Friends open new recording studio in Antioch

Name of business: Block Lock Records & Recording Studios
Type of business: Independent record label and music recording studio
Owners: Harvey Johnson, president and CEO, and Ron Dumas, vice president of marketing
Founded: Originally 2006 in Hayward; relocated to Antioch in 2008
Address: 621 W. Second St., Suite M526, Antioch
Phone number: 925-755-7624, 510-205-4029 and 510-967-4201

Hours: Record Label: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Recording Studio: 24 hours by appointment

Number of employees: three

Products and services: They provide independent record releases by hip-hop, R&B and gospel recording artists. They also provide a music recording studio time in which they charged by the hour. As part of their services they also offer song writing and music composition.
How did you get into the business? Johnson is a national recording artist on major record labels, including Elecktra Records, Fantasy Records and Roc-A-Fella Records. Johnson is also a song writer and producer for national R&B and hip-hop artists. He has experience as a ghost writer for several prominent national hip-hop artists.

"For me the natural progression was to label ownership. The recording studio came about because of the need for a place for artists with minimal budgets and those just starting out in the industry to have a place to record professionally in East County," Johnson
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said.

Dumas started as a DJ in Oakland and a studio session consultant.
Best part about the business: "On the record label side it would be the ability to release music independently, minus the 'red tape' and hassles, as well as greater artistic freedom," Johnson said. "On the recording studio side, it would be seeing an artist's vision and ideas become a tangible product."

Worst part about the business: "Touring and being away from family. Being an independent label you don't have the large marketing budgets of the major labels. You really have to push five times as hard to get your product heard and placed in stores," he said.

He also said that another bad part is the treatment you get from some of the local radio people if you don't have a big label name or artist behind you.

"The worst part about the recording studio side, is that there is no worse part as we love being around creative and artistic musical minds," Johnson said.

Key to success: "Being easy to work with. Nobody likes a 'jerk.' Being creative.
Being brave enough to be yourself and not follow trends," Johnson said.
Biggest misconception about the business: "That life is like what you see in music videos," he said.

Future plans: Johnson and Dumas' goal is to promote their artist, including their current release by or signature artist Jenuine J.A. and the release "The Burden of Proof." They are also working on release their 10 year-old artist Ky-Rizzle's CD, which is yet to be titled. In April of 2009 they will be opening Block Lock Recording Studios to the public and starting to book studio time. The studio is currently open to artists on their label only.