Miami-born founder of Slip-N-Slide Records, Ted Lucas, has a passion for helping others
MIAMI - Since 1994, Slip-N-Slide Records has sold more than 30 million records with a roster that includes such legends in hip hop as Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, and Trina to name a few.
Record label founder, Miami-born Ted Lucas, said the idea to get into the music business came to him one day in college.
"So I'm in football practice and I'm saying to myself, Ted everybody don't make it to the NFL. The chance is very slim," he said. "So I said to myself, what do you love to do? Well, I love music. I realize I'm not a rapper, I'm definitely not a singer, what do I want to do? "
Through research, he discovered Luther Campbell.
"I found out Luther Campbell owned his own record company. So you tell me a Black guy can own a record company too? That was like a wow. I went crazy. When I heard that, that's when the light bulb clicked on for me," Lucas said.
With support from his grandmother, he dropped out of college and started discovering his talents. Although Lucas doesn't produce or work a mixing board, he knows exactly what he wants.
"I can tell people how to work these buttons and I can tell people that snare is not poppin' right, her voice needs to punch it louder here, those are things that I specialize in," he said.
Lucas' first artist was rapper Trick Daddy from Liberty City. Together they created huge hits. It was Trick Daddy who introduced a reluctant Trina to Lucas.
"It took about two to three months to convince Trina she was a recording artist. When she signed that contract and we released the record, it was game over," said Lucas.
Recently, Lucas and CBS News Miami's Lisa Petrillo stopped by the studio as Slip-N-Slide's talented young R&B artist Teenearr was fine-tuning her new single titled "Moments" with Rick Ross which is set to release later this year.
Lucas isn't just about the music, his true passion lies in helping others.
"Without this community, there's no Ted Lucas and no Slip-N-Slide and we represent Miami to the fullest," he said.
He founded the Ted Lucas Foundation which focuses on young people from inner-city Miami with programs like "I Am King" in K-8 schools.
"I think it's very important that you go back and catch those young men before they get to that junior high stage," he explained. "And with that program, we cater to young men that might be going in that direction, that they thinking that, you know, the streets and crime might be bothering them. So I meet with the principals and see what's going on."
In addition, Lucas heads up the nonprofit "Get Tech Knowledge" which provides tech training to young minorities at Florida Memorial University.
"I don't have a problem with all the major tech companies coming down here, but I want to make sure that they hire local talent. That's important to me, that we bridge that gap and give people from South Florida the opportunity to get into the tech space," he said.
After more than 25 years in the music business, Lucas has his own definition of true success
"I definitely feel like when you have success is very important and you go back and help the next generation that's coming up behind you. It's very important," he said.
Lucas emphasized the key to his success has always been his relationship with God. He said he tells his young artists, or anyone starting out, that first and foremost they must find the balance and grounding to know who they truly are.