kevin liles
Kevin Liles, the co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment, has issued a statement in the wake of news that Atlanta rapper Young Thug is to be released from prison following a guilty plea on Thursday (Oct. 31).
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Liles, who co-founded 300 Entertainment in 2012 and signed Thug (real name Jeffery Williams) to the label in 2014, issued his statement late on Thursday following the completion of Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial.
“Words can’t express the incredible happiness and relief I feel to learn of Jeffery’s freedom,” Liles stated. “There will be a time to discuss the criminalization of hip-hop lyrics and the use of bond denial as a weapon against defendants, but in this moment everyone should feel nothing but joy that this amazing artist and even better man can hug his children, parents, siblings, and other loved ones tonight.
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“We must always remember artists aren’t fictional characters,” he concluded. “They’re human beings first. God bless Jeffery and his family.”
Thug, 33, has spent the past two years in custody, following his arrest in May 2022 with 27 others from his YSL Records label as part of a 56-count indictment for violations of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) law. The trial, which began in November 2023, was built around claims that YSL had committed murders, carjackings, drug dealing and many other crimes.
Following days of closed-door negotiations with Fulton County prosecutors, Thug refused to take a plea deal that would have resulted in his immediate release, ultimately opting for a non-negotiated guilty plea. Late on Thursday, Judge Paige Reese Whitaker sentenced Thug to 15 years probation with no time to be served.
Ahead of his sentencing, Thug noted the power and influence he holds in his community, telling the court he takes “full responsibility for my crimes and for my charges”.
“I know what I bring to the table and I know what I am,” he added. “I know the heights I’ve reached and I know the impact I’ve got on people in the community.”
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Longtime and respected music executive Kevin Liles announced that he is leaving his post at 300 Entertainment. The unexpected news, along with the Twitter-breaking announcement that Sean “Diddy” Combs has been indicted, arrested and charged with racketeering and sex trafficking, has many speculating that the two items are not unrelated.
On Tuesday morning (September 17) Liles announced via social media that he would be stepping down as Chairman and CEO of 300 Entertainment, where has worked for almost 10 years.
300 launched in late 2014 as an independent label and was helmed by Liles, Lyor Cohen, Todd Moscowitz and Roger Gold. The made their rep turbo boosting the careers of young Hip-Hop artists, particularly from the South, that included Megan Thee Stallion, Migos, Gunna, Young Thug in more. In 2021, 300 was acquired by Warner Music Group which in turn melded it with the Alantic Music Group to form the 300 Elektra Entertainment Group one year later.
“The cultural impact we created in 10 years when starting from scratch is simply unmatched in the modern era,” said Liles in the memo to employees that he shared online. “We transformed our value proposition – “mindset of independent, muscle of a major” – into a model for the rest of the industry to chase in this new era of music. But if there’s one consistent in music and culture, it’s that change is inevitable. ”
Liles says he’ll be officially stepping down at the end of the month, but will remain on as a consult to ensure a smooth transition. As for the timing, there have been other executive recently leaving the WMG fold, like another longtime exec whose name may be familiar to Hip-Hop heads, Julie Greenwald of Atlantic. However, the Internet loves a good conspiracy theory, so Diddy, and his troubles with the law, are getting added to the mix.
But actually worth noting is that in February 2023, Trey Songz, Atlantic Records & Kevin Liles were named in $25 million lawsuit that cited “systematic sexual abuse in the music industry.” The cased was settled in Aprll 2024 for an undisclosed amount.
See some of the said reactions in the gallery.
6. He’s not, though.
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