JAMEN “RICHIE RICH” NAJJAR | Founder and President, Juvy Hall Records

  
The Ryan Cameron Foundation, Juvy Hall Records & Nike Join Efforts To Benefit Local Youth

ATLANTA, GEORGIA (August 17, 2008): Two hundred fifty local youth benefited from the joint efforts of The Ryan Cameron Foundation, Juvy Hall Records and Nike on Saturday, August 16, 2008 at Maxx Fun Entertainment Center at Union Station Mall.  All youth received a Nike backpack filled  with school supplies and Nike footwear.  In addition Nike athletes, Ivory Latta from the Atlanta Dream and Mark Kotsay of the Atlanta Braves were on hand to inspire youth to excel in sport and education.

“The partnership between the Ryan Cameron Foundation, Jamen “Richie Rich” Najjar and Nike is a cross-sectional multi faceted example of what can happen when different entities unite for the greater good of the community", states Ryan Cameron, founder of the Ryan Cameron Foundation.

“We are so excited to participate in such a great cause,” says Jamen Najjar, CEO and President of Juvy Hall Records “To be able to provide the needed school supplies to local youth is so important.  As a fourteen year old myself and just having started school, I understand the importance of having the tools by which to learn.  And I, Ryan and Nike wanted to make it happen.”

"Let Me Play is about empowering youth through sport and Nike was thrilled to be able to bring its program, products, and athletes to Atlanta's youth in an effort to gear them up for the challenging new year," said Monica Garrett, Corporate Responsibility Manager, Nike. "Moments that give us an opportunity to inspire youth should always be elevated and we were pleased to be a part of this great event."  She added.

Juvy Hall Records is owned and operated by Jamen Najjar, a fourteen year old Atlanta native.  Juvy Hall Records was established in August 2007 and is currently preparing to sign their first artist and several producers.  Jamen is a talented young producer, label owner and is currently in the process of filming a reality show. 

Let Me Play – Nike’s new signature community effort –expands the company’s commitment to sports and physical fitness for youth through the recognition that by playing sports, young people can make themselves, their communities and their world better.  In additional to building surfaces for play, Let Me Play provides grants and product donations to support young people in their quest for sport; and it brings volunteers, organizations and decision-makers together to improve opportunities that help youth grow up healthy and active.

The Ryan Cameron Foundation was established by local radio personality Ryan Cameron in an effort to better organize his community outreach.  Ryan has been a vital part of Atlanta and staunch supporter of the community for more than 15 years.  The establishment of the RCF helps
provide Atlanta’s youth with tools of empowerment, preparing them for their future roles as  leaders.  Some of these tools include: mentoring, tutoring, volunteering, business etiquette, self- reflection, leadership instruction and life skills. Since its inception, the RCF has awarded grants to over 40 non-profit organizations and scholarships to six (6) students.  The Leadership Academy is a life-changing program that focuses on academic development and life skills that will enable our young people to transition successfully through high school and into college or
vocational training. 

Additional sponsors for the event include Maxx Fun Entertainment Center, Smart Water, Vitamin Water, Office Max, The Nielson Company and S.T.E.P.S. Event Planning Firm.  The Ryan Cameron Foundation, Juvy Hall Records and Nike would like to thank the sponsors for their participation.

For additional information regarding the event, please contact Liz Garner at (404) 964-6723 or via email at lizgconsulting@aol.com.

A powerful voice for today’s hip-hop generation and quickly on his way to becoming an entertainment mogul before his late teens, Jamen “Richie Rich” Najjar’s career has been in serious overdrive since officially launching his Atlanta based independent pop, hip-hop, rap and R&B label, Juvy Hall Records, in August 2007.  

