Rachelle Jean-Louis
CEO
TELL YOUR FRIENDS
by gail mitchell
photographed by Munachi Osegbuby
Rachelle Jean-Louis always knew the power of songwriting. As a preteen growing up in New Jersey, “When I finished my homework, I’d be listening to CDs and trying to unpack the albums,” she recalls. “Seeing who wrote and produced the songs, reading the liner notes and lyrics.” She idolized singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, who in the aughts “was writing really cool R&B songs” with collaborators like Timbaland, Kanye West and Lil Wayne.
“I wanted to be a songwriter just like her,” Jean-Louis adds. “Music was everything to me. There was no plan B.”
Jean-Louis, now 34, didn’t become a songwriter herself — but she is now the force behind one of today’s fastest-rising songwriting talents, Victoria Monét. When Monét stepped onstage to accept best new artist at the Grammy Awards earlier this year, she brought Jean-Louis, her manager, with her. “There was a binder that I made to take to this really important meeting at a label,” Monét said in her tearful televised speech. “I was an independent artist with no team, and I just thought, ‘Maybe my music would stand for itself.’ But that binder [was] left collecting dust … Rachelle found that binder, and she decided to take a chance, leave that label and be my manager. Thank you so much for seeing me.”
“Her pulling me up onstage for best new artist … I honestly didn’t think she was going to do that,” Jean-Louis says. “But I’m really proud of her for everything that she’s accomplished against all odds. It’s a testament not just to her but the whole team.” And it’s for her transformative past year with Monét that Billboard honors Jean-Louis as its 2024 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players Executive of the Year.
Read Billboard‘s full profile on executive of the year Rachelle Jean-Louis here.
She’yaa “21 Savage” Abraham-Joseph
Justin “Meezy” Williams
Co-founders
Slaughter Gang Entertainment
Following the success of Her Loss, his 2022 joint project with Drake, 21 Savage returned with his first solo album in over six years when he released January’s American Dream. He didn’t lose momentum, scoring his fourth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 by earning 133,000 equivalent album units. Though the album boasted features from R&B heavyweights Summer Walker and Brent Faiyaz, his hard-nosed raps reigned supreme — as proved by the album’s standout track, “Redrum,” peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. “The narrative that our genre is falling off is not true,” says Williams, 21 Savage’s manager and president of their Slaughter Gang Entertainment imprint, which releases his albums through Epic Records. “Hip-hop and R&B albums are doing amazing, and we still are the No. 1 genre.”
The charity I support
“My Leading By Example foundation,” 21 Savage says. “We’ve been doing a lot for the kids and teaching them how to handle their money.”
Roberto Panucci/Corbis/Getty Images
21 Savage, a co-founder of his Slaughter Gang Entertainment imprint, scored his fourth Billboard 200 No. 1 in January with American Dream, his first solo album in over six years.
Katina Bynum
Executive vp of urban catalog
Universal Music Enterprises
Bynum particularly enjoyed the yearlong celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023, during which UMe rereleased a series of hit albums from across decades — including LL COOL J’s Mama Said Knock You Out, which ranked at No. 5 on the year-end Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in 1991; Salt-N-Pepa’s Very Necessary from 1993; a deluxe edition of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III from 2008; and Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, which topped the Billboard 200 in 2012 — all on exclusive vinyl variants. UMe also partnered with the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority on collectible transit MetroCards that featured East Coast hip-hop legends such as Cam’Ron, LL COOL J, Rakim and Pop Smoke. In the wake of celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, Bynum says she is “optimistic” about where the genre is today.
Biggest issue Facing R&B AND HIP-HOP
“Creativity. Breaking a superstar.”
Steve Carless
President of A&R
Dionnee Harper
Executive vp of marketing and artist development
Ericka Coulter
Senior vp of A&R
Shawnae Corbett-Rice
Senior vp of marketing
Warner Records
Warner Records has celebrated recent strides made by 21-year-old Memphis rapper NLE Choppa and actress-singer Andra Day. Choppa secured two top 10 singles on the Rhythmic Airplay chart with “Ain’t Gonna Answer” (featuring Lil Wayne) and “Do It Again,” a collaboration with 2Rare. “We’re also super proud of Andra Day’s new album and her single ‘Probably,’ which is currently top 20 on the Adult R&B Airplay chart,” Corbett-Rice says. Day won a Grammy Award in 2022 for the soundtrack to The United States vs. Billie Holiday, in which she starred, along with an Academy Award nomination for best actress.
biggest issue
“The oversaturation of the market and the sheer volume of music in the genre on [digital service providers] and beyond,” Corbett-Rice says. “Artists release music more frequently, which makes it more challenging for songs and artists to stand out.”
