Kevin Liles | |
---|---|
Born | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S | February 27, 1968
Nationality | American |
Education | Woodlawn High School; Morgan State University |
Occupation(s) | Chief executive officer, record executive, Manager |
Years active | 1986 – present |
Spouse | Erika Liles (m. 2010) |
Children | 4 |
Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive and co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment. [1] In 2020, Kevin was recognized by Billboard Magazine as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year [2] for both his efforts in activism and the continued success of Megan Thee Stallion. [3]
Liles grew up near Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Woodlawn High School. He was raised by his mother, Alberta Fennoy, an accountant, and stepfather Jerome Fennoy, a railway conductor, along with three siblings. [4] [5] He attended Morgan State University, studying engineering on an electrical engineering scholarship from NASA, but left the program prior to graduating to pursue a musical career. [6] [4]
Liles began his music career as a member of the Baltimore-based DJ crew, Numarx. In 1986, the group co-wrote "Girl You Know It's True," which was first recorded by Numarx but later became a massive first hit for Milli Vanilli. [4]
Liles was president of Def Jam Recordings and executive vice president of The Island Def Jam Music Group from 1999 to 2004. He served as executive vice president for Warner Music Group, working under his former Island Def Jam associate Lyor Cohen before stepping down as executive vice president of Warner Music Group to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors in September 2009. [7]
In 2009, Liles launched New York City-based KWL Enterprises. [4] In 2012, he co-founded 300 Entertainment with Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold and Todd Moscowitz. [8]
Liles' philanthropic activity has included serving as co-chair for the New Yorkers For Children Gala and his creation and ongoing participation in the Kevin Liles for a Better Baltimore Foundation. [9] [4]
Liles is married to Erika Liles. He and Erika have two daughters together. [10]
Dru Hill is an American R&B group, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 and is still active. Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B number-one hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise" and "How Deep Is Your Love". Its original members were lead singer Mark "Sisqó" Andrews, Tamir "Nokio" Ruffin, Larry "Jazz" Anthony and James "Woody" Green. The group achieved popularity in the 1990s.
The Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG) was an American recording music unit, formed on New Year's Eve 1998 by the Universal Music Group. It consists of labels devised and consisted under the basic operations of Island Records and Def Jam Recordings. On April Fools Day 2014, Universal Music publicly announced the disbandment of the Island Def Jam Music Group, leaving Island, Def Jam and its affiliated subsidiaries as separate sister labels.
Def Soul Records was an R&B-based division of American multinational record label Def Jam Recordings. It was formed in 1996 by Russell Simmons and Kevin Liles to expand R&B and soul music through Def Jam's said genre-related roster following the successes of Montell Jordan and Case.
Def Jam Recordings is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
Ernest Dion Wilson, professionally known as No I.D., is an American hip hop and R&B producer from Chicago, Illinois. Wilson is also a disc jockey (DJ), music arranger and former rapper, having released an album Accept Your Own and Be Yourself , in 1997 under Relativity Records. He is perhaps best known for his early work with Chicago-based rapper Common. He has since become a heavily sought-out and high-profile producer, producing hit singles such as "Smile" by G-Unit, "Outta My System" and "Let Me Hold You" by Bow Wow, "Heartless" by Kanye West, "D.O.A." by Jay-Z, "My Last" by Big Sean, and "New Light" by John Mayer.
Lyor Cohen is an American music industry executive and entrepreneur. Cohen has been actively involved in hip hop at various record labels for more than 30 years. He started by managing rappers for Rush Productions, then led Def Jam. After Def Jam, Cohen took on a leadership role at Warner Music Group. In September 2012, Cohen resigned from Warner and started his own independent label, 300 Entertainment. On September 28, 2016, Cohen was named YouTube's Global Head of Music.
Rob Stevenson is an American music executive and currently Partner at the New York, New York-based 300 Entertainment. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in the development of artists including The Killers, Katy Perry, The Decemberists, Gotye, Post Malone, and others.
