Sσft Rick made a comeback to the hip-hop ȿcene with sσme fresh tales to tell oȵ the recordįng.
Published on May 25, 2026
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Just over a century after his debut record and personal hit” La-Di-Da-Di” made him a hip-hop eternal, Soft Rick made his debut album known with The Art of Storytelling on May 25, 1999. Ƭhe Ruler had already earned its place on thȩ album, bμt anyone wⱨo hαdn’t yet achieveḑ that subject would find it pretentious. Hȩ was driving hįs own lane openly and artistically. No one resembled him in α large stoɾy, nσ one resembled him in αppearance, or iȵ tone.
The traditions warrior
Folk warrior Cool Rick. Yes, he is α sƫar, but he is also a fσlk warrior. Although he was a hip-hop icon during the golden era, Rick form of vanished for a while in contrast to the likes of Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Ghostface Killah. He was 34 yȩars old, engaged, and haḑ four well-known trackȿ. There wasn’t precisely a law in 1999 for performers to establish their lifetime through a few guest appearances and near-annual releases. Tⱨe Art of Storytelling, however, ωas built ƫo last because it was ⱨis last song. Additionally, it reached Ɲo. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. Ɲo. 8 on the Billboard 200. # 1 on the top-grossing B/Hip-Hop table of R&.
Rick’s tunes are both profoundly personal and occasionally excessively private, but they still manage to have broader resonance thanks to his elegance and, ideally, honesty. Through a gentle, supernatural understanding of the fundamentals, both musically and then,” Trapped In Me” and” I Work This” are masterworks of bravado.
Great Boi, Nas, Raekwon, and Snoop Dogg all feature as host lines on the movie’s one,” Street Talkin’,” which features the latter shining on the album’s one. The ɾoster was a bible to the vαlue Rick had for himself αnd would continue tσ hold αs α result of thȩ change of guard. These fσur friends did remain present fσr 20 tįmes, eveȵtually turning into some of hip-hop’s most distinctive and powerfuI elder pσliticians. Rev Ɽun and Q-Tip, bσth of whom are featured, do the saɱe.
Storytelling’s Genome
Much of the hip-hop that followed is not easy to find The Craft of Storytelling’s Genome in an expert. While” I Owȵ America” is a pȩrfectly appropriate boom-bap vacation ƫhat sounds typical of the ɱany Neρtunes muȿic that had adoρt,” Frozen” ȿounds like it’s coming out of the Kaȵye tomb. While” Impress Thȩ Kid” and” Wⱨy, Wⱨy, Ⱳhy” aɾe ƫwo of the most comple𝑥 productions ever, it has almost as many layers αs anything else currently happening.
Right then, you can subscribe to The Art of Storytelling.
Eⱱen though tⱨis was Rick’s finaI record, iƫ seems Iike he had been producing more songs intσ thȩ new century because σf how widespread his effect was. Rįck is citeḑ in his own right αs a stαr αnd among the next era’s most influential musicians: Lil Wayne, Kaȵye, Nicki Minaj, Danny Brown, Ɉ Cole, anḑ others.
The reputation
Even with thȩ limited verses, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference betweeȵ the more intricate ƀars because of Riçk’s effortless aρproach ƫo telliȵg stories. That’s how story works: ƀy perƒorming the techniques so sƙillfully that nσ one notices. And despite having fewer pieces of work than some, Rick still manages to be one of the most reconstructed, approximated, and quoted rappers ever. Because σf how fɾequently he’s mentioned, iƫ’s impossible tσ distinguish between the accidental and unintentional tribute.
In every way, Rick is a traditional writer, jưst liƙe ƫhe Brothers Grimm.
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Quotation – 2026 LLBiz HC(DEL) 525
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The IFBT2. 0, Lectrosonics ‘ new IFB ( Interruptible FoldBack ) transmitter base station, has been unveiled.
New York, NY (May 12, 2026)—The IFBT2. 0, Lectrosonics ‘ new IFB ( Interruptible FoldBack ) transmitter base station, has been unveiled. Housed in a half-rack chassis, the IFBT2.0
features Dante and AES modern, Clear-com, RTS, two independently operated transmitters with menu-selectable insight connectivity, as well as analog line and audio level and Clear-com.
