(l to r) Influence senior partner Rene McLean, co-managing partner Lynn Hazan, founder Lylette Pizarro, and DJ Khaled. Photo Credit: Influence Media Partners
Three months after securing $360 million in debt financing, Influence Media Partners has taken a stake in DJ Khaled’s song rights and launched a pair of JVs with the New Orleans native.
New York City-headquartered Influence Media opted to emphasize the joint ventures – and its “unconventional” efforts “to increase future brand value for artists through multifaceted partnerships” – in the formal announcement.
Starting there, then, the first of the JVs will see Influence Media and DJ Khaled coordinate on “original content across film and television,” besides taking steps to “secure legacy-defining commercial ventures.”
Though the involved parties didn’t get into specifics here, Influence did indicate that “several film projects” are “currently in various stages of development” thanks to the tie-up. (DJ Khaled elaborated on his silver-screen ambitions in a Forbes interview.)
Additionally, the company – which had and presumably still has a hand in Will Smith’s comeback – relayed that the focus is also on “brand partnerships and content deals” in this area.
Hard details are sparser yet when it comes to other elements of the union, under which Influence will look to “expand commercial opportunities” via NIL “rights in certain exclusive categories.” Despite the lack of concrete information, logic suggests further announcements will shed light on the NIL dealmaking’s scope before long.
On the core song-rights side, BlackRock- and Warner Music-backed Influence only confirmed that it’d “invested in the rights of DJ Khaled’s illustrious music catalog.” But in a statement, DJ Khaled mentioned his “iconic recordings.”
“I’m proud that my legacy will continue to resonate and connect with audiences around the world with this partnership through Influence Media,” the 49-year-old said. “These iconic recordings I’ve created will continue to be curated in the most optimum manner to impact culture with nearly two decades of music.
“In addition, I’m excited for the world to see and experience the film and television projects Influence and We The Best are developing and producing together. This next phase of my career will be filled with ground-breaking cultural impact, and I look forward to being at the forefront in all categories,” concluded Khaled, who’s set to release an album entitled Aalam of God later in 2025.
Anonymous and purportedly well-informed sources have pointed to a nine-figure valuation for the deal; when reached for comment, an Influence Media rep didn’t immediately divulge the actual dollar amount at hand.
Whatever its total value, the deal marks the latest in a line of sizable music-IP plays on the year. Notwithstanding market factors and the sheer volume of already-wrapped catalog purchases, these transactions (all compiled by DMN Pro) extend to the work of Notorious B.I.G. and Deadmau5, with massive raises from GoldState, Pophouse, and more to boot.
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