# Steve Stoute

> Steve Stoute is a Queens-born music executive, advertising entrepreneur and author who founded Translation and UnitedMasters. After managing artists and holding senior posts at Sony Music and Interscope, he moved into advertising to connect brands with culture, then returned to music technology with a platform built around independent artists retaining ownership, reaching fans and earning from their work.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at UnitedMasters and Translation
- **Organizations:** UnitedMasters, Translation, Sony Music Entertainment, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Ill Will Records, Carol's Daughter, Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now
- **From:** New York, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Syracuse University
- **Known for:** Founded Translation in 2004 and UnitedMasters in 2017., Helped broker Jay-Z's S. Carter Reebok partnership, the first signature sneaker line for a non-athlete., Worked on the artist-and-brand strategy around McDonald's global 'I'm Lovin' It' campaign.

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Entered the music business, managed producers and artists including Nas, and held senior urban-music roles at Sony Music and Interscope Geffen A&M.
- **1999** — Co-founded Ill Will Records with Nas.
- **2001** — Created PASS with advertising executive Peter Arnell, beginning his formal move from record companies into brand marketing.
- **2003** — Helped broker Jay-Z's S. Carter partnership with Reebok, widely described as the first signature sneaker line for a non-athlete.
- **2004** — Founded the independent creative agency Translation.
- **2005** — Became managing director and CEO of Carol's Daughter, where he was also a co-owner.
- **2008** — Co-founded the Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now with Mary J. Blige.
- **2011** — Published The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy.
- **2014** — The Tanning of America became a four-part VH1 documentary series.
- **2017** — Founded UnitedMasters after raising a $70 million Series A led by Alphabet with Andreessen Horowitz and 21st Century Fox.
- **2018** — UnitedMasters announced a global partnership with the NBA to place independent artists' music across league media.
- **2021** — UnitedMasters raised a $50 million Series B led by Apple, followed by a $50 million Series C led by Andreessen Horowitz at a $550 million valuation.
- **2024** — Partnered with Davido on Nine+ Records, a label designed to let developing artists retain their masters and royalties.
- **2025** — UnitedMasters launched Blueprint AI and Real-Time Royalties, offering personalized career guidance and near-daily access to eligible streaming earnings.

## Achievements

- Founded Translation in 2004 and UnitedMasters in 2017.
- Helped broker Jay-Z's S. Carter Reebok partnership, the first signature sneaker line for a non-athlete.
- Worked on the artist-and-brand strategy around McDonald's global 'I'm Lovin' It' campaign.
- Managed or helped develop the careers of artists including Nas, Mary J. Blige, Will Smith and Mariah Carey.
- Published The Tanning of America in 2011; the book became a four-part VH1 documentary in 2014.
- Raised $170 million for UnitedMasters across its first three disclosed rounds, including investments led by Alphabet, Apple and Andreessen Horowitz.
- Was inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Advertising Hall of Achievement in 2008.
- Was named Variety's Music Mogul of the Year in 2025.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — In a long-form interview with David Senra, Stoute argued that independent artists are the new small businesses and predicted that direct fan relationships and first-party audience data will define the next phase of music platforms.
- **2026-01** — Appeared on Emma Grede's Aspire podcast to discuss rejection, relationships, cultural strategy and building Translation and UnitedMasters.
- **2025-07** — Variety named Stoute its 2025 Music Mogul of the Year.
- **2025-06** — Published '10 Things That Struck Me at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity,' arguing that the event risked losing focus on creative work.
- **2025-05** — UnitedMasters introduced Blueprint AI and Real-Time Royalties for eligible SELECT and PARTNER artists.

## Links

- Website: https://unitedmasters.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevestoute
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnitedMasters
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevestoute/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/steve-stoute
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27