Welcome to The Manager’s Playbook, my personal newsletter where I share insights from Music Executives and Artists for aspiring and emerging music managers, executives and artists on how to navigate the music industry. This newsletter is brought to you by Mauricio Ruiz.

Ruiz’s Note:

Return to the Newsletter: It’s All About Community

It’s been a minute.

The truth is, I had to press pause on the newsletter for a while because of bandwidth. Not because I wanted to. 

Life was life-ing.

There was a stretch of time where major changes were happening in my professional career and the team went in different directions, including myself. A new path opened up and I took on an amazing opportunity. However, a few months into that journey I made the decision to step away. I am grateful for it, but it was clear that I needed re-focus my energy where it mattered most to me.

It was a no brainer.

I had to tighten up the foundation of The Manager’s Playbook podcast.

Now, the original team is back in place, reinforced with fresh new talent. We’re aligned, focused and moving with clarity.

That’s been the game changer.

Not just for the podcast output, but for the way we’re building this thing from the ground up. The execution & priority is matched by the level of intent.

This wasn’t just about getting episodes out. It was about building a system and a body of work that is going to earn people’s attention.

That meant investing a lot of time, money, and focus. No problem, I believe in this thing.

For that, we’ve doubled down on creating something we think is meaningful.

Not just in numbers, but in the value artists, managers, and execs (both aspiring and operating) are getting from the conversations. That part has been the most fulfilling.

With that foundation in place, I’m excited to bring the newsletter back with a sharper focus.

The podcast and the newsletter were always meant to work together. One to amplify the other. But I knew I couldn’t do both at the level I wanted without getting the podcast right first.

Now that the pod is making noise, I’m excited to bring back The Manager’s Playbook Newsletter with a sharper focus.

Instead of chasing industry news or insights for the sake of it, I’m switching it up. Each week, I’ll share what’s been happening behind the scenes, give some personal thoughts on the latest podcast episode, and tap into the questions, critique, and feedback I’ve been hearing from all of you.

Good to be back in your inbox. Let’s get it.

-Ruiz

CONSULTATIONS

I’m now offering 1-on-1 strategy sessions for artists, managers, and execs serious about navigating the music industry with clarity.

These sessions are fully personalized. Just us, focused on where you’re at and where you want to go. Whether it’s building the right team, scaling your brand, or making your next move with confidence, I’ll help you cut through the noise and create a real plan.

With 16+ years working across artist development, brand strategy, and executive roles, I bring honest insight and practical frameworks that move careers forward. A conversation like this doesn’t come cheap.

If you’re ready to invest in the long game, let’s get to work.

KEY PLAYS

(FEAT. TUMA BASA, LAURIE LEE BOUTET, RUSS, LOLA PLAKU, & MAG RODRIGUEZ)

In our latest episode of The Manager’s Playbook (Ep. 031), I sat down with Tuma Basa, a true architect of music culture. From BET to MTV to RapCaviar and now the Director of Music Culture at YouTube, Tuma has seen it all. He’s helped shape not just playlists, but narratives. Not just careers, but how we define cool. We talk about legacy, taste, and what truly moves culture forward.

But what stuck with me wasn’t about the past. It was about where we’re going.

He said:

That line got me thinking.

Because the real shift in this business isn’t just about technology or trends. It’s about who holds the power to amplify a story.

It used to be radio. Then DSPs. Then influencers.
Now? It’s the fans.

A superfan can start a movement. A comment section can decide the narrative. A playlist might introduce the music, but community sustains it.

And this isn’t just happening in the U.S.

Africa, where Tuma proudly traces his roots, is no longer just a territory, it’s a cultural engine. From Nigeria to South Africa to Kenya, artists are growing global movements without waiting on Western validation. The sound, the style, the storytelling, it’s already resonating. Platforms like YouTube are helping bridge borders. But what’s really doing it? Superfans who organize, repost, and translate culture.

At the same time, AI is reshaping the landscape, offering artists tools to create faster, analyze deeper, and even simulate sounds that previously took entire rooms of engineers. But here’s the thing AI can’t replace: authentic connection.

We’re entering an era where anyone can make noise.
But only real fans create lasting signal.

So this edition is about the shift, from gatekeepers to believers. From centralized control to decentralized fandom. From curated pathways to global, grassroots momentum.

Through conversations with Laurie Lee Boutet, Russ, Lola Plaku, and Mag Rodriguez, we unpack how teams are building for loyalty, not just reach.

