[Clinton Sparks](https://www.instagram.com/clintonsparks/?hl=en) has sold over 75 million records in his two decade-long career in music, and he’s still not done. The Grammy-nominated songwriter, producer, entrepreneur, and father now adds another accolade to his list: a published author. Having built and launched multiple million-dollar businesses including his new massive esports gaming organization called XSET, his biggest passion lies in his new book titled [_How To Win Big The Music Business_.](http://winbiginmusic.com)
He states, “I’m such a hip-hop head. I’ve always been someone that’s wanted to help other people win, someone who does things for the greater of the culture.”
Whether you’re an aspiring singer, rapper, producer, DJ, manager, A&R, videographer engineer, this is the most comprehensive music education book to date. Additionally, it’s paired with a course containing over 60 videos from influential leaders in the space walking you through exactly how to win big in the music space. From Yo Gotti to Director X to DJ Paul, there’s something for everyone — unveiling the do’s and dont’s and life hacks to achieve your dreams in the most productive manner.
Flaunt caught up with Clinton via Instagram Live to discuss his journey from the very beginning, from discovering DJ Snake to being nominated for his production on Lady Gaga’s _Born This Way_, to now taking those experiences and giving the masses free information and resources so that they too can reach success. He also explains his new company XSET as well as his new EP, Ninety3.
**You say you’re most excited about your new book, _How To Win Big in The Music Business._ Why’s that?**
I’ve been in the music business for almost 20 years. From my career coming up and even now, I noticed a lot of people are misguided, misinformed, miseducated, misled about the right steps to take in the music business. A lot of people are running down the wrong lanes, don’t understand what it takes to build a sustainable, scalable business in the music business. I wanted to write this book to help all those people I see every single day looking for answers. It’s a pretty thin, matter-of-fact book that gives you exactly what you need to know without all the jargon and legal verbiage that would go over a lot of people’s heads. The book is FREE and I’m really excited for people to have something to equip and guide them to win big. The independent and DIY artist industry is projected to reach two billion dollars by the end of 2021 so, there are a lot of people that need the information in this book. You can get it free at [WinBigInMusic.com.](https://www.winbiginmusic.com/opt-in-ebook2) It won’t be free forever, but it’s free right now. So, GO get familiar.
**What’s the course you’re launching with it?**
It has over 60 videos of the biggest experts and successful people in the music business helping to guide you to go from thinking about what you want to do, to actually winning big. I have life changing and invaluable products I put together, also on the site. The course, the audiobook, the ebook, the hardcover book, those products alone, you’ll say “oh my god, this changes everything for me.” Psychologically, mentally, it really helps you understand how to navigate through the music business to win big.
**How long did it take you to write this book?**
The hardest part is I have so much game to give, how do I distill it down? What do people want to learn nowadays? How to get rich, how to get famous, how to go viral, how to get a record deal, right? A lot of other components go into those things, but I cut through the fat and got right to the point. The course, the products, the webinars… I launch a Twitch show in October: Win Big with Clinton Sparks. I’m here for the long haul. I’m here to continue to help and guide you and answer questions as you go through this journey. This isn’t “hey buy my book, buy this course and I’m out.” It’s “here are some things you need to get going, I’m here to help you win.”
I even launched the world’s first national hip-hop station via Dash Radio that allows artists to literally cut a record in the studio. Log on at GetFamiliarRadio.com, upload your music, pick your program, go right into rotation right next to the Migos, DaBaby, Post Malone. You’re in rotation with the biggest artists in the world. All the things I set up are to help people win, help them understand and get more exposure. I’m partnering with one of the worlds largest platforms to host getfamiliarradio 24/7 in the next couple of weeks. It will be huge!
**Bring us back to the moment when you discovered DJ Snake.**
I was touring the world and doing a party in Paris. This kid who could hardly speak English came up to me and my manager and said “I’ve got the beats, I want to give you the beats.” We listened to them. His approach was super dope, this was 13 years ago so a different time. It was him, DJ Tchami, and DJ Mercer. They’re the French connection. I signed him along with Tchami and Mercer in 2007. We produced platinum records together as well as received Grammy nominations. Prior to “Turn Down For What” Snake was already successful and winning with me for several years. We produced for Plies, Soulja Boy, Pitbull, Akon, Gaga. A lot of people would look at that as “I’m killing it! I’m super successful.” But Snake wasn’t satisfied with that success.
I talk about in my book: not settling for success. We’re making hundreds of beats together, I introduced him to Lil Jon in the first place. 2013 is when “Turn Down For What” happened. We’ve sold over 50 million records together, from Justin Bieber to Lil Jon. It was really believing in this kid’s hustle. How could I connect him to my resources? How could we mutually benefit one another and win? That’s really understanding how to bring value to somebody else when you’re approaching them, that’s what Snake did.
**What is it like seeing him blow up the way he did?**
It’s awesome. Not to sound pompous, but I’ve never set a goal I’ve never achieved ever in my life. When I plan on doing something, it’s going to happen. I don’t have the mentality of “I can’t” or “I hope this happens.” If I say I’m going to start an esports org and we’re going to be valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, done. If I’m starting a hip-hop station and give the opportunity for artists to be heard nationwide, done. If I’m building the world’s greatest mixtape website and make millions of dollars, done. If I’m getting a Grammy nomination, I’m going to be an artist and record deals at Interscope and Def Jam, done. Amd, if I’m going to release a meeting EP that has the sound of 90’s R&B in 2020, done.
