Today it was announced that BMG Rights Management company purchased Evergreen Copyright Acquisitions, LLC. According to RapIndustry.com, the deal was secured with funds from Trilantic Capital Partners, as the newly purchased songs will join a growing catalog of over 65,000 at BMG.
Among a list of artists that includes ’70s Rock artist Joe Cocker and late singer-songwriter Nick Drake, two notable Hip Hop acts were included 2Pac and MC Hammer. Although the early reports do not disclose which recordings by the artist also known as Tupac Shakur were purchased, the Hammer acquisitions include 1990 monster hit “U Can’t Touch This,” a song that launched the veteran Oakland emcee into global stardom, selling 10 million copies of the Rick James-sampling single.
Although Hammer’s hit was recorded for Capitol Records, he and Shakur would be brief label-mates in 1996, at Death Row Records, shortly before 2Pac’s murder.
BMG now administers more than 200,000 titles in total.
AD LOADING...
“Trilantic’s co-investment in BMG validates the attractiveness of our joint venture. We are pleased that we have found another partner who shares our view of the opportunities in the evolving music industry”, said Thomas Rabe, BMG Chairman in a statement. “We are extremely pleased with the accomplishments of the Evergreen management team, who have done an outstanding job in growing the business,” said Charlie Ayres, founding partner and chairman of Trilantic Capital Partners. “We are thrilled to embark on a new joint venture partnership with KKR and Bertelsmann as we look for new opportunities for growth in the global music rights business.”
