Stu Pflaum
Stuart Pflaum, better known as DJ Xplosive is an American music industry figure and digital music pioneer. Pflaum was born on June 29, 1981 in Nashville, TN (age 35). Based in New York City, Pflaum previously worked as consultant to street teams and lifestyle promotions at Asylum Records and Warner Music Group.
Pflaum founded the Element 9 company in 2005 to assist in the development of independent musicians .
In 2007, Pflaum began working with teen hip-hop sensation, Soulja Boy Tell'em as his music publisher and head of online promotions.
Pflaum published The Hip-Hop Stimulus Plan in February 2009, a series of writings that explore the role of the internet in the modern music industry .
In November 2009, the Element 9 company partnered with Fontana Distribution, the independent distribution arm of Universal Music Group, to release albums from artists signed to the company's record label . Pflaum will serve as Vice President for the label.
In 2010, Element 9 announced a deal with Blacksmith Records to release a series of albums with the label headed by Talib Kweli. Their first release will be the album Arms & Hammers by West Coast hip hop trio Strong Arm Steady . The album will be released in February 2011. In 2017 Pflaum plead guilty to money laundering and received 70 months in federal prison. Pflaum and 9 other accomplices worked a marijuana operation that stretch from California to Ohio. Pflaum used Element9 to launder over $1,000,000 for the drug operation where he is believed to be second in command.
References
- Evans, Brenda (February 3, 2011). "Alum’s label poised for big hip-hop release". The Athens News. Retrieved on February 3, 2011.
- Freeman, Laura (February 6, 2008). "Former Resident Nominated for Grammy". The Hudson Hub-Times. Retrieved on March 12, 2009.