How Mali Wilson Went From Behind the Board to Behind the Mic

About this episode

Mali Wilson shares her journey from running a renowned recording studio to launching a movement for young women in the music industry.

On this episode of Butternomics, Brandon Butler sits down with Mali Wilson, a music industry veteran who spent 15 years running Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, one of the most iconic recording spaces in hip hop history. Lil Wayne was loyal to that building for over a decade. Drake, J. Cole, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz — they all came through her doors, many of them before the world even knew their names. Mali took over a studio that was $300,000 in debt and turned it into the room where some of the biggest records in rap got made. In this conversation, Mali opens up about what she learned watching superstars build and lose careers up close, why she walked away from a deal with Clive Davis when the industry was collapsing, and what it really takes to earn respect as a woman operating in rooms full of men who weren't always ready to make space. She talks about launching Earth Girl, a movement that has reached over 4,000 young women through camps, mentorship, and real music industry education, placing nearly 200 songs on networks like Paramount and A&E. And she gets into the deeply personal story behind her debut album "Retro in Real Time," co-written with her husband…

People in this episode

Host: Brandon Butler

Guest: Mali Wilson

Topics covered

• music industry
• entrepreneurship
• women in business
• mentorship
• personal growth

Keywords

• music industry
• Tree Sound Studios
• Mali Wilson
• women empowerment
• mentorship
• hip hop
• recording studio

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tree Sound Studios, Paramount, A&E

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