Media magnate Karen Civil is one of the most accurate and enterprising cultural connoisseurs of the 21st century. She understands the merged worlds of Hip Hop art, lifestyle, business, new media and corporate America like few others, past or present. Whether managing LA rap stars YG and Nipsey Hussle, driving the digital-marketing presence for south legends Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne, or interviewing emerging moguls for her mega popular Civil TV channel, the universally respected New Jersey-native is seemingly always in the midst of advancing an idea from the maybe-phase to a major stage. Some, a select few, are simply born to be CEO’s. If Hip Hop were a publicly traded corporation, Civil would undoubtedly be appointed its Chief Exec.
Perhaps most admired for building her empire based on integrity and inspiration rather than boardroom bullying and bad business, the ever-sophisticated and refreshingly soft-spoken Civil spent her 30th birthday in Haiti for the unveiling of the Live Civil Playground – a place for the children to play and foster friendships. In a time when it seems the common sentiment is every man and woman for his and herself, three of Civil’s latest ventures offer a unifying aptitude of togetherness and shared experiences which counter the commonplace.
On Karen’s “Live Civil Tour” she visits universities nationwide, speaking directly to an audience of collegiate up-and-comers representative of the very eagerness for growth and understanding she, herself, embodied while their age not long ago. In addition, the “Civil Brunch” series recently enjoyed its 4th annual meeting of women of industry minds last month in Los Angeles, and Civil’s first book: “Live Civil: 5 Ways of Unlocking Your Potential”, is comprised of authentic affirmations it’s author actually utilizes to guide her own life and career.
The cultural artige’ – and her intoxicating eyes, enchanting smile, and poised presence – spoke with editor ToneSwep for an exclusive Pure DOPE interview to dish on Hip Hop’s next wave in music and media, where she sees her career in the next 10 years, and how she would consult Tupac’s career were he a client of hers today. Karen is Hip Hop’s ambitious young boss, our Civil warrior working to connect and protect what we’ve allowed to become divided and left vulnerable – the very art form and enterprise we created. Our world will be more civilized once visualized through Civil’s eyes. #LiveCivil
Written by: ToneSwep
Hair: Joilisa B for Snob Life Studios
MUA: Make Up By Oz for Snob Life Studios
Images: Halo
Styling: India Monae
(ToneSwep: TS) Let’s revisit your early years, before this eponymous media empire. What were the early interests of a young girl named Karen growing up in New Jersey?
(Karen Civil) I was fascinated with the internet from very early on. I liked Immature and the Back Street Boys, liked hanging with my friends like any other normal kid. I liked Goose Bumps books and Nickelodeon. I was your average kid in many ways. I was big on the internet, because I found it as a way where I could have fun and be engaging. And at that time we used to have pen pals. I had a pen pal in China, so it was great to talk to people anywhere in the world and I always thought it was amazing. And I also found that I had more in common with people outside of my state, or even out of the country. We had the same interests, similar ideas. The internet has always proven to be my great connector.
(TS) What was your first paid job ever? How well did you do in the role?
(Karen Civil) I worked in a day care center. And it’s crazy because they still owe me my last month’s pay (Laughs!). I loved it though. I loved it. It was phenomenal. It was the day care for the church I attended. I used my first check to buy something that I really wanted. I just wanted to buy something with my own money, and it felt so free and empowering to do that. It was a great feeling to have my own money that I earned and to be able to buy something I really wanted with it.
(TS) You’re an 80’s baby, and a Jersey girl, so as a teenager growing up on the east coast during the golden era of Hip Hop’s lucrative big budget video, seven figure record deal 90’s, how did you initially adapt when rap shifted to the trap beat, strip clubbing’, indie grind south? Seems like you embraced it early having worked with Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy early on.
(Karen Civil) It’s crazy because I fell in love with Tupac. I really did, and I loved Biggie Smalls but also had a big fascination with music and culture outside of my region and local radio stations and began gravitating to artists from everywhere. The internet was giving me access to music outside of my radio region. I would download music from the south and the west coast. What brought me to Jeezy was this, even though it was rap, it was just like motivation music. A hidden message in everything he did. It was rap, and trap, but then he was taking you to the church at the same time. And I loved what that represented.
(TS) In the last few years we’ve embraced a wave of rap and R&B talent from Canada with artists like Drake, Melanie Fiona, and several others. Where do you sense the next stream of Hip Hop talent will derive from? And will we as readily embrace it?
(Karen Civil) I think what’s kinda great is that we go through these regional spurts. The east will win. The west will win. The south will win. I don’t want to pinpoint one certain region, and I also think that possibly… possibly… the music may start to defy region. We’ll have to wait and see, but I sense this may be the case.
(TS) Initially, you applied for an internship with Angie Martinez at Hot 97 but ended up interning with Funkmaster Flex instead. Do you feel any different career path or focal point would have laid before you had you worked with Angie instead of Flex?
(Karen Civil) I think anytime you alter your life and direction it changes the path lying before you. But I am happy how it worked out, and I feel that either way it would have been a great experience.
