Patrick Johnson

Background

About Patrick Johnson

Since 2012, I’ve been building brands, telling stories, and helping artists find their audience, first in New York City’s creative industries, now from Los Angeles, with a few years of remote team leadership in Toronto along the way.I came up in hip-hop’s blog era, back when you had to dig through endless mixtapes and SoundCloud drops to find something worth adding to your downloads folder. That early obsession with discovery led me into the city’s rap renaissance, where I found a sense of belonging. I floated between underground circles and working with global brands, all while paying my way through film school at the School of Visual Arts.In New York, I honed a creative toolkit that mixed directing, storytelling, and content strategy. I learned how to concept and shoot performance videos, develop brand campaigns with musicians and athletes, and translate an artist’s vision into something that works across every platform.Over the years, I’ve run social strategy for sneaker and streetwear brands, built global music editorial at HYPEBEAST, and led artist rollouts at UnitedMasters. Now, as Head of U.S. Digital Marketing at Stones Throw Records, I manage campaigns for Grammy winners and underground innovators alike. I blend creative direction, and audience growth with an artist-first approach.No matter the medium or the market, my work starts from the same place: find the story, build the audience, and make something that lasts longer than the release cycle