Entertainment

Shawn Prez, Former Bad Boy Exec, Succeeding Solo

Published

11 years ago

June 30, 2015

Oakland Post

Power Moves CEO Shawn Prez (left) and DJ Whoo Kid (Courtesy of RadioPlanetTV)

by Stacy M. Brown
Special to the NNPA from the Washington Informer

Shawn Prez isn’t your typical CEO. He also isn’t the average business owner.

Prez got his start working to help legendary rap mogul P. Diddy build Bad Boy Entertainment Group.

Prez is now the head of his own company, Power Moves Inc., a promotions-oriented enterprise whose clients include EA Sports, And 1, MGM Studios and others.

“I’m an entrepreneur, so for me, I didn’t get into business with less than the expectations of creating a Fortune 500 company,” said Prez, who worked with the late Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Black Rob, and others and who has helped to launch the careers of some of hip hops biggest stars.

Working side by side with rap impresario P. Diddy – Sean Combs – presented him with significant business opportunities and the experience he needed to become successful, he said.

“I’ve been blessed to have a company that’s continued to grow over the years. You have to stay humble or life will humble you,” Prez said. “Bad Boy helped me immensely because I was with [Diddy] in the beginning, in the early days building Combs Enterprises.

“But before there was a Sean John, a Justin’s Restaurant or a Ciroc [P. Diddy’s Vodka brand] there were a group of young hungry kids and P. Diddy has been very instrumental in my success because you can go to school and study, but there’s nothing in life like real world experience and I had a front row seat sitting in on key meetings and being a part of building something that’s a part of history” he said.

Starting out as an intern for Bad Boy Entertainment, Prez, a South Bronx native, worked his way up to becoming P. Diddy’s road manager. He eventually became vice president of promotions, earning the affectionate nickname of “P. Diddy’s Ambassador to the Streets.”

The recent unrest in Baltimore over Freddie Gray’s death reminded him of a different time, Prez said.

“I remember having a long conversation with a friend and saying that the generation before us, my parents’ generation, fought for something. They stood for something and there were causes whether it was Women’s Rights or Equal Rights for all races, they were willing to die for their beliefs and many did,” he said.

“History repeats itself. As long as the demonstrations remain pointed in terms of the message, there is hope.”

Prez has also provided another kind of hope, this time for disc jockeys who are finally receiving recognition thanks to the new Global Spin Awards the entrepreneur has founded.

“We still continue to face hardships and face obstacles. For one, the DJs themselves, we had to make this credible for them. As a friend of the DJ community for many years I understand how they think, so we had to come up with a very fair, unbiased and credible award show that the DJs themselves could not question,” he said. “We have now a Grammy Awards for the DJ and the DJ community is growing at an enormous speed. Once upon a time being a DJ wasn’t considered a true career path, now you have young men and girls who want to be a DJ and the best, like Funkmaster Flex, and others are making millions of dollars per year.”

While staying busy with his company and other interests, Prez said he stays close to his family with a son just graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta.

“I’ve taught my son from Day 1 that you’ve got to get an education and I’ve been educating him since before he was able to speak,” he said. “I try to lead by example and who him the importance of no excuses and making things happen. To see what others don’t see. I’ve had a lot of success on a lot of levels and, as I get older, what’s important in life is the air that we breathe. Everything else is icing on the cake.”

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Related Topics:Bad Boy hip hop music P. Diddy Power Moves Inc.rap music Shawn Prez

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Black History

Oakland Celebrates $125 Million Coliseum Sale

The deal transfers ownership to the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) and its affiliate, Oakland Acquisition Company (OAC), and establishes a new strategic partnership with entertainment executive Irving Azoff’s Oak View Group (OVG). City officials described the agreement as a forward-looking move that balances immediate financial relief with long-term economic opportunity.

Published

9 hours ago

July 19, 2026

bpusa-syndication

John Jones III, Jonathan Fitness Jones, Mayor Barbara Lee, Ray Bobbitt, Samantha Wise, and Cecilia Cunningham. Photo by Gay Plair Cobb

Sale agreement OK’d by City Council may yield millions of dollars for immediate use plus 6% of future ticket sales

The Oakland City Council has approved a restructured $125 million agreement to sell the city’s remaining 50% stake in the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, marking a major step forward in long-term redevelopment plans for the historic site.

Azoff, co-founder of OVG and a legendary figure in the global music and entertainment industries – joined Council President Kevin Jenkins, Councilmember Janani Ramachandran and Mayor Barbara Lee to announce City Council’s vote this week on the city’s agreement to sell the Oakland Coliseum.

The resolution, which passed 6-1 at the Monday council meeting, authorized the sale of Oakland’s 50% stake in the complex for a lump sum of $110 million plus 6% of all future annual gross ticket sales from events held at the redeveloped complex. Councilmember Noel Gallo cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about his clarity on the position of Alameda County.

The city will receive an additional $15 million ‘payment bonus’ as OAC obtains building permits for new construction, marking a major step forward in long-term redevelopment plans for the historic site.

The provision is designed to incentivize timely progress while aligning the city’s financial interests with project advancement.

Azoff is looking forward to bringing more music to Oakland. “Oakland is one of America’s great music cities – I spent some very special times earlier in my career working with Bill Graham on Day on the Green, and I have many fond memories of those days,” said Azoff. “We are honored to have the opportunity to become stewards of this iconic arena and build upon its
remarkable legacy. I look forward to once again bringing the very best artists
and events to Oakland and ensuring that the venue remains a source of pride for
the community for generations to come.”