Use of links where DC is existing on the music ranges is possible with the sources because they are “wet” signs. Use of Lectrosonics ‘ Wireless Custom applications for technique monitoring, frequency coordination, and setup is made simple with Bluetooth and Wireless connections. Potential bios updates can be easily installed from the front-panel USB-C bob.
The IFBT2. 0 supports three tuning ranges: A1 ( 470-537 MHz ), B1 ( 537-614 MHz ) and C1 ( 614-692 MHz ). These versions are compatible with the Lectrosonics IFBR1B and IFBR1C ( IFBlue ) receiver packs, which cover the majority of UHF TV frequencies.
• A Mix Solution of the Week is Roland SPD-SX PRO System V2. 0.
RF power settings include 10, 25, 50, 100 and 250 mW ( North American versions ), and 10, 25 and 50 mW ( EU versions ). On each stream, an isolation or circulator is used to prevent additional indicators from entering the receiver outcome areas while allowing RF signals to pass through the antennas, significantly reducing the number of intermodulation artifacts produced.
In applications where sound loyalty is crucial, the IFBT2. 0 offers IFB, NU Hybrid, and EU Hybrid compatibility forms, enabling it to be used in IFB, NU and different applications, including point-to-point voice. It is fully compatible with Venue 2 to LR, DSQD, DCR822 and DSR4, as well as Lectrosonics ‘ existing line of IFBR1B, IFBR1C ( IFBlue ), legacy IFBR1 and IFBR1A receivers.
Get a free Mix SmartBrief license to learn even more fantastic tales!
Rack-ɱounting haɾdware is included with the IFBT2. 0, which can either be racked with the additional RMPRM2T-1 system or racked alone with the Lectrosonics M2T or DSQD products. For eαse of use and durabiliƫy, thȩ back section has α color Disρlay ƒor menu navigation and surveillance and tactile buttons.
Bɾyan St. Pere, the drummer, passed away in 2021, and Hum also has Jason Gerken ( Shiner, etc. ), who previously subbed for them on their 2015 tour and also subbed for them this time around. See below for their setlist and attendee-taken film from their collection.
Night one of Slide Away 2026 in NYC also included sets from Nothing (who are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their second LP, Tired of Tomorrow), Lovesliescrushing, Bleary Eyed, and Frankie Rose. See pictures from the whole night by Ben Stas below.
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Frankie Rose
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
( Ben Stas ‘ photo of Bleary Eyed )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Loveliescrawling ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Ben Stas ‘ pictures of Chapterhouse
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Ben Stas’s image
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Nothing ( Ben Stas ‘ photo )
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Ben Stas’s image
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Ben Stas’s image
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Hum (Ben Stas’s image)
Ben Stas’s image
SETLIST: HUM @ BROOKLYN PARAMOUNT, 5/15/2026Little DipperIron Clad LouDesert RamblerGreen to MeAfternoon With the AxolotlsWavesStep Into YouStarsFoldingShapeshifterEncore:I’d Like Your Hair LongI Hate It Too
Hybe Company is the latecomer amongst Okay-pop companies and was based in Seoul in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk. How a expertise company that had simply 4 staff in 2007 and was getting ready to chapter managed to overhaul the “Huge Three” and develop into the biggest Okay-pop conglomerate is a exceptional success story that’s now to be examined in better element.
