Billboard –Kevin Liles will step down from his role as chairman and CEO of 300 Entertainment at the end of September, the respected label executive announced on Tuesday (Sept. 17).
In an internal note to staff obtained by Billboard, Liles said he would be departing as CEO of the Warner Music-owned label at the end of the month but staying on as a consultant through the year.
WMG CEO Robert Kyncl called Liles an “extraordinary brand-builder, artist advocate, and champion of creative expression” and announced that he has decided not to replace the role — adding that 300 will continue to have “first-class leaders” in co-presidents Rayna Bass and Selim Bouab, as well as Elektra president Gregg Nadel.
Liles, Lyor Cohen, Todd Moscowitz and Roger Gold launched 300 in late 2014 as an independent label and quickly gained recognition and influence for signing and developing future hip-hop superstars including Megan Thee Stallion, Gunna, Migos, Fetty Wap and Young Thug, among others.
In 2021, the label was acquired by Warner Music Group, which then incorporated it into the Atlantic Music Group by forming the 300 Elektra Entertainment Group in 2022.
The changes at 300 follow the departures of WMG’s CEO of recorded music Max Lousada and longtime Atlantic leader Julie Greenwald and the announcement that 10K Projects founder Elliot Grainge will be taking over as CEO of the new-look AMG at the end of this month. WMG has been helmed by Kyncl since Jan. 1, 2023.
Sources have told Billboard that other executive departures may also be in the works during this leadership transition as well.
“The cultural impact we created in 10 years when starting from scratch is simply unmatched in the modern era,” said Liles.
“We transformed our value proposition – ‘mindset of independent, muscle of a major’ – into a model for the rest of the industry to chase in this new era of music. But if there’s one consistent in music and culture, it’s that change is inevitable.”