Murder Inc. was an American East Coast hip hop supergroup, formed by New York record executive Irv Gotti in 1995. The trio was composed of three of the most prominent rappers in the music industry at the time, Jay-Z, DMX, and Ja Rule. The trio first appeared on fellow New York-based rapper Mic Geronimo's song "Time to Build". The trio went on to appear on the cover of the June 1999 issue of American hip-hop magazine XXL.
El Niño is the only studio album by American hip hop group Def Squad, composed of rappers Redman, Erick Sermon and Keith Murray. It was released on June 30, 1998, via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image Recordings in Dix Hills, New York. Production was handled by Erick Sermon and Redman. It features guest appearances from Biz Markie, Mally G, Too $hort and the Drama Squad.
"Girl You Know It's True" is a song by Maryland-based group Numarx, later made internationally famed by German dance-pop group Milli Vanilli. Released as the lead single from MV's European debut album, All or Nothing (1988), and the duo's American debut album, Girl You Know It's True (1989), the song peaked at number one on the German Singles Chart, number two in the United States and number three in the United Kingdom, becoming one of Milli Vanilli's most successful singles.
Sterling Lauren Simms, is an American R&B singer-songwriter. His debut album, Yours, Mine & The Truth was released on December 23, 2008, by Def Jam Records.
Eric Nicks is the founder of Alpine Music Group, home to R&B sensation Justine Skye. Eric Nicks is a music industry veteran, having been named the Sr. VP of A&R at Universal Motown. He also founded R&B Live NY, an industry showcase in New York City. Nicks sits on the board of advisors for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. He is often a guest speaker at a variety of colleges, including NYU, Morehouse, and many others. On top of founding Alpine Music Group, Eric also created a bowling app called Side Action Bowling.
Theory Entertainment LLC, doing business as 300 Entertainment, is an American record label founded by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz, and Roger Gold. The label's roster includes acts across multiple genres such as hip hop, rock, pop, electronic, alternative, and country. Current artists include Young Thug, Fetty Wap, YNW Melly, Megan Thee Stallion, No Savage, Rejjie Snow, Cheat Codes, Highly Suspect, Tee Grizzley, Famous Dex, Shy Glizzy, Cobi, Meg Mac, Dae Dae, The Hunna, Maggie Lindemann, Bailey Bryan, OMB Peezy, Ice Prince, $not, Des Rocs, Savage Gasp, TLE Cinco, and Mary J Blige. It is based in New York City. The label also acts as distributor for Young Thug's record label YSL Records, whose roster includes rappers Gunna and the late Lil Keed.
Todd Moscowitz is a music industry executive. He is currently the founder and CEO of Alamo Records and the manager of Gucci Mane. Previously, Moscowitz co-founded 300 Entertainment, served as a co-president and CEO of Warner Bros. Records and worked for Def Jam.
Ruff Ryders Entertainment is an American hip hop record label and management company founded by siblings and record executives Joaquin "Waah", Darin "Dee" and Chivon Dean. It operated as a subsidiary of Universal, and distributed by Fontana Distribution. The label went on to launch the careers of several successful artists such as DMX, Eve, Drag-On and the Deans' nephew, Swizz Beatz, among others. The Ruff Ryders namesake also referred to a loose-knit hip hop collective composed of the core signees of the label. The collective's de facto leader was the label’s flagship artist DMX.
Eric Wong, born in New York City, is the president and CMO of recorded music for Warner Music Group.
Sean Spencer, better known by his stage name DJ Spen or Spen, is an American DJ, record producer, and record executive.
Joie Manda is an American music executive and the Founder & CEO of Encore Recordings. He's previously held executive positions with Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Def Jam Recordings, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Asylum Records.
Steven William Victor is a Haitian-American record executive, artist manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He is the founder & CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group. He formerly served as COO of GOOD Music and EVP & Head of A&R at Def Jam Recordings.
300 Elektra Entertainment (3EE) is an umbrella label group owned by Warner Music Group. It exists as a merger of 300 Entertainment and Elektra Music Group, along with its respectively owned labels.