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LOS ANGELES, California (Billboard) -- Rapper/vocalist Jonah Johnson was working as a waiter at a San Francisco Bay Area Chili's Restaurant when one of his songs wound up promoting a new entree. Now, he is the centerpiece of a Chili's/Warner Bros. online reality series aptly titled "Waiting 2B Discovered."
It all started six months ago when Johnson took the gig to help finance his music hustle. After learning how much he and other servers depended on tips, he penned the rap anthem "Tip Yo Waiter."
"It's about the daily struggle of making a living where you thrive through tips," the Oakland, California, native says. "Customer service can be fun. But if you don't get the tips, you don't make it."
About three months ago, the owner of Chili's -- Dallas-based Brinker Inc. -- and Austin-based ad agency GSD&M incorporated the song into a new online advertising campaign; Johnson and "Tip" were used to endorse Chili's Triple Dipper dinner entrees throughout September. Part of the campaign involved an interactive mix-and-match game in which winners could download "Tip." The song ultimately accrued 84 percent of all downloads during the promotion, which ran September 4-October 15.
Chili's has since partnered with Warner Bros. Online for the first season of the original digital production "Waiting 2B Discovered." The series finale, showcasing Johnson and his band Timeless Entertainment, was taped October 15 at West Hollywood's Key Club.
According to Chili's marketing manager Kristen Jones and Warner Bros. Online regional manager Kelli Usher, who produced "Waiting," the series will feature 12-15 webisodes from which a "Tip" music video will be culled. The series is slated to debut Wednesday. Additional details regarding the launch and other Web site viewing partners will be announced shortly.
In the meantime, Johnson hasn't lost track of reality. He's still at Chili's working the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. shift. "I still have to pay my rent," Johnson says with a laugh. "However, I appreciate what's happened so far. Hopefully, people will connect with my music."
Warner Bros. Online is a division of Time Warner, as is CNN.
Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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