San Francisco, CA – Intercept Music is disrupting the indie music marketing and digital distribution game for hip hop labels and independent artists who are looking to expand their streams and boost their profits.  Showcasing success stories like Shawn Mickelonis, COO at Afimi Music and Viral New Wave label head and artist, AYO SK3TCH, founder and chairman, Ralph Tashjian and CEO, Tod Turner, recently announced new hire Jesse Flores as their Vice President of Artist and Label Partnerships to further fuel their presence in hip hop music.

Jesse Flores’ industry experiences spans decades with strategic vision and passion for artist empowerment. His mission to impact the evolving landscape of music distribution and development stems from expertise honed as the former Senior Director of Label and Business Development at Virgin Music Group, Vice President of Business Development at Lyric Financial and leadership roles at EMI/Capitol Music Group.

In his position at Virgin Music Group, Jesse played a pivotal role in securing and managing relationships with high-profile artists and independent labels, working with artists such as Stephen Marley, Slum Village, Royce Da 5'9", DJ Premier/Gang Starr, Carla Morrison, Dax and more. Prior to that, his work at EMI/Capitol Music Group saw him spearheading artist acquisitions and generating over $20 million in new business through partnerships with Tyrese, Ice Cube, Raekwon, Trina, E-40 and others. His tenure at Universal Music Group and PolyGram Group Distribution further solidified his expertise in artist development, commercial marketing and sales.

“Intercept Music may be the ‘new kid on the block,’ but our goal is to be ‘the block.’ My immediate objective is to continue to engage the hip hop community with our expansive digital distribution and targeted music marketing AI tools via our unique Intercept Music technology system.  Intercept Music is literally changing the game for hip hop artists by offering major label servicing with a user platform that is unmatched. We also back that up with actual human customer service access that is unheard of these days!”

"I am thrilled to join Intercept Music on our mission to revolutionize the independent music landscape. Throughout my career I've been passionate about working with the indie artist and label community. I look forward to leveraging my expertise to drive impactful partnerships for years to come," expresses Jesse Flores, Vice President of Artist and Label Partnerships for Intercept Music. 

Indie artist AYO SK3TCH first approached Intercept Music in 2024 with a vision that has evolved into his own label, Viral New Wave, bringing over 200 artists to his label and generating nearly 100 million streams in his first year. With signature acts that include YungCeoDaPlug, 199X, Inas X and himself, SK3TCH feels Intercept Music technology has securely positioned Viral New Wave for industry expansion in alignment with the likes of Alamo Records, Quality Control Music (QC) and Roc Nation.

“Viral New Wave has greatly benefitted from the technology and support that Intercept Music provides. Running my own label as an artist puts me in a unique position. I get to work with Ralph, Tod and now Jesse, under both banners and experience firsthand how I’m providing my own artists with reliable resources for boosting their music and careers. And it’s not just the tech savvy behind Intercept, but also their staffing that’s reliable and easy to reach at every stage of the game,” expresses AYO SK3TCH, artist and owner at Viral New Wave.

Afimi Music’s Shawn Mickelonis, Chief Operations Officer and CEO, Kalief Grant, who have experience with major labels like Universal Music Group and Def Jam Records, have been with Intercept since 2022.  Both readily acknowledge that Intercept Music’s masterful technology has enabled tailored marketing services unique to the needs of each of their artists. With five legacy acts under their banner, Canibus, Kali Ranks, Stephanie Adler, Afm Jynx and G-Mack, the tangible proof is in over a billion streams garnered. 

“We believe in the development of our artists, guiding them to embrace ethics, humility, loyalty, and education within the music industry. Our goal is to ensure they can capitalize on their artistry and are given the tools and opportunities to create great, profitable, and enduring music. Intercept’s technology and management tools not only provide us with the same high-quality marketing and distribution services as the major labels, but they mirror our beliefs. Our partnership with Intercept has allowed us to stay independent while gaining direct distribution through them and major players. It's been a productive balance, offering more reach without losing our autonomy,” cites Shawn Mickelonis, COO for Afimi Music.

About Intercept Music Inc.

Intercept Music empowers independent artists and labels with innovative entertainment technology. The company provides cutting-edge tools and services for premium distribution, dynamic social media, targeted marketing, impactful merchandising, and customizable promotional services. Intercept’s exclusive and innovative software grants artists access to a wealth of AI-powered features, enabling them to use predictive marketing to optimize their promotional efforts and directly connect with their target audiences. Designed specifically for the booming independent music sector, Intercept Music helps artists grow their audiences and generate revenue.

Discover more at interceptmusic.com and visit Intercept Music on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.