*Legendary vocalist Patti LaBelle has entered into a royalty agreement with Primary Wave, marking another significant acquisition for the music company that has been actively expanding its portfolio throughout the year.
Primary Wave, founded in 2006, has established itself as a major player in the music industry by acquiring catalogs from legendary artists such as Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Stevie Nicks, Luther Vandross, The Notorious B.I.G., The Cars, and Peter Green, the former guitarist of Fleetwood Mac. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the arrangement with LaBelle encompasses royalty streams from her complete discography, a collection spanning 18 studio albums and three live recordings. Primary Wave did not reveal the monetary terms.
“We are so honored to be in business with a legend such as Ms. LaBelle,” said Steven Greener, an executive at Primary Wave. “She’s a true icon and trailblazer. We are looking forward to doing great things together.”
The agreement with LaBelle adds to the company’s growing list of major acquisitions in 2025. Earlier this year, Primary Wave acquired the rights to the Biggie Smalls catalog in a deal valued between $100 million and $150 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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Under the terms of that agreement, Primary Wave is expected to receive a 50% stake in both publishing and master recording rights, as well as control over the late rapper’s publicity rights. The publishing rights alone are reportedly valued at around $100 million, with the master recordings adding an estimated $30 million to $50 million. Some sources, however, indicated the final purchase price may have settled in the high eight-figure range instead of surpassing the $100 million mark.
The Biggie Smalls acquisition followed the death of Voletta Wallace, the rapper’s mother, who passed away at age 78. Wallace had been instrumental in protecting and managing her son’s legacy, overseeing estate matters including licensing agreements and merchandising partnerships.
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