In THE TANNING OF AMERICA: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy, published by Gotham Books and on sale September 8, 2011, Stoute draws from his diverse background in the music industry and brand marketing to chronicle how an upstart art form – street poetry set to beats – came to define urban culture as the embodiment of cool. Stoute’s understanding of how hip-hop morphed into a mainstream culture enabled him to relate to a new generation of thinking, which catapulted him to the forefront of pop culture – where he remains today.
Stoute says, “Tanning is the catalytic force majeure that went beyond musical boundaries and into the psyche of young America – blurring cultural and demographic lines so permanently that it laid the foundation for a transformation.” Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter refers to Steve Stoute as “the conduit between corporate America and rap and the streets.” Stoute has made a career out of identifying with and activating a new generation of consumers to create extremely successful marketing campaigns. By marrying urban cultural icons with the mainstream – whether it be Jay-Z’s successful “S.Carter” sneaker launch with Reebok, Justin Timberlake with McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it” campaign, Beyonce’s partnership with Samsung, Mary J. Blige’s “My Life” fragrance with Carol’s Daughter and HSN that broke industry sales records, or Lady Gaga partnership with MAC Cosmetics – Steve Stoute has revolutionized the way blue chip marketers and superstar artists connect with consumers.
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