MONROVIA – In one of his songs, Eric Tarh, AKA Eric-Geso promised to ‘hustle until resurrect’ (Struggle to succeed) and that commitment could be coming to reality as he signs a life changing deal with three major stakeholders in the Country’s Music industry.
on Tuesday May 11, 2021, Eric signed a life changing career deal with Mr. Alphonso Johnson AKA AL Johnson, Bernard Blue AKA DJ Blue and Mr. Lester J. Tarr to brand his music in and out of Africa by linking him with some of the biggest artist in an out of Africa and some of the biggest branding companies in the United states.
Upon his Arrival to Liberia in April, Al-Johnson who manages Liberia Artist D-12 famous for his song “Born to win,” promised to search for talented artists and invest in them to get the best of them and make Liberia music heard around the world.
Details of the agreement hasn’t been made available to this paper, but it is believe to be a big money deal. Al Johnson told reporters that the arrangement reached with Eric Geso is a demonstration of his promised to do what he promised to do for local Liberian Artist. Johnson has promised to help develop Eric Geso just as he’s been doing for D-12. For him, it’s a risk worth taking by him and his partners but he hope that with the talent of Geso, their investment could yield some positive result.
He’s also relying on his connections in the US with some of the big companies and artist to seal a real good deal. According to him his connection is also an asset that all upcoming Artists can tapped into and make themselves known in the world.
He believe there are lots of upcoming talents in Liberia who believe kept down the ladder because they have not had the right platform to promote their songs.
“We are investors, we are his new managers and we are working on a collaboration with Nigeria Mega star Davido and Chris Brown. After our studies, we have come to pick our first Liberian artist that we want to take internationally.
“We are going to take the financial risk with Eric Geso, the music business is a very risky environment. Most people don’t believe that. I went through this with D-12 it’s not a joke for us we want Liberia to win.
“Eric has been performing for years and no one has taken risk to invest into his talent we are the guys who are going to do that and because we believe in him and his ability we are the guys who are taking the risk.”
“The records companies in America want to be strategically position in Africa as they are in the United States. In the US the five distributors they will not touch a rapper unless he has capture the market. They have to know you have dominated your market before they put their machine behind you to brand you.
Johnson recently helped D-12 on a video collaboration with Boniface and Nigerian Mega artist Flavor on a song record “change my story”. The Music video was shot in Nigeria. Part of his vision for Liberian is to undertake such initiative with many other talented local artists.
He believe his connections is an asset for all Liberia upcoming artist to tapped into and make themselves known in the world. He has given his fair appreciation of the talents local artist have but believe they have been kept down the ladder because they have not had the right platform to promote their songs.
About Al Johnson
Alphonso Johnson made his birth debut in Monrovia Liberia on March 2, 1976. Growing up with humble beginnings in between Brewerville and Monrovia, then escaping the war by moving with his father to the United States laid the foundation of his dedicated work ethic, humanitarianism and savvy business practices. As a youth, Al submerged himself into his new American environment and took an instant interest in music tasting as many diverse genres as he could discover.
Music has always been a passion of his, back home in Liberia young Al could be singing in his church choir every Sunday. Growing up in the states after experiencing the hardships in West Africa gave Johnson a unique perspective and inner drive to help his family still back in Liberia.
After making a few poor choices, he found himself in the grasp of the US penal system and was forced to go into and make some big life changes. He used those challenging years to grow, educate himself, infuse his passion of music and put together an intelligent plan to help break and manage emerging musicians in the US and around the world. His early successes came with his artists Noah and Skitty MC through his first record label RCE, Relevant Conduct Entertainment.
They produced numerous songs with big artists like Chris Brown and Akon and were quickly signed to Universal Records, helping to solidify Al in the music game. Unfortunately due to partnership issues RCE dissolved but Johnson didn’t miss a beat. Al began to expand his vision and feed his desire to get back to his roots to help uplift his people of Liberia and its economy through what he loves most, music. Because he was still on probation and could not travel home to Liberia, he choose to move to one of the largest populations of Liberians in the US, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It was there that he re-discovered his youth through the food, the clothing, the culture and most definitely through the music. That is when he discovered his first Liberian artist Flex leading to a joint venture with Akon. Al also signed Deh Tewh to his new record label LIB Muzik and began to promote him like no other Liberian Artist had ever been seen.
Through his creative, ingenious eye, Al saw that he needed to create a VIP lifestyle and showcase his upcoming artist as having already achieving it, and he did just that and more. By arriving at his concerts via private jets and Rolls Royce trucks, Al was able to strategically market his new artist just like large record labels and the world began to take notice of Deh Tweh and Al Johnson. He has a keen ear for new talent and ingenious intellect for lifestyle marketing paired with his larger than life personality, loyal lifetime relationships and hard work ethic, he is unstoppable. As soon as Al was able to get his passport back, he began to move into the next level of his life plan and returned to Monrovia Liberia where he partnered with his cousin Bernard Blue Benson who started Liberia’s first and largest radio station One Media House Hot FM.
He is part, owner of the station and the two also partnered with childhood friend Lester Tarr to create LIB Management, the first comprehensive management agency in Liberia. The powerful trio sign Liberia’s Artist of the Year and largest artist Eric Geso and laid the groundwork Liberian artists having a powerful platform to become successful international musicians. The road to full filling his life plan had been colorful and eclectic uplifting everyone he meets and he has no plans to slow down anytime soon. The future of Liberian music will never be the same and ramifications this can implement in the future of the prosperity for Liberians is limitless