Last month we saw the release of two of the music world’s biggest albums: Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne collaborative project and Lil Wayne’s eagerly-anticipated Tha Carter IV. While fans and critics debate the merits of each album, compare sales stats and speculate on any brewing beef between Jay and Wayne, BE NEXT decided to talk to a man who has been influential in all three artists’ careers, Kyambo “Hip Hop†Joshua. If you look at the credits on the packaging for WTT or Tha Carter IV you’ll see the words “Hip Hop Since 1978.†That’s not some random, inaccurate declaration of rap’s birthdate, it’s the multifaceted management company with a client roster that includes stars Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Young Jeezy and producer Just Blaze among others. BE NEXT sat down with Joshua, the creative mind behind Hip Hop Since 1978, to talk about his approach to business and to shed some light on how his company works.