Growing up in a Jamaican family, John Rose was always told that he had to become either a lawyer, doctor, or… president. “Anyone with Caribbean parents can relate,” he says with a good-natured laugh. As a talkative child who enjoyed reading and writing, he quickly became obsessed with the idea of becoming an attorney.

Pursuing a dream never means taking the easy path, however — especially when you’re doing it alone. The Jamaica, Queens native understood the power of unity and collaboration from a very young age and still subscribes to that belief to this day. “I owe a large part of my success to the village that raised me,” he says. “I don’t know where I would be without my parents, who came to this country for a better life and greater access to opportunity.”

“Because of my family, mentors and support system, I became the attorney I always dreamed of as a kid.”

After participating in various pre-law programs as early as junior high, Rose graduated from Emory Law and now serves as an attorney for Fox Rothschild’s Entertainment & Sports Law Department alongside his partner, Leron Rogers. One of Rose’s biggest and most important cases at the 115-year-old law firm was the highly-publicized five-year legal battle between Rick Ross (their client) and 50 Cent over Rozay’s use of Fif’s “In Da Club” in his 2015 Renzel Remixes mixtape. Rick Ross’ landmark victory in the case set a new legal prescident for sampling in the music industry and made Rose one of the youngest attorneys to ever join Billboard’s “Top Music Lawyer” and Variety’s “Legal Impact” lists.

As a product of the saying “It takes a village to raise a child,” Rose ensures that he provides that same sense of collaboration through his role as president and head of brand partnerships at Collective Gallery, the first “record” label for photographers. Rose founded the company in 2019 alongside celebrity photographer and videographer Cam Kirk — known for his work with the likes of Young Thug, Megan Thee Stallion, Future, ScHoolboy Q and more — and renowned entertainment attorney Aurielle Brooks (who’s represented artists such as Jeezy and Kevin Gates) with the aim to deliver resources that traditional agencies can’t offer. Collective Gallery supports lensmen with everything from merchandising to travel and distribution, giving them the opportunity to make the most of their career by harnessing the power of community. “One of our main goals here at Collective Gallery is to give young, diverse creatives the opportunity to work in the entertainment content space with some of the leading companies in the world,” he explains to HYPEBEAST. “Our impact rests in the support we provide to these young creatives, both monetarily and strategically, and the trust from our brand partners — including Atlantic Records, The Athlete’s Foot, HotNewHipHop and more — make it possible.”

How would you describe your job to someone who isn’t familiar with the music industry in three words?

An “advocate for creatives.” Advocator, Confidant, and Liaison.

Can you run us through a day in your work life?

There isn’t an “ordinary” day as an attorney or label executive. As much as I try to plan my affairs, the majority of my day is spent putting out fires and managing the fast pace of the industry. I work pretty much every day of the week. Some days I’m in court handling a hearing, other days I’m in the office filing motions, negotiating all kinds of contract matters, taking depositions or meetings, reviewing document production, engaging in various client calls — the list goes on. I’m blessed with the opportunity to travel for work as well, always on the go to close a deal, meet a client, attend a speaking engagement, or even produce a shoot for my photography label, which works with some of the biggest brands and artists in the world.

How does being a lawyer go hand-in-hand with your role as a label executive?

As an attorney, I often help clients craft short and long-term career strategies. I educate clients on their rights, ensuring they understand both the legal implications of their business dealings and matters as well as the real-life implications of those deals. Negotiating all sorts of deals for creatives and entrepreneurs has helped me, as a label executive, understand how to structure brand partnerships for our company and in a similar vein, protect the interest and rights of our artists and the creatives that we work with.

You briefly touched on the Rick Ross-50 Cent lawsuit, but can you dive into the details and explain the importance of the case in the industry?

The case started during my last year of law school. I was working under my partner, Leron Rogers, for his client Rick Ross. After Ross used 50’s song “In Da Club” in his 2015 Renzel Remixes mixtape, 50 Cent sued him for millions of dollars — claiming trademark infringement, and that his rights to publicity were violated over the unauthorized sampling of his song. The lawsuit was unique in that many artists often perform lyrics over samples for remixes of other artists’ songs on free mixtapes.

50 Cent originally released “In Da Club” in 2003. As noted in the court papers (which are publicly available for anyone interested to review), 50 Cent recorded “In Da Club” pursuant to an agreement with his then-record label, Shady Records/Aftermath Records that specified “[50 Cent] owns no copyright interest in ‘In Da Club.’” In addition, he also granted to Shady/Aftermath the “perpetual and exclusive rights during the term of [the Recording Agreement],” and a non-exclusive right thereafter, to use Jackson’s name and likeness “for the purposes of trade, or for advertising purposes … in connection with the marketing and exploitation of Phonograph Records and Covered Videos.”

