Artists
Need more ways to earn and build direct fan relationships beyond releases and touring.
A produced performance, artist-branded space, ticket proceeds, tips and approved commerce.
RHYTH LABSPRE-LAUNCH / OCTOBER 5, 2026
ARTIST-LED VIRTUAL ENTERTAINMENT
THE SHOW.
THE COMMUNITY.
THE OPPORTUNITY.
Interactive performances. Direct artist proceeds.
Experiences funded by brand partnerships.
$75KINITIAL CAPITAL TARGET
3 LOIsWITH A BROADER ARTIST PIPELINE
Q4 2026PLANNED VALIDATION RUNWAY
Existing Rhyth venue preview. Artist and sponsor placements shown are illustrative.
01 / THE CUSTOMER PROBLEMRHYTH LABS
A following is only
the starting point.
Rhyth is designed to turn an artist's audience into a shared experience—with a commercial role for brands.
Fans
Want access and participation, including when they cannot attend a physical show.
A shared venue with live music, social interaction and approved premium experiences.
Brands
Need audience engagement that connects to a measurable customer action.
An activation with a clear offer, attribution and contracted reporting.
Customer hypotheses to validate through the planned launch programs.
02 / MARKET RATIONALESTART WITH REACHABLE COMMUNITIES
Music communities.
Brand-funded experiences.
81%
of creators surveyed by Patreon wanted a direct communication channel with fans.
$1.3B
Live Nation's 2025 sponsorship and advertising revenue, up 11% year over year.
RHYTH'S INITIAL FOCUS
Hip-hop, R&B
and Upstate communities.
Begin with artists accessible through existing relationships and regional brands with relevant offers.
Expansion: repeat artist programs, additional genres and markets, and multi-event sponsor relationships.
Market context, not Rhyth's addressable market or proof of demand. Sources: Patreon, State of Create 2025; Live Nation, FY2025 results.
03 / BUSINESS MODELKEEP THE MONEY FLOWS CLEAR
Artists earn.
Brands fund. Rhyth delivers.
FAN PAYMENTS
Tickets + tips
100%TO THE ARTIST*
Artist-branded performances, participation and optional approved VIP experiences.
RHYTH REVENUE
Sponsorship
Placements, interactive activations and presenting partnerships.
Rhyth retains the balance after contracted delivery costs and obligations.
ADDITIONAL ECONOMICS
Commerce
5% proposed referral commission on attributable net physical-merchandise sales.
70% proposed Rhyth share of defined net cash receipts from Rhyth-created digital merchandise.
*After processing, refunds and chargebacks; collected taxes excluded. Merchandise terms require written agreement; signed VIP items excluded from physical referral commission. VIP economics are separately agreed. Investment is financing, not revenue.
04 / PRE-LAUNCH TRACTIONARTIST INTEREST / PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Three LOIs.
A wider pipeline in motion.
LOI IN PLACE
Dondria
LOI IN PLACEBenny
Benny
the Butcher
LOI IN PLACE
Curren$y
Additional artist development
Conversations, outreach and contract preparation across a broader pipeline, including Durand Bernarr, D Smoke, Talib Kweli, Tweet, Travie McCoy / Gym Class Heroes and Westside Gunn.
Launch preparation
Existing venue previews, a five-night Upstate operating plan, defined artist offers, priced sponsor packages and a core delivery budget.
LOIs reported by the founders; scope and conditions require document review. Additional artists are prospects at varying stages, not a confirmed lineup. No completed-event, customer-revenue or sponsor-commitment claim is made.
05 / GROWTH PLANACQUIRE / DELIVER / RETAIN
Artists bring audiences.
Results bring repeat business.
Contract
Confirm artists and agree promotional participation.
Acquire
Artist links, coordinated announcements and sponsor campaigns.
Engage
Live programming, fan interaction and trackable brand offers.
Retain
Relevant event invitations, artist rebooking and sponsor renewal.
