Anthony “Ant” Wilson makes it happen behind the scenes. As an artist manager, film and television executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, he deploys a hands-on approach in order to achieve success. Best known as Chris Brown’s manager since 2014, he’s guided the GRAMMY Award-winning R&B superstar’s career to unprecedented heights. In the television world, he serves as Executive Producer of the 2021 STARZ series Black Mafia Family BMF alongside 50 Cent. Taking the reins as a businessman, he owns and operates the popular Tycoon Music Festival.
In the end, Anthony Wilson never stops working or pushing himself.
“I feel like I can’t be outworked,” he leaves off. “I came from nothing, and I believe if I can do it, anybody can. I didn’t have anything but a vision of being special. I didn’t know how I would do that, but it turned out to be music. I’m not going to stop now.”
I caught up with Ant and we spoke about what it takes to be a successful manager, the impact of music streaming, and bringing BMF to the small-screen.
Grove: With all your accomplishments you remain lo-key. You let your work speak for you. What do think is one the keys to your success?
Wilson: One of the keys of my success, in everything I do, I just try to hard work. I know there's going to be a lot of problems or situations that happens but I'm accustomed to that. I just focus on putting the work in. I don't talk too much so I guess I'm all about action.
Grove: Coming up, did you always want to be in management?
Wilson: Nobody around me was into music so managing really just fell in my lap. I met a bunch of people that turned out to be rappers and singers and I was the only one who didn't drink or smoke so everybody just started calling me the manager. I guess it stuck.
Grove: Speaking of management, how did you first connect with Chris Brown?
Wilson: As you know, Chris was Bow Wow’s best friend at the time so it just kind of merged into me being his manager. I've been around him since he was 15 and I just wanted to help him out just as a friend. I was just looking out for him as a big brother and it turned into me being his manager.
Grove: Chris is one of the most streamed artists today. How did you plan to take advantage music streaming when you started working with Chris?
Wilson: We knew that music streaming was going to be the wave of the future. Just like in the hood, when you have good product and a lot of it, everybody is gonna want it. So with Chris, we just worked to make sure he was in the position capitalize off of his music to reach as many people as possible.
Grove: Not only are you working in artist management but your’re bringing content to the small-screen. Tell me how did you partner with 50 Cent to bring BMF to Starz.
Wilson: I did worked with Jeezy and he was a part of BMF. I was there from the beginning with BMF. I told 50, when we do a story together, I wanted it to be BMF because I was a witness of everything. I was so close to them that most people thought that I was BMF and I want to put it on record that I'm totally not. I knew the impact they had on the culture and for the first time, a real story can be told while everybody's still alive. You could point to J-Bo, Southwest T, or Meech and you could Google their stories. I just wanted it to be a real story that was that was told in real time.
Grove: Demetrius Flenory, Jr., aka Lil Meech is doing an incredible job as Big Meech.
Wilson: We were a little worried about him at first because he wasn't that good at the auditions. When he came in, he was shook which I understand because I'm the same way when the cameras turn on. But he was determined and we put him in acting classes. 50 to paid for him to move to L.A. and he was in classes for almost two years. The difference is night and day.
Grove: What's your vision for the show and highlighting this story?
Wilson: My vision is to be number one. I just want everybody to appreciate it and everything else is icing on the cake. I want it to be number one and for everybody to see that it’s bigger than just a drug story but it’s a family story. .
Grove: Lastly, the pandemic has changed the came when it comes to festivals. Are you planning to bring back the Tycoon Festival?
Wilson: The pandemic really messed it up but me and 50 were just talking about how we are going to do it again. I'm working on that and planning to do it in ever more cities. When we have the festival, I bring in artists and my friends together and we give back to the community. Of course it's a show and a party and everything like that but what the media doesn't cover when I build studios for the kids to keep them off the street and get them into music. We worked with different Boys and Girls Clubs, to do a “Principal of the Day.” A kid might walk into their school and Chris Brown is the teacher. I just when I was a kid, if Tupac would have come to my school, it would have meant the world to me. I just want to inspire and make kids just wants to do better. I just want to inspire the kids just to want to do better.