Jordan Terrell “Playboi Carti” Carter
Founder/CEO
Erin Larsen
COO
opium
Read Billboard‘s full cover story on Playboi Carti here.
Archie Davis
Executive vp/chief creative officer
Naim McNair
Executive vp of A&R
Zach Shefrin
Vp of digital
Charlene Thomas
Vp of marketing
Sharon Bako
Senior director of marketing
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam remains a hotbed for R&B artists. Coco Jones earned five nominations for this year’s Grammy Awards, and her hit “ICU” scored a win for best R&B performance. Muni Long, also a Grammy winner, notched another hit with “Made for Me,” which peaked at No. 20 on the Hot 100 and hit No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Grammy-nominated singer Fridayy completes Def Jam’s trifecta of rising singers, earning his first solo Hot 100 hit this year with “When It Comes to You.” Says Davis: “All three artists have achieved substantial recognition and success in the R&B genre.”
The charity I support
“The T.J. Martell Foundation plays a crucial role in early-stage cancer research. In 2023, we successfully changed the Universal Music Group colonoscopy and prostate screening age from 45 to 29,” Davis says. “Prostate cancer is claiming the lives of men, especially Black men, at alarmingly high rates.”
Julius “J” Erving
Founder/CEO
Human Re Sources
executive vp
The Orchard
executive vp of creative development
Sony Music Entertainment
Human Re Sources’ focus on a “hands-on and artist-specific approach,” Erving says, continues to pay dividends with Raye, who made history in March by winning six BRIT Awards, including artist and album of the year (for My 21st Century Blues). Next up, Erving says rapper Lancey Foux “has been planting major seeds in the United States, building mainstream appeal,” thanks to a recent collaboration with Teezo Touchdown and Cash Cobain, while young singer Lekan — “one of the most amazing voices in music” — is about to head out on tour with Tems.
Biggest issue
“Getting fans to buy into an artist beyond a song by giving artists the room to properly develop. But we are longevity-oriented and not afraid to invest in our artists’ development.”
Bill Evans
Executive vp of urban promotion
Interscope Capitol Labels Group
In his role at the newly formed Interscope Capitol Labels Group, Evans’ recent wins include Ice Spice’s debut at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with Y2K! and helping to propel GloRilla’s “Yeah Glo!” to No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay earlier this year. Despite these successes, he’s wary of how today’s social media-driven landscape is pushing artists to release a never-ending stream of music, sometimes moving on to the next song before giving their previous track time to grow. “Artists are pressured to stay relevant and maintain their presence by constantly putting out new music, sometimes to the detriment of the art,” Evans says. “This is taking its toll on the industry as a whole. We need to make sure we balance commercial success and artistic expression.”
The charity I support
“I’m a member of the Gamma Zeta Boule Foundation … promoting economic development within the Black community.”
Matt Jelonek/Getty Images
Ice Spice’s eagerly awaited debut album, Y2K!, arrived in July on 10K/Capitol Records and debuted at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Kendell “Sav” Freeman
Khris Riddick-Tynes
Senior vps of A&R/co-heads of urban
Arista Records
“I’m really proud of the Arista community Khris and I have been able to build within the R&B/hip-hop space over the past 18 months,” Freeman says. “The success of Brooklyn rap’s new torchbearer, Lola Brooke, is a true artist development story.” In the wake of her 2023 album, Dennis Daughter, Brooke was nominated as best new artist at the BET Awards and teamed up with rap trio 41 on the track “Becky,” which Billboard named an R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Pick of the Week in February. Brooke’s success, Freeman says, “made my [Arista Records joint venture] Saint Kash Records possible, along with the signing of Cincinnati phenom Skylar Blatt, who is up next.” Riddick-Tynes, meanwhile, shared the 2024 Grammy for best R&B song as a co-writer of SZA’s hit “Snooze.”
Biggest issue
“Artist development,” Freeman says. “There’s a lot of focus on numbers and data. But taking the time to nurture and develop is what makes a career artist.”
Courtesy of TEEKAY
“There’s a lot of focus on numbers and data. But taking the time to nurture and develop is what makes a career artist.”
