Jay-Z, Kanye West’s Former Label Head Lyor Cohen to Join YouTube as Global Head of Music
Veteran music executive led iconic hip-hop label Def Jam
Matt Pressberg | September 28, 2016 @ 12:56 PM
Last Updated: September 29, 2016 @ 12:31 PM
Veteran hip-hop record executive Lyor Cohen, who helped make rap icons like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Method Man household names, has joined YouTube as its Global Head of Music, the company announced today.
Cohen, 56, has been involved in hip-hop music for more than 30 years, joining Russell Simmons‘ Rush Productions in 1984, where he worked with artists including Run DMC and future broadcast TV star LL Cool J. Cohen became president of Def Jam Recordings in 1998, where he was responsible for releasing albums from iconic artists including Jay-Z, DMX and Kanye West.
He left Def Jam in 2004 to eventually become chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group, where he oversaw a 2006 agreement with YouTube allowing the then-nascent service to show videos in exchange for some of its advertising revenue, which was the first such deal struck with a label.
“I’m confident that we can bridge the worlds of technology and music in ways that benefit everyone, instead of the zero-sum mentality that exists today,” Cohen said in an email to the YouTube music team. “I’m proud to be a music man, and hope that the perspective I bring from both the creative community and the music business at large will help us, our music partners and artists grow and thrive together.”
“Lyor is a lion of the music industry,” YouTube Chief Business Officer Robert Kyncl said in a statement. “From Rush to Def Jam to Island Def Jam to WMG then 300, he has consistently been a pioneer, charting the course for where music is heading. As we enter the growth era of the music industry, Lyor is in a position to make tremendous difference in accelerating that growth in a fair way for everyone. We are thrilled to welcome him to YouTube.”
Irving Azoff, a legendary music manager and chairman and CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment — who criticized what he felt was YouTube’s undercompensation of artists at TheWrap’s TheGrill conference on Sept. 26, calling the site “really evil” — expressed hope that Cohen could help solve that problem.
“As a prolific manager, label executive and label owner, Lyor has a long history as a defender of artist rights,” he told TheWrap. “We are counting on you, Lyor to lead YouTube to provide fair payments to artists and give them more creative control. Congratulations Lyor, I know you can get it done.”
Meet The Coolest YouTube Stars at VidCon (Videos)
Over the past six years, VidCon has exploded from a simple gathering of video bloggers to an international gathering of the biggest Internet stars imaginable. The show serves as both a trade expo for people in the industry and a chance for fans to come face to face with the people behind their favorite YouTube channels. From gamers to comedians to animators and beyond, here are some of the biggest stars at this event.
Tyler Oakley has become the gold standard among bloggers, racking up over 8 million subscribers with videos of him and his friends doing silly things together on camera. He's also become one of YouTube's leading LGBTQ activists, throwing his support behind the Trevor Project and recently posting a video discussing the Orlando shooting and how the LGBTQ community can move forward.
Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach rose to prominence with his Let's Play videos, cracking jokes in front of a camera while playing PC games. His biggest claim to fame is are his playthroughs of the "Five Nights At Freddy's" series, which left fans rolling with laughter thanks to his panicky attempts to beat each game.
Anita Sarkeesian's "Feminist Frequency" has become one of the most polarizing series on YouTube, analyzing gender stereotypes in video games and critiquing the treatment of women in video games and the culture surrounding them.
Born in Ontario to Indian immigrants, Lilly Singh turned her family into the inspiration for a series of blogs featuring caricatures of typical Indian parents. In February 2016, she released a documentary called "A Trip To Unicorn Island," documenting the world tour that her YouTube success spawned.
If there's anything comedian Mamrie Hart loves, it's a good cocktail. That's why she started the YouTube series, "You Deserve A Drink," where she gives her viewers the funniest mixology class you could ever imagine.
While YouTube has becoming predominantly live-action, there are still some animators making a name for themselves. One of the most famous is Jonathan Picking, a.k.a. Mr. Weebl, who created beloved classics like "Magical Trevor" and "Breadfish."
Henry Reich is the creator of the MinutePhysics YouTube channel, which has become one of the most popular science shows online. Using simple animations, MinutePhysics explains the most well-known concepts in physics and answers weird viewers questions, like how long it would take to fall through the Earth.
There might not be a YouTube Channel more painful for its stars than Hot Pepper Gaming. The show channels YouTube gaming stars to review the newest video game releases...after taking a bite out of a habanero pepper. Sometimes the habaneros get swapped out for something even worse, leaving the reviewers struggling to talk about gameplay and frame rates.
Simultaneously delicious and nauseating, Epic Meal Time is dedicated to cooking up massive meals with a calorie count deep into the five-digit amounts. Take this Chinese Food burger, loaded with chow mein, a patty stuffed with stir fry, and giant egg roll buns.
Trick shots with basketballs are popular on YouTube, but Brodie Smith is doing trick shots of a different kind. Smith is a professional Ultimate Frisbee player, and he's become a YouTube star with his insane Frisbee tricks on both land and sea.
Kristen Sarah is the host of "Hopscotch The Globe," a travel series that has taken her from Finland to Fiji. When she's not planning epic road trips, she makes videos providing travel tips and a guide to fashion inspired by her adventures.
The creators of VidCon, Hank and John Green, have a YouTube history of their own. The two have produced multiple YouTube shows, the most successful of which is the educational show "Crash Course." The show has attracted millions of viewers with its spin on history and science, and has gained the attention of PBS.
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YouTube stars are gathering at VidCon to talk about globe-trotting, epic meal-making, and Let’s Playing
Over the past six years, VidCon has exploded from a simple gathering of video bloggers to an international gathering of the biggest Internet stars imaginable. The show serves as both a trade expo for people in the industry and a chance for fans to come face to face with the people behind their favorite YouTube channels. From gamers to comedians to animators and beyond, here are some of the biggest stars at this event.
