Who is Scooter Braun? A look at the man who became Taylor Swift's 'worst case scenario'
Ariana Grande. Usher. Kanye West.
Though they rose to prominence at different times, these artists have one thing in common: They've been managed by Scooter Braun.
The industry heavyweight, whose real name is Scott Samuel Braun, made waves Sunday when Taylor Swift accused him of "incessant, manipulative bullying" after the 38-year-old paid $300 million to acquire Big Machine Label Group – and, by extension, the masters of Swift's music. In a lengthy Tumblr post, Swift called the deal her "worst case scenario."
Swift said she did not know Big Machine owner Scott Borchetta would sell her work to Braun, whom Swift wrote has bullied her for years.
Who is Scooter Braun?
The music tycoon launched Scooter Braun Projects, a media company specializing in marketing, talent management and television and film production, in 2007. Its ventures include Schoolboy Records, Sheba Publishing and Silent Labs.
Time named Braun among its 100 most influential people in the world in 2013. In the story, Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of DreamWorks Animation, wrote "I’m pretty confident he will be influencing people for generations to come."
When it comes to choosing which clients to sign, Braun told Forbes in 2016 he selects artists who are determined to make a name for themselves.
Talking about client Kanye West, Braun said, "I felt his passion, and I think it’s that mentality of, 'I will not take no for an answer' that you look for in people to find the things that are going to be successful."
He is married to Yael Cohen Braun, the founder and CEO of (Expletive) Cancer. They have three children together.
How are Braun and Swift connected?
Braun bought Swift's former record label from Borchetta. Swift's 13-year deal with the record company expired last November.
In her Tumblr post about the purchase, Swift cited examples of when she said she had been publicly ridiculed by Braun and his clients, including a 2016 Instagram photo from Justin Bieber in which the pop star can be seen FaceTiming Braun and Kanye West, with the caption "Taylor Swift what up."
Swift said she knew the rights to her art would be left with Borchetta when she left the company.
"I walked away because I knew once I signed that contract, Scott Borchetta would sell the label, thereby selling me and my future," she wrote. "I had to make the excruciating choice to leave behind my past. Music I wrote on my bedroom floor and videos I dreamed up and paid for from the money I earned playing in bars, then clubs, then arenas, then stadiums."
"When I left my masters in Scott’s hands, I made peace with the fact that eventually he would sell them," she wrote. "Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine the buyer would be Scooter. Any time Scott Borchetta has heard the words ‘Scooter Braun’ escape my lips, it was when I was either crying or trying not to."
As a result of the deal, Braun now owns Swift's entire catalog.
Braun discovered Justin Bieber
The music mogul didn't always build his business through $300 million acquisitions. One of Braun's best strategies has been scouting talent online and then guiding young clients on the path to fame and fortune. That's what he did when he discovered a then-12-year-old Bieber uploading singing videos on YouTube more than a decade ago.
MORE: Taylor Swift reiterates claims she was unaware of Scooter Braun acquiring her music catalog
Bieber has since defended Braun in the Swift controversy.
"Scooter has had your back since the days you graciously let me open up for you!" Bieber wrote on Instagram. "What were you trying to accomplish by posting that blog? seems to me like it was to get sympathy u also knew that in posting that your fans would go and bully scooter... I usually don’t rebuttal things like this but when you try and deface someone i loves character thats crossing a line."
Grande fired, then rehired, Braun
Last year, Braun revealed the "Thank U, Next" singer dropped him in 2016. The two have since made up, and Braun currently represents her.
"Where it made me a better manager, number one, it allowed me to know that I can be fired – I had never been fired before," he told Variety.
More: Big Machine label head denies Taylor Swift's claims, goes after her in lengthy blog post
Who else has worked with Braun?
When it comes to Braun's star-studded clientele, the list runs deep. Along with Bieber, West and Grande, his company's website lists past and present clients as: Usher, Asher Roth, Black Eyed Peas, Dan + Shay, David Guetta, EDEN, Hilary Duff, Karlie Kloss, The Knocks, Lil Dicky, Martin Garrix, PSY, Rixton, Steve Angello, Todrick Hall and Tori Kelly.
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Scooter Braun? Meet the man behind the Taylor Swift feud
