Interscope Records is branching out into Brazil, the company announced Friday (Nov. 6), unveiling two new deals in the country: the signing of hip-hop star BK, and a new joint venture/distribution deal with leading urban label Supernova Entertainment.
For BK, signing with Interscope coincides with the 10th anniversary of his debut album, Castelos & Ruinas; his first release for Interscope will be a remix of that album with new production and new collaborations. The new JV with Supernova encompasses the Brazilian urban label’s catalog and a partnership for new signings.
Jose Cedeno and BK.
Pepe Rodrigues
“We have shown through our successful track record over the past few years that wherever they come from, artists are attracted to the kind of global artist development platform we can provide at Interscope,” Interscope Capitol Miami executive vp/GM Jose Cedeño said in a statement. “Having BK as our first artist signing and Supernova as our first label deal, illustrate how serious our mission is to empower Brazilian artists to become global superstars.”
The Brazilian market has been a particular focus of the majors in recent years — one that reflects both investment in the country itself and the subsequent growth in subscription streaming and consumption in general. In March, IFPI reported that the Brazilian music market had grown by 14.1% year over year, much higher than the 6.4% growth of the industry overall, jumping over Canada to become the eighth-largest market in the world.
Pictured L-R: Laura Carter, Interscope; Nagalli, Supernova Ent. artist; Ramon Alvarez-Smikle, Interscope; Gustavo Pimentel, Founder and CEO, Supernova Ent. High
Courtesy of Interscope
“Brazilian music and culture are having an extraordinary impact around the world right now,” Interscope Capitol chairman/CEO John Janick said in a statement. “We see an opportunity to leverage our legacy and current success in urban music for important Brazilian artists like BK and labels like Supernova Entertainment. We are excited to expand the resources and opportunities for Brazilian artists to move culture on a global level.”
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Those opportunities were expanded upon by Victoria Oakley, IFPI’s CEO, in a new interview with Billboard this week. “I think we’re seeing the music economy emerge at the same time as we’re seeing the Brazilian economy emerge,” Oakley said. “It’s also a place of phenomenal talent, and their export story is much more successful so far, principally across their own region. But I think given that most of the music is in Portuguese and not in Spanish, so the obvious sellable market isn’t there in quite the same way, they’ve done a phenomenal job with their export story and they are on the increase. They too have a government that I think, from early on, places culture as an important part of the education system, and I think that is quite an important first step that we often don’t see the benefits of until much later.”
“BK’s authenticity and distinctly Brazilian voice have made him one of the defining figures in Brazilian hip-hop,” Interscope’s urban music co-presidents Laura Carter and Ramon Alvarez-Smikle said in a statement. “His music reflects the depth, originality and cultural influence of hip-hop both in Brazil and globally. Our partnership with Supernova continues Interscope’s tradition of working with visionary labels that are deeply connected to their artists and culture, and we’re excited to deepen our commitment to hip-hop in Brazil together.”
