2021-11-12T16:52:54-06:00 2020-12-31 SOZO CONSULTING 378 FLYNN AVENUE MOUNTAIN VIEW CA 94043 990EZ 2020-01-01 831901032 REDTONE RECORDS REDT 6509062464 321 BELL STREET EAST PALO ALTO CA 94303 JUSTIN PHIPPS ED/PRES/BOARD 6509062464 2021-11-12 true JUSTIN PHIPPS 999009999 JOSHUA M CANTWELL P01498460 6509067272 2021-11-12 X 2020 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z X WWW.REDTONERECORDS.COM X X 53991 X 48853 5138 53991 79523 37683 24600 25969 167775 -113784 138575 34 24825 X 138575 73517 138575 73517 48692 138575 24825 X REDTONE RECORDS IS AS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED RECORD LABEL AND RECORDING STUDIO THAT PROVIDES FREE, PROFESSIONAL MUSIC AND VIDEO PRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ARTISTS WITH POSITIVE MESSAGES. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON PRESERVING AND PROMOTING VARIOUS FORMS OF TRADITIONAL AND ROOTS MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ADDITIONALLY WE WILL BE CONDUCTING REGULAR YOUTH SONGWRITING COMPETITIONS, INCENTIVIZING POSITIVE LYRICAL CONTENT FROM YOUNG, ASPIRING, COMMUNITY ARTISTS. OUR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: IDENTIFYING AND RECRUITING ARTISTS, BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY; SUBSIDIZING TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES FOR ARTIST RESIDENCIES WHEN APPLICABLE; OPERATING A COMMUNITY-BASED RECORDING STUDIO; PRODUCING MUSIC AND VIDEO; HOSTING AND PROMOTING CONCERTS, FESTIVALS AND SIMILAR ACTIVITIES; PURSUING SONG PLACEMENTS IN TV, FILM, ADVERTISING, ETC.; MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF REDTONE ARTISTS; SUBMITTING REDTONE PRODUCTIONS TO MAJOR ARTISTS FOR POSSIBLE PROGRAM REVENUE TO FUND REDTONE ACTIVITIES. REDTONE'S MISSIO COVID HAD A BIG IMPACT ON OUR FIRST FULL YEAR OF PROGRAM OPERATION BUT WE WERE STILL ABLE TO FIND SAFE WAYS TO MAKE A LOT OF MUSIC AND SURPASS OUR OWN GOALS FOR PRODUCTION, STREAMS/DOWNLOADS AND PRESS ATTENTION. LIVE PERFORMANCE BECAME ESSENTIALLY NONEXISTENT. WE STARTED OFF SUBSIDIZING SOME GREAT JAZZ AND BLUES NIGHTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL VENUE, AS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE BAY AREAS LIVE MUSIC SCENE, BUT COVID SHUT THAT DOWN EARLY ON. OVER THE SUMMER WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A LOCAL BAND FOR LIVE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED CONGOLESE DANCE WORKSHOPS AT A NEARBY EAST PALO ALTO PARK, BUT BEYOND THAT LIVE MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES WERE VERY LIMITED. IN OUR STUDIO WE PRODUCED THREE ALBUMS, ONE OF WHICH, BY COUNTRY SOUL SINGER MIKO MARKS, GOT FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, ROLLING STONE, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FORBES AND MANY OTHER PUBLICATIONS. WHILE THE ALBUM CAME OUT IN 2021, SINGLES WE RELEASED IN 2020 HAD ALREADY BROUGHT MIKO SIGNIFICANT PRESS ATTENTION AND GREW HER MONTHLY SPOTIFY LISTENERS FROM LESS THAN 500 TO OVER 30,000 BEFORE THE END OF 2020 (SHE SAW SIMILAR GROWTH ON OTHER PLATFORMS). OUR EMPHASIS ON RACIAL JUSTICE, HEALING, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND