Avex USA Makes Strategic Investment in Brandon Silverstein's S10 Entertainment
Brandon Silverstein's S10 Entertainment continues its expansion with a strategic investment from Avex USA, the American division of Japanese entertainment giant Avex, while simultaneously announcing the addition of Grammy-nominated rapper Big Sean to its management roster.
The investment, announced by Avex Inc.'s global CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa at a Tokyo investor conference on May 9, strengthens an already successful partnership between the two companies. This collaboration builds upon S10 and Avex's existing relationship in music publishing, which has yielded significant success with recent hits including Tate McRae's "greedy" and Doja Cat's "Agora Hills."
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have globally-minded partners like Jay Brown, JAY Z, and the Roc Nation family," says Silverstein, S10's founder and CEO. "Adding the Avex team to our management ecosystem, following the immense success I've had with Avex in our publishing venture, was a natural progression in deepening our ever-growing relationship."
The timing of the investment coincides with S10's signing of Big Sean, who joins the company after a decade with Roc Nation. The Detroit-born rapper has already made his mark in 2024, with his feature on Eminem's "Tobey" reaching No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his 55th entry on the chart.
"Big Sean is an incredible talent who, even after topping charts, breaking records, winning awards, and headlining across the world, is just getting started," Silverstein notes.
For Avex USA, which launched its Los Angeles operations in 2020 under CEO Naoki Osada, the investment represents a significant step in bridging the Asian and North American markets. "We've achieved a tremendous amount with Brandon in recent years, and over that time built a great trust between us," says Osada. "We share a lot in common with our respective companies' DNA, and extending our partnership was a natural and organic step."
S10 Entertainment, a joint venture with Jay Z's Roc Nation, has established itself as a formidable force in the music industry. The company's publishing division has amassed over 40 billion streams to date, with six current songs featured on Spotify's Global Top 50. Recent successes include Myke Towers' "Adivino" featuring Bad Bunny, which debuted at No. 1 on Spotify's Global Chart, following his 2023 hit "Lala" – notably the longest-standing solo Latin Global No. 1 in Spotify history.
The partnership opens new opportunities for both companies' roster of artists. Avex, which employs over 1,500 people across 11 global offices and promotes more than 1,500 shows annually, gains enhanced access to the North American market. Meanwhile, S10's artists benefit from Avex's strong presence in Asian markets.
Jay Brown, Roc Nation Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, emphasizes the potential of the collaboration: "Joining forces with Avex perfectly extends the S10 and Roc Nation family. Both Brandon and Avex are innovators, and this partnership offers endless possibilities and opportunities."
The terms of Avex's investment were not disclosed. However, the partnership builds on Avex USA's existing ventures, including its record label SELENE, Avex USA Publishing, and its Future of Music investment fund, which expanded to $25 million in 2022.