From a personal perspective, working on the case was surreal! As a fellow Jamaica Queens native, I grew up listening to 50 Cent and was always a fan of Rick Ross and his work ethic. Ross’ remix of “In Da Club” was never about 50 Cent — but was simply one of many remixes on his mixtape album, which also featured songs by Adele, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne and more — none of which sued Ross for the release of his mixtape.

In 2018, shortly after my birthday and weeks before receiving my bar results, a lower court ruled in Rick Ross’ favor, finding that since 50 Cent had signed away his rights to the song as well as his right of publicity to Shady/Aftermath for the term of their recording agreement, he could not pursue a case against Ross for using the song. The U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in a case of first impression two years later, marking not only a landmark decision in the music industry, but also a life changing moment in my career.

What are the necessary first steps a young person should take to enter a career in music?

Any young person pursuing a career in music should first decide where they see themselves making an impact in the industry, whether on the talent or executive side. Coming to that decision usually requires one to weigh their passion versus what they are actually good at. For God-given talent is more often than not the thing that comes easiest to you. Once you can figure that out, the grind starts. Anything worth having never came easy. Be diligent, take risks and be intentional. Find mentorship as well. You don’t need to recreate the blueprint. There is someone out there doing exactly what you are trying to do in some form or fashion. Model it where seen fit, learn from your mistakes, and understand that you only fail when you give up.

Anything worth having never came easy. Be diligent, take risks and be intentional. Find mentorship as well. You don’t need to recreate the blueprint.

What lessons and/or work ethics did you only pick up after working in the music industry?

Learning how to navigate in certain spaces in the music industry requires actually being in the industry and placed into real world situations. I learned how to carry myself in certain settings that may feel lax or fun but were actually a professional setting and opportunity to network or learn from others.

What was the biggest challenge you’ve had to face so far, and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I’ve had to face so far was overcoming imposter syndrome. Social media and society have resulted in people feeling that they haven’t accomplished anything because they’re frequently comparing themselves to others. I grew up always thinking I would be a millionaire by 21, certainly by 30. Dreams of making it to the league, I suppose. But, I quickly found out that life isn’t that easy and learned how to look at the glass as half full instead of half empty. I’m blessed to have accomplished everything I’ve done to date and couldn’t ask the universe for more.

What is one thing about your job that most people would finds urprising?

I have a non-profit organization called S.A.D.E.’s Hope. S.A.D.E.’s Hope is a 501(c)(3) in partnership with Antonia Acevedo, my “work mom” at my law firm who was a victim of domestic violence and also lost her cousin to heinous, brutal and abusive acts. She believed and invested in me early in my career, so I did my best to pay her support forward by helping her to create a meaningful platform that was aligned with her purpose. S.A.D.E.’s Hope was founded on the vision and belief that every teen has the right to be safe, empowered and free from violence and the fear of violence. The company has spent the last two years bringing awareness and providing assistance to teens and millennial victims by providing referrals to shelters, job-training, legal advocacy, referrals to counseling, financial resources, and establishing preventive measures.

Is there a secret to career longevity in this industry?

There is no secret, per se. I believe success consists of hard work and luck. But luck is just preparation meeting opportunity. A lot of people are prepared for their blessing but miss the opportunity either because they did not recognize it or it never came. Then there are people who are constantly provided an opportunity to win but aren’t prepared for it for various reasons. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.

What are some habits you follow regularly to always maintain a good headspace for work?

I always remind myself that this is what I prayed for. Mental health is important and being mindful of the energy and company you keep is vital to a successful career. I also keep a daily to do list to help keep track of my workload.

I always remind myself that this is what I prayed for. Mental health is important and being mindful of the energy and company you keep is vital to a successful career.

What does a day off look like for you?

I rarely get a day off, but recharging is necessary, so when I do, I enjoy sleeping and binge-watching TV. I can literally watch an entire series in one day. I’m talking 24 hours straight. I know, sounds crazy, but I’m going to utilize every second of that “day off.”

How do you see your job evolving with the music industry in the next five years?

Being a visionary challenges our sense of comfortability. I see bigger deals in the future and the necessity to adapt quickly as technology continues to reshape our industry.

If not music, what would you be doing?

Acting.. I’m just waiting on my big break [laughs].

Stay tuned for more features with music industry professionals — from managers to sound engineers, stagehands and others; the people who make the music world go round without standing behind a microphone.