Scooter Braun, who unofficially quit managing major artists like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande at least two years ago, finally made it official on Monday: He’s quitting being a manager to focus on becoming CEO of HYBE. Are retreating. USA, the company to which he sold his private Ithaca Holdings company in 2021, and to focus on its network. He made the announcement in a nearly 1,400-word comment, posted below.
Starting with Justin Bieber and moving on to Ariana Grande and many others in the 2000s, Braun became one of the song industry’s most successful and hard-working executives for quite some time. By the age of 40, he and his SB Initiatives company had fulfilled many of his David Geffen-sized ambitions, catapulted several artists to superstardom and, notably, orchestrated “One Love Manchester” – starring Grande, Bieber. A major fund concert, featuring Coldplay, Katy Perry, Mac Miller, Miley Cyrus and more in the wake of the terrorist bombing outside a Grande concert in 2017 that killed 22 people – in just two weeks.
However, his fame hit a fatal accident with the controversial 2018 acquisition of the rights to Taylor Fast’s first six albums through the acquisition of Heavy System File Workforce, which he claimed was, to put it mildly, and months of phone calls from Braun and some of his clients and friends, including Bieber and Kanye West. Despite his vitriolic statements against him – and the brutal attacks by his fanatics on social media – he managed to sell that catalog to Shamrock Holdings for about $300 million, making a nice profit, and then sold HYBE to Ithaca Holdings for $1.05 million. Sold at a huge price. Arab.
Shortly thereafter, rumors began to surface that some of Braun’s buyers were dissatisfied, and exploded into full-blown heat when reports said that both Bieber and Grande had cut ties with him; Despite SB’s initial denials, this information soon surfaced with off-the-record comments that Braun had long ago given up control.
In his lengthy and rather flowery commentary, Braun talks fondly about his clients over the years — which include Bieber, Grande, Carly Rae Jepsen, Psy, Lil Dicky, Tori Kelly, Demi Lovato as well as his first client, Usher. Roth is also included. J Balvin, Quavo, Zac Brown, Martin Garrix, David Guetta, Steve Angello, producer Andrew Watt, YG, Baby Laroi, Dan + Shay and longtime emcee Usher – and says he left control of the company in the hands of Alison Kay Have given. And Jane McDaniel.
Read the overall comment below:
23 years. 23 years. I’ve been a song supervisor for so long. 23 years ago a tired 19 year old kid started managing an artist named Cato in Atlanta, GA and my growth began. Along with the best approach, I have so many reports that I would have never even dreamed of. I have had the privilege of experiencing a “Forrest Gump” era and taking part in the journey of one of the most brilliant societies this region has ever seen. I’m constantly pinching myself and asking “How did I get here?”
And then this bankruptcy of 23 years as a song supervisor ended.
It’s a weird feeling because I feel like I’ve been looking for this for a while, but I was really afraid to answer the question “Who would I be without them?” I was actually only 19 when I started. So for my entire adult life I played the role of an artist supervisor on call 24 hours a day, seven days a month. And I treasured it for two decades. That’s all I recognized. However as my children became addicted, and my personal life experienced some disruptions, I became convinced that my children were three superstars that I was not willing to lose. I probably couldn’t justify the sacrifices I was so eager to make. It was time to step into some unused space.
Following the bankruptcy, I served as a board member of Hib and CEO of Hib America. My grandson, Chairman Bang (Si-hyuk), at age three, has a vision that I really believe in. But even then he has become a true friend who understands where I need to be at my age and at this time. And he can be a father first, then a CEO and no more than that, a supervisor.
I’ve been headed toward this destination for the past two years, but it wasn’t until late summer that this untapped bankruptcy came true. One of my best clients and friends told me that he wanted to spread his wings and walk the untapped path. We’d been through a lot together over the last decade, but instead of being hurt, I took it as a sign. Mind you, age doesn’t hand you your plan, rather it hands you God’s plan. And God has been pushing me on this path from time to time. I have nothing but love for the people I’ve worked with over the years, and as we build a special ongoing dating experience, I look forward to them at all times for advice and help. Can be in the corner, no matter what time it is or not. At once or from a distance. Every client I’ve had the pleasure of hanging out with has changed my age, and I know many of them are starting to see the good fortune they deserve. I can cheer for every single one of them.
