As a successful producer, marketer and collaborator, Paul Stewart, CEO of Next Thing, has demonstrated a keen eye for both talent and opportunity in the entertainment industry. Def Jam founder and apparel icon Russell Simmons, musician and actor Ice Cube, Academy Award nominee John Singleton, “Barbershop” director George Tillman, and other industry leaders have come to rely on Stewart’s knowledge and expertise to enhance their projects. On his own, Stewart has discovered and developed creative talent both behind the mic and behind the camera.

Most recently, Stewart’s finely tuned ear for music and story was integral in the creation of the 2005 Sundance Audience Award-winning film “Hustle & Flow.” Producer John Singleton relied on Stewart to craft a collection of original music by up-and-coming and established hip-hop artists. Singleton leaned on Stewart for the critically-lauded Motown-driven sound of the box-office champ “Four Brothers.” Their collaboration extends back to the music direction for the Tupac Shakur and Janet Jackson vehicle “Poetic Justice” and the hit “2 Fast 2 Furious.” Stewart has also partnered extensively with director/producer George Tillman, supervising the music for the “Babershop” franchise as well as the period piece “Men of Honor.”

Stewart’s penchant for matching the right song with the right moment is indicative of his ability to pair promising creative talent with the right projects. Prior to the formation of Next Thing, Stewart founded and ran PMP, a promotions company and record label associated with Island/Def Jam and, later, Loud Records. Stewart also ran the marketing and promotion divisions of Ice Cube’s record label Street Knowledge, distributed then by Time/Warner. Stewart’s tenure with Ice Cube coincided with the development of the smash hit “Friday.”

Through PMP, Stewart discovered and developed numerous multi-platinum musical artists as diverse as Coolio, The Pharcyde, Montell Jordan and House of Pain. Stewart also gave future feature-film directors Dave Meyers, F. Gary Gray, Paul Hunter and Christopher Erskin their first shots behind the camera as music video directors.

Paul Stewart has proved that he is an indispensable ambassador for hip-hop and urban culture and continues pushing boundaries in the medium. Stewart is currently expanding Next Thing’s business several ventures including film production and web development.