YG's 4Hunnid label and Epic Records announced a joint venture on Wednesday.
"Me and my team have been doing innovative, legendary stuff for years—helping keep the West Coast alive," YG said in a statement to Variety, which first reported news of the deal. "Now, Epic comes through at the best possible time with a platform for our expansion. I'm proud of this opportunity and will make the most of it."
The deal will see Epic exclusively handling the release, distribution, and marketing of new music from 4Hunnid, with the first release set to be something new from YG's "Her Story" collaborator Day Sulan.
Epic CEO Sylvia Rhone said the team at the label was "delighted" by the deal, touting YG's brand as a "forward-thinking" voice that "perfectly represents the new face of hip-hop music."
YG's most recent studio album 4Real 4Real arrived last May through Def Jam and 4Hunnid and was supported by the singles "Go Loko" and "Stop Snitchin." Earlier this month, YG released the Kehlani collab "Konclusions."
Back in 2016, YG's 4Hunnid entered into a deal with Interscope Records that was reported to be worth millions. Speaking on his plans for the 4Hunnid brand at the time, YG toldBillboard that he wasn't interested in bringing on artists that didn't have the potential to be "around for 20-plus years."
Speaking with Complex back in 2018 during the Stay Dangerous era, YG detailed his business inspiration, pointing to the early lessons he learned in the industry.
"I came into this game in a fucked deal, and I didn't get the money I was supposed to get," he said at the time. "The kids that are coming up now know a lot more than I did on this business shit, and the times are different. You just need to make sure you don't get taken advantage of."
