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Will McKinney-Raphelt
Senior Product Manager at RCA Germany x GOLD LEAGUE - Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH
Will McKinney-Raphelt is a seasoned music industry executive with over 15 years of experience, currently working as a Senior Product Manager at RCA Germany x GOLD LEAGUE, which is part of Sony Music Entertainment Germany GmbH.23 In this role, he focuses on international hip-hop, R&B, and Afrobeats artists.2
Career and Expertise
McKinney-Raphelt's primary responsibilities include:
- Overseeing product releases and marketing campaigns for a roster of superstar artists, including A$AP Rocky, Wizkid, and Chris Brown.2
- Developing marketing strategies to revitalize legendary albums and songs from international artists.1
- Creating campaigns that convey the nostalgia of classic music through social media, partnerships, events, and content creation.1
Background and Experience
Will McKinney-Raphelt has an impressive track record in the music industry:
- He holds a degree in Music Business from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.1
- His career spans 13 years, during which he has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry.1
- He has collaborated with artists such as Michael Jackson (through his estate), Ozzy Osbourne, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston's estate, Wu-Tang Clan, Outkast, Wyclef Jean, Mobb Deep, Lauryn Hill, and Destiny's Child.1
Passion and Projects
McKinney-Raphelt is particularly passionate about hip-hop and R&B music.1 Some of his notable projects include:
- Working on the 25th anniversary of A Tribe Called Quest's debut album.1
- Creating "Certified," a social media and lifestyle brand for classic hip-hop and R&B, which is now distributed in Germany, Italy, and South Africa in addition to the United States.1
Current Role and Responsibilities
In his position at Sony Music Germany, McKinney-Raphelt:
- Works in the catalog department, focusing on giving new life to legendary albums by international artists.1
- Develops creative ideas to reach German music fans and remind them of the timeless nature of classic songs and albums.1
- Collaborates closely with artists to present their music in innovative ways that fans haven't seen or heard before.1
Will McKinney-Raphelt's extensive experience and passion for hip-hop and R&B make him a valuable asset in the international music marketing landscape, particularly in bridging classic music with contemporary audiences.
Highlights
I'm excited to announce that I have joined RCA Records Germany x GOLD LEAGUE as Senior Product Manager for international Hip-Hop | R&B | Afrobeats!
I will have the pleasure of working truly incredible superstars and future stars in the making in the Germany market like A$AP Rocky, Victoria Monét, Wizkid, Tems, Chris Brown, Miguel, Bryson Tiller, Normani, Latto, Kaytranada, Flo Milli, Khalid, Tyler ICU, Mellow & Sleezy, Felo Le Tee, and many many more!
Catalog gave me the tremendous opportunity to meet and connect with some of the most brilliant minds whose love for music was a constant inspiration to show up for our incredible roster of artists and ensure that their music lives on forever. There are too many amazing memories to say but I will forever be grateful to the CMG/Legacy/Catalog family for every second.
Now as I look forward to my new life in frontline, I’m excited to finally see the other side of the business and help ensure global success for our roster and I couldn’t be more thrilled to do it with RCA!
Sony Music Entertainment Germany had the honor to partner with Deschoolonize e.V x Black Future Week x Vitamin Black during Black History Music to present a Record Label 101 workshop within Deschoolonize’s PROGRESS Educational Congress day.
Record Label 101 was an informative and interactive workshop that taught black & brown youth and young professionals attendees in Berlin about the various job roles of the music industry, particularly inside a record label with the goal of inspiring the next generation of music industry executives in Germany and beyond.
Best of all, we also gave attendees the chance to submit their resumes in an effort to help diversify Sony’s talent pool.
Thank you to IAN ANDRES LAWRENCE, Jeffrey Ach (DJ Jenesis), Tithey Schulz, Jordanis Jordan Jardena Kifle, Deschoolonize, Chiderah Sunny, Peggy Adamu, Alena Edwards, Nicki Kariuki, Ana Rungo, Josef Adugna, Anais Dukunze and everyone else involved as this was an incredible & inspiring event 🙏🏾 #blackhistory365
