At the inaugural Trapital Summit held on October 3 in Hollywood, EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi made it clear that his company is not on the market. Speaking on a panel titled “The Rise of Independent Music,” Ghazi addressed acquisition rumors during a conversation with Trapital founder Dan Runcie. Runcie, noting that many independent music companies are being acquired or raising capital, asked if Ghazi had received more than four offers in the past year to sell or seek investment.
Ghazi’s response was definitive: “I haven’t gotten any phone calls because everybody knows I’m not for sale. Period. I am dead serious. I am living my purpose. There’s no price on that.”
This statement comes as other independent music distributors like Stem, Downtown, and Believe have explored acquisitions or fundraising. EMPIRE, known for its success in the independent music space, could be a prime target for major labels or private equity, but Ghazi insists that selling is not an option.
“I’m one of the very few people who doesn’t care about money for money’s sake,” Ghazi emphasized. “I care about the money I can share with others within the livelihood that I get to create. When I started EMPIRE, I wanted to be the Robin Hood of the music business, and I’ve stuck to my principles. People always poke around, but it never gets to me.”
Dancehall artist Spice released her third studio album “Mirror 25” via a distribution deal with Empire.
Ghazi explained that his focus remains on the impact EMPIRE has had globally. “We’re helping thousands of people. We’ve created micro-economies across the planet, and for me, there’s nothing more special than that.”
The CEO’s remarks come as EMPIRE continues its success with client Shaboozey’s hit single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” holding the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks. When asked if he ever expected a country song to be one of EMPIRE’s biggest hits, Ghazi responded, “I didn’t think it wouldn’t be.” He explained that the company’s approach to finding stars across genres, including hip-hop, country, and Afro music, is rooted in having the right taste and understanding the culture they are representing.