—Kendell “Sav” Freeman, senior vp of A&R/co-head of urban, Arista Records
Lanre Gaba
Michael Kyser
Co-presidents of Black music
Marsha St. Hubert
Executive VP/head of marketing
Executive VP/head of marketing
Justin Grant
Vp of digital marketing and sports partnerships
Angelique Jones
Vp of sales and streaming
Atlantic Records
“The rollout for Don Toliver’s Hardstone Psycho was a great example of how so many facets of our company — gaming, digital, synch, etc. — came together with Don and his Cactus Jack team in the most impactful and innovative ways,” Gaba says. Toliver, who is signed to Cactus Jack/Atlantic Records, scored his first top 10 on the Hot Rap Songs chart as a lead artist in February with “Bandit” and then followed with Hardstone Psycho, which became his first No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ranking in June. In the past year, Generation Now/Atlantic artist Jack Harlow reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Lovin on Me,” Janelle Monáe earned an album of the year Grammy nomination for The Age of Pleasure and Burna Boy was the top artist on Billboard’s 2023 year-end U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Evolving,” Gaba says. “There’s so much genre-bending, culture-defining, exciting moments happening right now.”
Gilbert Flores for Billboard
Janelle Monáe earned an album of the year Grammy Award nomination for The Age of Pleasure.
Ghazi
Founder/CEO
Nima Etminan
COO
Tina Davis
President
Peter Kadin
Senior vp of marketing
Matthew Maysonet
VP of digital commerce and streaming marketing
EMPIRE
310babii was just 17 years old when his “Soak City (Do It)” debuted on the Hot 100 last November, and it has been all on the upswing for him since then, as the song became a West Coast anthem and EMPIRE pushed it from TikTok virality to No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay and Rap Airplay in March. Those No. 1s, “and to be presented a platinum plaque at high school graduation all within one year, speaks volumes to his dedication to music while still maintaining an education,” Etminan says, adding that the rapper’s breakout has been “rewarding to watch.” EMPIRE also scored a big win this year with PJ Morton, the independent self-produced artist with whom the label has been working since 2018. Morton landed his fifth Grammy for best traditional R&B performance for “Good Morning” (featuring Susan Carol).
Yo Gotti
Founder
CMG
Gotti’s CMG imprint continues to prosper thanks to its superstar acts GloRilla and MoneyBagg Yo. After enjoying a fruitful 2022, courtesy of her breakout hits “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)” (with Hitkidd) and “Tomorrow 2” (with Cardi B), GloRilla has doled out more Hot 100 anthems with “Yeah Glo!” and “Wanna Be,” the latter a Megan Thee Stallion collaboration that peaked at No. 11 in April. In May, she embarked on an arena outing with Megan for the rapper’s Hot Girl Summer Tour, while MoneyBagg Yo reclaimed his mainstream prowess when he teamed with Morgan Wallen on “Whiskey, Whiskey,” netting a top 25 Hot 100 hit. “It’s a long-term process to develop superstars,” Gotti says. “It requires time, money and patience.”
Biggest issue
“The lack of artist development. There’s too much focus on signing artists based on social media analytics and less of a strategic plan to invest into their growth.”
Elliot Grainge
Founder/CEO
Zach Friedman
Tony Talamo
Co-presidents
10K Projects
“We’re big believers in everything Ice Spice and her team have been able to accomplish,” Friedman says of the Bronx rapper whose album Y2K! arrived in July on 10K/Capitol Records and debuted at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Friedman says the label has also built out its A&R department “to focus heavily on signing and developing regional talent. Artists like YTB Fatt, Chicken P and OT7 Quanny are just a few of the up-and-coming artists we believe have the ability to break nationally.” The company is also “very excited,” he says, about joint ventures it recently struck with labels including GUMBO (Dthang) and Moneybagg Yo’s Loaf Boyz Ventures, which boasts Fatt and Kevo Muney on its roster. Grainge will become the CEO of Atlantic Music Group on Oct. 1.
Biggest issue
“Every executive is obsessed with country music,” Friedman says.
Naji Grampus
Vp of urban strategy
The Orchard
Partnering with Top Dawg Entertainment to work on SiR’s HEAVY was “a huge moment” for The Orchard, Grampus says. On top of that, the company recently inked a global distribution deal with New York rapper Fivio Foreign, who has collaborated with Drake, Ye and Playboi Carti. As valuable as these signings are, Grampus says, “There is a misconception that the biggest hip-hop and R&B artists will automatically come from America.” He adds, “Hip-hop and R&B fans exist across the world, and it’s our job to connect them with talent that will resonate by creating sustainable, engaged fan communities.”
