Music Lover Rises Above Racial Barriers

Lunden De'Leon, 31
Dirrty Records
Beverly Hills, California
Projected 2006 Sales: $4.3 million
Description: Independent record label that serves artists in various rock genres

Loud and Clear: Though Lunden De’Leon doesn’t consider herself musically gifted, she’s always loved music—from the rock ’n’ roll of her youth to her father’s gospel band. “The minute I saw my dad onstage and the lives he touched through his music, I knew I wanted to be a part of the music industry,” she says. In 2003, with $20,000 cash, some private investors and a business plan, she launched Dirrty Records.

I Love Rock ’n’ Roll: Dirrty Records represents artists in a variety of rock genres, including punk, metal and hardcore metal. De’Leon doesn’t foresee broadening the record company’s genre base but admits she’s been pressured to specialize in other markets in the past. “Because I’m African-American, everyone said, ‘You should do rap and hip-hop and R&B.’” But De’Leon, who was born in Barbados and raised in South Carolina, stayed true to her passion, finding inspiration in music industry icons like Jimi Hendrix, who also managed to break through racial barriers. Today, some of Dirrty Records’ rock projects include The Fades from London, OnOff from Ireland and Athanator from South America.

Words of Wisdom: Despite meeting resistance as a black woman in rock and as a businesswoman in the music industry, De’Leon never let that hinder her on the road to success. “My mom would say, ‘Use every stumbling block as a stepping stone,’” she says. “Entering the music industry was a risk, but every obstacle I met I used as a stepping stone.” Early on, De’Leon also experienced difficulty in getting investors to believe in her company. Today, that’s no longer a problem—and plans for a joint venture with a major record label are in the works.

Follow Her Lead: Persevere when you meet resistance, and learn to turn negatives into positives.