Currently in the process of signing his first artist, a Brooklyn bred, L.A. based rapper/hip-hop artist Richie calls  “the next Kanye and Lil Wayne, with an ice cream style and that crazy flow,” the multi-talented 14-year-old entrepreneur recently hired marketing and entertainment veteran Liz Garner as Vice President and COO of Jamen Najjar Projects, which includes Juvy Hall. As an executive and consultant for such companies as Dallas Austin Recording Projects, Red Zone Entertainment and Hidden Beach Records, she has worked with top music and sports superstars on over 100 projects. While Garner takes care of the Richie Rich’s day to day business, he is the company’s A&R executive, seeking new talent to further grow his budding empire. 

Richie Rich is also becoming one of the most sought after young producers in town. He’s currently in the process of working with Atlantic Records on two explosive new tracks that he and his partner Nelsito co-produced for Sophia Fresh (a new girl group on T-Pain’s Nappy Boy Records), reggae superstar Sean Paul and one for R&B singer J. Holiday. Another mega-popular R&B star, Lloyd, was recently in their studio picking up tracks to potentially develop.  

Beyond the music, Richie Rich is developing two clothing lines: the soon to launch Diamond Spoon, a “tween” line (ages 10 to 20) featuring everything from jeans and T-shirts to blazers, suits and hoodies; and Wealth, which will include his Rich In Tradition T-shirt line. A TV show is in the works, and he is also currently working on a back to school charity event with popular Atlanta drive time radio personality Ryan Cameron (from Atlanta’s Heritage Station V-103), which will provide back to school backpacks, shoes, clothes for needy kids and free food and games (Lasertag, bumper cars) at Maxx Fun (Shannon Mall). 

Back in grade school, at a time when most kids are still learning their multiplication tables, Richie Rich was busy developing the two incredible talents that would lead him, just a few short years later, to launch his career full throttle in the music industry. As early as age six, he showed a powerful ear for music, amazing his friends by explaining in great detail the stories being told by their favorite artists. While they were just digging the grooves, he was going deeper into the words and inner meanings. By fourth grade, he was already working on his business acumen, purchasing packages of Lance Armstrong’s “Livestrong” Foundation yellow bracelets and selling them to classmates for a profit.  

His father, an influential Atlanta based commercial property owner who has launched over 100 shopping centers, malls and other commercial properties throughout the Southeast, always encouraged Richie’s entrepreneurial spirit; the idea wasn’t to follow in dad’s footsteps in real estate, but to start a business around the son’s #1 passion, which, from day one, was music. When his dad began developing relationships and talking about real estate opportunities with Atlanta based hip-hop artists and local sports stars, Richie Rich began hanging out informally with them and learning about everything from making records to launching labels and clothing lines.  

In 2004, he had a chance to sit down and converse with famed video director Chris Robinson on set when Robinson chose the Najjar family’s luxurious suburban Georgia home as the location for his house party styled video of “Get It Poppin’,” the hip-hop hit by Fat Joe featuring Nelly. Richie Rich had the unique opportunity to meet the top genre artists who made memorable cameos in the video, including T.I., Remy Ma, Ying Yang Twins, Jazze Pha, Young Jeezy and Boyz N Da Hood and Layzie Bone. Over the years, many of these artists have become mentors to him, and beyond that, more like “uncles” and “big brothers.”  

“During that shoot, I realized I wanted to be so much more involved because I’m a fan of anything that has to do with music,” says Richie Rich. “The whole experience of being around that environment and the curiosity it piqued led me to realize I needed to start up something myself that would get me more involved. That’s where the idea for Juvy Hall Records came from. I’ve always been a leader in everything I have done and guided every endeavor to a successful place.”  

“I could have waited to do this for years, till I was 20 if I wanted,” he adds, “but I felt I was ready to start my own label now. My goal is to be out there making things happen, setting an example for young kids and people everywhere. I want them to know that success in this industry is not about having money or the color of your skin but completely based on your grind, hustle and the effort you put in. Juvy Hall Records and all of my entrepreneurial activities are by a kid and about the kids. It’s both challenging and very rewarding to be a spokesperson for my generation.”