HYBE

Lil Yachty Launches His Label Concrete Rekordz, Backed By Quality Control And K-Pop Machine HYBE

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Lil Yachty has been everywhere lately, collaborating with both major stars like Drake and J. Cole and rising stars like JID and Nemzzz. Now, he’s taking yet another step in furthering his rap dominance, announcing the launch of his new label, Concrete Rekordz. The label is named after his crew, Concrete Boys, who also comprise the roster, and is backed by the label that originally signed Yachty, Quality Control Music.

An additional wrinkle is that Quality Control is now owned by HYBE America, the stateside arm of the Korean entertainment company responsible for the success of K-pop groups like BTS, New Jeans, Seventeen, and Tomorrow X Together. In other words, there’s some serious muscle behind Concrete Rekordz, which accompanied the launch with the release of their new video for “Family Business.”

The Concrete Boys crew consists of Camo!, DC2TRILL, Draft Day, and Karrahbooo, who accompanied Yachty on his 2023 Field Trip Tour.

In a press release, Quality Control COO “Coach K” Lee said, “Yachty has always had profound vision since the day we met and to see him take his curatorial magic and expand it to discover and enhance other artists is exciting to me.” Meanwhile, his co-founder, QC CEO Pierre “P” Thomas, said, “I’m excited to see Yachty step into the role of executive alongside being one of the most formidable creatives in the world with such an eye for talent. Karrahbooo is a star and they are all going to be the new wave of cool that can bring something different to the culture that is so badly needed.”

You can check out the video for “Family Business” above.

Why Are Artists Leaving Scooter Braun?

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Over the past few days, there have been reports that some of Scooter Braun’s biggest clients are seeking new management: Billboard reported yesterday that Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato have left Braun. That followed reports that Justin Bieber, who Braun famously started representing after seeing him on YouTube, was also splitting with Braun, although representatives for both parties declined the rumors.

Regardless, there’s something going on here, so what is it?

Variety has a new report that seems to offer some answers. What appears to be happening is that Braun is actually taking a step back from hands-on, day-to-day artist management so he can put more energy into being CEO of HYBE America.

A source told the publication, “All of Scooter Braun’s clients are under contract and negotiations have been going on for several months as Scooter steps into his larger role as HYBE America CEO. People are spreading rumors based on what they know, but they are off. Scooter’s team at SB Projects are still handling both Justin and Ariana as they work through what this new structure looks like.”

Meanwhile, Variety also cites sources with conflicting perspectives. One said, “He’s imploding. It’s a different world since the pandemic. You just can’t be an asshole like that anymore.” Another noted, “He’s getting out of management — he has been for years. That’s the real story.”

Braun himself cryptically addressed the situation today (August 22), tweeting, “Breaking news… I’m no longer managing myself.” That is so far the only public comment Braun has offered about the rumors.

Scooter Braun Speaks On $300M Quality Control Deal With Coach K & P: Video

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On Thursday (February 9), Scooter Braun’s Hybe America entered an astounding $300M deal with Quality Control. Now, the executive’s company owns the southern label’s sports, music, television, and film branches. It may seem unexpected to some, but the New York native has a long-standing relationship with Coach K and P. This ultimately seems to have sealed the deal.

In wake of the huge merger, Braun and his new partners sat down with MSNBC to speak on their journey working together. “I brought my company into Hybe about two years ago,” Braun explains to Ari Melber in the interview. “And teamed up with the incredible entrepreneur whose responsible for BTS and so many other incredible groups out of Asia.”

Scooter Braun attends the Justin Bieber: Our World event at The Edge at Hudson Yards on September 14, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Amazon Studios)

“We decided to put our companies together and become one world company. What was very important to me was bringing opportunities from our platform to other entrepreneurs in the space.” The 41-year-old goes on to note that he and Coach K go back 20 years. He and P have also been friends for nearly a decade.

“I’ve admired them throughout my career. To have this opportunity to come together as one company is really a full circle moment,” Braun tells Melber. The former noted that this new deal will allow Quality Control to move into the global space like never before. P also shared his thoughts on the merger, specifically giving insight into why Atlanta’s hip-hop scene continues to blow up worldwide.

