Born in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn Lyonel “Kay-Kay” Rosemond fondly remembers being enamored with the soul singers of the 70’s, which included Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Otis Redding. However, he would soon become entrenched in the hip-hop scene that was beginning to take over during his adolescence. At the time, little did he know that these musical influences would have a great deal to do with the career he ultimately chose as an A&R with Motown/Universal Music Group. At an early age he decided that he would pursue a career as an artist for his favorite comic book company, Marvel Comics. Lyonel soon enrolled in a school for cartoon illustration and shortly after began receiving requests from friends who needed logos for the companies many of them hoped to form. In 1994, however Lyonel began to see his career path change course after his Uncle Jimmy Henchman Rosemond, who was about to start his own management company, called him. Once entering the music industry Lyonel realized that art was not his only talent, as he quickly adapted to the scene and learned what something he feels very few comprehend – artists don’t live what they portray. It was at this time that Lyonel realized that the music business was in fact business first, and he began to actively increase his contacts. He was offered a job to work in the A&R department at the historic record label Motown while he was at Kedar Entertainment. Since joining the Motown family Lyonel has worked with a bevy of artists including Erykah Badu, Chico DeBarge, Lil’ Wayne, The Temptations and R&B crooner Joe. He feels that his work with Badu was the most special because of the authentic approach she took to developing her music. Kay-Kay is currently the A&R at E1/Koch Records.
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