About Now What Productions
Now What Productions is the realization of President and CEO Ajani Perkins' life-long dream to reformulate film and music media. After several internships and apprentice positions, including stints at
Warner/Elektra/Atlantic and Ice Cube's CubeVision, Perkins branched out on his own starting Now What six years ago.
As an all-inclusive music media brand, Now What Productions produces a variety of music-based film projects including music videos, (Keak Da Sneak's
"Super Duper Hyphy", The Team's
"Bottles Up" and "Patron", BavGate's
"Play BavGate On The Radio") Hip-Hop themed comedy shorts and candid interviews with high-profile members of the Hip-Hop community. Now What's latest project,
THE BAY AREA RAP AWARDS DOCU-DVD, provides a controversial inside look into the 2006 Bay Area Rap Scene Awards ceremony, from the red carpet rap parade to the backstage beef that forced organizers to discontinue the Bay Area's only rap music awards show.
Set for release in Fall 2009 is the feature documentary
IF IT WASN'T FOR: THE BAY, a 90-minute film that chronicles the development and mainstream dissemination of rap music trends originating in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the film illustrates, the history of the Bay Area's so called "Hyphy Movement" is a rich and complex one characterized by questions of artistic integrity and stylistic ownership.
As Perkins' vision for his urban film company expands, so does the "dream team" of multi-talented individuals that make up Now What Productions. Acting as newly-appointed Chief of Artist Relations, Now What Business Manager Mike "Payroll" Smith, who holds a degree in Business Marketing from Morehouse College, works hard to acquire both undiscovered and high-profile talent for the company's film projects including rappers, comedians, models and actors. Andre Kidd, who co-writes a number of Now What's comedy sketches with Perkins, is now appearing more and more in front of the camera where he capitalizes on his naturally charismatic comedic presence. The camera loves Kidd and it is no surprise that more serious roles are in the works. Now What's starting line-up also includes Perkins' trio of Oakland-bred music producers: John Reid, Claudell Burnell and Dominic Charles II formally known as The Black Diamonds. The Black Diamonds compose the majority of the soundtracks to Perkins Hip-Hop films imbuing them with genuine Bay Area style and flare.
The Bay Area Rap Awards: a 2007 Documentary features Hip-Hop artists 
