Finding Her Purpose

May 12, 2026

Naiera Robinson '19 turned a passion for music into a career as a power player in music and entertainment.

Naiera Robinson

In 2018, rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle released Victory Lap, his first studio album. Midway through the title track, he proclaims:

"Spoke some things into the universe and they appeared
I say it's worth it, I won't say it's fair
Find your purpose or you wasting air"

Those lyrics mean more to Naiera Robinson '19 than most people. Naiera was a junior at MCLA when Victory Lap came out. She'd always had a passion for music, but it was at MCLA where she discovered her purpose.

"MCLA gives students the opportunity to be focused, but also explore other parts of their lives," Naiera said. "It was one of the few liberal arts schools in the country that offered a major in arts management, and that allowed me to stay focused on my goal of building a career in music and entertainment."

Nipsey Hussle was murdered months before Naiera's MCLA graduation. Three years later, she was a publicity coordinator at Atlantic Records, working with the late-rapper's estate to manage his posthumous work. 

Naiera's dedication to the job caught the attention of digital strategist and music executive Karen Civil, herself a mover and shaker in the music industry. When she was named general manager and executive vice president of Young Money Entertainment, she asked Naiera to join her.

There, Naiera worked closely with Lil Wayne, helping the rapper launch season two of Young Money Radio on Apple Music. She collaborated on events at the Super Bowl and SXSW in Austin, Texas.

In 2024, Billboard named Naiera a R&B/Hip-Hop Power Player. 

Today she is a consultant specializing in brand strategy, marketing, public relations, and talent partnerships. Her work sits at the intersection of music, sports, fashion, and entertainment.

Naiera RobinsonWhat does it take to succeed in her role?

"I help brands figure out how to show up authentically in culture," Naiera said. "That can look like anything from developing partnership strategies, connecting brands with artists and creators, building campaigns either for artists or brands, or just helping execute big cultural moments and activations that resonate with real communities."

Creativity.

Flexibility.

And some long nights.

"A lot of people look at the type of work that I do as a glamorous thing," Naiera said. "People always see the end product, once it has all the shimmer and the shine on it. But the real work happens late at night, staying up at 3 a.m. finishing releases, seeding content, pitching a story or making sure that a client or an artist has everything that they need for the day ahead. You're constantly having to be on your toes and anticipating people's needs, whether it's your team or the client that you're serving."

To do that, Naiera relies on lessons and experiences from her time at MCLA. 

Besides her major in arts management, Naiera:

She also interned in the Multicultural Education Resource Center, where she focused on marketing, PR, and event coordination. In that role, she helped develop and execute campus programming and cultural events, handling everything from sourcing and booking artists from the Boston area to supporting event operations. 

In every part of her MCLA experience, Naiera found a common thread: community.

"There's something about a smaller liberal arts school that gives you more of a niche community feel that sets you up for the real world in a way that a larger school may not give you," she said. "All of my closest friends and my long-term friends came from MCLA, and I will never take that for granted."