Scooter Braun is a music manager and entrepreneur, best known for discovering Justin Bieber and managing artists like Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato and Kanye West.
His career began as a college party promoter in Atlanta, where he eventually transitioned into managing and promoting artists like Ludacris, Ciara and Lil Jon.
Braun gained prominence in the industry after signing Bieber and launching RBMG Records with Usher.
His management company, SB Projects, represents various artists, including Black Eyed Peas, Ava Max and Tori Kelly.
Net worth | $500 million |
Profession | Entrepreneur |
Date of birth | June 18, 1981 |
Nationality | American |
Background
Braun, born Scott Samuel Braun in 1981 in New York City, comes from a Jewish background.
His parents, Ervin and Susan, are Conservative Jews of Hungarian descent.
Ervin worked as a dentist, while Susan was an orthodontist.
Braun’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors, with his grandfather surviving Dachau and his grandmother enduring Auschwitz.
His family history has significantly influenced his life, with Braun expressing gratitude for his heritage and the lessons learned from his grandparents’ experiences during the Holocaust.
Net worth
Braun’s substantial net worth of around $500 million is primarily attributed to his successful career as a music manager and entrepreneur.
Through his management company, SB Projects, Braun represents a roster of high-profile artists, secures lucrative deals, and ventures into various business opportunities within the music and entertainment industry.
His early successes with artists like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Kanye West have significantly contributed to his wealth.
Additionally, Braun’s entrepreneurial endeavors, such as his investments in tech startups, media companies, and other ventures, have further bolstered his financial standing.
His ability to identify and capitalize on emerging trends in the entertainment industry has played a crucial role in his financial success.
Real estate
Braun owns two sprawling mansions worth over $100 million.
His real estate portfolio includes a $65 million Brentwood mansion in Los Angeles and a $36 million Moorish-inspired Montecito estate.
The Brentwood mansion, designed by award-winning architect Noah Walker, is a 19,000-square-foot showplace with vast indoor-outdoor spaces, amenities such as a movie theater, gym and indoor lap pool.
The Montecito estate was previously owned by celebrity house flipper Ellen DeGeneres.
Braun also sold a Lake Austin mansion for $18 million in 2022.
Additionally, he has price-chopped John Travolta’s former L.A. estate, listed with Kurt Rappaport at Westside Estate Agency and Dalton Gomez of Aaron Kirman Group.
Career
Braun started his career as a party promoter in Atlanta while attending Emory University.
He gained recognition for planning after-parties for high-profile artists, eventually leading to a job at So So Def Recordings.
Braun co-founded the Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG) with Usher and discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube in 2008.
Under Braun’s management, Bieber’s career skyrocketed, leading to the establishment of SB Projects, a multidimensional company involved in artist management, film, TV and technology.
In addition to his music management career, he co-founded TQ Ventures, Mythos Studios and RBMG Records and co-owns the esports team 100 Thieves.
Braun was named the chief executive of Hybe America, the US subsidiary of Hybe Corporation, in 2021.
Managing talents
Braun is known for managing artists like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J Balvin, Demi Lovato, The Kid Laroi, Black Eyed Peas, Ava Max, Tori Kelly and others.
He has been recognized for his work with awards such as the Best Talent Manager at the International Music Industry Awards and the Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award.
In 2013, Braun was included in the ‘Time 100’ list of most influential people in the world.
Despite his success, he has faced controversies, including public disputes with Taylor Swift over the acquisition of her masters and the departure of high-profile clients like Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.
In 2021, Braun sold his company Ithaca Holdings to HYBE, the music company formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment, and now sits on the board of HYBE as the CEO of HYBE America.
Ithaca Holdings
Ithaca Holdings is a company founded by Braun, which was sold to HYBE America (formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment) in 2021 for over $1 billion.
Ithaca Holdings was the parent company of Braun’s management business, SB Projects, which represents artists like Big Machine Label Group.
Ithaca Holdings also owned Atlas Music Publishing, Raised in Space (a music startup accelerator).and Big Machine Label Group.
The acquisition of Big Machine Label Group gave Ithaca the rights to Taylor Swift’s first six albums, which were later sold to Shamrock Capital in 2020.
The sale of Ithaca Holdings to HYBE America allowed Braun to join the board of HYBE and integrate HYBE’s systems and curation in the U.S. market at the onset of an artist’s career.
This partnership aimed to create synergy, transcend borders, and break down cultural barriers, establishing a new paradigm in the music industry.
Ithaca Holdings’ acquisition of Big Machine Label Group was controversial, as it made Braun the owner of Swift’s first six albums, leading to backlash from her fans and Swift herself.
However, the sale of Swift’s master rights to Shamrock Capital in 2020 allowed her to begin releasing re-recorded versions of her initial albums.
Philanthropic efforts
Braun’s philanthropic efforts are extensive and impactful.
He is involved in various charities, including the Braun Family Foundation and Pencils of Promise, a charity founded by his brother Adam.
Braun has supported causes like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he and his clients have granted more wishes than any other entity.
Notably, he coordinated the charity single, Stuck With U, by Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande to raise funds for the First Responders Children’s Foundation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Braun’s commitment to philanthropy extends beyond his personal endeavors.
He encourages philanthropy in his artists who have raised significant funds for various causes like Pencils of Promise and the No-Kill Los Angeles animal shelter.
Personal life
Braun was married to Yael Cohen, an activist and charity founder, from 2014 to 2021, finalizing their divorce in 2022.
They have three children together: son Jagger, born in 2015, son Levi, born in 2016 and daughter Hart, born in 2018.
Divorce settlement
Braun and Yael have finalized their divorce, with Braun agreeing to pay Cohen $20 million as part of the settlement.
This payment is in addition to the $60,000 per month in child support Braun will pay for their three children.
The couple had a prenuptial agreement that allowed them to divide their assets according to its terms, avoiding lengthy legal battles.
Braun will keep a $65 million home in Brentwood, a $40 million private jet, more than 100 pieces of art, a Porsche, a Tesla and an undisclosed sum in investments and financial accounts.
Yael will keep a separate $30 million Brentwood home, additional artwork, a Land Rover and her own collection of bank accounts.
The couple shares joint custody of their children, with child support awarded to Cohen.
Braun’s career as a music manager required a discovery confidentiality stipulation and order to protect sensitive business information.
Controversies
One of the most notable controversies is his feud with Taylor Swift.
I 2019, Braun’s company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired Big Machine Label Group, which owned the rights to Swift’s first six albums. , Braun’s company, Ithaca Holdings, acquired Big Machine Label Group, which owned the rights to Swift’s first six albums.
Swift expressed her displeasure, claiming that Braun had been bullying her for years and that she was not given the opportunity to buy back her music.
This led to a public spat between the two, with Swift accusing Braun of taking advantage of her and Braun defending his actions.
Another controversy surrounding Braun is the high-profile exits of some of his clients, such as Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande.
While the reasons for their departures have not been officially confirmed, reports suggest that there were disagreements over creative and business decisions.
These exits have fueled speculation about Braun’s management style and relationships with his clients.
Braun’s reputation for careerism and conflicts with clients like Madison Beer and Todrick Hall has also contributed to the controversy surrounding him.
Beer, who was previously managed by Braun, accused him of prioritizing financial gain over her artistic development and well-being.
Hall, who worked with Braun on a reality show, claimed that Braun was more interested in promoting himself than supporting the show’s contestants.