Jermaine Smith graduates, launches label with focus on youth and opportunity

VICKSBURG, Miss.(VDN) — Jermaine Smith’s journey is proof that purpose can find you at any stage of life—and that when it does, it can change not only your future, but the future of others too.

A Vicksburg native and proud Warren Central High School graduate, Smith officially reached a major milestone on Friday when he graduated from Full Sail University with a degree in music business. For Smith, the moment was bigger than a diploma—it was a symbol of perseverance, growth, and a promise kept to himself.

“I never thought I would go to college and graduate,” Smith said. “It’s so much stuff I learned, especially with music management.”

Before stepping fully into the music industry, Smith dedicated years of his life to serving his community as a police officer, firefighter, and substitute teacher. Those roles placed him face-to-face with real-life struggles and shaped his desire to help people, especially young people, find a better path forward.

That calling eventually led him into music—not just as an art form, but as a business and a tool for change.

Smith currently serves as a local business manager for multiple artists, including signed artist Tookie3x and upcoming artist AyyoDev. But the road to becoming a music business manager wasn’t easy. Smith realized early on that he was holding someone else’s dream in his hands.

“I decided that I had someone’s career in my hands, so I began to take it serious,” he said.

That realization pushed him back to school, where he committed to learning the business side of music so he could properly guide artists and help them move professionally. The result of that commitment is now fully visible.

Following his graduation, Smith launched Music Family Group, an independent artist development label designed to give structure, consistency, and real opportunity to emerging talent. He describes it as a space where creativity, opportunity, and growth meet.

“We’re an independent artist development label focused on consistency and structure,” Smith said. “We provide artists with weekly access to production, recording, content, and creative direction in a label-style environment. Our mission is to help artists build real momentum, strong catalogs, and professional habits so they’re prepared for bigger opportunities.”

But Smith’s vision goes beyond music charts and studio sessions. He sees Music Family Group as a bridge—connecting talent to opportunity and youth to purpose. With crime continuing to be a major issue, Smith believes mentorship and guidance can make a real difference.

“I want to help people while helping myself,” he said. “But nobody does it on their own—you always need a team.”

Smith was quick to acknowledge those who have supported him along the way, giving shoutouts to Chief Curtis, Treyo, Lil Sleepy, Ron Lane, and J1, along with countless others who believed in his vision.

At the heart of everything Smith does is a simple mission: to inspire, motivate, and help people become the best version of themselves. Whether it’s creating job opportunities, guiding artists toward professionalism, or mentoring youth to chase their dreams, Smith is committed to turning potential into reality.

“I want to mentor the youth and teach them to chase their dreams,” he said.

Music Family Group stands as the culmination of that vision—a business built on purpose, service, and belief. For Jermaine Smith, graduation wasn’t the finish line. It was the beginning of a larger mission to uplift his community, one artist, one young person, and one dream at a time.