The music world is still processing the death of Rico Wade. The producer was considered by many to be the cornerstone of the Dungeon Family, and the music that allowed the collective to transform hip-hop in the 1990s and 2000s. Wade died from heart failure at the age of 52, but his native Atlanta is making sure that he won't be forgotten. The city has launched a training program in Wade's name, with the intention of mentoring the next generation of executives.
The program was announced the same day as Wade's funeral, April 27. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens made a statement on the program following the service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. It bears the official title of the Rico Wade Music Executive Training Program. It will be an initiative ran by Atlanta's Office of Film, Entertainment and Nightlife. "Rico left an indelible mark on music and culture around the world," Dickens added. "And for that, the South will always have something to say."
Rico Wade's Program Will Mentor Aspiring Music Execs
The program will help musicians learn the business and establish connections within the music industry. Dickens pointed to those in attendance as proof that Wade was successful at an extraordinary level. The Mayor aims to give newcomers access to the "music executives like the 500 hundred or so gathered" at the producer's funeral. These executives include L.A. Reid, Chris Hicks, and Sylvia Rhone, the chair and CEO of Epic Records.
Rico Wade's business acumen has been a consistent point of praise. He not only helped Outkast and En Vogue break through in the 1990s, but he did the same with Future in the 2010s. The "Like That" rapper talked about Wade's impact during a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone. "Rico supported me 1,000 more times than anybody ever could," he admitted. "Nobody could ever do what Rico Wade did for me … Everything I know about music, I know because of Rico."
CeeLo Green, another Dungeon Family member, likened Wade to the comic book character Professor X. "He was Dr. Xavier of the world-renowned Dungeon Family," he wrote on Instagram. "Yet so humble and understated with all his power. Even the name Rico Wade rings bells, and sounds so prestigious & regal."
A launch date for the Rico Wade Music Executive Training Program not yet been announced.