The Essence:

Network Edutainment Group, LLC (N-E-G) is an independent music-based content company dedicated to creating, marketing, and selling its signature brand of authentic hip-hop music by leveraging new media & web 2.0. Working together as a creative collective, N.E.G. develops music that serves as a bridge between the catchiness of mainstream hip-hop and the consciousness of underground hip-hop.

Although we're in the business of selling music, we don't consider ourselves a traditional "record label" that solely relies on selling the conventional CD. With the growth of digital technology and new media comes a new type of music business, a business structured around "music-based content" such as digital albums, ring tones, ring-back tones, podcasts, and online music videos. We aim to stay at the fore front of this digital revolution by leveraging new media.

The Mission:

It seems that present-day hip-hop is characterized by two extremes; listeners are often forced to decide between generic "cookie-cutter" hip-hop dominated by monotonous themes and repetitive subject matter, or between overwhelmingly underground and abstract hip-hop. N-E-G has developed its own market niche. It’s for those listeners who want a healthy balance in their hip-hop, not just one extreme or the other. We're the bridge between the mainstream and underground.

N-E-G was never formed with the intention of being an underground boutique record label or "pigeon-holing" itself. We were established with mainstream success in mind, in order to reach those people who pattern their actions and values after what they hear on commercial radio and television. We embarked on this venture because we feel that you can (1) make music with substance, (2) have mass appeal and (3) make money all at the same time; it's not impossible. Some companies seem blatantly insulting in how un-original they are and the modern listener demands more…more authenticity, more originality, and more not so watered-down.

A story is defined as "a narration of the events in the life of a person or the existence of a thing, or such events as a subject for narration." The journey of N-E-G and its four co-owners resembles a distant dream more than a narration. Yet it's nothing near an illusion...it's the raw truth of what a small group of determined young people have aspired for.

It started more than 22 years ago, at the birth of these four young men, but for the purpose of this excerpt we'll start at the year 2003.  Some may say that the stars aligned, yet others may call it a coincidence.  Regardless of the various explanations, the fact is that Kelvin "Kel" Murphy, John "Loj" Mouzon, Akshay Shrimanker, and Jeremy O'Brien found themselves first meeting each other at their mutual workplace, a dead-end retail store where dreams and aspirations were all too often crushed.  Yet, the cool hand resilience of these men would eventually trump the stagnant environment of their "corporate plantation."

Although they were all brought together by a confining job the first, and strongest, bond that they all made was the love of hip-hop culture. Kel, always the outgoing personality, grew tired of telling people about some great new artist he just finished listening to, only to be met by blank stares.  Kel spoke to the new guy at work one day and after the conversation he realized that the new employee, Loj, was a hip-hop head also.  He found out that Loj was someone who took deep interest in wordplay and metaphors of songs.  Kel and Loj both appreciated music where the artist showed care for his craft and made music with a message.  It was at this point that they decided to take Kel's passion for music, his hustle mentality, and Loj's love for penning lyrics to the next level.  Around the same time that Kel and Loj were carving out their plan, they were building with two other co-workers who had a deep passion for hip-hop as well.  Kel and Jeremy's first connection over hip-hop seemed more like a game of Jeopardy than anything else.  While Kel strolled by Jeremy as he worked, he overheard Jeremy reciting some very familiar lyrics...those of the late Big L.  Kel, startled at the discovery of another hip-hop aficionado, abruptly asked Jeremy if he knew whose lyrics he was reciting.   After Jeremy gave Kel the answer he was looking for Kel began to throw out random verses from some of his other favorite MCs of all-time...and Jeremy solidified his reputation by naming every question correctly. 

As time passed like hands on clocks all four young men realized how much they had in common with each other.  Not only did they appreciate and value hip-hop culture, but they had an equally passionate disgust for being exploited by their employer.  In their own distinct way, they each longed for freedom and independence, something that seemed unattainable in their present situation.  As free spirits, they thought on a much different level than many of their peers who aimed to achieve "success" by working for someone else.  Aside from an anti-authority stance, they all disliked the representation of hip-hop culture in the media.  They all felt strongly about disconnected executives at major record labels running hip-hop music into the ground and pulling strings while understanding nothing about hip-hop culture. The four of them agreed that the means of production of hip-hop music should be controlled by those who have knowledge and love for hip-hop, not some detached old men in suits.  Their beliefs were and still are that hip-hop should be well-balanced; all types of music within the genre should receive equal airplay, not just the one-dimensional songs.  The mainstream representation of hip-hop seemed to lack music with any substance, something which was unacceptable in the minds of these future entrepreneurs.  Although the aspirations of these businessmen was geared towards hip-hop, one major point helped distinguish them from most other business executives...they planned to not only change the music industry, but their community and the world as a whole.  Very well-informed for their ages; Akshay, Jeremy, Kel, and Loj still remain dreamers and idealists.  They all share a common vision of using their power and wealth to influence social and political issues such as the education system and the prison-industrial complex, among many others.

Time continued to pass and their bonds grew ever stronger; they no longer socialized while eating up the clock at their "corporate plantation", but began to hang out regularly outside of their workplace.  Eventually they began to construct plans to bring their common values and aspirations together and create their own destiny. Under the guidance of Akshay and Jeremy, a formal business plan was put together, with the purpose not to receive a loan with strings attached, but to assist in their planning efforts.  The idea of starting a company around music that they grew up on seemed like second nature.  However, they still wanted to sow up their plans and construct a formidable manual in preparation for taking on the monopolized music industry.  Using the original name that Kel and Loj came up with, Network, relating to the vast connections and links that they maintain within their community, they decided to begin their branding campaign.  As a clear representation of what they wanted to accomplish, they decided to add "Edutainment" to their company name so that people would immediately understand what they stand for, and differentiate themselves from the thousands of small boutique labels who solely perform "Entertainment".  The research and analysis continued for more than 2 years while N-E-G insulated themselves and quietly built a foundation. 

During this same time N-E-G began to be courted, and still are to this day, by major label conglomerates looking to buy up all of the competition and continue the consolidation of the music industry.  Unmoved and unimpressed by these advances, N-E-G has remained on target with their original purpose and goal.  Working out of their headquarters in New York City it's obvious that they have a lot riding on their upcoming releases.  They look at the outcome of their upcoming releases not on the influence it will have on their own futures, but of the impact it will have on the futures of the youth.  All of this explains the calculated preparation that N-E-G has undertaken since their birth, because just like Malcolm X once said "the future belongs to those who prepare for it today."