What we will measure
Artist-attributed registrations · attendance conversion · acquisition cost · repeat attendance · sponsor renewal
Artist promotion is subject to written approval. Returning-audience marketing uses consented channels. Funnel performance is unvalidated at pre-launch.
06 / DIFFERENTIATION + SCALEREUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE
A custom experience.
A repeatable foundation.
Why choose Rhyth
- Shared participationA navigable artist-branded environment surrounding the performance.
- Aligned artist economicsDirect ticket and tip proceeds, with approved premium access and commerce.
- Action-oriented sponsorshipConnect an in-world experience to an offer, signup, booking or purchase.
How delivery becomes more efficient
- Reusable venue + activation templatesReduce fresh design and implementation per event.
- Standard production + onboardingRepeat artist intake, technical checks and reporting.
- Recurring audiences + sponsorsSpread acquisition costs across more engagements.
Differentiation and efficiency hypotheses, not proven competitive superiority. Complex custom builds require separately priced scopes. Track setup hours, comparable-event costs and contribution margin.
07 / SPONSORSHIPA DEFINED OFFER / DEMAND TO VALIDATE
From brand presence
to a measurable action.
Community + standard activation$750–$2.5K
Night + standard presenting$5K–$10K
Custom interactive$10K–$20K
Custom series presenting$25K–$35K
Working prices depend on audience evidence, scope, duration and exclusivity.
UPSTATE SALES OBJECTIVES
$80KBASE COLLECTION TARGET
$75K minimum target / $100K strong target
$150K in opening asks.
Named prospects, not closed revenue. Competing category rights reduce simultaneously sellable inventory.
Activation examples: restaurant offer redemption, dealership appointment request, retail product visit. Sponsor sales and ROI are not guaranteed. No paid sponsor commitments were supplied for this deck.
08 / FIRST-PROGRAM ECONOMICSINTERNAL ALLOCATIONS / NOT VENDOR QUOTES
A defined delivery base.
Costs gated by scope.
Team + fulfillment coordination$17,500
Paid promotion$2,500
Streaming + event tools$1,500
15% contingency$3,225
Core delivery budget$24,725
ILLUSTRATIVE PLANNING CASE
Core delivery$24,725Potential Benny guarantee+$12,000Illustrative reward reserve+$2,250Planning subtotal$38,975
$41,025 remains at the $80,000 sponsorship target, before other costs.
Not profit or a final all-in budget. Excludes unpriced custom builds, additional guarantees, artist-side crews, additional rights, applicable taxes and shared overhead. Standard artist offer has no guarantee; the Benny request is a potential exception. See appendix.
09 / VALIDATION RUNWAYPROPOSED PROGRAMS / OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2026
Four programs.
One business to validate.
Upstate
Takeover
First controlled multi-artist test: production, fan participation and sponsor delivery.
$24,725 core budget8–9 performers targeted
Rhyth
Launch Week
Test broader programming and repeatable acquisition and delivery.
Budget pendingPreparation overlaps Upstate
Rhyth
Art Week
Explore the fit between music, visual art and brand participation.
Scope + budget pendingMiami
Art Week
Test a partner-led program and the portability of the event format.
$25,645 production requirementFull budget pending
All dates and lineups are proposed. Miami Clockwork programming proposed for Dec. 4–5. Optional Nov. 1 extension and Nov. 15 worship experience are outside the core budget. Later programs depend on funded scopes and readiness.
10 / FOUNDING TEAMCOMMERCIAL + CREATIVE + OPERATIONS
Built by people
who understand the room.
CO-FOUNDER
Jessica Smith
Brand strategy, marketing, community building and 3D design. Sales-development recognition at CloudCheckr for converting leads into opportunities.
Leads executive production, artist and sponsor relationships, and creative direction.
LinkedIn profile
CO-FOUNDER
Mhalik Baldwin
15+ years in operations, process improvement and people development. Musician and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Owns platform readiness, world implementation and technical coordination.
LinkedIn profileSources: Rhyth About-page source and public LinkedIn profiles. Planned contractor coverage: streaming, platform support, marketing, partner coordination and moderation. Engagements require confirmation.
