Interscope Expands Into Brazil With Hip-Hop Signing and Supernova Deal

Interscope Records, the US label home to a long list of hip-hop and pop acts, said on Friday 6 November that it is expanding into Brazil. Its first move is the signing of Brazilian hip-hop artist BK, alongside a joint venture with Supernova Entertainment, a Brazilian urban label.

A joint venture is a partnership in which two companies share a project. In this case, Interscope's arrangement with Supernova covers Supernova's catalogue, meaning the existing recordings the label owns and earns money from. It also sets up a partnership to sign new artists, according to Billboard, which first reported the deal.

Supernova is led by founder and chief executive Gustavo Pimentel. The label's deal with Interscope is its first with a major label in Brazil, and BK is the first artist Interscope has signed under its Brazil plans.

The signing lands on a milestone for the rapper. It coincides with the tenth anniversary of his debut album, Castelos & Ruinas. His first release under the Interscope deal will be a remix of that album, with new production and new collaborations with other artists.

For BK, the anniversary gives the new contract a clear starting point. A record from a decade ago is being rebuilt for a new audience, with new voices added to the tracks.

For Interscope, the move extends its reach into a market that is one of the largest music markets in Latin America. The deal gives the label a local partner with an existing catalogue and a team that already knows the scene, rather than starting from scratch.

Deals like this one are worth watching because they show how major labels now grow. Rather than opening local offices alone, they often buy into or partner with independent companies that already have artists, catalogue and fans. Interscope has chosen that route in Brazil.

No further signings or release dates were given in the announcement. Interscope and Supernova have not publicly set out financial terms.