Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on What’s Wrong With the Music Industry
Inside the Playbook: Hitmaka on What’s Wrong With the Music Industry  
Podcast: The Manager's Playbook
Published On: Sat Apr 25 2026
Description: In this clip of The Manager’s Playbook, Hitmaka and Mauricio Ruiz unpack why the music industry does not create stars the way it once did.They get into what separated artists like Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole from the pack, how algorithms and personalized discovery have changed the way audiences connect with music, and why the business needs more fearless creatives in positions of leadership.The conversation also explores artist development, label politics, NBA YoungBoy’s unique rise, the tension between taste and data, and what it really takes to build lasting success in today’s music business.A valuable listen for artists, producers, songwriters, managers, A&Rs, and music executives trying to understand the future of stardom, leadership, and culture in the music industry.Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.If you’re earning publishing income, make sure you’re collecting all of it. KOSIGN, powered by Kobalt, offers direct global publishing collections and real-time royalty transparency in a flexible, artist-friendly format. It’s highly selective, but free to apply here: https://bit.ly/4b438pjListen to the full episode here -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tjdQ69aragoLlzVBOxsFT?si=0hO2glznQ2GUHa1IU6j0OgWatch the Episodes On Youtube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook