It goes without saying that Drake will go down in history as one of the most commercially successful artists of his generation. According to Larry Jackson, however, he’s also seen much more success than a lot of his predecessors combined. During a recent conversation with Joe Budden, the Gamma CEO discussed the hitmaker’s record deal. He chose to plead the fifth when it came to the podcast host’s question about how it must make his peers feel, opting to “display good cultural etiquette.”
Budden went on to ask Jackson directly about his theory that Drake is a part-owner of Gamma, which he first brought forth amid the infamous “20 V. 1” beef in April. He speculated that this could be the cause of all of the tension between him and other artists, and the reason he continues to promote artists on the platform’s roster.
Of course, Jackson also refused to answer this question directly, though he did go on to make a shocking statement about Drake’s commercial value as an artist. According to him, he’s bigger than all artists of the 60s, 70s, and 80s combined. “I don’t mean like one artist from that era,” he explained. “I mean all of those eras combined.”
“All the things that we achieved when I was at Apple,” he added, “with the individual that you’re noting, imbued me with the confidence and the courage of my conviction to go out and do what we’re doing right now. Can you put a price tag on that, can you put a value on that? No, you can’t.” What do you think of Joe Budden and Larry Jackson’s recent conversation about Drake’s record deal? What about Jackson refusing to share his take on how Drizzy’s peers might feel about it? Are you surprised he said that Drake is bigger than all artists of the 60s, 70s, and 80s combined? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Larry Jackson is a prominent figure in the music industry, albeit in the background of what hits the screens and streaming apps. His career trajectory and recent ventures have positioned him as a key player in shaping the future of music distribution and artist management. This was also meant to remain in the background. However, thanks to a Joe Budden Podcast episode, the public have begun to wonder a little bit more about Larry Jackson and his music company, gamma.
Larry Jackson’s career is marked by significant contributions to the music industry, particularly during his tenure at Apple Music. As the former Global Creative Director of the music streaming app, Jackson was instrumental in curating exclusive content and fostering relationships with top-tier artists. Specifically, he was a top exec at Apple Music just around the time it became the dominant streaming service it is today. One of the ways he was successful in transforming Apple Music into a major streaming hub was by enlisting Drake and Taylor Swift for Apple Music’s advertising campaigns. He also helped negotiate the major deal that allowed Apple Music an exclusive window to stream Drake’s 2016 album, Views. However, Swift would later challenge Apple’s royalty policies during the launch of the music service, and this led to Apple agreeing to provide full royalties to rights holders throughout its free trial period.
Jackson had also held roles at RCA, J Records, and Interscope in the past. However, it was his time at Apple that built his extensive network. Today, he can boast of close ties with several music industry giants. These include Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, and of course, Drake. As a radio savant, Jackson also pioneered many artists and celebrities curating and hosting their own shows. This includes Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio, Virgil Abloh’s Televised Radio, Kendall Jenner’s ZaZa World Radio, and Lil Wayne’s Young Money Radio.
In 2023, Larry Jackson launched a new company named Gamma, a modern media and technology enterprise. Gamma’s co-founders are Jackson and former Interscope CFO, Ike Youssef. The company’s LinkedIn describes it as “a modern media and technology enterprise designed to revolutionize how artist-entrepreneurs create, distribute, and monetize their content.” Interestingly, the company also receives financial backing from larger entities like Eldridge Industries, A24, and even Apple.
The company offers creative and business services across all artistic and commercial touchpoints. These include: content creation, distribution, and direct-to-consumer products. Gamma’s roster also boasts influential creators like Usher, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, and French Montana. Altogether, the company’s capabilities claim to oversee over 10,000 releases monthly through its distribution platform, Vydia. Gamma also has a stake in the Death Row Records catalog.
