Steven Victor

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Steven Victor
Born
Steven William Victor

(1980-09-06) September 6, 1980 (age 41)
Nationality
Other namesSteven-San Victor
Alma materMorehouse College
Occupation
  • Record executive
  • artist manager
  • music publisher
  • A&R representative
Years active2003–present
EmployerUniversal Music Group
Known forFounder & CEO - Victor Victor Worldwide
TitleFounder, CEO, COO, and SVP of A&R

Steven William Victor (born September 6, 1980), is a Haitian-American record executive, artist manager, music publisher, and A&R representative. He is the founder and CEO of Victor Victor Worldwide, COO of GOOD Music, and SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group.[1] He formerly served as EVP of A&R at Def Jam Recordings.[2]

He works closely with a number of artists, including Kanye West, Pusha T and The-Dream, among others.[3][4][5] He has also managed The-Dream, Desiigner, Tyga, CashMoneyAP, 16yrold and Pop Smoke among others.[5] He currently reports directly to Universal Music Group chairman and chief executive officer Sir Lucian Grainge.[6]

Early life and education[edit]

Steven William Victor was born on September 6, 1980 in New York City.[2] He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English and Psychology.[1]

Career[edit]

Victor began his career as an intern at Interscope Records, to which he was later promoted to publicity assistant in 2003, working in public relations for six years.[1][2] During his tenure at Interscope, he met American rapper and record executive Pusha T, which at the time was one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse. He formed a mutual relationship with Pusha, becoming the publicist and manager for Clipse, and later solely Pusha.[7] In late 2015, Pusha T became president of GOOD Music, with Victor becoming COO of GOOD.[8] In late 2016, he was appointed SVP of A&R at Universal Music Group, while simultaneously holding his position at GOOD.[9] At this time he also started to manage Tyga, The-Dream, and Desiigner, the latter of whom he formerly signed to GOOD and Def Jam Recordings.[1] He also founded his record label Victor Victor Worldwide as a joint venture with Universal.[10][11] In October 2017, he was named EVP of A&R at Def Jam, reporting to then-CEO Paul Rosenberg and replacing his position as SVP of A&R at Universal.[3][12][13] In August 2019, he left Def Jam and transitioned back to his previous position at Universal, focusing on his label's joint venture with them.[5]

Victor Victor Worldwide[edit]

Victor Victor Worldwide
Victor Victor Worldwide Logo.png
Parent companyUniversal Music Group
Founded2016; 5 years ago (2016)
FounderSteven Victor
Distributor(s)
  • Various[a]
  • (in the US)
  • Universal Music Group
  • (outside the US)
Genre
Country of originUnited States
LocationNew York City, New York
Los Angeles, California
Official websitevictorvictor.jp

Victor Victor Worldwide (formerly known as Victor Victor Records) is an American record label founded by Steven Victor, who is also the CEO.[14] It is a joint venture between Victor Victor and Universal Music Group, giving the label the power to sign an artist to a joint venture deal with the label and any other label under Universal.[5]

Notable acts signed to Victor Victor include the late American rapper Pop Smoke and rapper Ski Mask the Slump God, both of whom are concurrently signed to Republic Records. Victor Victor has also notably signed record producers 16yrold, CashMoneyAP, and YoungKio (with Cash Gang) on the publishing side (concurrently with Universal Music Publishing Group).[15] Former notable artists signed to the label include American rapper D Savage, who was initially signed to Victor Victor and Republic and later jointly with Capitol Records and Virgin Music before departing.[16][17][18]

Victor Victor also runs the management firm William Victor Management Group, managing artists Pusha T, The-Dream, CashMoneyAP, and 16yrold, among others.[3] Most of the artists signed to the label are managed by the firm itself.[6]

In June 2020, the label launched a philanthropic division titled the "Victor Victor Foundation", with Victor pledging to donate $1 million to it. Victor himself also donated $25,000 to the "Fund for Public Schools", a nonprofit organization in New York City.[19][20]

Roster[edit]

Recording[edit]