The charity I support
“Rize, a nonprofit organization that advocates for underserved youth in Baltimore. [They’re] committed to youth development by offering programs that provide alternatives to street life by building confidence, discipline and a championship mindset.”
Tyrone William “Ty Dolla $ign” Griffin Jr.
Founder
EZMNY Records
The past year-plus has brought “nothing but blessings,” Ty Dolla $ign says. He and former Atlantic A&R executive Shawn Barron started EZMNY in 2022. “I just want to find the best artists on the planet,” Ty says. “And Leon Thomas, the first artist signed to EZMNY Records, won a Grammy for his work with SZA.” The two shared the 2024 award for best R&B song for “Snooze.” In February, Ty and Ye, billed collaboratively as ¥$, topped the Hot 100 with “Carnival” (with Rich the Kid and featuring Playboi Carti) and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with their album Vultures 1. “God is great,” Ty says.
Biggest issue
“Authenticity. We live in a world where everyone wants a viral hit even if that means compromising their artistry.”
Larry Jackson
Co-founder/CEO
Breyon Prescott
Executive vp of content
Lionel Ridenour
Executive vp of promotion
gamma.
Led by former Apple Music executive Jackson, gamma. has had no shortage of recent achievements: reaching a viewership record for Usher’s Super Bowl halftime performance in February (123.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen); partnering on the Death Row catalog with owner Snoop Dogg and releasing the 30th-anniversary edition of his debut, Doggystyle; sidestepping conventional channels to collaborate with the NBA and TNT to launch Rick Ross and Meek Mill’s joint album, Too Good To Be True; and producing the soundtrack to The Color Purple. “I’m quite proud of the instant impact we’ve had as a company that’s only 15 months old,” Jackson says. “It’s also been such a joy to see our new artists such as Sexyy Red, 4Batz and October London all break through in their own regard.”
The charity I support
“Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project,” Jackson says, “which we raised $2.2 million for at a charity event at my home right before the COVID lockdown.”
Kevin Liles
Chairman/CEO
300 Elektra Entertainment
Rayna Bass
Selim Bouab
Co-presidents
Leesa Brunson-Boland
Senior vp/head of A&R operations and administration
Joshua D’Amore
Senior vp of streaming and digital marketing
Tashana Ventura
Vp of marketing
300 Entertainment
“I’m really proud of how the team has delivered for all of our artists,” Bass says. Gunna’s success with consecutive No. 1s on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart has been “incredibly rewarding,” she says. “Hunxho is the hottest new artist in Atlanta; his [mixtape] project For Her was one of the best last year,” Bass adds, also citing Tee Grizzley, whose tracks “IDGAF” (featuring Chris Brown and Mariah the Scientist) and “Swear to God” (featuring Future) reached Nos. 2 and 20, respectively, on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. The company is also “committed to the development of the next global superstars,” she says. “Jordan Adetunji, representing Belfast, already has a breakout record: ‘Kehlani,’ featuring Kehlani on the official remix.” Lastly, while the drawn-out trial in Atlanta of one of the label’s superstars continues into its second year, Bass says, “One of our biggest celebrations will be when Young Thug is free.”
Biggest issue
“Our community still wildly underestimates the existential threat that the criminalization of hip-hop presents to the culture,” Bouab says.
From left: Lee L’Heureux, Juliette Jones and Todd Moscowitz photographed on July 18, 2024, at Alamo Records in New York.
The Leaders Of Alamo’s Mission
Todd Moscowitz
CEO
Alamo Records/Santa Anna Records
Juliette Jones
COO
Alamo Records
Lee L’Heureux
President
Alamo Records/Santa Anna Records
by Chris Eggertsen
photographed by desean mcclinTon-hollanD
“In the past year-and-a-half, we’ve had incredible success with both our marquee and emerging artists, seeing big moments coming from both the Alamo and Santa Anna rosters,” Moscowitz says.
A veteran music entrepreneur, Moscowitz founded Alamo Records in 2016 after leaving 300 Entertainment, which he had launched in 2012 alongside Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold and Kevin Liles. In 2021, he struck a deal for Sony Music Entertainment to acquire a majority of Alamo. Sony Music Group chairman Rob Stringer described Moscowitz as “a visionary in an area of music that is now front and center of pop culture globally.”
