RIFKIND PILOTS LOUD TO YM&U

Loud Records founder Steve Rifkind has found a new home at the YM&U Group for his various creative endeavors. From his new perch, Rifkind will be spearheading YM&U's expansion into hip-hop and R&B in partnership with the U.K.-based company’s U.S. music division out of its Beverly Hills offices.

“I’ve looked hard to find the right partners,” says Rifkind. “What sold me on the YM&U Group is that the artist comes first, and throughout my career I’ve prioritized my artists. I look forward to this new chapter.”

Rifkind and his partners, Bobby Koehler and Dana Biondi, bring their stable of acts, including Wu-Tang Clan, $uicide Boy$, DMX, Jazz Cartier and London on Da Track, into the YM&U Music fold.

Matt Colon, U.S. Music Director of YM&U, adds, “We’ve been interested in the hip-hop space for years but have been waiting for the right opportunity to expand in a credible and authentic way. It didn’t take us long to realize that Steve’s reputation and experience are equaled by his lifelong passion for music. With the respect of both the artists and the industry, he’s the perfect fit to lead the next phase of YMU’s growth.”

Rifkind is renowned for breaking some of hip-hop’s most important artists of the last quarter-century, among them Mobb Deep, Akon, Big Pun and Three 6 Mafia. During that span, he has also launched marketing campaigns for T-Mobile, Adidas, Nike and Pepsi, to name a few.

The NYC-born entrepreneur he got his start in the music business by working with his father Julie at Spring Records. Rifkind founded Loud Records in 1991, quickly establishing the indie as a major tastemaker at a pivotal moment for hip-hop music and culture. He’s also responsible for the street-team promotional model for word-of-mouth advertising. Rifkind lives in L.A. and has three children.