Every rapper wants the playlist add. Carl Chery’s career explains why the add is usually the last step—not the first.
Chery has worked where journalism, streaming data, artist development, and rap fandom overlap. Spotify identified him in 2023 as its Head of Urban Music and Creative Director, but his real influence comes from understanding that listeners do not trust a playlist because it contains famous names. They trust it because its choices repeatedly make sense.
From hip-hop journalism to streaming curation
Before joining the streaming business, Chery worked as a journalist at XXL. He moved to Beats Music in 2012 and later oversaw hip-hop and R&B programming at Apple Music. That editorial background matters: journalists learn to recognize scenes, explain why artists matter, and separate a developing story from temporary noise.
One documented example came with 6LACK’s “PRBLMS.” According to DJBooth’s account of the campaign, the artist’s manager sent Chery two records. Chery encouraged the proper release of “PRBLMS,” which subsequently received Beats 1 support and placements across multiple Apple Music playlists. That support contributed to the record’s discovery, although it would be inaccurate to credit one curator with creating 6LACK’s entire career.
RapCaviar became bigger than a track list
After moving to Spotify in 2018, Chery became closely associated with RapCaviar. His strategy was not limited to rearranging songs every week. As he explained in a Spotify interview about RapCaviar Presents, plans to extend the brand into social media, podcasts, and television began years before the Hulu documentary series arrived.
This is the key lesson for independent artists: influence grows when every platform reinforces the same point of view. RapCaviar is not only a Spotify destination. Its interviews, social posts, debates, live experiences, and documentary storytelling give listeners additional reasons to care about the artists being featured.
Chery’s public commentary also suggests a broad musical identity. He has discussed the faster audience response generated by melodic rap while continuing to champion lyric-driven artists such as Nick Grant. In a 2017 interview about lyrical rap, he acknowledged that traditional rappers may require more development time. The practical takeaway is not to chase whichever subgenre currently dominates. It is to understand where your music belongs and demonstrate that an audience exists for it.
What gets a curator’s attention?
A strong record still needs evidence around it. In an interview with playlist curators, an artist representative advised musicians to build support in their own city and generate genuine listening activity before repeatedly contacting Chery. Chery also emphasized that audience engagement ultimately determines whether exposure lasts: listeners can still skip a song placed in a powerful position.
For emerging rappers, that translates into a better campaign:
- Pitch one clearly defined focus track, not an unfocused folder of links.
- Explain the song’s region, subgenre, mood, collaborators, and cultural context.
- Show real traction through fan videos, comments, local shows, press, or consistent streaming.
- Contact curators selectively instead of tagging them under every post.
- Never offer money for access to an official Spotify playlist.
Spotify’s official submission instructions direct artists to pitch an eligible unreleased song through Spotify for Artists. The platform recommends delivering music at least seven days before release and confirms that pitching never guarantees placement.
Build the story before asking for the spotlight
Your rollout should make the curator’s job easier. Tighten your visuals with a recognizable Canvas, turn TikTok reactions into content ideas, secure credible coverage, and document where the song is already connecting. SupremePR can help artists coordinate that groundwork through its music-promotion services, explore transparent Spotify promotion options, and develop additional credibility through music-blog outreach.
Carl Chery’s playbook is ultimately about earned trust. Curators notice records, but audiences build movements. Give people a reason to talk, replay, share, and identify with your music before you ask a major playlist to validate it.