In January 2023, SME and Alamo announced the creation of artist and label services company Santa Anna Records as a joint venture between Sony and Moscowitz. Industry veteran L’Heureux, who most recently had been GM at Geffen Records, was recruited to lead Santa Anna as well as take on the newly created role of president of Alamo.
“I’ve always admired Todd’s approach to the music industry, as well as his dedication to supporting artists and their distinct, creative visions,” L’Heureux said at the time. “I’m honored for the opportunity and look forward to taking Alamo to the next level and carving out a path for Santa Anna.”
In September 2023, Alamo artist Rod Wave achieved his third consecutive No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Nostalgia. Then, in February, Wave’s Alamo labelmate BossMan Dlow made his Billboard Hot 100 debut with “Get In With Me,” which has since earned 181.6 million official on-demand U.S. streams; he has a career total of 1.1 billion on-demand U.S. streams.
In May, PartyNextDoor’s latest release, P4, enjoyed a top 10 debut on the Billboard 200, an achievement “with our partners OVO Sound,” Moscowitz says, under a deal through which Santa Anna provides additional artist and label services to the Canadian label.
As it achieves “early breakout success with artists like wolfacejoeyy and others, the label is really firing on all cylinders,” Moscowitz says. “Our team — including A&R, marketing and digital — has done an outstanding job understanding and forecasting the marketplace and developing dynamic, innovative ways to serve artists and fans.”
Natina Nimene
Executive vp of urban promotion
Republic Corps
Nimene took over the urban promotion department for the newly reconfigured Republic Corps in March and quickly set to work on Muni Long’s “Made for Me,” which her team took to No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 2 on Rhythmic Airplay before sending it to pop radio, propelling it to No. 20 on the Hot 100. They also helped support Coco Jones, whose “ICU” peaked at No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and won her a Grammy for best R&B performance, while Ayra Starr is on deck for the team. “I am so proud of what we are doing as a company with R&B artists,” she says, because “we are committed to breaking them.”
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Dominating.”
Mark Pitts
CEO
Bystorm Entertainment
President
RCA Records
Derrick Aroh
Rich “Skane Dolla” Ford
Senior vps of A&R
Shani Fuller Tillman
Vp of marketing
Sam Selolwane
Head of promotion for hip-hop, R&B, mixshow
Jus McMullen
Senior director of commercial partnerships
RCA Records
“This past year, our artists continued to put the work in to take their careers to the next level,” Pitts says. From SZA to Doja Cat to Chris Brown, RCA maintained the success of some of the biggest names in R&B/hip-hop while nurturing the careers of in-demand rising stars such as Victoria Monét, who took home best new artist at the 2024 Grammys, and Tems, who released her highly anticipated debut album, Born in the Wild. The label also proved its prowess with hit singles this year, with Latto tapping Flo Milli and Megan Thee Stallion for the remix of “Sunday Service” and Bryson Tiller climbing to the top 20 on the Hot 100 with “Whatever She Wants.”
Biggest issue
“There is a difference between finding success and building a career,” Pitts says. “We have to consistently strive for that delicate balance to ensure our artists have the space and resources to experiment and grow while navigating the ever-changing, fast-moving landscape.”
Aliah Anderson/WireImage
Latto tapped Flo Milli and Megan Thee Stallion for the remix of her single “Sunday Service.”
April Pope
Vp of label development and marketing
Kanika Mehta
Head of commercial marketing
ADA
Through ADA’s partnerships with indie-rap juggernauts like 10K Projects, Rostrum Records and South Coast Music Group, the independent distribution and label services division of Warner Music Group has helped break Rich Amiri (whose “One Call” hit No. 60 on the Hot 100 in March), Trippie Redd (who premiered his EP Saint Michael V2 during a Cincinnati Bengals football game last fall) and Nemzzz (whose Do Not Disturb hit No. 17 on Official U.K. Albums in March). “It’s more competitive than ever to be heard,” Pope says. “There’s no deficit of talent in the genre, and it’s our job to make sure our artists’ music connects.”
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Innovative,” Pope says. “The new talent coming up is undeniable. They’re creating new sounds and fresh ways of connecting with audiences in different markets and genres, all while continuing to propel the genre forward.”
