Zekiel “Zeke” Nicholson was attending his sophomore year at Central Catholic High School when the initial interest in talent management was sparked. The Carolina transplant who moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was in a circle of dreamers working in, or around the music industry. The likes of Quentin Cuff―the future manager and business partner of Mac Miller, and Will Dzombak―who went on to become the manager of Wiz Khalifa―were active students in Pittsburgh budding music community, and encouraging peers who inspired Zeke to pursue the passion.

High school is also where Zekiel became notarized for event coordination. The parties thrown around the city during his 4-year tenure at Central Catholic became a massive spectacle, and by 2008, his senior year, there was a dedicated following built among the high school students. Being an ambitious forward-thinker motivated Zeke’s decision to contact Fab 5 Entertainment, an event promotion company that dominated the college market. Knowing he would be attending the University of Pittsburgh in the Fall, he saw with them an ample opportunity to continue his movement and join an established company. Barry “Hefner” Johnson, Fab 5 Entertainment’s CEO, saw promise in Zeke’s entrepreneurial passion and brought him on as an intern, and was later promoted to Director Of Business Development.

In 2010, Zeke’s internship with Atlantic Records brought him into the major label’s Urban Marketing and A&R departments. The year-long position further solidified Zeke’s desire to work in talent management and searching for an artist to work with lead him to his first discovery, a Detroit, Michigan rapper named Young Scolla. Scolla would become the first artist to be co-management by both Barry and Zeke underneath the Fab 5 Management umbrella. Knowing he had found his career path, Zeke left the University of Pittsburgh during his Junior year to focus on talent management and business development full time. Leaving the University bubble and understanding that the beginning wouldn’t be easy was pivotal to the process of his maturation.

Underneath Barry’s wing, Zeke began assisting with the marketing and promotion for Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller, getting their early music integrated into the city’s nightlife. Barry saw in Zeke someone who was always about the music, and his ability to see the bigger vision. The two have continued for the last decade co-managing over 6 artists together as partners.

Zeke believes SinceThe80s can restore the trust that has soared over the years between artist and record labels. For him, it’s not just about doing good business, but grooming artist and teaching them the business. SinceThe80s isn’t here to follow the standard, but to be the new standard.