Quality Control Records Executive Vice President of A&R Wayno Clark has a message for anyone aspiring to break into the music industry.

“Have a target,” he told us backstage at the 2022 REVOLT Summit x AT&T. “Have a destination. I feel like, when you’re becoming an artist, or a creative in any field, you have to have know where you’re going. Know that everybody’s not going to take the same path. Everybody’s gonna drive the street and turn the corner. But, you might have to go all the way around to get to that street… just have a destination.”

As a panelist during the star-studded event, Wayno opened up about his experience as a music executive during “The Future of Hip Hop” panel, which he hosted alongside his close friend and game-changer in the industry Dallas Martin, who is the EVP of A&R at Atlantic Records. “I’m happy to be here. It’s a lot of nice energy and these are just conversations that we have all the time. So, I just basically got prepared to talk to my friend,” Wayno added.

The theme of this year’s Summit really honed in on what’s next for the culture as it pertains to entertainment and music. However, Wayno explained how hip hop has always been way ahead of its time. “It’s lightyears ahead of the game because — I’m just gonna call it what it is — hip hop is Black culture. We influence any and everything. You can find us everywhere. So, I feel like the way hip hop has been ahead of the game is just by, you know, evolution. Due to the circumstances, I feel like the way that we have evolved has been due to our circumstances and trying to figure out better ways for ourselves that pushes us creatively.”