John Forté

John Forté is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, filmmaker, writer and activist, first recognized for his work with multi- platinum hip hop group The Fugees.

In 2001, Forté was arrested and convicted for a first-time, non-violent drug offense. He was sentenced to 14 years in a Federal prison. Seven years into his sentence, Forté was granted executive clemency by then-president George W. Bush. Forté’s felony conviction and subsequent Presidential commutation cemented Forté’s commitment to criminal justice reform in America. Since returning home in 2008, Forté has released several solo and collaborative projects to-date including, but not limited to:

Brooklyn Nets – Created inaugural anthem for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA)

FILMS – The Russian Winter (Feature film / documentary) Brooklyn Castle (Executive Producer) Music Supervisor/Composer Brooklyn D.A. (CBS) ‘The Last Defense’ (Viola Davis & ABC) Schools Not Prisons #schoolsnotprisons (Youth advocacy tour).

In early 2017, Forté worked with Mary’s and created, directed and scored ‘Mary’s Chimes,’ real-life stories from people who improved their lives and health by using Mary’s Medicinals and Mary’s Nutritionals products. Forté was deeply moved by the testimonials and quickly realized the broader implications to educating the masses and normalizing the discussion around cannabis. Thus, when the invitation to join the Rose team was extended in the fall of 2018, Forté accepted the role and its responsibilities as a fitting evolution to his already multifaceted story.

For the past 25 years, Forté has developed, maintained and nurtured relationships with artists, industry leaders, influencers, and members of the press. His roles and responsibilities at Rose Capital/BR Brands & the Company are not only within his skillset, they represent a unique amalgamation of his personal experiences as a creative director, a critical thinker, and a collaborator.