Master one play

Play, as in strategies, tactics, and moves. In a sport, a playbook contains all sorts of plays and diagrams. Teams practice plays all the time. When they execute them, they’re “making a play.” 20 years ago, Ryan Leslie noticed a lot of his YouTube viewers were from different countries in Europe. That’s where he decided to tour. While most rappers or recording artists might do a half-hour set, effectively shortchanging the audience—perhaps because of longer travel, or seeing it as a secondary market which artists didn’t often visit—Ryan decided to bet big. He did two hour sets. He premiered songs. His team rented a palace and Vienna and hosted parties ringing in the new year. He explains the thought process (53:30), “People will treat you differently if you showed them a different level of respect.” The investment continues paying off. Even after Ryan worked independently outside of the major label system, and as his focus has shifted away from music for over a decade, fans in Europe…