Damion Presson
Executive vp of A&R
Danielle Price Sanders
Executive vp
Christina Suarez
Executive vp/head of business affairs
Xiarra-Diamond Nimrod
Senior vp of marketing strategy
Allegra Chautin
Vp of digital strategy
Romel Lherisson
Director of commerce
Republic Records
Republic Records works with some of the top R&B/hip-hop artists of the past decade in Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and The Weeknd, the success of whom “makes all of us want to work harder because we know what is possible,” Nimrod says. But it’s the next wave of artists that also excites the team, with superproducer Metro Boomin landing two huge albums this year so far with Future and rising talents like Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and rap collective 41, “who are just starting to show the world what they can do,” she adds. “I am extremely proud to be part of a team ushering in this new era of superstars.”
Biggest issue
“Many people not being receptive to the different sounds and artist takes on what R&B and hip-hop sounds like today,” Nimrod says. “We as execs must learn and adapt.”
Harry Durrant/Getty Images
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr is the focus of the Amazon Music documentary Dare To Dream, which debuted Aug. 1 on the streaming service.
Sylvia Rhone
Chairwoman/CEO
Ezekiel Lewis
President
Jennifer Goicoechea
Senior vp of A&R
Dontay Thompson
senior Vp of promotion
June Cardona
Vp of promotion and lifestyle marketing
Jermaine Pegues
Vp of A&R
Epic Records
With a string of Billboard 200 No. 1 albums by Future and Metro Boomin (We Don’t Trust You, We Still Don’t Trust You), 21 Savage (American Dream) and Travis Scott (UTOPIA), Rhone says Epic “has developed a solid roster of quality hip-hop superstars.” Plus, she notes, in late 2023, André 3000 made headlines with his “groundbreaking and genre-switching album” New Blue Sun. Meanwhile, South African artist Tyla — the BET Awards’ newly crowned best new artist and the first winner of the Grammy for best African music performance — rode a global wave of success with top 10 Hot 100 hit “Water” from her self-titled 2024 debut album. “We broke a new artist through our commitment to A&R and artist development globally,” Rhone adds. “Tyla’s success is a textbook study in developing a new artist who’s blazing a new trail for the continent and making her mark around the world.”
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Mosaic,” Rhone says.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
“We broke [Tyla] through our commitment to A&R and artist development globally.”
—Sylvia Rhone, chairwoman/CEO, Epic Records
Javier “Jay” Sang
Founder/CEO
Rebel Music, OpenShift Distribution
Sang is proud of providing artist development and label services for talents such as Rob49, Hotboii and Sexyy Red, the lattermost in partnership with gamma., driving her most recent album, In Sexyy We Trust, to No. 5 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. “[Those artists] were all-hands-on-deck, early-development and passion projects at Rebel,” he says. Rebel also provided label services as a distribution partner with OpenShift for Freebandz to help boost the rise of acts such as Real Boston Richey and Lil Double 0. “We’re excited to do the same with artists like Lomiiel, Loe Shimmy and Wizz Havinn,” he says.
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Authentic. Fans love artists that are unapologetically themselves. They know what’s being manufactured and promoted to them. They want what’s real.”
Dolapo Sangokoya
Associate director of creative
Legacy Recordings
In her role at Legacy, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, Sangokoya says she conceptualizes, develops and executes unique digital content. That’s recently included directing a mini documentary to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Usher’s My Way; spearheading the @CampCtrl Instagram page to showcase SZA’s catalog for the fifth anniversary of her 2017 album, Ctrl; and offering an unprecedented view of Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas One and All! tour with a new music video and mini doc. All were honored at the Telly Awards.
The charity I support
“The Jackie Robinson Foundation. As a student at UCLA, I was so lucky to be awarded the prestigious academic scholarship in honor of the legacy of Jackie and Rachel Robinson. More than a monetary prize, it was a fully immersive four-year program that impacted the person I’ve become today and my pursuit of excellence in life and career.”
Adam Starr
Senior vp/head of marketing for North America
Kiana Perry
Vp of marketing
Femi “Shamz” Obasaju
Senior director of label management
Trenton Pratt
Senior director of streaming and playlisting strategy, hip-hop and R&B
Virgin Music Group
Obasaju calls 2023 “a particularly fruitful year” for Virgin Music Group in the hip-hop realm with successful releases from Meek Mill, NF, Czarface, Mohead Mike, G Herbo, Rylo Rodriguez and Icewear Vezzo. One of the company’s biggest breakthroughs was Nigerian star Rema, who hit No. 3 on the Hot 100 with his Selena Gomez collaboration, “Calm Down.” Elsewhere, Virgin scored successes with the Fast X soundtrack and a deal to release several Alicia Keys live albums, in addition to distributing R&B projects from Musiq Soulchild, Cory Henry, Jade Novah and Eric Bellinger.
