How Kevin Liles Built 300 Entertainment Into A $400 Million Business In Under 10 Years

Kevin Liles didn’t co-found 300 Entertainment just to sell it. He created it, first and foremost, to fill a void he saw in the music industry — a lack of talent development. Ten years after starting the 300 record label, it’s safe to say Kevin and company filled that void. By developing culture-shifting artists like Gunna, Megan Thee Stallion, Young Thug, among others, 300 has become one of the hottest commodities in all of hip-hop. This led to WMG buying the formerly-independent label for $400 million at the start of the new year.

In WMG, Kevin believes he’s found a partner with the “mindset of an independent, but the muscle of a major.” As the one-time EVP of WMG, Kevin would know this first-hand. And even with an influx of $400 million, Kevin isn’t going to change the way he makes decisions. For Kevin, it’s always been about prioritizing the cultural incentives rather than the financial ones. This mindset has followed him from Def Jam intern to its President and now as CEO of 300 & Elektra Music Group.

In between running the label, Kevin has also invested resources in creating a pipeline for future music and entertainment execs with diverse backgrounds. In particular, Kevin has tapped into HBCUs, helping set up a $250 million fundraising campaign for his alma mater, Morgan State, and connecting students directly with the FBI.

Kevin and I covered a lot of ground in this episode of the Trapital. Here are the show chapters:

1:53 Behind 300 Entertainment’s Sale To Warner Music
6:51 Gunna’s Meteoric Rise
9:46 How Phrases Like Hot Girl Summer & Pushin P Became A Thing
12:50 What Changes With WMG Partnership?
16:20 New Def Jam Video Game In The Works?
18:17 Launching 300 Studios
20:46 Kevin Thinks The Best Is Yet To Come For Hip Hop
23:16 Hip Hop’s International Opportunity
25:45 Major Differences Between Running Def Jam vs. 300
30:30 The Power Of Diverse Execs Making Cultural, Not Financial Decisions
32:42 How Music Industry Has Handled Diversity Issues Since George Floyd
35:50 Kevin’s Attempt To Create Diverse Talent Pipeline
38:29 The Rise Of Hip-Hop Media Personalities
46:46 Young Thug’s Role As Chief Innovation Officer
49:19 Keeping Narrative On The Future, Not Past

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