Dallas Martin Tapped As President Of Asylum Records

Martin (Photo Credit: Lance Gross)

The LA-based A&R executive and hip-hop mentor DALLAS MARTIN has been named President of ASYLUM RECORDS, a WARNER MUSIC GROUP (WMG) imprint.

He will continue at ATLANTIC RECORDS as EVP/A&R, reporting to WARNER MUSIC GROUP President of Independent Music & Creator Services ELIAH SETON and ATLANTIC RECORDS Chair/CEO CRAIG KALLMAN. MARTIN will oversee ASYLUM alongside Co-President GABRIELLE PELUSO.

MARTIN said, “It’s always been my dream to head a label as iconic as ASYLUM. I’m grateful to CRAIG KALLMAN, JULIE GREENWALD, and MIKE KYSER for believing in me and giving me the space to grow at ATLANTIC, and I’m excited to work with ELIAH and GABBY to continue to evolve ASYLUM.

“There’s no better feeling in our business than discovering and breaking a new artist, and I learned early on that it’s important to log as much time in the studio as you do in the office. There’s incredible untapped independent talent in the world, and I’m confident that we have everything it takes to be the best home for the stars of the future.”

SETON added, “DALLAS is a true champion for his artists, with an unflinching commitment to helping them realize their musical visions. He’s the consummate A&R, who’s not only able to spot great talent but nurture that talent by spending endless hours in the studio crafting hit records.

“That’s exactly the sort of artist-first philosophy that we’re cultivating at the new ASYLUM. Together, DALLAS and GABBY will make a fantastic leadership duo, backed by the brilliant ASYLUM team, as we continue to build the label into a coveted destination for the best in indie-spirited talent.”

In nearly a decade with WMG, MARTIN A&R’d Hip-Hop’s RODDY RICCH, MEEK MILL, WALE, RICK ROSS, OMARION, the late NIPSEY HUSSLE, and has mentored up-and-coming stars like CORDAE and SYMBA.

A graduate of HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY, he started  his career in 2008 as an intern at DEF JAM RECORDS under the late SHAKIR STEWART. In 2011, he moved to LOS ANGELES to join WARNER RECORDS, where he secured a deal with MIAMI rapper RICK ROSS and his MAYBACH MUSIC GROUP.

In addition to exclusively A&R’ing ROSS’s releases, MARTIN added MAYBACH’S MEEK MILL, WALE, and OMARION to the roster. He was instrumental in MILL’s debut studio album, DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES, which debuted at No. 2 on the BILLBOARD 200 and hit No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. He has A&R’d all of the rapper’s albums, including DREAMS WORTH MORE THAN MONEY and 2018’s GRAMMY-nominated CHAMPIONSHIPS.

In 2013, MARTIN transitioned to WMG sister company ATLANTIC RECORDS, where he signed the late NIPSEY HUSSLE, releasing the RIAA platinum album, VICTORY LAP and the GRAMMY winning single, “Racks in the Middle."

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