Biggest issue
“Artists feeling pressured to make nothing but hits and not being given the space to be creatives and to work with partners that prioritize their development,” Obasaju says. “Instead of constantly chasing that one record, artists need to be given the chance at a long career of sustained success. Far too many artists get that plaque and are never heard from again.”
Steve Stoute
Founder/CEO
Mike Weiss
Vp of music/head of A&R
David Melhado
Vp of music and marketing
UnitedMasters
UnitedMasters partnered with Brent Faiyaz and his creative agency, ISO Supremacy, in 2023. Weiss cites BigXthaPlug’s artist development story as another partnership success. “We partnered with BigX when he had 500 monthly listeners on Spotify,” Weiss says. “He has grown to have over 30 million streams per week every week in 2024. He also has several records that are now platinum and gold, landed a spot on the XXL Freshman list — and we’re just getting started.”
Biggest issue
“The speed at which people are willing to write off R&B/hip-hop,” Weiss says. “People continue to lose sight of the fact that R&B/hip-hop is still the No. 1 most influential genre.”
Abou Thiam
CEO
Buvision
Executive vp
Columbia Records
Wilt Wallace
Senior vp of urban promotion
Victoria White-Mason
Vp of marketing
Chika Ifediora
Manager of digital marketing
Nathaniel Smith
Manager of marketing
Kelechi “KC” Aharanwa
Director of A&R
Columbia Records
While Columbia is home to superstars like Beyoncé, the label is also developing its next generation of R&B/hip-hop talent. With Central Cee, Thiam says, “this is the first time we are seeing a U.K. rapper break in America, and this is one of the main reasons why I wanted to sign him to cross genres and worlds — and everything is happening according to plan.” Central Cee is the featured artist on Ice Spice’s recent single “Did It First.” Thiam is also excited about Ian, who recently made his Hot 100 debut with the Lil Yachty collaboration “Hate Me.” “To see [him] start to break and build an organic fan base simultaneously is very exciting. I’m looking forward to the future.”
Biggest issue
“Transparency,” Thiam says. “It’s important that we have a real conversation around streaming rates, synchs and intellectual property for the creatives’ best interest.”
Simone Joyner/Getty Images
British rapper Central Cee is the featured artist on Ice Spice’s hit single “Did It First.”
Pierre “P” Thomas
Co-founder/CEO
Kevin “Coach K” Lee
Co-founder/COO
Simone Mitchell
President
Brandra Ringo
Executive vp/co-head of A&R
Quality Control
“We overcame a lot of adversity and developed some of the biggest superstars of our time,” Thomas says. “Whether it be Lil Baby being one of the highest-streaming artists in music, Lil Yachty starting his own record label or Quavo continuing his endeavors in the spirits industry, we love seeing our artists grow into something bigger than the music.” While Quality Control has been much quieter than in years past, that doesn’t mean it’s any less mighty. A year after being acquired by Korean powerhouse HYBE, the Atlanta-based boutique label continues working to build a roster of new talent while allowing its current stars to experiment and break into new territories. Lil Baby, for one, has been on a stellar run, making his traditional street records and Afrobeats remixes. QC may have been built in Atlanta, but its future is global.
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Open,” Thomas says. “The new generation of artists aren’t scared to experiment.
Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith
CEO
Terrence “Punch” Henderson
Anthony “Moosa” Tiffith
Co-presidents
Top Dawg Entertainment
Two years after the departure of its most prominent artist, Kendrick Lamar, Top Dawg Entertainment has proved that it’s still a top purveyor of hip-hop that smartly balances cultural bona fides with commercial appeal. And the whirlwind success of SZA’s second album, SOS, and subsequent Grammy accolades proved TDE’s roster still includes superstars. “This year, we celebrate our 20th anniversary as a label and are still developing artists at a high level,” says Moosa, Top Dawg’s son. “In our 19th year, we had our most successful album release to date with SZA’s SOS, and we’ve continued the momentum with Doechii’s viral hit ‘What It Is (Block Boy)’ and ScHoolboy Q’s acclaimed album Blue Lips.”
Biggest issue
“Lack of originality and too much of an emphasis on virality as opposed to the quality of the music,” Moosa says.
