LaTrice Burnette

LaTrice Burnette is one of the most tenured and innovative music executives of the last two decades. The current Executive Vice President/ Head of Music & Events at Steve Stoute’s UnitedMasters began her prestigious career as a 16-year-old member of Roc-A-Fella Records’ historic street team (2000). An internet savant before high school graduation, the East Flatbush, Brooklyn native helped maturate Rocafella.com into a subscription service and aided the success of both Roc artists (The Diplomats, Beanie Sigel etc) and product lines (Rocawear, Armadale etc). Her DNA can be found in the careers of legends like Jay-Z, Kanye West and Missy Elliott. An innate marketer, she has contributed to strategic partnerships and campaigns, in tandem with brands like Diageo and the WNBPA, that have reached foreign continents to the Oval Office of Barack Obama.

After Burnette’s Roc-A-Fella tenure, she led Atlantic Records’ Urban Digital Marketing department (2004) to online, film, and television wins for acts like T.I., Sean Paul, Lil Kim, Bad Boy Records, and Pretty Ricky. In 2007, she partnered with MySpace to produce the very first concert to be live-streamed. The vet eventually became Product Manager for Flo Rida, B.o.B, Jaheim, and Lupe Fiasco, as well as the Digital Marketing head for Atlantic’s Asylum Records, where she powered releases for a roster that included Paul Wall, Bun B, D4L Lil Boosie and Webbie.

In 2012, Burnette became EPIC Records’ Director of Marketing and Product Manager for stars Future, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, Yo Gotti, Bobby Shmurda and Rowdy Rebel, to name only a few. She eventually elevated to SVP, helping Future become the first artist to have two consecutive albums debut on the Billboard 200 at #1. Her career reached new heights when she secured Executive VP and GM positions at Island Records (2018). Fitting as she helped ascend new projects for Buju Banton, Skip Marley, Jessie Reyez and Emotional Oranges. Her impact was so quick and undeniable that she was granted the 4TH & Broadway label along with its role as President (2020). While steering her own ship, she used her Midas touch to illuminate the debuts of Young Devyn, Kidd Kenn, Lil Migo and Pap Chanel. Moving over to EVP at Def Jam Records (2022), Burnette added more triumph to her crowded résumé with 2 Chainz, Pusha T, Coco Jones and breakout Muni Long, whose single “Hrs and Hrs” earned a Grammy for Best R&B Performance.

When the Brooklynite isn’t making new history, she is mentoring young women and aspiring music biz professionals from high schools to Berklee College of Music. Her speaking engagements are sought by federal institutions (City of Hope) to progressive cultural movements (femme it forward). She was chair of the Programming and Curation Committee for Universal Music Group’s Task Force for Meaningful Change. The tireless and selfless dedication to excellence has earned Burnette media recognition from Teen People, NPR, Sister 2 Sister Magazine, Tidal and XXL. Variety has fawned over her commitment to educational and DEI programming as well as her being one of the most impactful NY-based female execs. Billboard has acknowledged Burnette almost annually as a “40 Under 40 Power Player,” “Power 100 Executive,” and “Women In Music Executive” Clearly, in the chess game that is the music business, this queen reigns supreme.