettable moments that capture the soul of the series. From Faith Newman’s raw, hilarious, and inspiring stories of being one of the first five employees at Def Jam, to Joseph Patel’s emotional journey from Sundance to Oscar night (yes, that Oscars), to Grace Harry’s behind-the-scenes insight into managing Usher during a pivotal career transformation—these are the stories that show just how much grit, vision, and vulnerability it takes to shape the music industry from the inside.If you've been riding with us, thank you. If you're just tuning in, this episode is the perfect place to start. Welcome to Mixed and Mastered.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emil Wilberkin

Send us a textThis week on Mixed and Mastered, host Jeffrey Sledge sits down with journalist, tastemaker, and cultural force Emil Wilbekin for a deeply personal and powerful conversation. From his roots in Cincinnati to shaping the voice of Vibe Magazine during hip-hop’s golden era, Emil reflects on the journey that made him one of the most influential Black voices in media.They talk fashion, identity, HBCU pride, and breaking barriers—especially what it meant to be an openly gay Black man in a historically homophobic industry. Emil opens up about the support that carried him, the resistance he faced, and the legacy he's building through Native Son, a platform created to empower Black queer men.This is Mixed and Mastered with Emil Wilbekin.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wardell Malloy

Send us a textPrepare for an electrifying episode of "Mixed and Mastered" as Jeffrey Sledge sits down with the legendary Wardell Malloy! Journey from the vibrant streets of the Bronx to the epicenter of the music industry, where Wardell shares his incredible path, working alongside icons like Chris Brown, Trey Songz, and Mariah Carey. Dive into the art of mentorship, the thrill of discovering new talent, and Wardell's creative passion for photography. With tales of nurturing future stars and insights into the music business, this episode is a must-listen for music lovers and aspiring executives alike. Don't miss this dynamic and inspiring conversation!Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dante Ross: Part 2

Send us a textIn Part 2 of our conversation with legendary A&R exec and producer Dante Ross, the ride gets even crazier.Dante breaks down the highs and lows of his time at Elektra and Def Jam, working with iconic artists like Brand Nubian, ODB, MF Doom, and Everlast. He shares the wild backstory of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues—from late-night jam sessions to a near-fatal heart attack that almost stopped the album before it started.We also get into the aftermath of success, chasing the next high, and why Dante finally decided to write the book everyone told him to write. This one’s about friendship, survival, reinvention—and keeping it honest.Support the showMixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and check out all our episodes at www.wearemerrickstudios.com/mixed-and-mastered-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices