Lyor Cohen’s Net Worth (& 9 Other Things You Didn’t Know About Him)

In the world of hip-hop, Lyor Cohen is known to be among the most notable figures of our time, not only because he’s always stayed ahead of the curve and redefined the future of the music industry, but also because of his passion for diversifying music.

Ever since Lyor Cohen joined YouTube as the Global Head of Music, he has been on a mission to completely transform the platform’s relationship with artists. While many artists support his humanized approach towards music instead of a data-driven one, others have heavily criticized it. Regardless of what one may think about him, he has sent ripples through the industry with his ideas and will probably continue doing so in the future.

10 Net Worth: $75 Million

At the age of 61, Lyor Cohen’s net worth is $75 million. The music industry magnate started his career with a degree in global marketing and finance, after which he worked for several musical shows in L.A. In 1989, he made a big leap in his music career when he directed his work more towards music labels rather than artists.

From 2004 to 2012, he was Warner Music Group’s chairman and chief executive and was credited for growing the label across YouTube and Spotify. After leaving Warner, Cohen started his own independent label called 300 Entertainment, and later in 2016, he was named YouTube’s Global Head of Music.

9 He Comes From A Family Of Immigrants

Lyor Cohen was born in New York to an Israeli immigrant family and his grandfather was an Israeli Army General. In 2014, he commented on the Palestinian–Israeli Conflict, saying “it’s extremism on both sides that’s the true villain in the peace process.”

He believes that only patience and a long-term process of healing can solve the conflict and that no quick fix will lead to sustainable peace.

8 He Experienced A Pulmonary Embolism In 2016

A Pulmonary embolism is a serious condition that is caused when a blood clot blocks an artery in the lungs. In April 2016, right after N.W.A ‘s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Cohen was hospitalized after experiencing a pulmonary embolism. He later credited Az, his son from his second marriage, and a close friend, for saving his life that day.

7 He’s Been Married Three Times

Lyor Cohen first married E.K. Smith, a fashion model who he met during the filming of the Beastie Boys “Fight For Your Right To Party” video. Flavor Flav even wrote about their Dominican Republic marriage in his book, claiming that he threw the couple into a swimming pool. In 1990, two years after his first marriage, Cohen married Amy, which also ended in divorce after 16 years.

In 2016, the music industry mogul tied the knot with Xin Li, who’s a former Chinese basketball player and presently the deputy chairman of Christie’s Asia. Their grand wedding was held at Cohen’s Hamptons beach house.

6 His Early Interest In Arts And Music Came From His Parents

In an interview, Cohen recalled how his father, a child psychologist, introduced him to music by playing “Dixieland jazz and classical music non-stop.” Calling his family home “bohemian,” Cohen said that his parents were always into opera, literature, and ballet.

However, unlike Cohen, they were less commercial and more grounded with their interest in arts and liberal culture. Cohen calls himself “the black sheep of his family” because he’s more inclined to the business and capitalism aspect of the arts.

5 He Worked At A Bank Before Entering The Music Industry

After studying international finance and marketing, Cohen took a conventional career path and started working at Bank Leumi, the National Bank of Israel, Los Angeles, for an annual salary of $14,000.

He hated his bank job and knew that his true calling was in the music industry, especially after watching hip-hop crew Uncle Jamm’s Army at the Civic Centre in LA. Soon after, he took his chances, loaned $700 from his mother for his first show, and successfully earned $36,000 from it. His early success now goes down in the history books of music.

4 Cohen Is Not a Fan Of The Grammys

In a recent interview, Cohen was asked about his take on The Weeknd being shut out of the Grammy nominations. He responded by recalling how at the 2012 Grammys, despite getting a nomination for O Brother, Where Art Thou?, he walked out of the award ceremony before the result was announced.

Further adding to this, he claimed that ever since he’s understood the convoluted process of how the Grammys work, he has been iffy about the awards.

3 He Believes That The Definition Of Music Labels Is Evolving

When Cohen was asked about his opinion on artists who abandon the music industry, his response was surprising. He said that he applauds artists who take that leap because artists may not need labels as much as they did before, at least not in the typical sense.

This explains why he’s so keen on expanding YouTube’s reach in the music industry and is trying to encourage music brands and agencies to invest in the platform.

2 He Has Always Had A Unique Approach Towards Problem-Solving

At the age of 22, Cohen landed his first job as a road manager for a young Run-DMC on their first European tour. Only a few minutes before their show when they were backstage, they realized that their DJ, the late Jam Master Jay, had forgotten to bring all his records.

Although terrified, Cohen thought out of the box, walked up on stage, and announced that Run-DMC wants to sign autographs, but they’ll prioritize those who are carrying their own records. This was a make-or-break moment in his career and he clearly made the best out of it.

1 More Than Anything Else, He’s Passionate About Signing New Artists

In his music career, which has been full of ups and downs, Cohen has always been interested in breaking out new artists and bringing new diversity to the distribution model.

He’s known to be one of the most powerful players in the traditional music business. But more than rising up further in the ranks, he’s more drawn to the idea of bringing new opportunities to artists. He believes subscription models used by Apple Music and Spotify are a start, but they’re limiting. For him, YouTube, which benefits from Google and its algorithm, is the future.

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