Complex Presents: Blueprint

Pat "The Manager" Corcoran and Chancelor "The Rapper" Bennett, two self-taught kids from Chicago, set the bar for what independent artists can achieve. Pat the Manager details how the two met, the backlash around the release of Coloring Book, and the one thing that threatened their independence.

Scooter Braun is a visionary for the self-made, social media age. After catching the eye of Jermaine Dupri as the hottest young party promoter in Atlanta, Braun signed and diligently broke Asher Roth and Justin Bieber. He went on to manage a bevy of global pop stars to expand his company into other facets of entertainment and to weather some very public storms, all while gathering a following as big as some of his acts.

As a kid, A-Trak was a natural turntablist who became a five-time world champion by age 18. His love for DJing and knack for remixes put him in connection with Kanye West at a pivotal time in both their careers. He would go on to launch Fool’s Gold Records and enjoy tremendous success due to the global popularity of EDM, while continuing to reinvent himself.

A master of rhythm and melody, Timbaland always knew he had a gift when it came to music. He'd put it to good use in producing a number of groundbreaking works for the likes of Missy Elliott, Ginuwine, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake. But with fame came delusion and addiction, which trumped his extreme talent. Now, sober and revitalized, Timb has fallen in love with the art form again and set his sights on a new goal: create a classic that will mark the next chapter in his career, just as Quincy Jones did with Thriller. 

Ever since he was a kid, Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd knew he wanted to write songs. He got his first chance in high school, when he wrote "Anywhere" for R&B group 112. From there he'd go on to help craft numerous hits, including 112's "Peaches and Cream" and multiple chart-toppers with producer Scott Storch. It wasn't until he teamed with pop star Justin Bieber, however, that he got the credit he deserved as a go-to hitmaker. 

Radio icon Angie Martinez shares how at 16 years old she used her passion for music to kickoff her career with an internship at a local Miami station. "The Voice of New York," would later surmount a career that spans over 20 years and includes two rap albums, a New York Times best-selling book, a Tidal podcast, plus more.

After moving from Hong Kong to Texas as a teenager, Mary H.K. Choi fell in love with reading and knew she wanted to turn her passion for magazines into something greater. She got her chance when she left for NYC and landed an internship at Mass Appeal, which she funneled into a gig at XXL and, eventually, her own magazine, MissBehave. From there, she redefined the writer's role in the digital age, crafting powerful works across a variety of mediums, including issue #1 of Lady Deadpool, DJ Khaled's biography The Keys and her new YA book, Emergency Contact. 

Cheo Hodari Coker grew up an outsider in Storrs, Connecticut, where hip-hop was his lifeline to cultural identity. He finessed his way into hip-hop journalism while a student at Stanford University before establishing a name for himself at the Los Angeles Times, The Source, and other premier music outlets. From a physical altercation with the Wu-Tang Clan to writing Biggie's biography, Cheo took his rich experiences to Hollywood, selling scripts, producing shows like Southland and Ray Donovan and now being the mastermind behind the hit Netflix series Luke Cage.

Over 10 million "roommates" visit The Shade Room each day to get the latest in celeb news, thanks to 26-year-old Angie Nwandu, who went from foster care and unemployment to formatting the tabloids for the social media generation.

Charles D. King made history as he rose from the mailroom of William Morris agency to its first African-American partner, spearheading the careers of everyone from Oprah and Tyler Perry to Missy Elliott and Janet Jackson. Here, he chronicles how he left WME to launch Macro, a multicultural media company responsible for Fences, one of 2016's biggest films.

While Hollywood underestimated Will Packer, the self-taught super producer developed nine No. 1 films and pulled in $1 billion at the box office. From his Atlanta estate, he shows Complex how he proved the bankability of people of color and helped launch the careers of Kevin Hart, Idris Elba, and more.

John McPheters helped bring the consignment model to footwear at Flight Club then struck out on his own with Stadium Goods, taking the company from conception to nine figures in just two years with no ceiling in sight.

Queens-bred Ronnie Fieg infamously went from 13-year-old stockboy to brand mogul by mastering the limited-edition sneaker drop and trafficking unique products that feel special to KITH devotees.

Jon Buscemi details how he went from Wall Street to founding an eponymous lifestyle brand that marries hip-hop to high fashion.

Bobby Hundreds explains how he channeled his love for music and culture into one of the world's most iconic streetwear brands.

Daniel Arsham started design firm Snarkitecture to blend art and architecture, became the first visual artist signed with Adidas, and translated fine arts for the masses with creative installations seen around the worldwide.

KAWS went from a skater kid doing graffiti around New York City to illustrating the beloved animated series Doug to creating instantly recognizable pop art that gained visibility the world over. The artist, painter, designer and toymaker details how he linked with Nigo and Pharrell in Japan, collaborated with Jordan and Uniqlo for sold-out capsules, and created motifs that elevated fine art into the cultural zeitgeist.

Todd McFarlane opens up about his career as a comic book artist that includes making Spider-Man cooler and creating the Spawn character. He also shares his blueprint to launching Image Comics and McFarlane Toys.

In the premiere episode of 'Blueprint,' legendary music exec Jimmy Iovine sits down with Complex Editor-In-Chief Noah Callahan-Bever to talk founding Interscope Records with artists like Tupac & Marilyn Manson, the motivation behind Beats by Dre and being obsessed with streaming music.

Joie Manda's ascent from passing out club flyers to becoming EVP of Interscope/Geffen/A&M is unheard of. With building the careers of Rick Ross, Vince Staples, 2 Chainz, plus more, Manda rose through the ranks at Asylum Records, Def Jam, Warner Bros., and now Interscope.

Pusha T got into rap as a kid looking up to his big brother. After their group, Clipse, disbanded, Pusha went solo, connected with Kanye West, became president of G.O.O.D. Music, and has remained relevant in rap for nearly two decades.

From Run DMC to Roc-a-Fella, from DMX to Young Thug, Lyor Cohen discovered and broke some of the most prolific musical acts of our time at the helm of the biggest labels. In a conversation that spans his decades of leadership in the industry, he shares how failing as a party promoter led him to working for Russell Simmons, how he invented the 360 deal, surviving the turmoil of the business, and the feeling in his gut that propels him to this day.

Elliott Wilson has helmed the most respected hip-hop publications, from ego trip to XXL to The Source. He takes Complex on his journey from his early journalistic influences to a tense standoff with Benzino as editor-in-chief of XXL to reinventing himself as founder of Rap Radar and now editorial director of hip-hop culture and content for Tidal.

A listless writer and rapper from South Central LA, "Punch" went from having interest in music but no concrete goals to teaming up with Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and discovering the artists who came to be known as the Black Hippy Crew. As Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, and ScHoolboy Q began to make waves, Punch underwent trial by fire, learning how to break acts, maneuver out of bad industry deals, and expand the label. In 2017, he steered both Kendrick Lamar and SZA to a breakout year, racking up Grammys, commercial success and critical acclaim, and cementing Top Dawg Entertainment as hip-hop's premier independent label.