Youngboy Never Broke Again, Don Toliver, Kehlani, Kevin Gates and more artists signed to Mike Caren’s Artist Partner Group (APG) have a new label to call home.
On Wednesday (November 18), Atlantic Records and Caren’s label announced a new partnership that finds Caren gaining much more independence. In exchange, Atlantic records will be obtaining the catalog and artists who have been on APG since its inception in 2012.
The full details of the deal haven’t been released, but it was revealed that ADA, the independent artist and label services division of Atlantic parent Warner Music, will also be added as a channel partner on the deal. Atlantic and APG already had a deal in 2012, but it seems that Caren will have the final say on how his artists are distributed now, whether it be independently or through a major.
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“This is an exciting new chapter for Artist Partner Group and the amazing roster of artists we have worked with over the last eight years,” Caren said in a statement. “I am thankful to the entire APG and Atlantic teams and all of the incredible talent that continually inspire us. I look forward to the ongoing growth and success of all of our partners and to continuing to build Artist Partner as a home to artists in the evolving market landscape.”
The CEO of Global Recorded Music at Warner Music Group Max Lousada was hopeful of the future with the new deal.
“This move evolves and updates a hugely successful partnership,” he said. “Artist Partner’s existing roster of diverse, original voices will now be backed by the full power of Atlantic Records’ creative expertise and worldwide reach, while Artist Partner and its new signings will have access to our global network and comprehensive menu of artist services.”
Artist Partner Group was founded as a sister music company to Artist Publishing Group in 2012. The latter will continue to publish artists signed to Atlantic Records and others not signed with Atlantic like Taz Taylor, Hitmaka and 24k Goldn.