Business major dips into music

By Jess Royko

No matter how impractical a dream may seem, there’s always a chance it can happen.

Sophomore AJ Severino took this lesson to heart and is on his way to making his dreams happen. He is a major contributor to a company he helped develop with his two high school friends, Dave Constantini and Jimmy Giambrone, called Dangerous in Public Productions (DIP).

“This company is about living the dream,” Severino said. “We promote the music we like and we do it for the people who go out there everyday.”

DIP is an all-around company. The boys specialize in video production, merchandising, photography and the promotion of rising musicians. DIP has come a long way since its original creation as a DJ company in 2001. According to the Web site, Constantini thought up the name of the company in ninth grade study hall.

Severino is the marketing administrator of DIP. This job provides him with managerial skills that will prove to be beneficial for his business major. Although DIP hasn’t brought in tons of money, Severino says it is all about the experience.

“I get to meet new people who enjoy the same thing I do,” he said. “Plus, I get to work with my best friends and do interviews. It’s fun work. Nothing’s better than finding a job you love.”

Severino and his friends have been working on this company since their freshman year of high school. They went from making local videos and shirts in their garage to an established company that is well on its way to getting recognition. Currently DIP is promoting four bands: Paper Cut Skyline, Amora Bliss, Reckless and Asensia. While DIP’s main focus is rock music, Severino says they are willing to branch out to any music.

“We like all music, so we’d like to promote anything that is enjoyable,” he said. “It’s a good way to get our name out there, and it helps upcoming artists get recognition as well.”

Severino sees DIP as more of a lifestyle than a job. Severino and his partners created the company to give something to the people and be the outlet for upcoming bands. While there are many companies out there doing the same thing as DIP, Severino says this one is unique.

“We’re different than all of those other people out there,” Severino said. “We don’t just want to put a stamp on the business; we want to be it.”

This never-back-down attitude has always played a major role in Severino’s life. He has always been the type “to fall and get back up.” When Severino isn’t working for DIP, he loves to live his life dangerously through snowboarding.

Although it hasn’t always been an easy road, these boys have stuck with their dream of making it happen. Severino, as well as his partners and founders of DIP Constantini and Giambrone, are proof that there are no limitations on dreams.

“If it is really your dream, then you don’t give up,” he said. “You take it to your grave and keep working with it. Good things will happen and it’s bound to work out.”

For the latest merchandise and news on Dangerous in Public Productions, check out its Web sites, www.dangerousinpublic.com or www.myspace.com/dipproductionz.