Because whether you're in Lagos, Toronto, or Los Angeles, the artists who win are the ones who understand one truth:

Superfans are the new infrastructure.

Let’s get into it.

We talk a lot about fans. But let’s be clear: not all fans are created equal.

A follower scrolls.
A listener taps play.
But a superfan? A superfan commits.

They repost your drop. Show up in the comments. Cop the merch. Travel for the show. Cry when you win. They don’t just support you. They see themselves in you.

We throw around the term “superfan” like it’s a buzzword. But it’s more than someone who streams the music or double-taps a post. A superfan isn’t a metric. They’re a mirror. They reflect what the artist represents back to the world.

This month, I found myself reflecting on this theme while revisiting convos with Laurie Lee Boutet, Russ, Lola Plaku, and Mag Rodriguez.

Laurie Lee Boutet taught me about emotional imprint and strategic nurturing.

I still remember sitting in my car playing Jessie Reyez demos for her. It wasn’t a pitch. It was a moment. Laurie didn’t just listen. She heard it. The specificity of her feedback and the passion in her reaction told me she saw Jessie before the rest of the world did. That’s the core of a superfan: someone who connects before the consensus does.

But Laurie’s approach didn’t stop at belief. She operationalized it. She built systems, email lists, CRM strategies, exclusive content drops, and fan rewards, to identify, engage, and elevate superfans for The Beaches. She knew connection was emotional, but loyalty was maintained through structure.

Takeaway: Superfans are built through belief and sustained through intentional infrastructure. Let them feel seen and then reward them for staying.

Russ gave us the blueprint for ownership and intimacy.

He’s one of the most successful independent artists ever. Self-funded, self-released, and completely self-reliant. But the real power? He owns the relationship with his audience. He answers DMs. He drops music when he wants. He explains the vision. And because of that, his fans don’t just support. They defend him.

Takeaway: Consistency and clarity build trust. And trust builds superfans.

Lola Plaku reminded me that fans follow energy before structure.

Before streaming data dictated strategy, Lola was already in the trenches, writing for HipHopCanada, covering emerging artists, and organizing street teams for Big Sean. She wasn’t waiting for a label job to start making impact. She created it herself. And those early activations? They built real momentum. Offline, grassroots, and loyal.

She tapped into local communities, college campuses, forums - anywhere fans naturally gathered. That’s where superfans are born. And she didn’t just market artists. She built movements.

Takeaway: Fans want to feel like they discovered something real before the rest of the world caught on. If you empower them early, they’ll ride for life.

Mag Rodriguez is designing the future of superfan infrastructure and globalization.

With EVEN, Mag isn’t just helping artists go direct-to-fan. He’s building an ecosystem where artists own their audience. From limited drops to exclusive pre-release access, EVEN makes it possible for artists to build depth before going wide.

But what’s powerful is how Mag sees the future: superfans aren’t bound by geography anymore. A kid in Lagos, Toronto, or São Paulo can support an artist directly on day one. EVEN lets teams build global relationships from a single interface, using early access, community drops, and tokenized engagement.

Superfans no longer need a venue. They need a portal.

Takeaway: The future of fandom is borderless. Build for time zones, not just zip codes. Give global fans a way to show up and they will.

THE MANAGER’S PLAYBOOK DISCORD IS WHERE YOU SHOULD BE

We’re building a space for real conversations about the music business, no fluff, no gatekeeping. Just artists, managers, and creatives sharing what actually works.

The server is live.

Get in early. You never know who might drop in to talk shop.

POD WRAP UP

The industry keeps chasing viral. But that’s not where legacy lives.

Legacy lives in the 250 people in a Discord room. The first 100 buyers of your vinyl. The fans who wear your lyrics like armour.

You don’t need millions. You need hundreds who give a damn.

So what are you building?

An audience?

Or a movement?

DON’T FORGET to Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE

You can also listen to ‘The Manager’s Playbook’ Podcast on Spotify, Apple, Amazon and several other platforms HERE

-Ruiz

Bio

I’m Mauricio Ruiz, the Founder/CEO of 8 Til Faint, an Artist Management company with over 5 billion audio streams worldwide. Our past and current clients include Grammy nominated, Juno Award winning multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter Jessie Reyez, Marley Bleu, Skratch Bastid and more. I am also the Co-Founder of Mad Ruk Entertainment, a content agency with over 3 billion long form video streams worldwide. Our client list includes The Weeknd, Eminem, and Celine Dion, along with renowned brands like Nike, Pernod Ricard, Canon, and the NBA.

Follow me on IG @mauroisruiz

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