Olskool Ice-Gre

Greg “Olskool Ice-Gre” Lewis’ career as an artist, A&R, marketer and businessman can be traced back to his college days at Jackson State University. As a student, he created the entertainment newspaper Da 411, established the first hip-hop club in Jackson, Mississippi and co-founded the legendary music collective Stewpot Stowaways” which included rapper/producer/actor David Banner, DJ Scrap Dirty (founder of Violator DJ’s) and fashion designer Leo Brown. Following graduation from Jackson State, he took a job with Steve Rifkin’s Loud Records and contributed to the success of classic albums from Mobb Deep, Raekwon, Tha Alkaholiks and Ol’ Dirty Bastard before budget cuts ultimately led to Ice-Gre returning to his hometown. Upon his return to Chicago, he used his eye for talent and marketing and, along with help from legendary producer Andy C, launched the careers of Shawnna (formally of Ludacris’ Disturbing the Peace) and current Chicago radio personality Teefa. Known as the Infamous Syndicate, Shawnna and Teefa’s hit single “Jenny Jones” eventually led the group to a deal with Relativity Records. Despite his behind-the-scenes success, Ice-Gre was still an artist at heart and started to focus on his own group, Abstract Mindstate, with EP Da Hellcat. The duo quickly became one of the most buzzed-about groups in the Midwest, winning first place at the Salem Orb-e National Talent Search, WGCI’s “Home Jam Artist of the Year” and performing at New York City’s historic Hammerstein Ballroom. When the eventual record deal fell through, Ice-Gre went on an extended visit to NYC and reconnected with his friend Kanye West where he became his live-in personal assistant and head of business affairs. Ice-Gre was instrumental in Kanye’s evolution from behind-the-scenes producer to international superstar. As A&R for G.O.O.D. Music, he was also responsible for the success of platinum-selling artist Big Sean, including choosing the No I.D.-produced track that would eventually become the hit single “My Last”. In 2009, he published his first book I Refuse to Quit! The Autobiography of a Dreamer.