Jeanine McLean Launches Castlight Media & Management With B2K & More: ‘Going to Do It All’

Jeanine McLean, formerly president/managing partner of MBK Entertainment, is now helming her own ship. Launched just over six months ago, New Jersey-based Castlight Media & Management Group collaborates with a roster that includes Grammy-nominated R&B/pop artist Omarion and his reunited group B2K, R&B artist Tone Stith and country artist Brittney Spencer. While at MBK, McLean worked with R&B/pop stars Alicia Keys, H.E.R. and Elle Varner, among others.

“Castlight is about casting positive energy and motion in highlighting an artist’s talent,” says founder/CEO McLean, one of whose guiding lights is depicted in the company’s logo: “It’s a silhouette of my grandfather, who was a professional stand-up bass player.”

A nationwide spotlight is currently being cast by the Boys 4 Life tour, which features co-headliners Bow Wow and B2K — the latter a 25^th anniversary reunion with fellow founding member Omarion. Having kicked off Feb. 12 in Columbia, S.C., the Black Promoters Collective-produced tour — whose performer lineup includes Pretty Ricky, Waka Flocka Flame, Amerie and B5 — has already swung through Washington, D.C., Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Its final stop will be Memphis on April 26.

“The excitement for this tour has been electric,” says McLean of Boys 4 Lif, the latest in a string of recent nostalgia-vibed tours such as Brandy & Monica’s The Boy Is Mine and this summer’s upcoming It’s Iconic run with TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. “Their fans, now in their late 30s, are showing up and showing out; singing, dancing and bringing old posters and other memorabilia to the meet & greets. Some are also bringing their kids to watch who their parents’ fan idols were. People want to gravitate back to feel-good moments in their lives.”

Concurrently behind the scenes, McLean has secured a new record deal for Omarion, whose solo catalog boasts the multiplatinum “Post to Be” with Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko and gold-certified “Ice Box.“ Under the Create Music Group banner, Omarion has already released his latest single, “Fantasy.” His next solo album, O2 — a nod to his 2005 debut album O — arrives June 30.

“We’re calling this Omarion’s O2 era,” explains McLean, “because the energy is very reminiscent of his past success. Together, we’re building out several other business verticals for him as well.”

RCA Records singer-songwriter Stith is also doing his own vertical moves. His latest single “Fly” landed at No. 10 on Billboard’s Adult Airplay chart for the week of April 4, and his next album, The Edge, is slated for a May 15 release. Also in the pipeline: a new EP from B2K via BPC Music, distributed by Vydia. McLean serves as the lead manager for the group as a whole, while each member has his own manager.

Asked about R&B’s strong momentum of late, McLean says, “It’s returning to some of the basics like the bridge coming back. We love that. We love the visuals coming back. But in particular, the sound is going back to being more organically soulful. People are taking their time with lyrics; singing about love and feelings again. That is what’s been missing. It’s just this lovely resurgence that’s standing out in the crowd of so much music that’s out there.”

Also on the Castlight docket is producer-musician Kenneth “KP” Paige (Toosii, Honey Bxby, Omarion, Girlfriend), who co-produced Stith’s “Fly.” As is Spencer (Cowboy Carter), who has upcoming performances with Maren Morris and Sheryl Crow, plus a new MNRK Music label deal with an album and two major tour announcements coming soon. Rounding out the Castlight roster are Native American singer-songwriter-pianist M’Lynn, also signed to MNRK; Torae Carr, SiriusXM host (The Tor Guide on Hip-Hop Nation; That Raw on Rock The Bells Radio) and songwriter (Cardi B; Migos); British-American singer/actress Aiyana Lee and Tina aka Hoodcelebrityy.

In addition to overseeing these various music projects, McLean — a Billboard Women in Music and R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players honoree — says her firm is casting a wider net as well, as she is currently in conversations with investors about two film projects. Declining to reveal more at this time, she adds that “there will be more film and TV projects happening soon, as these are multi-talented artists who can work in all facets of entertainment. Honestly, this is so much fun right now because we’re going to do it all.”