Kevin Liles

Kevin Liles was born on February 27, 1968, and grew up near Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Morgan State University, where he studied engineering on an electrical engineering scholarship from NASA. Liles chose to leave his studies to pursue a career in music. He began his music career as a member of the Baltimore-based DJ crew, Numarx. In 1986, the group co-wrote “Girl You Know It’s True,” a song that was first recorded by Numarx before gaining widespread recognition when recorded by Milli Vanilli.

Liles held significant positions in the music industry. He served as president of Def Jam Recordings and executive vice president of The Island Def Jam Music Group from 1999 to 2004. Following this, he transitioned to executive vice president for Warner Music Group, working under Lyor Cohen. He remained in this role until September 2009, when he departed to pursue entrepreneurial ventures. In 2009, Liles founded KWL Enterprises, based in New York City.

In 2012, Liles co-founded 300 Entertainment with Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold, and Todd Moscowitz. Under his leadership, 300 Entertainment achieved notable success with artists such as Young Thug, Gunna, and Megan Thee Stallion. In 2020, Billboard Magazine recognized Liles as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year. In 2022, Warner Music Group acquired 300 Entertainment for $400 million, and Liles became the Chairman and CEO of 300 Elektra Entertainment (3EE). On September 17, 2024, Liles announced his decision to step down from his role as CEO of 300 Entertainment, effective at the end of the year, to allow a transition to new leadership.