OTHER POSITIVE THEMES PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE ATTENTION MIKOS ALBUM GOT AND CONTINUES TO GET. THE SECOND ALBUM WAS THE DEBUT ALBUM FOR CONGOLESE DRUM MASTER KIAZI MALONGA. IT WAS A COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL CONGOLESE RHYTHMS PASSED TO KIAZI BY HIS LATE FATHER AND CONGOLESE DRUM & DANCE LEGEND MALONGA CASQUELOURD. THE THIRD ALBUM WAS BY OUR OWN HOUSE BAND, RECORDED DURING THE LOCKDOWN WHEN WE DIDNT KNOW IF IT WAS SAFE TO HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE STUDIO. WE PRODUCED 10 MUSIC VIDEOS AND INVESTED MORE HEAVILY INTO OUR MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES. PART OF THAT INVESTMENT INCLUDED LAUNCHING AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP WITH NASHVILLE-BASED MARKETING AND PR TEAM BROOKLYN BASEMENT RECORDS, WITHOUT WHOM MIKOS MUSIC WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION IT GOT. WE ALSO DEVELOPED A VISION FOR LOCAL CULTURAL ARTS & BUSINESS DISTRICTS AS WELL AS AN ARTS AND CULTURE NETWORK THAT COULD BECOME A MODEL FOR A SUSTAINABLE ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE IN THE BAY AREA, RESISTING THE CURRENT FORCES OF GENTRIFICATION AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF ARTISTS AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES. WE STARTED PROMOTING THE VISION TO LOCAL CITY OFFICIALS, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, CORPORATIONS AND VENUE OWNERS AND ARE HOPEFUL ABOUT WHERE IT MIGHT LEAD. 132926 132926 JUSTIN PHIPPS ED/PRES/BOAR 40.00 61095 12600 CARLOS CABRERA BOARD/TREAS/ 1.00 0 OLATUNDE SOBOMEHIN BOARD 1.00 0 false false false false false false false false false JUSTIN PHIPPS 321 BELL STREET EAST PALO ALTO CA 94303 6509062464 false false false false false false false false false false false NONE NONE true X 153802 48854 202656 5138 5138 153802 53992 207794 207794 153802 53992 207794 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED FORM 990-EZ, PART I, LINE 16 EXPENSES MARKETING 9,560 OFFICE SUPPLIES & SOFTWARE 656 MEALS AND FOOD 1,929 GENERAL AND LIAB INS. 4,330 PROGRAM SUPPLIES 706 BANK & OTHER SERVICE CHRG 72 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 8,671 TAXES AND LICENSES 45 TOTAL 25,969 FORM 990-EZ, PART I, LINE 20 PRIOR YEAR ADJUSTMENT 34 FORM 990-EZ, PART II, LINE 26 ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND ACCRUED EXPENSES 0 48,692 FORM 990-EZ, PART III REDTONE RECORDS IS AS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED RECORD LABEL AND RECORDING STUDIO THAT PROVIDES FREE, PROFESSIONAL MUSIC AND VIDEO PRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ARTISTS WITH POSITIVE MESSAGES. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON PRESERVING AND PROMOTING VARIOUS FORMS OF TRADITIONAL AND ROOTS MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD. ADDITIONALLY WE WILL BE CONDUCTING REGULAR YOUTH SONGWRITING COMPETITIONS, INCENTIVIZING POSITIVE LYRICAL CONTENT FROM YOUNG, ASPIRING, COMMUNITY ARTISTS. OUR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: IDENTIFYING AND RECRUITING ARTISTS, BOTH LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY; SUBSIDIZING