HYBE America

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

by

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?

by
scooter-braun.jpg
Getty Image

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.

Quality Control Sells to HYBE America for $300 Million, Scooter Braun Led Deal

by
Quality Control Sells to HYBE America for $300 Million, Scooter Braun Led Deal

Scooter Braun’s HYBE America has announced the acquisition of Atlanta multi-hyphenate company QC Media Holdings, also known as Quality Control. The label division is home to Lil Baby, Migos, and City Girls.

Quality Control is founded by Chief Executive Officer Pierre Pierre “P” Thomas and Chief Operating Officer Kevin “Coach K” Lee.

Braun, who operates as the CEO of HYBE, once known as Big Hit Entertainment, led the sale. According to Variety, the deal is valued at $320 million in stocks and cash. HYBE is looking to build an entertainment group in music with interests across other areas.

“I am so proud and honored to have Coach and P join Bang and I as our partners,” said Braun in announcing the deal. “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.”

Added P: “HYBE are perfect partners for Quality Control as we come together to take our story and work global. All of HYBE’s leaders are entrepreneurs with phenomenal combined history finding talent and taking it to the highest levels. Taking QC worldwide requires key partners like this who understand building something from the bottom and aiming sky high. It matters to us greatly their grasp of culture and acutely seeing what QC has built and the limitless path of where it can go.”

On Instagram, P offered a secondary statement:

The post Quality Control Sells to HYBE America for $300 Million, Scooter Braun Led Deal appeared first on The Source.

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

by
Lil Baby 2023 Grammys
Getty Image

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.”