(TS) Recently at Hot 97 Rosenberg said on air that Wendy Williams is a gossip queen who’s never made any viable contribution to our culture, and went on to address Williams’ perceived failings in producing the Aaliyah biopic on Lifetime. As a connoisseur of our culture, do you feel his comments are accurate in anyway?
(Karen Civil) I definitely think emotion is running high among so many because it was done so poorly. Right now, Wendy is doing things for ratings and money. People take issue with her motivation for doing things. I respect her as a business woman, and I commend her on her success. But the project was just done very poorly and that is what people are finding fault with. Poor production on her part. And then the way she didn’t even want to acknowledge her counterparts. It shows where she is right now in terms of her motivations for doing things.
(TS) When consulting directly with a client, specifically a musician who is reluctant to utilize social media or enter the web and mobile spaces, what is your method of convincing them to embrace change? You were instrumental in spearheading both Dipset’s ecommerce success with DipsetMixtapes.com and also Lil Wayne’s weezythanxyou.com, among others.
(Karen Civil) There’s no convincing. Either they want to do this or not. I’m not pitching anyone. If this is something you want to do and be a part of, then you will. I’m not a seller. I’m not going to sell you on how to be a better artist. That’s something you have to want for yourself before you ask me for my assistance, or for my company’s representation. You have to identify what’s important to you as an artist, pinpoint the goals important to you for your career. I can’t talk you into wanting more for yourself and your career.
(TS) Paul Rivera, then an executive at Beats by Dre, was quoted as saying: “We’re all in a relationship-based business, and (Karen’s) mastered relationships.” How has a self-described ‘anti-social girl in a social world’ managed to accomplish this mastering of relations?
(Karen Civil) I’m a giver more than I’m a taker. People realize that with me. People recognize that I’m real, and coming from a place of good intention. I’m very passionate. I‘m a lover. I want to see people do well. I want people to win. Life is bigger than this business, so we need to all realize and embrace the fact that stepping on someone else to get where you are going won’t work in the long run. You are ruining relationships that will be valuable to you instead of building. That thinking is counterproductive. Loving life and uplifting each other is what it’s about. Build with people. Help each other grow. This is what I am about and people feel that. And it positively affects my relationships in life and in business.
(TS) Pusha T is quoted as saying: “(Karen) taught me how to keep my fans engaged beyond the music.” Why is it vital that entertainers, athletes, and other celebrities build their brands into businesses beyond the initial art form or enterprise they are known for?
(Karen Civil) Everything is a business now. Society has made it easier now, but it’s also important that you can’t just be that one thing because even though it’s easier to start something it’s harder to keep it going. There are so many opportunities to succeed now. Your job nowadays is business, your business. To expand on what you started with.
(TS) Earlier you mentioned an appreciation for Tupac Shakur, who was an actor, rapper, poet, and activist with the fashion sense of a model and the masculinity of an alpha male. Were you to engage 2Pac at the height of his career, say around “Me Against The World” times in like ’93, what groundbreaking moves would you have Makaveli making in today’s celeb-lovin’ world?
(Karen Civil) Tupac was so innovative. So far ahead. He spoke so eloquently. I love everything he stood for. I admire the type of individual he was. So it’s honestly up in the air. With him you never knew what you were going to get. I think only he could predict his next move. He was such an incredible individual with so many talents and professions, so you just never knew what he would come up with next. I would have to see what place he was in, what he was working on, what his goals were and then go from there. He could have been retired from rapping and acting, and running for government office. He truly had that kind of potential.
(TS) Your website reads: “When taken full advantage of, life is the most beautiful gift in the world and positive thoughts, actions and vibes can pay dividends.” Why do you believe this?
(Karen Civil) Because we don’t take advantage of all the opportunities given to us. You can be a chef, a nurse, a jeweler or designer. Everything is at your fingertips. You can no longer use excuses like you don’t have the education or knowhow, because you can learn by teaching yourself. You can learn so much just by utilizing the internet and also from other people. We can learn from each other’s ideas, put our heads together and create so many opportunities.
(TS) How influential is Black Twitter? Many in the conservative set cringe at the very idea that a racial subset of Twitter even exists, while others site the relevance of the opinion-versus-fact feedback delivered in the Tweets.
(Karen Civil) Black Twitter definitely has some influence, especially with certain things that happen within society that is of importance to the culture. Like a swift response, quick action. Black Twitter enables that. Recently, I was looking at a young lady who was discussing how someone came into her salon, got their hair done, and left without paying. Black Twitter made the incident larger than life. The story got out to so many other people and outlets so fast that they found the person who left the salon without paying. She was arrested. Just like anything else Black Twitter has its good and bad. People do, of course, use it for other purposes. Some are not positive.
(TS) Speaking specifically of Hip Hop and Rap, what role does the record label play in the success of today’s artist? Many artists are electing to remain independent, but the indie route doesn’t work for everyone.
(Karen Civil) The label can’t be responsible for everything anymore. You have to come pre-packaged. Like now you need to have your own PR, your own management team, your own merchandising. Times have changed. You can’t look at the past and reflect on a time when the star-makers, the accomplished label executives, would make you a star. Those people aren’t there anymore. When they were, their role was vital but this was before we had social media. We live in a fast-paced society now and artists have to be pre-packaged as a brand before they get to the label, who will then function as more of a business partner.
