French independent music giant Believe has teamed with former 300 exec Az Cohen for a new joint venture, called AZTEC, that will mark Believe’s first U.S.-based record label, the company announced Thursday (May 7). Cohen, the son of industry legend and current YouTube global head of music Lyor Cohen, will spearhead the new venture as its president and founder.
Significantly, AZTEC marks Believe’s first frontline foray into the United States, after spending the past 20 years building a local-music empire in more than 50 territories around the globe. It also solidifies the company’s intentions in the world’s biggest music market, following last week’s announcement of a new label and artist solutions division in the U.S., headed by Thomas Maxwell. Together, the new initiatives — Maxwell overseeing label distribution and services, and Cohen overseeing the new frontline label — as well as TuneCore, the DIY distributor that Believe acquired in 2015, encompass a full stack of services in the U.S. for Believe.
“Our joint venture with AZTEC reflects Believe’s continued commitment to building artist-first partnerships and supporting entrepreneurs who deeply understand the creative and cultural landscape,” Believe’s global head of music, Romain Vivien, said in a statement. “Az brings an exceptional ability to spot talent and build sustainable careers, and together we are creating an ecosystem designed for the next generation of artists.”
Cohen has spent 13 years at 300, the company his father co-founded in 2013 as an indie record label alongside Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz and Roger Gold. He served in various A&R capacities as the company — which shepherded the careers of Migos, Megan Thee Stallion, Young Thug, Fetty Wap and more — grew and was ultimately acquired by the Warner Music Group in 2021 for $400 million. During his time at 300, Cohen also launched Sparta, 300’s indie distribution wing, which has racked up more than 8 billion streams across its catalog, according to a press release.
With AZTEC, Cohen hopes to build out lasting careers for the artists he signs, eschewing the quick-hit nature of parts of the business in the social media era. “In an industry that’s become increasingly about quick wins and short-term virality, we are artists, engineers, planners and warriors with a singular focus: building empires with our artists and partners,” Cohen said in a statement. “AZTEC is about patience, commitment and shaping careers that stand the test of time.”
Cohen, who also managed Post Malone early in his career, will be based in New York, with initial signings to be announced in the coming weeks and months. He’ll leverage his own network of sources and contacts, as well as TuneCore’s distribution base and Believe’s global footprint, to help develop those acts. “The success of artists today often starts with hyper-local stories, and it is our job to champion those around the world,” Cohen added. “Believe’s unique position as a truly global company with massive local expertise, via boots on the ground, allows AZTEC artists to be certain that their stories will be shared with new fans, no matter where that fan lives.”
