The Mechanics of the Mega-Deal
This financing round is powered by securitization, a structure that lets HarbourView sell off debt instruments backed by royalties from its massive music catalog, which includes over 35,000 songs across 70 catalogs.
Barclays served as the sole structuring adviser for the transaction, while both KKR Capital Markets and Barclays acted as placement agents—essentially serving as the architects and gatekeepers of this complex financial symphony.
KKR, with $74 billion in asset-based financing under management, applied its specialized strategy to this deal: focusing on privately originated and negotiated credit investments, supported by vast pools of financial and physical assets.
“Music IP is one of many areas of opportunity that we see for this strategy and an example of its breadth,” said KKR’s global asset-based finance co-heads Avi Korn and Chris Mellia.
Queen Latifah, T-Pain, and the Darkchild Factor
HarbourView’s aggressive acquisition strategy has landed it some of the most celebrated names in music. The company most recently backed a Queen Latifah biopic in partnership with Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and other entertainment powerhouses.
It also acquired the publishing catalog of auto-tune pioneer T-Pain and added legendary producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins to its portfolio. Jerkins’ resume reads like a hall of fame plaque: Beyoncé, Drake, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, and Whitney Houston, just to name a few.
Other gems in the HarbourView vault include the works of Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, country icon Brad Paisley, and rap mogul Wiz Khalifa.