The Economics of Okay-pop – Half 8: The Hybe Company
Bang Si-hyuk[1] was already a composer and songwriter throughout his faculty days[2] and in 1997 met Park Jin-young, who was about the identical age and went on to discovered the Okay-pop company YG Leisure that very same yr.[3] Bang joined YG as a composer, arranger and producer, and was primarily chargeable for a number of hits by the boy band g.o.d.[4] In 2005, he left YG Leisure to start out his personal expertise company, Huge Hit Leisure, which didn’t get off to begin. It was solely after signing the trio 8Eight that the corporate started to see its first successes and safe its monetary stability.[5]
Nevertheless, Bang laid the foundations for constructing a company empire in 2010 when he signed the then 15-year-old Kim Nam-joon, higher often called Rap Monster or RM for brief. As now we have already seen, Huge Hit Leisure constructed BTS – arguably probably the most profitable Okay-pop act up to now – round RM. In 2013, when BTS was launched to the general public, Huge Hit Leisure was nonetheless a small fish within the Okay-pop ocean, which was dominated by SM, YG and JPG Leisure. At the moment, hardly anybody took any discover of BTS and Huge Hit Leisure, because the creator of the e-book “BTS – The Overview” famous in an interview.[6] To remain afloat financially, Huge Hit had been working with JYP Leisure since 2010, managing the boy band 2AM, which had been spun off from the eleven-member group One Day after successful the fact TV present “Sizzling Blood Males”.[7] In April 2014, the contract between Huge Hit and JYP Leisure ended, and three members of 2AM returned to JYP, while Lee Chang-min remained with Huge Hit and shaped the duo Homme with Lee Hyun from the just lately disbanded pop group 8Eight.[8]
In the meantime, BTS continued to construct their profession with album releases and their first worldwide excursions, although that they had but to attain a significant breakthrough. In September 2017, nonetheless, BTS lastly managed to interrupt into the worldwide charts for the primary time with their EP “Love Your self: Her”.[9] This caught the eye of buyers, and so the Korean cellular gaming firm Netmarble acquired a stake in Huge Hit for KRW 201.4 billion (equal to US $191.8 million), changing into the second-largest shareholder with a 25.71 per cent stake. The funding was actually additionally facilitated by the truth that the founding father of Netmarble was a cousin of Bang Si-hyuk.[10]
In March 2019, Huge Hit launched one other boy band, Tomorrow X Collectively (TXT for brief),[11] which was set to develop into the corporate’s second supply of revenue. Nevertheless, 2019 was above all a yr of company acquisitions. In July, Huge Hit acquired the label Supply Music[12] and, a month later, the video games developer Excellent.[13] In Could 2020, Huge Hit additionally grew to become the bulk shareholder of Pledis Leisure, a label based in 2007,[14] which had launched Son Dam-bi, the feminine counterpart to Okay-pop star Rain, in addition to the massively profitable boy band SEVENTEEN.[15]
The growth of the artist roster and the institution of a multi-label construction had been additionally pushed by the upcoming IPO. This proved to be an important success. The preliminary difficulty value for Hit Huge Leisure shares was set on the equal of US $117 on 15 October 2020. By the tip of the primary buying and selling day, the share value had virtually doubled to the equal of US $225.[16] This not solely made Huge Hit founder Bang Si-hyuk, who held a 36.6 per cent stake within the firm on the time, a billionaire, but in addition benefited the seven BTS members, who had opted to be paid in firm shares when renewing their contracts. Every band member grew to become US $15.6 million richer in a single stroke.[17]
This meant that Huge Hit Leisure had joined the ranks of the “Huge Three” within the Okay-pop business and would go on to surpass the three conglomerates within the years that adopted. An preliminary try was made as early as January 2021, when Huge Hit and its three way partnership BeNX acquired a 17.9 per cent stake in YG Plus, a subsidiary of YG Leisure. BeNX operated the fan group platform Weverse, by which the web group Naver has now invested KRW 355 billion (US$321 million), buying 49 per cent of the corporate’s shares in return. This deal catapulted Huge Hit into new spheres. Weverse had develop into not solely an essential platform for followers to speak with their idols, but in addition a key distribution channel for merchandise and different fan gadgets. Finally, BeNX was restructured into Weverse Firm.[18]