Leland Tyler “Metro Boomin“ Wayne
Founder
Boominati Worldwide
The three-week run atop the Hot 100 for “Like That,” the hit by Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar, is only the latest achievement for Metro Boomin. His label, Boominati Worldwide, was behind the original soundtrack to Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which gave the producer the chance to showcase Boominati’s roster. “I was able to break Roisee with the end-credit song ‘Am I Dreaming,’ ” he says. “That’s another step forward for Boominati and just me as a businessman and a mogul.” With Future, he also released two albums this year that hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200: We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You.
The charity I support
“I’m putting everything into my own foundation I’ve started in memory of my mother, the Leslie Joanne Foundation. We’re starting out the outreach to help single mothers and their children, starting with St. Louis, of course. That’s where I’m from.”
Orlando Wharton
President
Priority Records
executive vp
Capitol Music Group
Ray Alba
Senior vp of marketing
Tramiel “Twin” Clark
Senior vp of artist relations
Kenoe Jordan
Senior vp of A&R
Jessica Eason
Dante Smith
Vps of marketing
Capitol Music Group
Ice Spice cracked the top 10 of the Hot 100 four times in 2023 with her collaborations with Taylor Swift (“Karma”), PinkPantheress (“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2”) and Nicki Minaj (“Princess Diana” and “Barbie World,” the latter with Aqua). That all preceded the July release of her debut album, Y2K!, on 10K/Capitol Records, which debuted at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The Capitol team has also celebrated the breakout single from Doechii, whose “What It Is (Block Boy)” topped the Rhythmic Airplay chart. Wharton, who took the helm of the relaunched Priority Records in 2022, is looking for the next generation of risk-taking artists to sign.
Biggest issue
“Creativity,” Wharton says. “Artists have to take more chances, and labels have to support them in their creative journey.”
Bryan “Birdman” Williams
Ronald “Slim” Williams
Co-founders/co-CEOs
Cash Money Records
Cash Money remains “one of the few iconic independent labels,” Ronald says of the company that helped launch the careers of Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others. In 2023, according to Cash Money, the label had over 14 million global albums consumed and over 21 billion global streams (excluding user-generated content). The release of Jacquees’ new album, Sincerely for You, in December 2022 led to a resurgence of his hits “At the Club,” “B.E.D.” and “You.” Cash Money also launched several new artists including Rublow, Saxkboy KD, Onsight Deeda and TBoss. YouTube honored the Williams brothers at its Leaders and Legends black-tie event in late June.
The charity we support
“We founded the Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation in honor of our parents in 1997,” Ronald says, “and the foundation became a nonprofit in 2015 … to give back to residents in our hometown, New Orleans.”
Nicole Wyskoarko
President/head of urban A&R
Interscope Geffen A&M
Dash Sherrod
President of A&R
Geffen Records
Ramon Alvarez-Smikle
Executive vp/head of digital marketing
Laura Carter
Executive vp/head of urban marketing
Interscope Geffen A&M
Jennifer Drake
Vp of A&R
Aura Harewood
Vp of urban marketing
Interscope Records
The Interscope Geffen A&M team celebrated triumphs this year by Kendrick Lamar and Eminem while driving GloRilla’s rise. In May, Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” released amid a feud with Drake, became his fourth No. 1 on the Hot 100, and in July, Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) topped the Billboard 200. IGA also helped break GloRilla’s “Yeah Glo!,” pushing it to the top of Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in May. The track, released in partnership with Yo Gotti’s CMG Records, has 245 million streams. Wyskoarko says IGA has had “great runs” with rappers on Playboi Carti’s Opium label: Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang.
R&B/hip-hop in a word
“Powerful,” Wyskoarko says. “In its 51st year, hip-hop remains at the forefront of the cultural conversation and is as powerful as ever.”
Andre “Dr. Dre” Young
Founder/CEO
Ashley Palmer-Gilkey
GM
Aftermath Entertainment
It seems that every year is a big year for Dr. Dre. But while the Aftermath founder and “Godfather of Gangster Rap” has seemingly done all that there is to do in music and business, that hasn’t stopped him from trying to break new ground. After getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March, Dre reteamed with his longtime business partner, Jimmy Iovine, and his former protégé Snoop Dogg to launch their new spirit company, Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop, inspired by their 1993 song of the same name. The brand has sponsored some of the biggest music culture events of the year, including Kendrick Lamar’s historic concert, The Pop Out, held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. In addition to executive-producing Eminem’s latest album, Dre is rumored to be working on new music with Snoop, meaning next year may be an even bigger one for Dre.