When I first started building this company, the idea was broad: create a space to support music, artists, and culture in Houston. That mission is still there, but the focus is sharper now.
Mocha Man Music is now centered on three core areas: artist development, publishing, and sync. We want to help artists grow creatively and professionally, protect the value of their songs, and create opportunities for their music to live in film, television, commercials, games, and other media.
That shift is reflected in our new logo.
The bold “MMM” mark represents strength, movement, and rhythm. The record element points to the foundation of the business: music that can be heard, owned, collected, and remembered. The vertical sound bars suggest growth, signal, and creative energy.
This new identity gives Mocha Man Music a clearer visual language and a stronger business direction. We are not trying to be everything to everybody. We are building a company that helps artists develop, protect their work, and connect it to new audiences.
The American Music Fairness Act
Legendary artist Dionne Warwick enlists Congress to get radio royalties
The American Music Fairness Act advocates for artists, session musicians, and vocalists to be paid when their recordings are played on AM/FM radio.
Streaming services, satellite radio, and digital platforms already pay performance royalties for sound recordings, but traditional radio has long operated under a different system. That gap affects working musicians, especially independent artists who are trying to build sustainable careers.
For Mocha Man Music, this matters because music has value beyond exposure. Radio can still help artists reach new listeners, but reach alone does not pay for studio time, musicians, producers, marketing, touring, or the years of work it takes to develop a sound.
If we want a healthier music industry, we have to support policies that treat music like labor, not background noise.
CDs Are Making a Quiet Comeback
Vinyl gets most of the attention, but CDs are having their own moment.
For music fans, CDs still make sense. They are affordable, easy to collect, and available across decades of music. While vinyl prices continue to climb, CDs remain one of the most accessible ways to build a serious music collection without spending a fortune.
They also offer something streaming cannot: ownership. A CD gives fans a physical connection to the artist, the artwork, the credits, and the music itself.
Brandon J. Marks’ CD is available now, and it is a great way to support his music directly. E-mail frederick@mochamanmusic.com to order a copy for $20 + shipping.
Mocha Man Music Events
Mocha Man Music is hosting Community Make Music Day at Kindred Stories as part of Make Music Day, a global celebration of music held every year on June 21. Musicians, singers, poets, beginners, families, and music lovers are invited to come together, play, listen, and connect.
At our Prince Day event, DJ Alkemy will honor one of the most creative artists of all time with a set full of Prince classics, deep cuts, and dance-floor energy.
Join us on Thursday, June 11th, at 6 pm for the Moviemaker & Musician Mixer, an in-person gathering created to help local creatives meet, connect, and build real collaborations.
Free Crowns: Beauty, Resistance, and the Politics of Black Hair “As much as India.Arie said, ‘I Am Not My Hair,’ we are also our hair.” That observation from curator Diamond Ashman serves as the foundation of Free Crowns, a group exhibition exploring the relationship between Black hair, identity, culture, and self-expression. Read Article Prince Day Celebration The Prince Day Celebration brought fans of all ages together for an evening of music, memories, and community. Featuring DJ Alkemy,...
June is Black Music Month, also known as African American Music Appreciation Month. It began in 1979, when President Jimmy Carter recognized June as a time to celebrate the impact of Black music on American culture. The celebration was driven by music industry leaders, including Kenny Gamble, Ed Wright, and Dyana Williams, who understood that Black music deserved applause, recognition, protection, and economic power. Black music is one of America’s greatest cultural exports. It gave us...
Rob Base Gave Us Pure Joy In 1988, I left Houston for Howard University and experienced a culture shock I wasn’t prepared for. Back home, my soundtrack was soul, R&B, gospel, and the laid-back drawl of Southern rap. Howard introduced me to East Coast rap, house music, and dancehall. I immediately fell in love with those new sounds because they felt fresh, urgent, and alive. Rob Base’s music sat at the intersection of everything I was discovering. Read Article Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus...