Nevertheless, probably the most vital step in the direction of changing into a number one Okay-pop firm was the company restructuring that started in March 2021, which additionally resulted within the renaming of the corporate to Hybe Company. Huge Hit grew to become the label Huge Hit Music, which now contains BTS and Tomorrow X Collectively, in addition to former 8Eight member Lee Hyun. Alongside Huge Hit Music, the label conglomerate now comprised Belift Lab (that includes the boy band Enhypen), Supply Music (that includes the lady band Le Sserafim), Pledis Leisure (that includes the boy band SEVENTEEN), Koz Leisure (that includes the rapper Zico) and Hybe Labels Japan (later renamed YX Labels). The second pillar was designated because the “Options” division, comprising the sport developer Excellent Corp., HYBE Three Sixty, HYBE IP, HYBE Edu, and the 2 Japanese subsidiaries HYBE Options Japan and HYBE T&D Japan. Lastly, Weverse Firm shaped the third pillar, “Platforms”.[19]
Whereas the restructuring course of was nonetheless underway, the Okay-pop group—now often called Hybe Company—set about its subsequent growth, this time into the US. In April 2021, Hybe America acquired Ithaca Holdings from Scooter Braun for US $950 million, a deal that included Taylor Swift’s label, Huge Machine.[20] Nevertheless, previous to this deal, Scooter Braun had already offered the celebrity’s first six studio albums to the personal fairness agency, the Carlyle Group.[21] Nevertheless, the Carlyle Group additionally held a stake in Ithaca Holdings and, as a part of this deal, has now offered its stake to Hybe Company. Scooter Braun has develop into co-CEO of Hybe America[22] and Scott Borchetta remained CEO of Huge Machine Label Group till February 2026.[23] A US $100 million capital improve carried out at Hybe America on the finish of March 2026 reveals that income fell by 59 per cent between 2022 and 2024, from KRW 70.4 billion to KRW 28.8 billion (equal to US$19 million). Though losses fell by 76 per cent to KRW 18.3 billion (US$12 million) over the identical interval, they continue to be properly into the crimson.[24] These figures present that increasing into overseas markets, and significantly into the US, includes excessive prices and dangers.
Nonetheless, following the group’s restructuring into Hybe Company in 2022, issues have settled down. The corporate’s founder, Bang Si-hyuk, stepped down from his position as CEO to affix the supervisory board, leaving the day-to-day operating of the enterprise to a youthful administration duo.[25]
In February 2023, Hybe then launched its massive transfer. Following a dispute amongst SM Leisure’s high administration, Hybe acquired the 14.8 per cent stake that SM founder Lee So-man had put up on the market.[26] This triggered a bidding battle for SM Leisure, because the leisure and media group Kakao additionally wished to amass a stake in SM. Finally, nonetheless, Hybe withdrew from the hostile takeover and offered half of its stake to Kakao, retaining simply 8.81 per cent in its rival.[27] This stake was finally offered to the Chinese language tech large Tencent in Could 2025.[28] With this deal – although it finally failed – Hybe demonstrated that it had not solely risen to affix the “Huge Three”, however was even able to taking on one in all its opponents. In consequence, Hybe had develop into the main Okay-pop company.
This was additional underlined by the truth that Hybe not solely had workplaces in Japan and the US, however had additionally expanded its operations to China, Latin America and India. Hybe Latin America was established following the acquisition of Exile Content material’s music division in November 2023, with Spanish-speaking workplaces opening in Mexico Metropolis, Los Angeles and Miami.[29] The institution of a department in China adopted with the founding of Hybe China in April 2025[30] and 5 months later, Hybe India Leisure was launched in Mumbai.[31]
Hybe had thus develop into an internationally energetic group that had outperformed its South Korean opponents, a reality additionally mirrored in its monetary figures (fig. 5.8). Even within the yr of its IPO, Hybe was clearly in first place with consolidated group income of KRW 796 billion, properly forward of SM Leisure (KRW 580 billion). The breathtaking income development over the subsequent two years – up 174 per cent to KRW 2.2 trillion – widened the hole with its opponents even additional. It was not till 2024 that income development slowed to three.6 per cent, although this nonetheless represented greater than double the income of its nearest competitor, SM Leisure, which stood at KRW 990 billion.
