Derek Washington says he can't rap, dance or sing. But he's been a catalyst for urban music in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia for the last decade. As president of Upstart Entertainment, Washington has helped put Jacksonville on the national map by bringing music to the area that was rarely heard here before.
When he's not bringing acts like Dem Franchise Boyz to the city, he's orchestrating a pool of 50 DJs that test the market for record labels around the country. And it works. Washington's DJ pool has drawn the interest of artists like Thrill Da Playa, King Ron, Dr. Doom, LL Cool J, and artists under Def Jam's label, who use Jacksonville as a test market for their music. If the DJs get positive feedback on the music, then it's submitted to radio. If the feedback is negative, Washington meets with the label so they can make adjustments. He's also launched the first urban musician from Jacksonville, Young Cash, who is on Universal's hip-hop label SRC.
"We're showing that Jacksonville can function within the recording industry on a national level," says Washington. "We're bringing DJs to the forefront, who are exposing Jacksonville's entertainment industry."
Angela Dryden
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Derek Washington, the Man That’s
Kicking Up Music Careers In Jacksonville
