Born to Israeli diplomatic and intelligence personnel, Lyor Cohen entered the music business in 1984 by managing tours for Run-DMC before ascending to the presidency of Def Jam Records. During his tenure, he helped steer hip hop toward corporate profitability and managed stars ranging from LL Cool J to Jay-Z. Cohen later led Island Records and Warner Music, overseeing major rock and pop artists including Mariah Carey and Bon Jovi prior to joining YouTube Music.
Key points
Lyor Cohen played a critical role in commercializing the hip hop genre while steering art…: Lyor Cohen played a critical role in commercializing the hip hop genre while steering artist messaging away from radical political causes.
The executive's career expanded beyond rap to encompass leadership at Island Records and…: The executive's career expanded beyond rap to encompass leadership at Island Records and Warner Music, where he managed top pop and rock acts.
Today, Cohen maintains widespread influence across the modern digital landscape through h…: Today, Cohen maintains widespread influence across the modern digital landscape through his senior executive role at YouTube Music.
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When most people are asked “who controls hip hop?” they are unlikely to think of a 67-year-old Israeli Zionist who comes from a family of Israeli spies and state officials. But Lyor Cohen is the real deal. The brash, cigar-smoking 6 ft 5 in head of YouTube Music is the undisputed king of rap, and arguably the most important and influential person in the entire music business.
Entering his fifth decade in the industry, Cohen began his career as the manager of legendary rap group, Run-DMC, and has launched the career of countless hip hop acts, including LL Cool J, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Slick Rick, A Tribe Called Quest, the Beastie Boys, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince (Will Smith).
He later moved beyond just rap and worked with stars like Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Nickelback, The Killers, Shania Twain, and Elvis Costello.
Throughout his career, Cohen has pushed hip hop to become more profitable and corporate-friendly, and has worked hard to root out what he sees as anti-semitism in the industry, and ensure that the…
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