“By approving this deal, we will ensure that the Coliseum complex is in the hands of dedicated professionals who will be committed to transforming this space into a world-class entertainment destination,” said Jenkins. “This will mean hundreds of new shows and events in Oakland annually, which will bring significant revenue into the city.”

Councilmember Carroll Fife (D-3) expressed appreciation for AASEG’s role in advancing a plan with community benefits. “With such a valuable asset underutilized for years, I’m glad to see the Coliseum positioned to serve an underserved and underdeveloped part of the city,” Fife said.

“This deal paves the pathway for a powerful economic revitalization in Oakland,” added Ramachandran. “I am excited for the new terms of the deal and additional stakeholders involved – including entertainment legend Irving Azoff. Not only does finalizing this deal save Oakland money and provide a significant one-time cash infusion but will also create a sustainable revenue stream that will help fund City services and uplift our economy.”

“My bottom line is always what’s best for Oaklanders and the City’s ability to serve them well — and this proposal is a step forward,” said Lee. “This deal will pave the way towards creating jobs and economic opportunities, specifically for east and deep east Oaklanders. Thank you to the city negotiating team for their hard work to bring this proposal forward.”

AASEG has emphasized its commitment to community-centered development, with plans that include entertainment venues, housing, and commercial space to revitalize East Oakland. The involvement of OVG, known for its work on major sports and entertainment projects nationwide, adds industry expertise and credibility to the effort.

AASEG President Ray Bobbitt called the agreement “a great win for East Oakland” that will benefit the entire city.

The restructured deal could also release the city from its long-standing financial obligations tied to the Coliseum by January 2027. Oakland has historically subsidized the complex, which has operated at a loss of approximately $6 million annually.

The deal includes:

Initial Cash Sale (Arena Parcel): The city will sell the Arena parcel to OAC, receiving $50 million by early 2027.
Subsequent Sale (Stadium Parcel): The Stadium parcel will be sold for $60 million, which includes a credit for the $5 million deposit already held by the city.
Ongoing Revenue Stream: The city will receive 6% of annual gross ticket sales from all events at both the Arena and Stadium, a new ongoing income stream to Oakland’s General Purpose Fund.
Financial Terms: Payments will be made to the city on a prescribed schedule without lending any funds to OAC, and the city will be immediately relieved of significant financial liabilities associated with ownership and operations.

Additional information on the project is available at www.oaklandca.gov/Government/Departments/City-Administrator/Oakland-Coliseum-Redevelopment-Project?

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Art

Eric Murphy’s ‘City of Stars’ Honors Culture and Community

Murphy’s artistic journey is grounded in a lifelong passion for storytelling through visuals. Beginning as a child sketching celebrities, he later expanded into collage, blending illustration with found imagery and photography.

Published

10 hours ago

July 19, 2026

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Artist Eric Murphy celebrates his birthday at the AAMLO, African American Museum and Library of Oakland with his exhibit City of Stars: From the Archives in downtown Oakland. Photo courtesy of Judah

Eric Murphy’s latest exhibition, “Oakland City of Stars: From the Archives,” on view through Aug. 31, offers more than a visual tribute to Oakland; it presents history and a global connection rooted in the city’s cultural legacy.

Curated by Veda Silva at the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO), the mixed-media solo show builds on Murphy’s evolving “Oakland All-Stars” series, highlighting figures rooted in community history.

His formal training at Laney College sharpened his photography skills, while his early career as a fashion photographer exposed him to broader creative networks. At the same time, his decade-long work with Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland expanded his artistic journey.

These experiences converge in “City of Stars,” where Murphy combines photography, digital collage, and graphic design into distinctive portraits. Each subject is embedded within a stylized map of Oakland, marked by district lines, and layered with visual references tied to their personal and cultural narratives.

Presented in a ‘playing card’ format, the works replace traditional suits with the City of Oakland logo, while multilingual elements and hand-painted details deepen the storytelling. The result is a series that feels both archival and contemporary, an artistic documentation of Oakland’s influence across generations.

The exhibit’s opening reception was also Murphy’s birthday celebration. “I’m celebrating my birthday, Oakland history, cultural ties, and art.”

About 50 guests attended the exhibit, including Joyce Gordon of Joyce Gordon Gallery, entertainer Zina Escovedo, and activists Alan Banks and Inez Banks. “We loaned one of our pieces to the exhibit,” said Alan Banks proudly.

Murphy credits much of his inspiration to his deep interest in Oakland history and its global intersections. Murphy also created a line of Oakland International language shirts. The concept originated in 2012 during a cultural exchange exhibition he managed between Oakland and its sister city, Fukuoka, Japan, celebrating their 50th anniversary.

Working with artists such as Emmy Award-winner James Gayles and photographer Hiroko To, Murphy began exploring language as a bridge between cultures. After studying Japanese at Laney College, he became fascinated with how “Oakland” could be expressed across languages.

That curiosity evolved into a design series beginning in 2019 with “Oakland” translated into Japanese as “Okurando.” From there, Murphy collaborated with community members and translators to create versions in multiple languages. By incorporating archival materials, cultural symbols, and historical references, Murphy transformed each shirt into a narrative artifact rather than a simple translation.

“Each design allowed me to show how rich our history is and how connected Oakland is to the world,” said Murphy.

This same philosophy drives the “Oakland All-Stars” series. Inspired by a moment of pride watching actor Shemar Moore acknowledge his Oakland roots on national television, Murphy began researching other successful people connected to the city. The series now includes former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, actress Zendaya, and the late comedian Paul Mooney, among others linked to Oakland.

“I am proud to feature Oakland in my artwork,” said Murphy. “Oakland is a special place, and art is a great way of showing the world what we are about.”