It’s really understanding what your goal is and making a realistic plan to get that goal achieved, which a lot of people don’t. If you ask the average person what they want to do, “I want to be rich and successful.” Great, awesome plan. How are you going to get there? People don’t take the time to build a winning plan, part of that winning plan is planning to fail. If you don’t plan to fail, then you didn’t make a solid plan because now you don’t know how to deal with failure when it happens.
**How do you plan to fail?**
You plan all the things that can happen. What if this doesn’t work? What am I doing next? What if by this date, I don’t achieve these goals? What do I do to fast-forward that? Part of it is failures. If you set a plan to get this done by Saturday and it doesn’t, ultimately you look at yourself as failing at that plan. You have to set up things that if you fail, how do you fix that? How do you not get defeated or lose interest in making that goal because you lost? If you make plans for failure, you move on. A speed bump doesn’t stop your journey, it’s merely a momentary delay.
I have this theory called Little Victories, it’s a mental concept. A lot of us make these lofty plans, some are unrealistic. If you’re an overachiever like I am, you feel like you failed today because you didn’t get everything on your list done. Build a Little Victory list and check off all the things you do. At the end of the day instead of stressing out, you’ll look back and say “I did 27 other things.” You feel awesome, “I killed it today even though I didn’t get that one thing done.” A lot of people don’t do that. They’ve got one goal in their mind they focus on and when they don’t get it done, they feel wack or deflated. You must focus on the big goal while
also acknowledging and celebrating little victories.
**Talk about having the book foreword written by Daymond John, what’s your guys’ relationship?**
Daymond’s been a friend of mine for quite a long time. I told him I was writing a book, he said “well I need to write the foreword.” I said that’d be awesome, he goes, “I’d be offended if you didn’t let me write the foreword.” I met Daymond years ago back at one of my shows, we’ve been friends ever since. We’ve always traded industry secrets and antidotes, nobody better fits the same world as what this book is. He’s a self-starter, a self-made success.
If I had a dad around, I couldn’t have had my dad write a better foreword about me. I almost cried, how nice it was. The point it gets at is having a mentor and having somebody who’s already done what you’re trying to do, not listening to the people that haven’t done or experienced what you’re trying to succeed at, it goes on to endorse my credibility. It’s really flattering, an honor to have him be a part of the book and write something so moving
**You’re Grammy nominated with multiple Platinum records. What plaque are you most proud of?**
I have to leave the room for it. \[leaves room, comes back\] As you can see, I’ve worked with everybody from Ludacris to Snake to Khaled to Akon, everybody on my wall and more. Those are all exciting, it’s awesome. I put in the hard work to have the sales we have to deserve those. Since I was young, the thing I cared about the most was being a good dad and making people happy. Travelling the world, I was gone a lot. On the road, there’s never been a day I didn’t talk to my son 2 or 3 times. I always say good night, I always say good morning, I always talk to him after school. One day, I hit my son and said “hey I’m coming home Thursday, I can’t wait to see you.” He goes “I can’t wait to see you either dad.” I asked “what do you miss most about me when I’m gone?” He thought for a second, and said “you know what Dad, you make everything happy.” In that moment, I won at life. Not only was I making somebody happy and being a good dad, but I was doing it to my son. With that saying, I got it made into a plaque. \[shows plaque from son\] That’s my favorite plaque. How could you ever be in a bad mood when you look at that?
**Music-wise, what’s your proudest plaque?**
I’m proud of them all. I guess the Grammy nomination for Album of the Year: Lady Gaga’s _Born This Way._ I produced a bunch of records. We lost to Adele. When I saw we were nominated, I’m like “wait a second, is Adele in it?” They said “yeah,” I’m like “we’re not gonna win.” \[laughs\] That’s the year Adele was on fire. There’s no way she wasn’t going to win Album of the Year.
**What’s your favorite song off your new EP, _Ninety3_?**
[“I Ain’t Just Anybody](https://open.spotify.com/track/1BrXSiRNG3PLE3PqpTG896),” the song’s literally the story of my life. My true autobiography of my life. When I say, “kicked out of school when I was in 8th grade, doing robberies is how I got paid until the cops came and took it all away, he ain’t shit is what they would say.” That’s literally my story. The second verse: “nobody fucked with me from where I came, with no place to live I slept on a train, they wouldn’t let me in so I made my lane,” that’s all shit I really went through to get to where I’m at. The song’s really for anybody. It’s true to my real life, an empowering song for those who had to overcome adversity and become triumphant in the roadblocks and naysayers in the way of them becoming successful.
**Talk about launching the world's fastest growing esports and gaming organization, XSET.**
We launched XSET to not only dominate in game but also to focus on diversity and inclusion because there’s a lack of that in the esports and gaming space. We already have 13 women on our team, half of our roster is non-white. XSET is on fire, we’re in the press every week. We just released our new Fall merch drop. We have huge announcements coming up from talent to brand partners. There’s a lot of exciting things going on, I’m really pumped about where we’re headed, our social good initiatives and all we have coming. Rep the set at xset.com
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