11 / INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITYPROPOSED CAPITAL ALLOCATION
INITIAL CAPITAL TARGET
$75,000$50,000 MINIMUM CLOSE
Fund launch readiness.
Convert artist interest.
Validate paid sponsorship.
The minimum close supports a narrower scope. Investment structure, valuation and terms remain open for discussion.
Upstate core delivery$24,725
Anchor guarantee allowance$12,000
Sponsor reward allowance$2,250
Launch Week preparation$11,025
Nov.–Dec. shared operations$15,000
Additional liquidity reserve$10,000
Total$75,000
Proposed uses, subject to actual costs and commitments. This is not a fully funded four-program budget. Sponsorship pays event obligations and replenishes advances; costs are counted once. Ownership, existing obligations and investment terms require documentation.
12 / WHAT CAPITAL SHOULD PROVETHROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2026
From early intent
to repeatable business.
Contract + launch
Secure a credible lineup, fund committed costs and pass the technical go/no-go review.
Measure + repeat
Deliver funded programs. Establish actual acquisition, participation and event economics.
Renew + plan
Complete settlements, pursue follow-on artist and sponsor agreements, and cost the next quarter.
THE NEXT INVESTMENT CASE
Returning artists. Renewing sponsors.
Repeat audiences. Positive event contribution.
These outcomes will determine the pace of 2027 expansion and any further capital requirement.Next step: an investor discussion on the business, capital structure and diligence materials. Proposed milestones are not achieved results. Supporting budgets, pipeline and assumptions follow.
APPENDIX A / ARTIST PIPELINESTATUS AS REPORTED BY FOUNDERS
Interest across
a broader artist roster.
LOIs IN PLACE
Dondria · Benny the Butcher · Curren$y
Broader event pipeline
Durand Bernarr · D Smoke · Talib Kweli · Sasha Keable · Space Junk · Rick Hyde · Tony DeSare · Eric Andersen · Tweet · Travie McCoy / Gym Class Heroes · Westside Gunn
Additional Upstate prospects
Danielle Ponder · Joywave · X Ambassadors · Brian McKnight · Lou Gramm · Che Noir · 38 Spesh · Armani Caesar · RXK Nephew · Scorey · Jae Skeese · V. Ciannii
October 16 booking checkpoint
One confirmed anchor or approved alternative, three to four featured artists and enough support for a credible reduced schedule. Consolidate nights if fewer than eight artists confirm.
LOIs do not establish completed bookings. All other names are prospects; stages vary across outreach, management discussions and contract preparation. The artist tracker is the source for current stage, next action and announcement approval.
APPENDIX B / SPONSOR PROSPECTSOPENING ASKS / NOT COMMITMENTS
A targeted regional
sales pipeline.
| Prospect | Opening ask |
|---|---|
| West Herr | $35,000 |
| M&T Bank* | $25,000 |
| Greenlight Networks | $20,000 |
| ESL Federal Credit Union* | $15,000 |
| KeyBank* | $15,000 |
| Prospect | Opening ask |
|---|---|
| Five Star Bank* | $10,000 |
| La Nova | $10,000 |
| Salvatore's | $7,500 |
| Dinosaur Bar-B-Que | $7,500 |
| William Mattar | $5,000 |
$150,000 gross opening asks
*Financial institutions are alternatives for overlapping exclusive rights. With only the $25,000 bank opportunity retained, compatible asks total $110,000 before any other scope conflicts.
Prospects only; no affiliation or commitment implied. Outreach and response status require tracker confirmation. Delta Sonic is a second-wave prospect with no scoped ask. In-kind support is excluded from cash funding.
APPENDIX C / ECONOMICS + REWARD CONTROLSPLANNING ASSUMPTIONS
Cash targets are not
available profit.
| Sponsor cash | Less $38,975 subtotal |
|---|---|
| $75,000 minimum target | $36,025 |
| $80,000 base target | $41,025 |
| $100,000 strong target | $61,025 |
Residuals before unpriced builds, additional talent, crews, rights, taxes and overhead. No merchandise income assumed.
