Hip-hop promoter Gene Dexter

Who he is: Gene Dexter is a Seattle hip-hop promoter and partner in Crazy Pinoy Promotions, a company created by local hip-hop pioneer Nestor "DJ Nasty Nes" Rodriguez. Dexter is also a marketing consultant for Seattle-based hip-hop label Noc On Wood Records and president of special marketing for the street promotions division of The iFirm.com. Through his work, Dexter strives to bring greater exposure and name recognition to the city's underground hip-hop scene. He's also been instrumental in pushing for national exposure for local MCs and disc jockeys as a promoter, not a manager, per se. One of the groups he works closely with, Seattle's Nocturnal Rage, will have two singles on an EA Sports baseball video game, set to launch this summer, and were selected last fall as the house band for the Comedy Central show "Premium Blend."

What he does: Markets Northwest hip-hop acts, including Nocturnal Rage and MC Pop, among others, and handles local and national urban entertainment accounts. Dexter is working on an overhaul of CrazyPinoy.com. The Web site, which is slated to relaunch late next month, is billed as a one-stop portal for club promoters and hip-hop artists, and will feature acts from Seattle, Boise, Portland and Vancouver, B.C., to name a few.

The vision for CrazyPinoy.com is to create a go-to site where national companies and artists can get a feel for the Northwest's hip-hop scene, Dexter said. The site will feature artists' bios and links to their Web sites, along with an urban entertainment magazine, special promotions and details on upcoming releases.

A day in the life: A career marketing and promoting urban music and entertainment wasn't a stretch for Dexter, 42, who grew up around hip-hop, soul and R&B in Los Angeles. "I don't know a thing about rock music," he said.

Don't let the sharp suits fool you — the life of a promoter isn't exactly glamorous. Dexter's day begins by sifting through a few hundred e-mails, then moving on to conference calls.

"At this point I'm pretty much still in a bathrobe, drinking coffee," he said. As a promoter, the real work takes place on the streets, not locked up inside some boardroom.

This means hitting the streets, "keeping my ear to what's happening," and checking out various record stores to stay up on the new releases, see how the product is moving and monitor trends.

The early years: In 1993, Dexter moved from Los Angeles to Seattle, with ambitious plans to promote the city's underground hip-hop music scene through an upstart management company.

With the national spotlight fixated on the area's grunge movement, Dexter eyed an opportunity to tap into the city's urban market. He knew the talent was here, but hip-hop was largely underground. By managing the careers of emerging MCs and DJs, Dexter could bring them greater exposure and help them navigate the tricky waters of the entertainment industry.

Shortly after arriving here he set up his management group, Boomshaka, in a loft in the International District and for the next two years pitched his idea to dozens of hip-hop artists. But he found no takers.

"We talked to everybody," Dexter said, "and I hit a brick wall very quickly."

So he regrouped and turned his attention to making records. With a few backers, Dexter started Lost and Found Recordings.

Though only two albums were released during the label's five-year run, the process and the day-to-day tasks that go into running a label provided invaluable experience.

"I learned how to collaborate with artists, learned about their idiosyncrasies," he said. It was around this time that Dexter met Rodriguez, and was offered the chance to work for Crazy Pinoy Promotions.

On the verge of greatness: Like the grunge explosion, Dexter predicts that Seattle hip-hop is going to break open. All it takes is one artist to put things in motion. He doesn't know who it will be or when it will happen, he's certain it will.

"The sound is still developing. Once they capture it, it's going to be big."

Tina Potterf: 206-464-8214 or tpotterf@seattletimes.com