“It’s just cultural, you know what I mean? [This deal] is going to give our artists the reach to expand culturally across the globe.” The host then asked the duo how they managed to build QC from the group up to the level it’s reached today. “Brick by brick,” Coach K confirmed, noting that he and his collaborator had a huge vision for themselves from the start

The CEO explains to Melber, “We took it upon ourselves to move into different territories. We knew when streaming came – we started before streaming really hit – but when streaming came, it was like, with the push of a button, your music was in every territory. Now it was on us to go into these territories and make these other relationships so that our business could grow globally.”

Watch Scooter Braun, Coach K, and P’s full interview with MSNBC above. Afterward, let us know what your thoughts on the Hybe America x Quality Control merger are in the comments.

[Via]

Quality Control Acquired By Scooter Braun’s Hybe In $300M+ Deal

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Quality Control has remained one of the leading labels to hail out of the South in the past 10 years. However, they’ve also recently expanded into film, television, and sports as they plot out global domination. They’re one step closer to their goal as Hybe acquired Quality Control Music in a deal led by Scooter Braun. Hybe’s acquisition of Quality Control includes the entertainment company’s sports, music, television, and film branches. Hybe America entered the deal to merge and acquire QC, valued at $320M in stock and cash, per Variety.

It’s an impressive move, as it marks the first for Braun as the sole CEO of Hybe America. Scooter’s relationship with Kevin “Coach K” Lee goes back to the early 2000s when he lived in Atlanta. “I’ll never forget riding around Atlanta over 20 years ago with Coach discussing our dreams and ambitions… Now, all these years later, we are joining forces to make these dreams a reality,” he said. QC now joins management company SB Projects, who manage Quavo, and Big Machine Label on HYBE’s expansive portfolio. 

Quality Control Co-Founders Coach K & Pierre “P” Thomas Speak

HYBE’s global imprint can benefit the Quality Control brand and its artists. Pierre “P” Thomas detailed how HYBE understood the work put into the company to build it from the bottom, “and aiming sky high.” He added, “The artists of QC are our focus and their best interests will be incredibly supported with this partnership.”Coach K echoed a similar sentiment, explaining that HYBE will allow them to reach “global ambitions we’ve had in our scope since the beginning of our company.” 

Though many celebrated the deal, some criticized QC for “selling out.” P responded by stating that there’s “no value in separation.” As a leading Black-owned label, he explained that the deal only leads to more opportunities. “Stop thinking people are selling OUT. Instead, see people are selling IN and see that you are building something to create more for everybody,” he said, adding that these opportunities aren’t often provided to Black entrepreneurs regularly. “Let’s stay inspired and celebrate the blessings and leveling up and breaking of barriers,” he concluded. Check out his post above.

[Via]

South Korea’s HYBE Expands Its American Music Empire By Buying Quality Control, Home To Lil Baby And Others

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Over the past few years, HYBE Corporation has become one of the biggest forces in music. The South Korean company owns Big Hit Music (home to artists like BTS and TOMORROW x TOGETHER), Big Machine Label Group (Tim McGraw, formerly Taylor Swift), and now, thanks to a new deal, Quality Control.

In a deal announced yesterday (February 8), HYBE subsidiary HYBE America bought QC (whose artists include Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, City Girls, and Migos) in a purchase “valued at $320 million in stock and cash,” as Variety reports.

HYBE America CEO Scooter Braun said of the deal:

“I am so proud and honored to have [Quality Control CEO Pierre ‘P’ Thomas and COO Kevin ‘Coach K’ Lee] join [HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk] and I as our partners. QC is one of the most significant independent labels in the world, working with incredible artists who are, and remain to be, the voices of culture. I’ll never forget riding around Atlanta over 20 years ago with Coach discussing our dreams and ambitions and how we said, ‘If they let us in the game, we are never going to give it back.’ Now, all these years later, we are joining forces to make these dreams a reality.”

He also noted, “It’s important to me and my team that P and Coach continue to have the freedom, and now our global resources, to continue to do what they do best; facilitate and nurture great art and culture.”