Benny working request
$12,000 all-in; approximately $6,000 before announcement. Guarantee treatment against artist proceeds and remaining payment schedule require agreement.
Reward reserve assumptions
1 Credit = $0.10 closed-loop platform value. A basic interaction earns 0.15 Credits = $0.015.
One claim per user, sponsor and event ID. No cash redemption. Higher rewards require a separately funded pool.
3,000 users × 10 sponsors × 5 event IDs × $0.015
= $2,250 platform value
= $2,250 platform value
One series-wide event ID produces $450 under the same assumptions. Attendance is illustrative, not forecast.
Earmarking full reward face value is a proposed funding treatment, not a statement of accounting liability or cash redemption cost. Scope reserve and settlement rules before contract approval.
APPENDIX D / FUNDING + DELIVERY GATESOCTOBER–DECEMBER 2026
Commit against cash
and delivery readiness.
| Checkpoint | Evidence required | Funding rule |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 16 | Credible signed lineup; approved announcement rights. | Release artist deposits only under written terms; reserve remaining obligations. |
| Oct. 23 | Capacity, feed and backup tests; ticketing, moderation and refund readiness. | Cash covers all committed costs with contingency intact. |
| Before Launch Week | Artist agreements and a complete program budget. | $11,025 is preparation allowance, not the full delivery budget. |
| Before Art Week / Miami | Funded scope, partner responsibilities and production readiness. | Approve separately; Miami's $25,645 is a production requirement, not all-in cost. |
| Dec. 31 | Settlements, sponsor reporting and a costed Q1 plan. | Reconcile cash, unpaid obligations and any further funding requirement. |
Shared operations: proposed $5,000 releases in early November, late November and December. $10,000 company reserve is additional to core event contingency. Launch Week preparation overlaps Upstate; do not assume its commitments can wait for final Upstate results.
APPENDIX E / PROPOSED VALIDATION SCORECARDTARGETS / NOT HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE
Measure what makes
the next event stronger.
Track conversion across the full pipeline; secure a credible lineup and at least two repeat-booking expressions of interest.
Target four distinct paying sponsors and two paid or signed follow-on engagements.
Target 60% registration-to-attendance conversion and 20% repeat attendance among eligible cohorts.
Target 95% successful room entry on valid attempts; resolve critical transaction discrepancies at settlement.
Reconcile each event; target 20% contribution margin on one repeatable format after all direct costs.
Target 20% lower setup hours between comparable early and later programs.
Proposed management targets require final adoption and instrumentation. Repeat-attendance denominator: attendees with another event opportunity within 30 days. Contribution excludes shared overhead. No target is represented as achieved or as an industry benchmark.
APPENDIX F / SOURCES + OPEN ITEMSINFORMATION BASIS / OCTOBER 5, 2026
The evidence behind
the investment discussion.
Company-supplied material
- Rhyth Strategic Funding and Partnership Proposal, Oct. 5, 2026.
- Upstate Takeover Internal Proposal and Sponsorship Plan, prepared Oct. 4, 2026.
- Founder confirmation of Dondria, Benny the Butcher and Curren$y LOIs; broader pipeline updates.
- Existing Rhyth website source and venue/founder assets.
Public sources
- Patreon — State of Create 2025
- Live Nation — FY2025 results
- Jessica Smith / Mhalik Baldwin — public LinkedIn profiles
To finalize in diligence
- LOI scope, conditions, definitive artist terms and announcement permissions.
- Sponsor responses, signed contracts and collections.
- Contractor quotes, custom builds, rights costs and complete later-program budgets.
- Entity, ownership, existing obligations, investment instrument, valuation and terms.
- VIP allocation, merchandise agreements and reward settlement rules.
Capital allocations and scorecard targets are proposed. This presentation begins an investment discussion; participation is documented separately.
Prepared for prospective investors. This deck distinguishes founder-reported progress, internal planning allocations and proposed targets. Public research provides category context, not a Rhyth revenue forecast.