Quinn Talks TikTok, Managing Yung Baby Tate and Not Being a Dick

On this week’s episode of our podcast Monday to Monday, Mike speaks with Yung Baby Tate’s manager, Quinn (@Q1hunnid). He wears a lot of different hats (“I do a little bit of a lot”) and provides immense insight into the machinations of the contemporary music landscape, while also highlighting some tips for managers and producers. They discuss Yung Baby Tate’s rise on TikTok, Quinn’s journey as a manager and some of the artists he’s most excited about right now.

In the past year or so, TikTok has become a major new avenue for disseminating an artist’s new music. Quinn discusses Yung Baby Tate’s collaboration with Ashnikko, “STUPID,” which went viral on the platform late last year. It’s a totally new way of distributing music. On the record’s continuous high-streaming numbers to this day, Quinn tells Mike: “I think that shows some of the power of, like if you have TikTok success with a legitimately strong record, the staying power of that.” He adds: “Shoutout to TikTok.”

Quinn does a lot of different work with a lot of different artists, and so, naturally, Mike has to ask him what he’s been most excited about. He lists a ton of up and comers, citing IGIR Woodiee and Tahj Keeton (“it’s very, like, industrial rap”), and many of the artists he works with through his work at StreamCut, including Mulatto, Light Skin Keisha, Saucy Santana and SahBabii.

Mike goes on to ask Quinn to share some advice for either managers or those communicating with managers to get their work seen. “Trying to find yourself a mentor is going to be very impactful,” is one of the first gems he drops, before adding that it’s important to “Legitimately value all the relationships that you meet along the way.” He also includes the importance of being kind and making good impressions, telling Mike, “People remember when you’re a dick.”

Quinn and Mike spend some time near the end of the interview discussing the importance of forming strong relationships with the people he represents/works with. “I want to like you and really believe in your music,” he says, before expanding: “No one wants to deal with the bullshit that you have to deal with as a manager at times if they don't like the person they're doing it for.” It’s of course about the music, but it’s also about creating strong bonds with those around you.

If you loved this episode and want to hear Mike chat with more artists, managers and producers, make sure to check out last week’s episode, when he spoke with rapper Glockstar Dimi.