Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White


Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

Serving the campus of the University of Alabama since 1894

The Crimson White

    A Day in the Life of a Student Booking Agent

    Being a student at the University of Alabama is undoubtedly a balancing act. But for Senior Adam Polokoff, his Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde act includes being a double-major in Communication Sciences and Public Relations and being the life of the party. On any given weekend he can be seen in the corner of the band room of a fraternity house. However Polokoff is not partaking in the boozing and debauchery, but rather surveying the party that is all thanks to his efforts.

    In addition to being a student, Polokoff works as an independent contractor for the Atlanta-based Group CSE, the marketing agency and parent company to the ARMA record label. Brought into the CSE family by UA graduate and Eclectic Artists founder Brandon Denson, Polokoff has spent the last two years working hand-in-hand with various fraternities on campus to bring in national acts to perform at their spring parties.

    “Seeing 3,000 people in the front yard [of Kappa Sigma] at Ace Hood was when it really hit me,” says Polokoff. “I got to sit back and be like ‘wow, I put this together.’ It was extremely gratifying to see everyone having such a good time and to know I did that.”

    Born and raised in the Atlanta area, Polokoff developed a taste for the Southern rap scene. It is no coincidence many of the artists he pitches to fraternities hail from the Atlanta, New Orleans, and Memphis areas.

    “Meeting all the rappers we all grew up on is really cool,” says Polokoff. “[Rappers like] Crime Mob and Ace Hood and Gorilla Zoe are always fun to chill with. They may not be as big anymore but they’re still interesting and always a good time.”

    Despite his southern hip-hop upbringing, Polokoff does not discriminate against other genres. Always on the lookout for the next big artist Polokoff has displayed a knack for spotting talent, as seen in his recent signing of EDM artist Big Wild for the spring Sigma Alpha Epsilon party.

    “He was a DJ I saw at Hulaween who I really liked,” says Polokoff of Big Wild. “He’s been on tour with Griz and Odessa. He was one I was really big on and wanted to get, and it actually worked out.”

    Traditionally fraternities budget thousands of dollars for their spring parties. Most of this budget goes toward procuring an artist, which is where hiring Polokoff  comes in.

    “Generally we get the lowest rates because we have those connections with agencies across the country,” says Polokoff on his work. Even with a 10-20% commission, his company’s partnership with labels such as WME, CAA, and Paradigm can save a fraternity thousands and the stress of brokering a deal.

    “It’s definitely easier dealing with someone your own age like Adam [Polokoff],” says Sam McNally, a senior majoring in Finance and social chair for Kappa Sigma fraternity. McNally is currently partnering with Polokoff for a second time to bring in 3LAU for Kappa Sigma’s Bahama Mama party. Previously, the two had worked together to bring in rapper Ace Hood.

    With other upcoming shows including Riff Raff, The Floozies, and rapper ILoveMakonnen, it’s hard to miss Polokoff’s handy work. Mainly targeting IFC and bigger events at universities, the Polokoff name has already spread to several other schools including Ole Miss, LSU, Georgia, Kansas, and even Southern California. It won’t be long now until Adam Polokoff reaches legendary party king status, but for now he is just the life of the party at Alabama.

    Editors Note: The title of this article originally referred to Polokoff as a DJ and not a booking agent. We regret the error.

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