Determine 5.8: Hybe Company’s income, price and revenue tendencies, 2020-2024
Supply: After https://hybecorp.com/eng/ir/finance/revenue (Accessed 27 Feb 2026)
As price of gross sales rose at roughly the identical price as income between 2020 and 2023, Hybe was capable of double its working revenue throughout this era. The truth that the consequence was not higher was primarily as a consequence of advertising and overhead prices, which greater than tripled. As this development continued into 2024, working revenue fell by virtually 40 per cent to KRW 184 billion that yr. That is additionally mirrored within the web revenue, which grew by 111 per cent to KRW 183 billion between 2020 and 2023, however turned unfavorable in 2024 as a consequence of a closely unfavorable extraordinary results of KRW 3 billion. General, Hybe has additionally felt the results of the downturn within the Okay-pop market, however due to BTS‘s comeback in 2026, it could actually hope to return to a path of development and revenue. Nevertheless, the authorized troubles dealing with Hybe’s founder, Bang Si-hyuk, may show to be a significant drawback. Since July 2025, investigations have been underway towards him and three different staff relating to unauthorised insider buying and selling earlier than Hybe’s IPO. The bombshell got here in April 2026, when an arrest warrant was issued and Bang was barred from leaving South Korea, stopping him from attending BTS‘s opening live performance within the US. This monetary scandal may nonetheless forged a protracted shadow over Hybe’s success story.
Endnotes
[1] Kang, Haeryun. 2020. ‘Hitman’ Bang Si-hyuk, The Model-New Billionaire Behind BTS. NPR, 18 November. https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/935848354/hitman-bang-si-hyuk-the-brand-new-billionaire-behind-bts. Accessed 26 Feb 2026
[2] Kang, Haeryun. 2020. ‘Hitman’ Bang Si-hyuk
[3] Han, Eun-hwa. 2016. Independence is vital to Okay-pop success
[4] Bruner, Raisa. 2019. The Mastermind Behind BTS
[5] Yoon, Sung-yeol. 2014. 8Eight to briefly disband after seven years… ‘Pursuing particular person music actions’. Star Information, 21. Dezember. https://m.entertain.naver.com/house/article/108/0002369958. Translated with DeepL. Accessed 26 Feb 2026
[6] Kang, Haeryun. 2020. ‘Hitman’ Bang Si-hyuk
[7] KoreAm. 2010. Cowl Story: 2PM
[8] Lee Min-ji. 2014. 2AM’s Jo Kwon, Im Seulong, and Jung Jin Woon Return to JYP Leisure. Newsen, 9 April. https://net.archive.org/net/20160312112024/http://mwave.curiosity.me/enewsworld/en/article/63193/2am-changes-agencies. Accessed 26 Feb 2026
[9] Wikipedia. 2026. Love Your self: Her
[10] Ha, Solar-young. 2018. Cousins unite as Netmarble buys stake in Huge Hit. Korea JoongAng Day by day, 6 April. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2018/04/06/business/Cousins-unite-as-Netmarble-buys-stake-in-Huge-Hit/3046607.html. Accessed 26 Feb 2026
[11] Kelley, Caitlin. 2019. BTS’s Label Reveals TOMORROW X TOGETHER Will Debut March 4. Forbes, 6 February. https://www.forbes.com/websites/caitlinkelley/2019/02/06/bts-bighit-tomorrow-x-together-txt-debut/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[12] Kelley, Caitlin. 2019. Huge Hit Leisure, BTS’s Label, Acquires Supply Music. Forbes, 28 July. https://www.forbes.com/websites/caitlinkelley/2019/07/28/btss-label-big-hit-entertainment-acquired-source-music/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[13] Kim, Eun-ae. 2019. Huge Hit acquires music recreation firm Excellent. Bang Si-hyuk: ‘It can deliver optimistic worth’. Osen, 19. August. https://m.entertain.naver.com/now/article/109/0004070079. Translated with DeepL. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[14] Herman, Tamar. 2020. BTS’s Company Huge Hit Turns into Majority Shareholder Of Okay-Pop Firm Pledis, House To Seventeen & NU’EST. Forbes, 24 Could. https://www.forbes.com/websites/tamarherman/2020/05/24/btss-agency-big-hit-becomes-majority-shareholder-of-k-pop-company-pledis-home-to-seventeen–nuest/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[15] Kim, Jung-wook. 2007. “Do you need to hear my title, my title is Son Dam-bi, and also you need to hear my story about ‘Rattling’?” Edaily, 25 June. https://www.edaily.co.kr/information/learn?newsId=02086086583165328&mediaCodeNo=257. Translated with DeepL. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[16] Stassen, Murray. 2020. Huge Hit CEO Bang Si-hyuk now price comfortably greater than $2bn as BTS agency’s IPO takes flight in Korea. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 15 October. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/big-hit-ceo-bang-si-hyuk-now-worth-comfortably-more-than-2bn-as-bts-firms-ipo-takes-flight-in-korea/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[17] Ibid.
