Philip Payne

Philip Payne is a seasoned music executive, entrepreneur, and educator. As President and Founder of Plan A, he has managed and collaborated with Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum-selling artists. His longest tenure was with Tory Lanez, where he began as a road manager and transitioned into co-management, also serving as DJ, music director, A&R, and songwriter. Payne has also partnered with hip-hop artists Piff Marti and Jay Safari, helping them scale their businesses and achieve significant success as independent artists. Recently, he facilitated a partnership between EVEN and Dreamville, supporting J. Cole in launching his “Inevitable” audio series and establishing a direct-to-consumer platform. Beyond his executive role, Payne co-founded FEEL TRIP, a tasteful R&B company that curates engaging experiences for R&B enthusiasts. The platform operates in the live space through live shows and has recently announced a curation partnership with Apple Music. Additionally, he leads the “Music Business Fundamentals” certificate program at For The Students FTS, transforming industry knowledge into accessible learning for aspiring professionals. His expertise lies in bridging music, business, and digital strategy, helping artists thrive in an evolving industry.