Dr. Dre nears deal to sell music assets – Rolling Stone

Dr. Dre A deal is nearing to sell a collection of music assets to Universal Music Group and Shamrock Holdings. variety When billboard report, This is yet another major music sale and one of the most high-profile hip-hop music property deals ever since the beginning of the catalog-buying craze.

The deal reportedly consists primarily of passive revenue streams rather than mastering or publishing rights, though Dre appears to be selling some copyrights as well. Shamrock will buy producer and artist royalties from Dre’s solo and some of his NWA work, as well as writer’s shares. Meanwhile, Universal Music Group chronicalong with Dre’s share of the joint venture between Aftermath/Interscope and Top Dawg Entertainment for the release of Kendrick Lamar.

The property was originally purchased for about $250 million, according to reports. billboard, the assets are estimated to sell for about $200 million.A source close to the situation said: rolling stoneBut that figure understates the deal by tens of millions of dollars.

Dr. Dre is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, both as a member of NWA, as a solo artist, and as a noted producer for hip-hop artists such as Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, and 50 Cent. His UMG, the world’s largest record company, has a long history with Dre as the owner of his Interscope, which distributes Dre’s Aftermath label. Roy Disney’s real estate-owned investment firm, Shamrock, purchased the rights to Taylor Swift’s Big Machine discography from Scooter Braun in 2020.

Dre is one of many recording artists, producers and songwriters who have sold their music rights over the past few years. Major legacy rock acts such as Bob Dylan, Tina Turner and Bruce Springsteen, along with more contemporary pop artists such as Ryan Tedder and Justin Timberlake, have mastered and published catalogs on major labels. , retail investors, and small publishers for big bucks, not bets. about their future royalties.