Current[edit]
Artists Year signed Releases (under the label) Notes
Ski Mask the Slump God 2017 4 Jointly with Republic
Pop Smoke 2019 4 (2 posthumous) Jointly with Republic; deceased, died from home invasion in February 2020.
Summrs[21] 2020 0
Weiland[22] 1 Jointly with UMe
Nigo[23] 2021 0
Reyanna Maria[24] 1 (singles) Jointly with Republic and Harvest
Young Devyn[25] 1 Jointly with 4th & B'way and Island
Former[edit]
Artists Years under the label Releases under the label Notes
Don Zio P[11] 2017–2018 5 (singles) Jointly with Republic
D Savage 2017–2019 2 Jointly with Capitol and Virgin, formerly jointly with Republic

In-house producers[edit]

Act Years under the label Releases under the label Notes
As part of Victor Victor Worldwide
16yrold 2017–present 5 (singles) Jointly with Capitol, formerly jointly with Republic; joint publishing with UMPG
As part of Victor Victor Publishing
Rico Beats 2016–present 0 Jointly with UMPG and StarLife; co-manager of Pop Smoke & 808Melo
CashMoneyAP 2017–present Jointly with UMPG and Cash Gang
YoungKio 2019–present
808Melo Jointly with UMPG
SethInTheKitchen 2020–present

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Victor Victor Worldwide is a joint venture between Victor Victor and Universal Music Group, giving the label the power to sign an artist to a joint venture deal with the label and any other label under Universal.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Steven Victor Named SVP A&R at Universal Music". Billboard. November 9, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "40 Under 40: Music's Top Young Power Players Revealed (2018)". Billboard. October 18, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Steven Victor named EVP, Head of A&R at Def Jam". Music Business Worldwide. October 17, 2017.
  4. ^ Olsen, Patricia (July 14, 2017). "An Office Built Around Hip-Hop". The New York Times.
  5. ^ a b c d e Aswad, Jem (August 14, 2019). "Steven Victor Shifts From Def Jam to Focus on Joint Venture at Universal (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  6. ^ a b Ivey, Justin. "Steven Victor Named Senior Vice President of A&R at Universal - XXL". XXL.
  7. ^ Jones, Biz (September 6, 2019). "Pusha-T Salutes The "Shot Caller + Play Maker Of" His Music Career: "It's Only Right You Drown In Success"". SOHH.
  8. ^ "Pusha T is the new president of G.O.O.D. Music". Fact. November 9, 2015.
  9. ^ "Steven Victor Named SVP A&R at Universal Music". Yahoo Finance.
  10. ^ "MC Don Zio P reveals new single "Hallelujah" featuring Déjà Vu • WithGuitars".
  11. ^ a b "DON ZIO P RELEASES NEW SINGLE "SWITCH"". 360 MAGAZINE | ART + MUSIC + DESIGN + FASHION + AUTO + TRAVEL + FOOD + HEALTH. September 1, 2017.
  12. ^ "Steven Victor Joins Def Jam as EVP, Head of A&R". Billboard. October 17, 2017.
  13. ^ Ivey, Justin (October 18, 2017). "G.O.O.D. Music's Steven Victor Named Def Jam Executive VP & Head Of A&R". HipHopDX.
  14. ^ "REPUBLIC RECORDS NAMES JIM ROPPO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER". Universal Music Group. January 5, 2018.
  15. ^ "Steven Victor: Hip-Hop Power Players 2017". Billboard. September 14, 2017.
  16. ^ Ju, Shirley (October 8, 2018). "D Savage Prepares to Unleash D Phoenix at Union (Now Called Catch One)". LA Weekly.
  17. ^ Ju, Shirley (September 9, 2019). "Music Pick: D Savage". LA Weekly.
  18. ^ Baker, Jonas (August 14, 2019). "D Savage: The Young Megastar". Kazi Magazine.
  19. ^ "UMG Executive Steven Victor Pledges $1 Million For New Philanthropic Venture". Billboard.
  20. ^ Halperin, Shirley (June 9, 2020). "Universal Music Executive Steven Victor Pledges $1 Million to Launch New Foundation (EXCLUSIVE)".
  21. ^ "Undiscovered Gems: Peep These 5 Amazing Artists". February 13, 2020.
  22. ^ "Weiland by Weiland" – via music.apple.com.
  23. ^ "Nigo Signs to Steven Victor's Victor Victor Worldwide, Plans Release for New Album". Complex.
  24. ^ "So Pretty - Single by Reyanna Maria" – via music.apple.com.
  25. ^ "Baby Goat by Young Devyn" – via music.apple.com.