Photos From EMPIRE and Billboard’s Sports and Music Power Event

On Saturday, Feb. 15, Billboard and EMPIRE came together at EMPIRE’s San Francisco studios to celebrate Billboard’s second annual Sports and Music issue, honoring some of the most powerful people operating at the intersection of the industries of sports and music. The issue, which features EMPIRE founder/CEO Ghazi on the cover, as well as a second flip cover featuring Travis Scott, delves into Ghazi’s deep connection with his hometown Bay Area, and his work in bringing the music business back to the region, while also including features on pep bands playing pop music, the music connections with WWE, and more.

The event was DJ’d by KMAT and attended by many of the Sports and Music list honorees attended, as well as artists such as Too Short, Trae Tha Truth, Wale, NLE Choppa, Doria, DJ Luke Nasty and Rexx Life Raj. During the party, Billboard director of business news Dan Rys presented the inaugural Billboard Sports & Music Innovator Award to 2K’s director of global partnerships and licensing David Kelley, and Billboard president Mike Van presented Ghazi with his Billboard cover. “It’s physically me on that cover, but it’s not really about me, it’s about us,” Ghazi said in a speech.

That speech was followed by a surprise presentation by California state assemblyman Matt Haney, who presented Ghazi, EMPIRE COO Nima Etminan, EMPIRE president Tina Davis and others with a certificate of recognition from the state of California, marking the 15th anniversary of the company Ghazi founded in 2010.

“You brought music from all over the world, from Latin America, from Africa, to every single corner of the globe, from right here [in San Francisco],” Haney said in a speech. “And you’ve done it with integrity. You didn’t have to be the biggest record label, you did it your way. And you’ve inspired and touched so many people through that and your love and your commitment.”