Quotes from Steve Stoute

I look at the artists as mini media companies, like if Beyonce is ESPN and Lady Gaga is Discovery.

At the root of any societal issue is human truth, especially those truths we find hard to confront.

I've started to believe that the agency business is a great ingredient of a much bigger business - more than just what typical advertising agencies have done.

There's much more money being brought into the advertising and communications business than in the music industry.

Nas has always been uncomfortable with being famous and accessible. Nas makes music because he loves music, not because he wants the trappings of music, such as fame.

'Rapper's Delight' came from the TV entertainment show 'Good Times,' but when the times called for a shift in the narrative, artists answered, covering brutal truths in their rhymes that were uncomfortable for society to confront.

I felt like I could take the responsibility and make the Nas movement bigger and not keep it confined to the Tri-State area, so to speak. He allowed me to do that. When we were together, we made a lot of noise, and I made him an international star.

To all of the artists that attend the Grammys: Stop accepting the invitation to be the upset of the year and demand that this body upholds its mission for advocacy and support of artistry as culture evolves. Demand that they change this system and truly reflect and truly acknowledge your art.

The diversity of America is a strength of the country, and I don't think that we use that. We don't talk about our strengths. I mean, having so many diverse people in this country from all aspects of all over the world, and we don't use that. I think we should talk about who we are - that melting pot that we've become.

Brands are spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to get to young people by using music as the vehicle. Being able to use music data and making it actionable so they can target and speak to these fans, that's super important.

If only love can drive out hate, we have to remember that love is a verb. It requires action.

The advertising industry needs to keep evolving.