News

UTA has hired prominent hip hop booking agents Caroline Yim and Zach Iser as partners at the agency, the company announced Tuesday, with the two coming over after previously serving as co-heads of hip hop and R&b at WME.

The company didn’t disclose which clients, if any, would be moving over with Yim and Iser to UTA, though their clients have included Doechii, Jhene Aiko, Future and Anderson .Paak among others. Some of UTA’s biggest artists include Bad Bunny, Lil Wayne, Christina Aguilera, Guns N’ Roses, and the Jonas Brothers.

“We’ve long admired the way Zach and Caroline discover, nurture, and build the careers of artists,” UTA president David Kramer said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to UTA and have our clients benefit from their command of the hip-hop and R&b arena. We will continue to invest in music and remain...

Wasserman Music has hired three leading industry executives, Kevin Shivers, James Rubin and Cristina Baxter. Shivers and Rubin will join the company’s Executive Leadership Team, marking its biggest leadership expansion since it launched in 2021.

All joined from WME where Shivers and Rubin were Senior Partners in the music division and co-directors of the Hip-Hop/R&b team, while Baxter was a Partner in the music division and co-director of the Pop and Rock teams. All have received multiple industry awards and represented top artists, who are expected to follow them to Wasserman Music.

Both Shivers and Rubin join as EVP & Managing Executive. Baxter joins as SVP. Shivers and Baxter are LA based, Rubin is in New York.

“Kevin, James, and Cristina are highly respected leaders in the industry who exemplify the values on which our company is built,” said Casey Wasserman, Chairman and CEO. “We’re thrilled to have...

Wasserman is expected to bolster its music unit with the hiring of two of WME’s co-heads of its hip-hop division, who are said to be on the move over to the Westwood-based talent management and production company, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Hip-hop division co-chiefs Kevin Shivers and James Rubin along with WME partner Christina Baxter are in talks to join Casey Wasserman’s firm. A source says that the trio were up for a new deal at WME but couldn’t come to terms with the agency. Shivers was said to be looking for a leadership role. Wasserman declined to comment.

The hip-hop division at WME will continue to be led by the remaining co-leads, Caroline Yim and Zach Iser, who joined the agency in 2021 after moving over from CAA. Staffers at the Beverly Hills-based talent giant were informed of the WME departures on Jan. 2 with a short...

Caroline Yim and Zach Iser have joined WME, where the pair will be partners and co-heads of the agency Music division’s Hip-Hop/R&b team. They come over from CAA, where their clients included Anderson .Paak, Jhené Aiko, Kehlani, Megan Thee Stallion, Daniel Caesar and Swae Lee.

The move comes after WME earlier this month hired music agent Aaron Tannenbaum from CAA to join as a partner based in its Nashville office. Yim and Iser will run the Hip-Hop/R&b team alongside fellow co-heads James Rubin and Kevin Shivers.

“Caroline and Zach reflect the future of the music business, having already built an incredible roster of artists through their entrepreneurial approach to client representation,” said Scott Clayton, Lucy Dickins and Kirk Sommer, co-heads of WME’s Music Division. “Their addition underscores our commitment to the Hip-Hop/R&b space, and their energy will serve as a tremendous benefit...

Yasmine Pearl has joined Wme as an agent in the talent department.

Pearl most recently served as a manager at First Access Entertainment, where she worked with a diverse roster of leading talent such as Rita Ora (“Fifty Shades Grey,” “Southpaw”), award-winning music artist Zayn Malik, and breakout star of Annapurna’s “Detroit,” Algee Smith. Prior to her role at First Access Entertainment, Pearl launched her career in entertainment as an agent at the Osbrink Agency.

In addition, Pearl was previously recognized by the Talent Managers Association at the Heller Awards as the adult theatrical agent of the year.

Pearl will be based in the agency’s Beverly Hills office.

This news comes on the heels of the agency’s December partnership promotions, including Christine D’Souza Gelb, Deb McIntosh, Jasan Pagni, James Rubin, Kevin Shivers, and Lee White, as well as 10 agent promotions across various departments.

Wme has promoted six agents to partner: Endeavor content agents Christine D’Souza Gelb and Deb McIntosh, production agent Jasan Pagni, music agents James Rubin and Kevin Shivers, and nonscripted television agent Lee White.

The new partners are based in Beverly Hills, except for Rubin, who is based in New York.

Wme also has promoted 10 trainees to agent: in music, Carlos Abreu and Jonny Greenfield in London; Lara Christie in Beverly Hills and Danny Lieberman and Justin Nabors in New York; in digital, Justin Greenberg in Beverly Hills and Marissa Hurwitz in New York; in literary packaging, Flora Hackett in...