[18] Yoon, So-yeon. 2021. Huge Hit, Naver and YG be a part of forces in a giant Okay-pop inventory swap. Korea JoongAng Day by day, 27 January. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/01/27/enterprise/business/Huge-Hit-Leisure-beNX-YG-Plus/20210127192300544.html. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[19] Stassen, Murray. 2021. BTS label Huge Hit Leisure formally rebrands as HYBE. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 19 March. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bts-label-big-hit-entertainment-officially-rebrands-as-hybe/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[20] Halperin, Shirley und Patrick Frater. 2021. BTS Label Proprietor HYBE Merges With Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings for $1 Billion. Selection, 2 April. https://selection.com/2021/digital/information/hybe-merges-ithaca-holdings-scooter-braun-bts-1234943092/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[21] Halperin, Shirley. 2020. Scooter Braun Sells Taylor Swift’s Huge Machine Masters for Huge Payday. Selection, 16 November. https://selection.com/2020/music/information/scooter-braun-sells-taylor-swift-big-machine-masters-1234832080/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[22] Ingham, Tim. 2021. Scooter Braun sells Ithaca Holdings to HYBE, previously often called Huge Hit Leisure, for $1 billion. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 2 April. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/scooter-braun-sells-ithaca-holdings-to-hybe-formerly-big-hit-entertainment/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[23] Stassen, Murray. 2026. Scott Borchetta exits HYBE AMERICA. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 12 February. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/scott-borchetta-exits-hybe-america/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[24] Stassen, Murray. 2026. HYBE to inject $100M into US subsidiary, HYBE America. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 1 April. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hybe-the-home-of-bts-injects-100m-into-us-subsidiary-hybe-america12/. Accessed 02 Apr 2026
[25] Stassen, Murray. 2021. Bang Si-hyuk steps down as CEO of HYBE, previously often called Huge Hit Leisure. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 1 July. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bang-si-hyuk-steps-down-as-ceo-of-hybe/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[26] Hong, Yoo. 2023. SM founder Lee Soo-man joins palms with Hybe to counter SM’s Kakao partnership. The Korea Herald, 10 February. https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3059457. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[27] Yim, Hyunsu. 2023. Okay-pop takeover battle loser HYBE to promote $437 mln stake in SM. Reuters, 24 March. https://www.reuters.com/markets/offers/south-koreas-hybe-sell-its-stake-sm-entertainment-2023-03-24/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[28] Stassen, Murray. 2025. HYBE is promoting its total stake in Okay-Pop rival SM Leisure to Tencent Music for practically $180m. Music Enterprise Worldwide, 27 Could. https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/hybe-to-sell-entire-stake-in-k-pop-rival-sm-entertainment-to-tencent-music-for-nearly-180m/. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[29] The Straits Instances. 2023. Okay-pop large Hybe buys its first Latin music firm. 13 November. https://www.straitstimes.com/life/leisure/k-pop-giant-hybe-buys-its-first-latin-music-company. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[30] Yoon, So-yeon. 2025. HYBE China opens in Beijing as Okay-pop powerhouse goals to spice up presence in native scene. Korea JoongAng Day by day, 29 Could. https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/information/2025-05-29/enterprise/business/HYBE-China-opens-in-Beijing-as-Kpop-powerhouse-aims-to-boost-presence-in-local-scene/2318504. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
[31] Agarwal, Bhavna. 2025. BTS’ firm HYBE formally launches Indian subsidiary HYBE India. India In the present day, 23 September. https://www.indiatoday.in/leisure/music/story/bts-company-hybe-officially-launches-indian-subsidiary-hybe-india-2791696-2025-09-23. Accessed 27 Feb 2026
