Mathew Knowles

Mathew Knowles was born on January 9, 1952, in Gadsden, Alabama. He pursued his education at Fisk University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1974. He later obtained an MBA in Strategic Planning and Organizational Culture and a Ph.D. from Cornerstone Christian Bible College. Knowles began his professional career in sales, working for Xerox Corporation for 10 years after moving to Houston in 1976. He also held positions at Philips, selling CT/MRI diagnostic imaging equipment, and in neurosurgical sales at Johnson & Johnson. In 1992, he transitioned from corporate sales to focus on his music company, Music World Entertainment, which he founded in the same year.

Under Music World Entertainment, Knowles established several recording imprints, including Music World Gospel, Music World Kids, and Music World Country/Compadre. He also entered into joint ventures with major labels such as Sony Music, Interscope/Geffen/A&M, Fontana/Universal, Integrity Africa, Fontana International, and Sony Brazil. Knowles is widely recognized for his management of Destiny’s Child, where he served as a producer or executive producer on numerous projects. He secured the group’s label deal with Columbia Records in 1997 and contributed to their success by bringing in producers like Wyclef Jean, Jermaine Dupri, and Master P to blend hip hop and R&B. Destiny’s Child achieved significant commercial and critical success, earning multiple Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, and BET Awards, and was inducted into Billboard magazine’s All Time Hot 100 Artists. Knowles also managed the solo careers of Destiny’s Child members Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, as well as his daughters Beyoncé and Solange Knowles.

Beyond artist management, Knowles has made contributions to film and education. He was an executive producer for the 2009 movie “Obsessed,” starring Beyoncé, and was featured in reality series such as the UK’s “Chancers” and MTV International’s “Breaking from Above.” In 2015, he authored his first book, “The DNA of Achievers: 10 Traits of Highly Successful Professionals.” Knowles has also dedicated part of his career to academia, serving as a visiting professor at Texas Southern University, where the Mathew Knowles Institute was established in his honor in 2018. He also holds professorships at the University of Houston, Prairie View A&M University, and the Art Institute, and is a visiting professor at the London College of Contemporary Music. In 2022, he sold Music World Entertainment Group to APX Capital Group, joining their board of directors and managing a significant fund for film and television co-productions.