Benny Medina

Benny Medina (born January 24, 1958) is the CEO of The Medina Company and son of the jazz drummer Ahmad "Benny" Medina. He has worked in the music business as a producer, talent manager and record executive. He has been involved in the careers of a variety of recording artists and performers throughout his career.

Medina attended Beverly Hills High where he met Kerry Gordy. The antics/escapades of Medina living with the Gordy family is the basis for the 1990 Will Smith show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Medina started his career with the group Apollo, who released their self-titled debut on Gordy/Motown in 1979. Medina was the lead singer, other members included Kerry Gordy (keyboards), Cliff Liles (bass), Lenny Greene (drums) and Larry Robinson (guitar). Medina co-wrote three of the seven tracks, including “Astro Disco,” for which they are best known. The album was produced by Ray Singleton, former wife of Motown founder Berry Gordy.

At age 24, Medina became the head of A&R for Motown, working as a protégé to Berry Gordy. Under Gordy, Medina wrote and produced for legendary Motown acts such as The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, Billy Preston, Rick James and Teena Marie.

Medina then moved on to Warner Bros. Records, where executive Mo Ostin tasked him to build and cultivate the careers of the company’s urban artists as VP/GM of its urban-music division. While there, Medina collaborated with artists such as Ray Charles, Babyface, Prince and Chaka Khan as well as Madonna, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac. He also worked with Naughty by Nature, Queen Latifah, De La Soul, Biz Markie, Kool G. Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté, and Monie Love.

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