Welcome & Introduction - The MMF-US
Featured Speakers:
Sharon Tapper - Executive Director, MMF-US
Sharon Tapper is the Executive Director of the Music Managers Forum-US, the leading trade association for artist managers and self-managed artists in the United States. Serving the music community by providing educational resources, networking opportunities and advocacy efforts on behalf of managers, self-managed artists, and the music community at large that supports them. The MMF-US is part of a larger global network, the International Music Managers Forum (IMMF) – an organization that connects more that sixty-five Music Manager Forums around the world (inc. Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand).
Prior to joining the MMF-US Tapper worked in London as the Assistant Manager at Sarm West Studios, before relocating to the U.S. where in Los Angeles she worked at both Left Bank Management and Gallin Morey Management. Shortly after moving to New York she transitioned into music publishing becoming the third U.S. employee at Kobalt Music Publishing and their VP Creative for eight years. Following that she was hired to be the SVP Music Publishing at Razor & Tie Music Publishing. Tapper was elected to serve multiple terms totaling fourteen years as Governor & Secretary of the NY Chapter of the GRAMMY’s, serving six consecutive terms as Co-Chair of their Advocacy Committee, on which she continues to diligently serve. She also served four years on the NY Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP). For ten years she Co-Funded and ran the New York City Creative Community (NYC3).
Wesley T. A’Harrah - VP of Membership & Education, MMF-US
Wesley T. A’Harrah, 30, is an artist manager, marketing-tech consultant, and investor. Wesley is the founder of Hits Differently, an artist-management company whose clients include iAmTheGENIUS, Maty Noyes, Kristian Kostov, Lil Bird, Ellis Miah, and more; and Hyper Orange, a consultancy focused on helping entertainment companies, brands, and agencies build and activate the best marketing stacks. Wesley is business partners with Atlanta-based entrepreneur, rapper, and DJ, iAmTheGENIUS, in Mixtape Monopoly, a marketing agency; Monopoly Distribution, a distribution and label services company; and RARE Sound, a record label, where he and GENIUS have spent years independently operating with K CAMP—whose song Lottery (Renegade) held as the biggest song ever in TikTok for seven months and was the first song in the world to pass 15, 20, 30, and 35 million videos created with it. RARE Sound, Mixtape Monopoly, and Hyper Orange are the only independent labels and connected marketing agencies to have been honored with the Grand Clio for Music in 2020, where they were awarded for the campaign behind Lottery (Renegade). Wesley serves as the Vice President of Membership and Education of the Music Managers Forum-US, the 501(c) (6) trade association for artist managers and self-managed artists. He holds an M.A. in Global Entertainment and Music Business from Berklee College of Music.
Matthew Limones – CEO Prediction Enterprises & MMF-US Miami Chapter Chair
Matthew Limones is Chief Executive Officer of Prediction Enterprises. Limones’ background is in music tech, policy, and the labels. He’s an expert in music revenue streams, rights management, and industry relations. He’s a thought leader in music policy with experience in artist development, artist relations, and marketing.
Limones was formerly Vice President, Artist Relations at RichMusic, the top boutique independent Latin record label in the industry. Limones joined RichMusic in 2021, and oversaw all artist relations and project management, with a special focus on providing first-class service to RichMusic artists, producers and business partners. Prior to joining RichMusic, Limones served as Director of Marketing at the Universal Music Group/Capitol Latin.
Previously, Limones served as Manager of Artist and Label Relations at SoundExchange, where he strengthened and established the relationships with its affiliates and industry partners and grew the company’s Latin digital business.
Limones has been recognized as a young executive “shaking up the music business” in Billboard’s list of 40 Under 40 and has been named as a Billboard Latin Power Player, and a HITS Noisemaker. Additionally, as an industry leader, Limones has been published in the Berklee College of Music Business Journal.
Limones holds a master’s degree from the University of Miami and has held previous positions at Shazam and TuneIn Radio. He speaks regularly on panels at music industry events such as Billboard Latin Music Week, the Latin Alternative Music Conference, and the Music Expo. Limones serves as the Chair of the Music Managers Forum Chapter in Miami.