I’m watching my friend Andrew Watt win a Grammy for Producer of the Age. I laughed and cried a lot because Lil Dicky actually became Dave. I’ve seen human angel Tori Kelly win Grammy awards and star in movies. I’ve watched J Balvin fulfill his desires to break barriers, and Demi display a generosity and style that few megastars possess. I was so impressed when Zac Brown Band flew our flag and played the hits. I was excited the first time I heard Animals with Martin Garrix, and realized an untapped world with David Guetta and Steve Angello. I’ve danced to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Name Me Possibly and I smiled from ear to ear when PSY introduced us to Gangnam Taste. I’ve watched Quavo become an entrepreneur, and served as Kanye’s “gateway drug to business” as we had wonderful years of good fortune when I was once able to call him my friend. I’ve marched with YG and flown to Australia with Laroi just to see the Motherland Kid rock an arena. I’ve seen Dan + Shay feature everything from native Nashville writers to headliners and award winners. The list of artists has been running for over 23 years. So many stories would inspire me to call nonstop. From the early years with Asher Roth to seeing my husband and brother Asher dominating the Super Bowl at this age, it’s truly overwhelming.
Although it was the Christmas month when Ariana and Justin became the biggest man and woman in the history of Spotify Billion Club, I just smiled and thought “What a ride.” Justin and Ariana were both little kids when I started with them. Justin is a grizzled 13-year-old kid driving a bus in Canada and Ariana is a suave Nickelodeon actress. Watching each of them become the legends they are today will forever be one of my greatest honors. As we navigate our ongoing relationship now, I can continue to root for them with the same fondness that I did in their humble beginnings. I remember pranks and aqua landscape shows with Justin, and the first time Ari opened up about a local excursion and the level of enjoyment aspect of it. I remember when they moved forward for each other and I was given the opportunity to witness each and every business in the area and gather historical past. Not a month goes by when I am not extremely proud and respectful of what we accomplished together. Something similar can be said for those who once had the luxury of being called a “manager.”
There was a group discussion about what’s happening in our corporate…and what’s happening in my profession. I smiled when we got lucky, and I always tried to walk quickly down the main road when we were attacked. However over the last three years I have really begun to feel that taking the mainstream has created doubt and ambiguity about who we are. I could leave my situation under control, and my industry dating with many consumers will adjust and change, however it is not cruel that we are leaving as an organization. Allison Kay and Jennifer McDaniel are both capable of managing and as we add untapped resources the opportunities never end with their management. Those two extremely powerful women will now step into what I know will likely become the most significant female-led control industry our business has seen. Pace my title could have been on the doorstep these few years, there really is no one as gorgeous as Alison Kaye, and there are few who can reign supreme with the grace and poise of Jen McDaniels.
We will continue to grow in Hybe. With the addition of QC to our current industry at Hyb the USA and Heavy Systems, we can continue to add amazing professionals and artists to the roster. Our WeVerse platform and growing gaming unit is something the entire business can promote and get on board with. Having the chance to put together Jung Kook’s peak summer solo work in A&R and executive input, and working with the rest of BTS as we crunch global data, has been an absolute honor. With untapped acts like Newzines, TXT, Le Seseraphim, Seventeen, Elite, The Scarlet Opera, Ava Max and many alternative untapped artists and ventures, the time is dazzling. I am respectful to Chairman Bang and Jiwon Ground as we grow HYBE from a publicly traded multi-billion dollar corporate that has just recently arrived to the global multidimensional leisure platform it is destined to become. As Hyb grows stronger, I look forward to investing in an untapped year of marketers and serving as a nationwide board member of Manufacture A Want, and moving forward to support people and communities through our community of Braun Base. I am thinking. Between all this and training my kids, I’m no longer afraid to be busy 🙂
So sure, it’s been 23 years. And sure enough, this bankruptcy is over. However, the illustrious Berry Gordy once informed me “Young man, it never ends the way you wanted it to, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t.” That knowledge has been confirmed to be of the right kind. I never saw how this bankruptcy would end, heck, I never even saw it end. However it happened. And I can cherish each of its generations. I made my own plan… but it seems I actually like God’s plan better. I am grateful!
