Bang Si-hyuk (C), founder of K-pop management agency Big Hit Entertainment who manage K-pop sensation BTS, poses for a photograph with company executives during the company's initial public offering ceremony at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on Oct. 15, 2020
SEONGJOON CHO/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesHYBE, the agency-label home of BTS that was formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, is firming its North American foothold and changing up its global C-suite.
At the top of the chain, founder Bang Si-hyuk has announced he is stepping down as CEO in order to focus more on production. He’ll remain chairman of the board of directors. Taking over the top spot of HYBE is Park Ji-won, who joined the South Korean company a year ago to head up operations and management.
The company’s state-side subsidiary HYBE America will be led by Yoon Seok-jun and Scooter Braun, who sold his Ithaca Holdings to HYBE in April. The pair will tackle the "important challenge of transplanting the K-pop business model to the U.S. market, from production to nurturing newcomers and marketing," according to the announcement.
HYBE's purchase of Ithaca married the two companies' diverse range of services, including management, labels and publishing, for a deep roster that includes K-pop supergroups BTS and Seventeen, and U.S. pop stars Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande.
Braun will continue to lead Ithaca Holdings, the parent of SB Projects and Big Machine Label Group, while also acting as co-CEO of HYBE America. Jaesang Lee, who led HYBE’s acquisition of Ithaca, will be moving to the US as Braun and Yoon Seok-jun's chief operation officer.
Over in Japan, HYBE is establishing a new regional division, HYBE Japan, that will be led by CEO Han Hyun-rok. The subsidiary will focus on signing local talent (a new boyband will be introduced soon) and managing the interests of other HYBE artists.
"This leadership improvement is a reflection of our strong will to take the lead in overall systemic change from leadership to realizing our mid- to long-term business strategy to become a global company," HYBE said. "With the goal of leading aggressively, we have reorganized the scope of powers and responsibilities according to the expertise of each leader."
NEWS
Mustard has seemingly hit back at comments from Drake‘s producer Gordo, with a little help from JAY-Z.
Gordo, who worked on several Drizzy albums including $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, For All the Dogs and Honestly, Nevermind, called out the “Not Like Us” hitmaker this week after noticing that he was no longer following him on social media.
“omg just noticed mustard unfollowed me on ig…. Sad day,” he wrote sarcastically on X. “headlining chella must of got to his head.”
Despite unfollowing Gordo, Mustard appeared to catch wind of his post and issued a snarky yet subliminal response on Instagram.
Alongside a caption which read: “We not the same,” the producer posted a video of JAY-Z in an interview saying: “Are you kidding me? Who are you guys talking to? What have you done to even have an opinion on what I been doing? You done nothing to even have an opinion.”
Swipe below to see the clip.
Mustard hasn’t exactly been quiet about his disdain for Drake throughout the 6 God’s beef with Kendrick Lamar which erupted last year.
The multi-platinum producer and DJ graced the stage at Tyler, The Creator‘s Camp Flog Gnaw last November, where he surprised the crowd by appearing to cue up Drizzy’s Take Care hit “Crew Love” with The Weeknd.
Before the song could kick into gear, however, Mustard jumped on the mic and yelled, “Sike!” before quickly pivoting to Kendrick, Future and Metro Boomin‘s “Like That,” the blistering collaboration that ignited the heated feud between the Hip Hop titans.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times months earlier, the 10 Summers hitmaker took a shot at Drake’s character while ruling out a reunion with his “Who Do You Love?” collaborator.
“I don’t think I want to make a song with that dude. He’s a strange guy,” he said matter-of-factly.
Mustard would also offer Drake some advice on how to bounce back from the beef, saying to Big Boy: “I’m not speaking at Drake or for him, but a lot of shit that’s going on — the tactics, the things that you do just to get attention. You don’t need to do that. Just make music, man. Make good music and you’ll be fine.”
Mustard also made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s historic Super Bowl halftime show performance, joining the Compton superstar for his climactic rendition of “TV Off” which he also produced.
