History

Lead Alliance Media Group was officially formed in 2008 by Mike Downey and Adrian Smith who worked with over 100,000 Denver citizens and 5,000 business owners running marketing and event campaigns. Their first client was NYC-based 212 Media venture Sportsvite.com, followed by 9News and Metromix. They soon began doing event-based marketing campaigns across Denver, CO, putting on over 50 profitable campaigns in a year.

Lead Alliance Movie Group began in 2004 when brothers Mike and Jordan Downey began collaborating on film projects while Jordan was in film school at Loyola Marymount University. The movie division was formed in April, 2009 by Mike and Jordan Downey who brought over finished movie scripts and six years of intellectual property and had worked for 6 years on film projects.

Lead Alliance Music Group was started in 2009 by bringing intellectual property, and databases over from G. Preston Tyiir’s Don’t Sleep Entertainment.

The vision of Don’t Sleep Entertainment (DSE) began in the summer of 1996 in Denver, Colorado. After a series of growing pains, company executives decided to move the DSE operation to the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas. We grew at a steady pace signing acts form Minneapolis, Atlanta and Las Vegas. After working the Vegas market and attaining local success, we decided to pursue a new business partner in the entertainment business, the Middle Heavy Weight Champion of the World Roy Jones Jr., who was aspiring to start a record company of his own. In January 1998, we formed a new venture called Don’t Sleep EnArtainment/Pound 4 Pound Records. Time passed and due to a personal setback with the founder and CEO, G. Preston Tyiir, the venture with Mr. Jones had come to an end sending Mr. Tyiir back to the Colorado market.
February of 2002 marked the beginning of the new era of Don’t Sleep Entertainment in Colorado Springs. Starting with a clean slate DSE began building their artist line up. YESSURR, a hip-hop duo featuring Kajmir Royale and Meloe Spontane, was DSE’s first group signed to the label. Performing at local shows and competing in various MC battles, YESSURR quickly made a name for themselves around Colorado Springs. During this time DSE had a retail outlet in The Citadel Mall, The Hott House. Through this outlet, DSE embraced and capitalized on the mixtape movement. YESSURR released their first mixtape, The Welcome Wagon, in May of 2003 which also featured DSE potential artists. In a month’s period, YESSURR sold over two thousand mixtapes at The Hott House. Then in December of 2003 DSE released WWII, which featured all of DSE’s artists including: DSE closed The Hott House at the end of 2003 because of rising operating expenses.
DSE provided artists for numerous shows in Colorado including places such as; 32 Bleu, The Aggie Theater, The Underground, Sierra High School, Doherty High School, Boulder, and Club 33. They also did shows in Ohio, Iowa, and Tennessee. Through a variety of shows and appearances, DSE has moved over 10,000 CD units in various parts of the nation.
In 2003, DSE was very active in the local high schools. Through the local DECA chapters, DSE was able to give presentations to the high schools in the Colorado Springs area. The trip to Tennessee was also school related. In 2004, the National DECA conference was held in Nashville, TN. Over 15,000 students from all over the world gathered at this conference were exposed to Don’t Sleep Entertainment and YESSURR.
In 2004, Don’t Sleep Entertainment relocated within Colorado Springs and built an in-house studio, Enterprise Studios, where DSE artist recorded and where local artists rented time. The studio was equipped with a Pro-Tools setup and is operated by DSE’s sound engineer Michael David Jones. Enterprise Studios has helped fund and cut costs in half for DSE’s everyday operations.
In the fall of 2004, DSE gained control of Club 33, and new hip-hop club that quickly became the hottest club in Colorado Springs. This was an amazing opportunity for DSE. Club 33 easily moved 5000 flyers weekly branding the Don’t Sleep logo. National promoters brought in various concerts such as: Lloyd Banks, DJ Kool, Krazy Bone, Clipse, and Lil’ Flip. All of the DSE artists have opened for these national acts at Club 33.
In the winter of 2004, DSE proudly announced the signing of their newest artist, Young Duce. The DSE brand has quickly become a highly accredited symbol and extremely respected record label in Colorado Springs. The label continued to grow and collectively the DSE artists collaborated on the greatest mixtape released in early 2005, M.A.D.E.
In April of 2005, DSE signed a national distribution and marketing deal with the Underground Railroad Co. through Koch. Koch is the number one national independent distributor in the United States. Koch released artist who have topped Billboard Charts and sold platinum albums. They currently distribute and market Death Row albums such as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and 2Pac’s Makaveli the Seven Day Theory.
Due to contractual disputes, the agreement between DSE and Underground Railroad Co./Koch was terminated.
DSE officially moved to the Denver market in January of 2006 into a freestanding office building where we share the backside with a shoe repair company. 2130 South Bellaire Street became our new home. We refocused our attention on our movement. We decided to take over our region one area at a time with an aggressive grassroots promotional scheme.
DSE is also finalizing a partnership agreement with William Walters . This is a million dollar progressive deal.
DSE also acquired 2118 South Bellaire Street for the future location of GUMBOZ. GUMBOZ is scheduled to open late Summer of 2006
YESSURR created a strong following with their internet movement over the last four months with their production company. Between Sound Click and My Space on the web, YESSURR has generated over 4 million hits. This growing business has turned into DSE’s own production company, Phat Nasty Productions which is building momentum everyday.
As of March 2006, our company has grown to a strong 28 people ready to “ride or die” for our movement only including executives, producers and artists. They include: G. Preston Tyiir (Big G), Mr. White, All-World, William Walters, Medea Jones (Miss Jones), Diamond Handz, Michael Jones (Michavili), Craig Brooker, Daniel Julaton, Fat Trak, Kajmir Royale (of YESSURR), Meloe Spontane (of YESSURR), Young Duce, Ximi Styleon, Mz. Dee, Knicole Heart, Menace, Fel Loc, N.O., Grip, Unknown?, Jersey Boy, Twin City, L’ Kip, Headache, Q (Lil’ Headache), Baby Headache, and Monster.
DSE’s future is open and success in inevitable.

1.1 Milestones

• April 2006 Release of YESSURR “The Leak: 2 Kings 1 Mission”
• April 2006 Release of Young Duce “The Streets is Callin My Name”
• Young Duce #1 in Independent Records Sales Charts for New Releases week of April 10th
• YESSURR #2 in Independent Records Sales Charts for New Releases week of April 10th
• Young Duce #2 in Independent Records Total Sales week of April 10th
• YESSURR #3 in Independent Records Total Sales week of April 10th
• May 2006 Cover of In-Flux Magazine
• May 5, 2006 Colorado Springs Gazette Story on Don’t Sleep Entertainment
• 2006 Best of the Springs, Colorado Springs Gazette Best Hip-Hop Group- YESSURR
• 2006 Phat Nasty Productions: a Kajmir Royale composition to air on VH1