The Theory Behind Drake And Larry Jackson’s Relationship
Joe Budden Podcast might have actually cracked the code on why the rappers are really mad at Drake. IT GETS DEEP pic.twitter.com/nYnp5oy1Sr
Drake’s relationship with Larry Jackson dates back to their collaboration at Apple Music, where Jackson signed deals for exclusive content, including Drake’s OVO Sound Radio. This partnership likely led to the two developing a closer relationship. Drake even referenced Jackson in his lyrics on “Family Feud” with Lil Wayne, which allegedly motivated Jackson to start Gamma. Therefore, it’s not far-fetched that this relationship may have sparked a desire for a deeper involvement in the business side of music for Drake. This is why Joe Budden’s comments haven’t gone unnoticed. As the ongoing rap battle between Drake and his counterparts continues, Budden alluded to Drake’s likely co-ownership of Gamma fueling conflicts with other rappers who have released music through the company. These include Rick Ross, and French Montana.
Is Corporate Drake The Real Enemy?
Drake has a history of supporting emerging artists. Now, Budden’s speculations have led many to believe that Drake’s endorsements are not just acts of mentorship, but strategic business moves. This implies that Drake also receives hefty financial benefits from promoting rising artists. The theory also gains traction considering Drake’s business acumen and previous ventures in the music industry. Nowadays, the lines between “support,” and “investment” are becoming more blurred as time goes by. Nonetheless, if Drake does own a part of Gamma, it could explain the tension with other artists like Rick Ross.
Both Rick Ross and Kendrick Lamar have been openly involved in the recent rap beef with Drake. On “Push Ups,” his diss track against Kendrick and everyone else gunning for him, Drake demands him to “Drop & Give Me 50,” and makes more references to a number of his past failed business deals. Joe Budden suggests these bars allude to Drake’s alleged stake in Lamar’s work. Meanwhile, on Rick Ross’ “Champagne Moments,” Ross accuses Drake of sending a cease-and-desist letter to French Montana due to an issue with a song called “Splash Brothers.” The track was initially supposed to feature both Drake and Ross, but his verse was ultimately scrapped from French Montana’s album and replaced with Lil Wayne.
There is no concrete evidence to confirm Drake’s ownership of Gamma. However, Larry Jackson disclosed that Drake did send the cease-and-desist, but he believed it was a joke at the time. Nonetheless, Drake’s support for younger artists could simply be a gesture of goodwill, a way to give back to an industry that has brought him immense success. Without solid proof, the ownership theory remains speculative at best and Rick Ross previously shut down these rumors.
Larry Jackson got married in June 2023 to Stephanie Shepherd, a former assistant to Kim Kardashian, and co-founder of the non-profit Future Earth. The pair met while Jackson worked as Kanye West’s manager during the rapper’s The Life Of Pablo tour. The wedding featured guests like Justin and Hailey Bieber, Naomi Campbell, Clive Davis, Kris Jenner, and the Kardashians. Shepherd has also pursued acting and modeling. The event also included performances by Swizz Beats, Timbaland and the attendance of music industry moguls.
Drake and Rick Ross are currently engaged in a petty feud that has been going on for an entire week at this point. Overall, Ross unfollowed Drake on social media, which subsequently led to some Ross bars on “Push Ups.” From there, Ross delivered “Champagne Moments” in which he alleged that Drizzy had once hit French Montana with a cease & desist over a verse he was going to release. Fans were a bit confused by this and weren’t so sure about the veracity of the claim. Although now, it seems like we have confirmation that this was true.
During an appearance on The Joe Budden Podcast, Gamma CEO Larry Jackson spoke about the allegations against Drake in regards to the now infamous cease & desist. As he explains, Drake really did send it to French. “The cease-and-desist letter was a real thing. I thought that was really funny…but other than that, I got nothing,” Jackson said. “We all have different senses of humor. I thought it was funny. I didn’t think anybody was really trying to be nefarious. I just thought it was a joke.”
former head Creative Director of Apple Music Larry Jackson confirms that Drake really sent French Montana a cease and desist letter like Rick Ross said on his diss track
Meanwhile, Jackson went on to deliver some interesting comments about rap beef and their implications. In his eyes, the label executives are the ones who are really winning right now. They get the money from the diss tracks that are dropped. Moreover, because these diss tracks stream well, it just makes the label more money. Ultimately, it serves a lot of these label execs for the beef to continue. This is a similar take to what Vince Staples said just a couple of weeks ago.
Let us know what you think of these comments from Larry Jackson, in the comments section down below. Do you agree that this beef is only benefitting the executives? Do you think that Kendrick Lamar will eventually respond to Drake? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
