There are few Bay Area artists who’ve reached the stratospheres of commercial success without moving away from home. The Bay has a small, proudly independent ecosystem of labels and distributors. But — with the notable exception of San Francisco powerhouse Empire, which now has divisions on several continents, and has put out smash hits like Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” — New York and Los Angeles are where the major players are.
Today, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie announced a new effort to support the city’s homegrown music industry. San Francisco Music Week gets underway Feb. 24–March 2, and features performances, workshops, panels, studio tours and an industry summit on Feb. 28 that will feature a keynote conversation with Empire founder Ghazi.