TRAVEL AND LODGING EXPENSES FOR ARTIST RESIDENCIES WHEN APPLICABLE; OPERATING A COMMUNITY-BASED RECORDING STUDIO; PRODUCING MUSIC AND VIDEO; HOSTING AND PROMOTING CONCERTS, FESTIVALS AND SIMILAR ACTIVITIES; PURSUING SONG PLACEMENTS IN TV, FILM, ADVERTISING, ETC.; MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF REDTONE ARTISTS; SUBMITTING REDTONE PRODUCTIONS TO MAJOR ARTISTS FOR POSSIBLE PROGRAM REVENUE TO FUND REDTONE ACTIVITIES. REDTONE'S MISSION/FOCUS EMPHASIZES: 1) CULTURAL PRESERVATION: MUSIC IS A POWERFUL TOOL IN KEEPING CULTURAL TRADITIONS ALIVE. WE ARE INVESTING IN "CULTURE KEEPERS," ARTISTS WHO ARE CARRYING ON THEIR CULTURAL TRADITIONS THROUGH MUSICAL EXPRESSION, PERFORMANCE, RECORDING, VIDEO, ETC. IT IS NOT UNLIKE THE WORK OF JOHN AND ALAN LOMAX, RECORDING ARTISTS ALL OVER THE AMERICAN SOUTH FOR THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, CAPTURING CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT FORMS OF MUSIC AND DISTRIBUTING THEM IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE PUBLIC INTEREST AND ENSURE THAT THESE FORMS CONTINUE TO EXIST. 2) POSITIVE MESSAGING: 90% OF BILLBOARD'S ANNUAL "HOT 100" HITS CONSISTENTLY ADDRESS THREE THEMES ONLY: SEX, DRUGS AND MONEY. WE DO NOT WANT TO COMPROMISE OUR MISSION AND MESSAGE IN ORDER TO COMPETE WITH MARKET TRENDS. THE NONPROFIT MODEL ALLOWS OUR MESSAGE AND MISSION TO BE THE ONLY CONSIDERATIONS IN THE CREATION OF OUR WORKS, ENSURING THAT WE ONLY PRODUCE AND PROMOTE POSITIVITY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE MARKET IS POINTING THAT WAY. 3) COMMUNITY IMPACT: MUSIC IS A CRITICAL PART OF COMMUNITY MOVEMENTS, CONSCIOUSNESS AND HEALTH. PART OF REDTONE'S SERVICES WILL INCLUDE THE CREATION OF MUSIC AND MESSAGES THAT EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AROUND COMMUNITY ISSUES: EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, THE ENVIRONMENT, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, ETC. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL PROVIDE LIVE MUSIC FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS, FREE OF CHARGE TO EVENT ORGANIZERS, AS A WAY TO INCREASE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND LIFT SPIRITS. THE COSTS OF LIVE MUSIC WILL BE COVERED ENTIRELY BY THE RECORD LABEL. 4) YOUTH IMPACT: THESE MESSAGES OF THE MODERN MUSIC INDUSTRY, BECAUSE OF THEIR REACH, SHAPE COLLECTIVE CONSCIENCE AND INFLUENCE YOUNGER GENERATIONS. THEY ENCOURAGE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, GREED, PROMISCUITY, THE OBJECTIFICATION AND DEGRADATION OF WOMEN, LACK OF CRITICAL THINKING, ETC. MEANWHILE, THERE ARE INCREDIBLE VOICES OF COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND POSITIVITY, BOTH LOCALLY AND AROUND THE WORLD, WHOSE IMPACT IS HINDERED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE MUSIC AND VIDEO. IT'S HARD TO FIND A YOUNG PERSON IN EAST PALO ALTO WHO DOESN'T HAVE SOME ASPIRATION OF BECOMING A FAMOUS SINGER OR RAPPER. THESE ASPIRING ARTISTS NOT ONLY NEED TO BE FLOODED WITH POSITIVE MUSIC TO COMBAT WHAT'S ON THEIR RADIOS AND PHONES, BUT THEY NEED COMMUNITY-BASED, SUCCESSFUL ARTISTS THEY CAN LOOK UP TO, INSTEAD OF IDOLIZING