Black music sets the global rhythm of popular culture, and the catalogues, publishing rights and touring built on it are increasingly held as long term assets rather than one off paydays.
| Company | Operations | Ticker | Amount · fiscal YTD | Black ownership | Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Files its own numbers Black-owned and Black-founded companies standing on their own figures. Private ones file nothing public. | |||||
Music-led television and digital network; the founder sold his stake to an employee-led group in 2023 | Cable network Digital video Podcasts Live events REVOLT company site | private not listed | $100M 2022 · reported, not filed Digiday | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-owned |
Founded by Cathy Hughes; the largest Black-owned broadcaster, listed in its own right | Urban radio broadcasting Reach Media syndication TV One Cleo TV iOne Digital Urban One segment reporting | UONE — | not filed | not disclosed Listed company; the Hughes family holds super-voting Class B and C shares and control, but no single Black-ownership percentage is filed Urban One proxy statement | Black-owned |
Founded and owned by Ghazi Shami; independent label and distributor | Recorded music Distribution Publishing EMPIRE company site | private not listed | private — not filed | 100% Wholly owned by its founder; no outside label group holds equity Billboard reporting on EMPIRE's independence | Black-owned |
Reports through a parent Brands inside a listed group. The amount is the parent's filing — parents do not break these brands out. | |||||
Co-founded by Dr. Dre; acquired by Apple in 2014 | Headphones (Studio, Solo) Fit Pro earbuds Beats Pill speakers Artist collaborations Beats product line-up | AAPL — | not filed | not disclosed Black-founded, then acquired in full — Apple owns the brand outright Apple acquisition announcement, 2014 | Black-founded |
Relaunched by Jay-Z with artist owners; majority held by Block | HiFi subscription HiFi Plus subscription TIDAL plans; Block has said it is scaling back its investment | XYZ — | not filed | not disclosed Artist shareholders hold a minority; Block holds the majority Block acquisition announcement | Black-founded |
Co-founded by Russell Simmons; label of Universal Music Group | Def Jam US 0207 Def Jam (UK) Def Jam Africa UMG label structure | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed Black-founded label, wholly owned by Universal Music Group UMG label structure | Black-founded |
Founded by Jay-Z; long-running joint venture with Live Nation | Artist management Roc Nation Records Touring venture Roc Nation Sports Roc Nation divisions; Billboard on the Live Nation deal | LYV — | not filed | not disclosed Joint venture with Live Nation; split not published Billboard reporting on the Live Nation deal | Partnership |
Founded by Berry Gordy, 1959 Universal Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-founded |
Dr. Dre's label, through Interscope Universal Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-owned |
Birdman and Slim Williams, via Republic Universal Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-owned |
Lil Wayne's imprint, via Republic Universal Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-owned |
Jay-Z, Dame Dash, Kareem Burke Universal Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | UMG.AS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-founded |
L.A. Reid and Babyface Sony Group (Sony Music) · consolidated into Music | — | SONY — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-founded |
Long-running Black A&R and artist roster Sony Group (Sony Music) · consolidated into Music | — | SONY — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Partnership |
Core hip-hop and R&B label group Warner Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | WMG — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Partnership |
Kevin Liles co-founded, now Atlantic group Warner Music Group · consolidated into Recorded Music | — | WMG — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Partnership |
Pierre 'Pee' Thomas and Kevin 'Coach K' Lee HYBE (HYBE America) · consolidated into Label | — | 352820.KS — | not filed | not disclosed No ownership percentage published Not disclosed | Black-founded |
Figures are limited to public filings, live market data and revenue published by a named source. A Black ownership percentage is shown only where a company, a filing or a certifying body has published one; everything else reads "not disclosed" rather than being estimated. Private companies file nothing public, so they carry no amount. Prices and filings are read live from a public market feed. Listed companies link out to their market reference page; every other name opens a details window. Every figure here is in US dollars; a company trading or filing in another currency is converted at the live exchange rate and marked with an asterisk.
The Urban Magnate™ · figures are read from public filings and named public sources.