Michael Mauldin

Music and entertainment executive Michael Mauldin was born in Murphy, North Carolina in 1953. Mauldin began his musical career in the late 1960s and early 1970s when he started as a musician playing with the racially integrated band, the Other Side. After briefly attending DeVry Institute of Technology, Mauldin moved to Atlanta, Georgia where he married and had a son, Jermaine.

In 1975, Mauldin received his first break in the music industry when the funk band, Brick, needed a van to haul their equipment to a gig in North Atlanta. After helping Brick with his van, Mauldin was hired by them as their stage manager and later he became their production manager. In the mid-1970s, he began working tours which involved many R&B and Funk band acts such as: the Bar Kays, LTD and others. Through this work, Mauldin decided to start the touring company, MTM Roadwork’s (Making Tours Move) that provided staff and crews for groups such as: Sister Sledge, Cameo and the SOS Band.

In 1984, 1985 and 1986, Mauldin produced the New York City Fresh Festival where his son, Jermaine Dupri was the opening act. The Festival featured rap pioneers: Whodini, Kurtis Blow, Run DMC and the Fat Boys, and in the late 1980s, he honed his production and tour management skills with R&B artists: Cameo, Luther Vandross and Anita Baker and formed an artists management group. Through the management group, Mauldin helped spearhead the musical careers of: Arrested Development, Kris Kross, Da Brat and Xscape. In 1995, Mauldin served as the President of Columbia Records Black Music Division while simultaneously holding the position of Senior Vice President of Columbia Records Group which included joint venture deals with Ruffhouse Records, So So Def Records and Trackmasters.

In 1999, Mauldin left Columbia Records and moved back to Atlanta to work with his son at So So Def Recordings, and he founded the Artistic Control Group. The Artistic Control Group is a small Atlanta based entertainment firm which includes the Mauldin Brand Agency. The firm also has a music publishing component and a tour management division. In 2002, Mauldin was the executive producer for the film, Like Mike starring rapper Bow Wow. Mauldin is currently working with NASCAR to help penetrate the urban market place and has a deal to produce a motorsports inspired apparel line aimed at the crossover market which he refers to as, “the Fast Life.” Mauldin also runs a non-profit organization called Hip Hop 4 Humanity (HH4H), which he founded after the 9/11 attacks.

Mauldin was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on September 12, 2007.