Jeff Rabhan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jeffrey S. Rabhan Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Artist manager, music executive, consultant, non-academic |
| Years active | 1992 – present |
Jeffrey S. Rabhan is an American entrepreneur. Formerly a music industry executive and the chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU, [1] he is the CEO of Bored-of-Ed, an education company he co-founded in 2024. [2]
Rabhan was born in Savannah, Georgia and raised in Richmond, Virginia. He received a BA in journalism at New York University.
Following his graduation, Rabhan moved to the West Coast, where he wrote for Rolling Stone and SPIN. After leaving the magazines, he was a senior director of a&r at Atlantic Records, executive in charge of soundtracks at Elektra Records, and an independent music supervisor and a&r consultant. Credited with discovering Michelle Branch, [3] he subsequently managed Branch and helped manage Kelly Clarkson while serving as a partner at the The Firm, Inc. [4]
In 2006, he co-founded the management company Three Ring Project, which had publishing and label imprints through Universal Music Group. He managed artists including Elliott Yamin of American Idol, Kelis, Everlast, and Jermaine Dupri. [5]
In 2010, he was named chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at Tisch School of the Arts. [6] In February 2013, his book Cool Jobs in the Music Business, which explains career options in the music industry for high school and college students, was published by InTune. [7] He left his position at NYU in 2021.
In February 2025, Rabhan criticized singer-songwriter Chappell Roan's speech after she accepted the Best New Artist award at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. She called for labels to provide healthcare and a living wage for their artists. [8] In an essay in the Hollywood Reporter, Rabhan described Roan as "too uninformed to be the agent of change she aspires to be today". [9] Roan quickly responded following publication of the essay. [10] In It, she challenged Rabhan to match her $25k contribution to the charity Backline, who offer mental health and wellness services to people within the music industry, as well as their families. Halsey spoke out in support of Chappell, [11] and artists Charli XCX and Noah Kahan matched her pledge. [12] Universal Music and Music Health Alliance then expanded their Music Industry Mental Health Fund in response. There has been no response or evidence to indicate Rabhan has donated or pledged to any of these charities. Due to massive backlash, Rabhan made his social media private. He is now only available on LinkedIn.