ONLY WHOM THEY SEE IN THE DAMAGING IMAGERY OF MODERN MUSIC VIDEOS. THE LABEL WILL ALSO HAVE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIPS AS WELL AS YOUTH SONGWRITING COMPETITIONS, INCENTIVIZING AND MONETIZING POSITIVITY IN YOUTH CULTURE. FORM 990-EZ, PART III, LINE 28 COVID HAD A BIG IMPACT ON OUR FIRST FULL YEAR OF PROGRAM OPERATION BUT WE WERE STILL ABLE TO FIND SAFE WAYS TO MAKE A LOT OF MUSIC AND SURPASS OUR OWN GOALS FOR PRODUCTION, STREAMS/DOWNLOADS AND PRESS ATTENTION. LIVE PERFORMANCE BECAME ESSENTIALLY NONEXISTENT. WE STARTED OFF SUBSIDIZING SOME GREAT JAZZ AND BLUES NIGHTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A LOCAL VENUE, AS PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO HELP STRENGTHEN THE BAY AREAS LIVE MUSIC SCENE, BUT COVID SHUT THAT DOWN EARLY ON. OVER THE SUMMER WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE A LOCAL BAND FOR LIVE, SOCIALLY DISTANCED CONGOLESE DANCE WORKSHOPS AT A NEARBY EAST PALO ALTO PARK, BUT BEYOND THAT LIVE MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES WERE VERY LIMITED. IN OUR STUDIO WE PRODUCED THREE ALBUMS, ONE OF WHICH, BY COUNTRY SOUL SINGER MIKO MARKS, GOT FEATURED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, ROLLING STONE, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FORBES AND MANY OTHER PUBLICATIONS. WHILE THE ALBUM CAME OUT IN 2021, SINGLES WE RELEASED IN 2020 HAD ALREADY BROUGHT MIKO SIGNIFICANT PRESS ATTENTION AND GREW HER MONTHLY SPOTIFY LISTENERS FROM LESS THAN 500 TO OVER 30,000 BEFORE THE END OF 2020 (SHE SAW SIMILAR GROWTH ON OTHER PLATFORMS). OUR EMPHASIS ON RACIAL JUSTICE, HEALING, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND OTHER POSITIVE THEMES PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THE ATTENTION MIKOS ALBUM GOT AND CONTINUES TO GET. THE SECOND ALBUM WAS THE DEBUT ALBUM FOR CONGOLESE DRUM MASTER KIAZI MALONGA. IT WAS A COLLECTION OF TRADITIONAL CONGOLESE RHYTHMS PASSED TO KIAZI BY HIS LATE FATHER AND CONGOLESE DRUM & DANCE LEGEND MALONGA CASQUELOURD. THE THIRD ALBUM WAS BY OUR OWN HOUSE BAND, RECORDED DURING THE LOCKDOWN WHEN WE DIDNT KNOW IF IT WAS SAFE TO HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE STUDIO. WE PRODUCED 10 MUSIC VIDEOS AND INVESTED MORE HEAVILY INTO OUR MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES. PART OF THAT INVESTMENT INCLUDED LAUNCHING AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP WITH NASHVILLE-BASED MARKETING AND PR TEAM BROOKLYN BASEMENT RECORDS, WITHOUT WHOM MIKOS MUSIC WOULD NEVER HAVE GOTTEN THE ATTENTION IT GOT. WE ALSO DEVELOPED A VISION FOR LOCAL CULTURAL ARTS & BUSINESS DISTRICTS AS WELL AS AN ARTS AND CULTURE NETWORK THAT COULD BECOME A MODEL FOR A SUSTAINABLE ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE IN THE BAY AREA, RESISTING THE CURRENT FORCES OF GENTRIFICATION AND THE DISPLACEMENT OF ARTISTS AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES. WE STARTED PROMOTING THE VISION TO LOCAL CITY OFFICIALS, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPERS, CORPORATIONS AND VENUE OWNERS AND ARE HOPEFUL ABOUT WHERE IT MIGHT LEAD. JUSTIN PHIPPS CARLOS CABRERA OLATUNDE SOBOMEHIN