Barry Weiss
| Barry Weiss | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
February 11, 1959 Demarest, New Jersey, United States |
| Genres | Hip hop, rap, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Executive Producer, Producer |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Labels |
Island Def Jam Music Group/Republic Records (2011–2014) RCA/Jive Label Group (2008–2011) Jive Records (1991–2011) |
Barry Weiss (born February 11, 1959, in Demarest, New Jersey) is an American music executive. He served as chairman and CEO of The Island Def Jam Music Group and Universal Republic Records from 2011 to 2014, RCA/Jive Label Group from 2008 to 2011 and was also the CEO of its constituent Jive Records from 1991 to 2011. Both companies were under the purview of Sony Music Entertainment. Weiss is best known as an important force in the careers of Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, among numerous others. His late father, Hy Weiss, was a music entrepreneur from the first generation of rock'n'roll and Doo Wop music (Black and White vocal groups from Harlem), owning and operating Old Town Records from 1953 until 1996. Weiss was a member of Sigma Pi at Cornell University
In 1981, Clive Calder of Zomba started his first U.S. record label Jive Records, which released British dance and pop music such as Q-Feel, A Flock of Seagulls and Tight Fit. In 1982, Calder was introduced to a young Barry Weiss, fresh out of college at Cornell University. For his job interview with Zomba, Weiss took Calder out to hip-hop and black clubs all over New York City, demonstrating his keen awareness of the scene at the time. Calder was immediately impressed and hired him to scan sales data from all over the country searching for unknown acts with significant sales. Together, Weiss and Calder turned Jive into a veritable hip hop and rap empire throughout the eighties, beginning with Whodini.
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