(TS) As an example of what we’re discussing, even with the Top 40 success of her hit single “2 On” Tinashe’s debut album only sold 18k units the first week. What does that translate into in terms of the project being viewed as a pass or fail? Because she is still touring, gaining popularity, and remains one of the year’s breakout artists.
(Karen Civil) She is a great example, you’re right. For her, she’s touring. She has endorsements. She’s still doing records, releasing new singles. Tinashe makes really good singles. The album isn’t the end-all-be-all for her. She’s still releasing videos, music, features with other artists. She performs often. She’s doing more remixes. Singles are more her thing, but when you sign with a label you are contractually obligated to deliver an album. She fulfilled that obligation. The album is out now. She’s performing. Her career is off to a great start.
(TS) Name two celebrities – whether athletes or entertainers, really no matter the industry – who should be working with Karen Civil right now to expand their enterprise and maximize their potential. Tell us why.
(Karen Civil) I wish I could name two (Laughs!). But I don’t look at it like: ‘You should be working with me’. I like to work with the people I meet and we decide to come together after getting to know and understand each other. YG, Nipsey Hussle, Jeezy, I understand who they are. I know where they want to go.
(TS) What inspired the “Be You & Live Civil” college tour? You’ve spoken at NYU, Syracuse, and Howard recently. That’s amazing.
(Karen Civil) It leads back to marketing and branding myself. You’re not expecting a Hip Hop blogger to go on tour. So I’m on tour. I treat my career like an artist. I’m having engaging conversations with people who watch my channel, who follow and support me. I am meeting with my audience and giving them my backstory. I want them to feel connected to me and know my story. And seeing all of the talented and ambitious young people who are studying to further themselves is so inspiring to me.
(TS) Are your Business Brunches an extension of that, or to serve a completely different agenda? Geared more specifically to influential women of industry correct?
(Karen Civil) The brunches are definitely something that is just for a select group of women. I invite individuals into my home for a networking experience, a meeting of the minds, and also to continue to build that sisterhood and camaraderie that is so needed.
(TS) Last month you visited Haiti and unveiled the Live Civil Playground. Congratulations on that coming to fruition. Nothing short of amazing. During your speech to the children of Haiti you mentioned the “Power of Play”. Elaborate, if you will. Share with us what you mean by that.
(Karen Civil) It’s so very important for children to play. When it comes to growth and friendships, understanding others, building relationships and resolving disputes. Being able to find that joy as a child and relieve the stress of your environment. This is all accomplished through play.
(TS) Why is it important for you to have aspirations while also being an inspiration? Your life and career clearly exemplify that? You win the right way.
(Karen Civil) I think that I’m just all about integrity. People are just caught up in winning. It’s about how my parents raised me. I respect them, and by respecting myself and others I am paying homage to my parents and how they raised me, you know. Thousands of women look up to me. Win on your own terms. You don’t have to lower your standards just to win, and you shouldn’t try to tear others down just to win. It isn’t necessary to do that.
(TS) Do you think America is ready for a woman President? If so, who do you feel is the lady best suited for chief of state?
(Karen Civil) You never know. We have a Black president. We didn’t think that was going to happen and it did. I can’t really say who would be the best female candidate, but I certainly do believe it could happen.
(TS) Recently we watched a subtle but significant shift in media with the cancellation of BET’s 106 & Park after 14 years, and the digital-only version of VIBE magazine after nearly two decades in print. What do these adjustments represent for the culture and new media in your opinion?
(Karen Civil) Digital has its importance. People turn on their phones before they turn on their TV’s. We used to read the newspaper or listen to the radio for our news, and many still do, but now most go to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or some other social media platform. These shows and publications have to catch up with the times. It goes back to programming. Certain things have to be forecasted and planned ahead. You have to be ahead of the curve, not behind it.
(TS) Your book, “Live Civil: 5 Ways of Unlocking your Potential” is set to arrive. Why was it a priority for you to enter into the literary space to reach readers with your message?
(Karen Civil) It’s something new to me and something I always wanted to do. I set out to accomplish a lot of different things, set so many goals for myself, when I was around 12 or 13. And I am still crossing things off my list (Laughs!). Being an author was a big goal of mine from early on in life, as a young girl. I hope to write more books after this one and also continue to reference that long, long list of big dreams.
(TS) You turned 30 earlier this month. What does 30 represent for you as a young woman, for you as a media magnate and entrepreneur?
(Karen Civil) It honestly represents growth. I’m in a new place. I feel like I’m at a point where I need to make sure my decisions are correct. Things are falling into place and I just want to continue to focus, be smart, work hard, and think ahead. Continue to build on the foundation I have established so far.
(TS) When we do this again in ten years, Karen, what position do you plan to be in both personally and professionally and what will be the theme of that day’s conversation between you and I?
(Karen Civil) Hopefully I can continue to live in my purpose. And I hope to be showcasing that you can have the best of both worlds, which is finding and maintaining success in both business and family. I hope to be a living, working, winning example of that.
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