Capitol Music Group And Insurgency Music Sign Joint Venture To Relaunch Priority Records

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Jul 22, 2013, 12:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, July 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Insurgency Music has entered into a joint venture with Capitol Music Group to formally re-launch the celebrated Priority Records imprint. The announcement was made today by Insurgency Music co-founder and longtime electronic music executive Michael Cohen, who will serve as Priority Records President; and Steve Barnett, Chairman and CEO of Capitol Music Group. Known for two decades as one of the industry's preeminent urban music labels, Priority Records brought such artists as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, JAY Z, Master P, N.W.A., Snoop Dogg and many more to public prominence. Priority Records will be based in Hollywood, California's iconic Capitol Records Tower.

The new Priority Records will provide a platform from which artists and labels can benefit from the street-level approach and flexibility of releasing music domestically through Caroline, as well as via the worldwide Universal Music Group system. This artist-centric label will focus on innovative methods for signing and developing talent, releasing their work, and offering a creative hub for artists and labels. Focusing on a wide, innovative array of electronic and progressive music, Priority Records will also provide an outlet in the U.S. for foreign electronic music repertoire, utilizing a unique marketing approach as well as leveraging the label's collective experience in releasing music independently.

"Priority has played an important role in the history of Capitol Records, and I wanted an executive on the cutting edge of music to helm and reinvigorate the label," said Steve Barnett, Chairman and CEO of Capitol Music Group. "Michael Cohen is an expert in electronic and progressive music, and is passionate about its artists and culture. I have no doubt that he and his team will make Priority a successful and important label within the Capitol Music Group, and all of us at the company welcome them to the Tower."

"With Priority Records, we are looking to re-establish a label that has meant so much to so many people over the years," commented Michael Cohen, Insurgency Music co-founder and Priority Records President. "We are looking to establish the new Priority as a home for producers. The emergence of the producer as an artist and brand within the global electronic music scene and beyond has heralded a paradigm shift in the way music is created, discovered and spread. We are firm believers in nurturing artists and scenes that develop in the underground, and we intend to infuse the label with the most progressive artists we can find, wherever they may be."

The label will launch with the release of the hugely successful underground club track "Higher" from Just Blaze & Baauer featuring JAY Z, with a spectacular video in the works created by Nabil Elderkin.

"We couldn't have a more perfect track with which to re-launch Priority," Cohen continued. "Uniting a true legend from the hip-hop world—Just Blaze—and a future legend from the newly emerging electronic underground—Baauer—'Higher' perfectly encapsulates everything that is exciting about where electronic music stands today, and where it may go next."

Priority Records is also proud to announce a distribution deal with producer Harry Fraud's Surf School Recordings. Fraud and Surf School have put together a catalog featuring collaborations with many of the most influential Hip-Hop artists of today. As a producer, Fraud has garnered recognition and support from some of the most well-respected names in rap including French Montana, Rick Ross, Juicy J, Pusha T, Earl Sweatshirt, Wiz Khalifa, and Action Bronson. Surf School Recordings is poised and excited to introduce the world to the next generation of talented artists.

The senior executive team of Priority will consist of Chief Marketing Officer, Josh Neuman; Executive Vice Presidents Adrian Martinez, Simon White and Chris Gentry; Senior Vice Presidents of A&R, Ben Persky and Mason Klein; VP of A&R, Justin Scott; General Manager, Cyrus Bader; Senior Vice Presidents of Marketing, Jamal Dauda and Matt Sadie; and Senior Vice President Integrated Disruption, Toby Benson.

In addition to his role as President of Priority Records, Cohen will continue as co-CEO with Neuman of Complete Control Management, and the Control Music Group's associated management companies.

Insurgency Music is an entity comprised of Complete Control Management and its associated Control Music Group management companies: United Management, Undocumented Management and Mixed Management. These companies manage the careers of artists such as Bloc Party, Bag Raiders, Baauer, Bingo Players, Cassius, Clockwork, Dada Life, Digitalism, Hudson Mohawke, Phoenix, RL Grime, Tommy Trash, Tritonal, Wolfgang Gartner and more.

SOURCE Universal Music Group