Steve Stoute
Born: 1972
Age: 33

Legend has it that Diddy beat up Steve Stoute with a champagne bottle for including scenes it the 'Hate Me Now' video that Diddy didn't want included.

Named as one of the 'Hot 35 Under 35s' by New York Magazine and Winner of ‘Power Broker of the Year’ at 2004 VIBE Awards, Stoute is hip hop’s link to corporate America. He's come along way from carrying Kid-N-Play’s luggage to being President of urban music at Interscope, Geffen and A&M. He was Nas’s manager from ‘It Was Written’ album through to the ‘Hate Me Now’ incident (when Nas left Stoute for Violator Management).

He now runs his own Brand Management firm - Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging – in New York. His clients include McDonalds, Yahoo, Tommy Hilfiger, Hewlett Packard and Reebok. He was the brainchild behind McDonald’s I’m Lovin It campaign and Reebok’s hip hop makeover. He’s made some big power moves – hooking up Jay-Z and 50 Cent with Reebok and Destiny’s Child with McDonalds. If a hip hop star wants to make some serious paper they call up Steve Stoute.

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