In 1964 he built RPM International on Washington Boulevard: offices, a publishing company and a recording studio, all owned outright at a moment when almost no Black artist in America owned their masters, let alone the room they were cut in.
The studio was configured around how he actually worked — braille labels on the console, the piano positioned so he could reach the board without standing, a kitchen and a lounge steps away. It was a workplace built to be lived in.
He worked there for forty years, and the building still stands with his name on it.
Memories attached to this place
“The lights were on at four in the morning more nights than not.”
“He knew that building by the count of steps. Never missed a door.”
“Owning the room was the whole point. He said it out loud, often.”
Timeline
- 1962Buys the Washington Blvd property outright.
- 1964RPM opens with a full studio and publishing offices.
- 1970sSessions frequently run overnight.
- 2004Final work completed in the building.
The most radical thing about the building was the deed.
