RIOTUSA ’22 Signs Global Publishing Deal

The producer, songwriter, and recording artist is recognized for his pivotal collaboration with the rapper Ice Spice. 


“Stop Playin’ With ‘em Riot”

When Ice Spice stood to accept her Best New Artist award at the MTV Video Music Awards last month, the first person she hugged was her producer, whom she gratefully acknowledged moments later, “I want to thank my producer Riot for making the best music with me.”

ICYMI

In just over two years, drill rapper Ice Spice exploded onto the music scene via social media with her unique hip-hop sound, and then some—she’s been injected into the cultural mainstream.

In case you missed it, in 2023 alone…

  • “Barbie World,” her collaboration with Nicki Minaj, has amassed 103 million views on YouTube.
  • She collaborated with Taylor Swift, joining her onstage at MetLife Stadium, to perform the Karma remix—the biggest streaming debut for a female rapper in global Spotify history.
  • Dunkin’ created the Ice Spice Munchkins drink, and she stars in their commercial with actor Ben Affleck.
  • Ice Spice is the musical guest on Saturday Night Live’s long-awaited return following the writer’s strike.
  • And the artist has 32,597,999 monthly listeners on Spotify.

RIOTUSA '22, Ice Spice, and James Rosemond Jr. RIOTUSA ’22, Ice Spice, and James Rosemond Jr. (CEO/Founder, Mastermind Artists, Manager to RIOTUSA and Ice Spice)

 

 

 

 


RIOT and Ice Spice met during their first years at Purchase as peers in the Communications program (known then as Ephrem Lopez Jr. and Isis Gaston). 

Read more about their days at Purchase and the roots of their collaboration.

Getting Noticed

Riot and Ice Spice worked together on her debut single, “Bully Freestyle” in March 2021. But it was “Munch (Feelin’ U)” released in August 2022 that went viral on TikTok and now has more than 108 million streams on Spotify.

RIOT was executive producer for her six-track EP Like..?, which hit No. 5 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and he also co-wrote the Taylor Swift remix of “Karma,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The music industry took notice of RIOT’s role in Ice Spice’s meteoric rise, which lead to his global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM).

“Riot has quickly become one of the most exciting and in-demand producers to emerge from New York’s legendary hip-hop scene,” says Ryan Press, President, North America at WCM.

“He’s creating hit after hit with Ice Spice, and we’re super lucky to get to support him at this stage of his journey. I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of hip-hop’s biggest music producers during the early stages of their careers, and I know Riot is well on his way to being one of the best producers of his generation,” Press says.

Ice Spice, RIOTUSA '22, and James Rosemond Jr. Ice Spice, RIOTUSA ’22, and James Rosemond Jr. (CEO/Founder, Mastermind Artists, Manager to RIOTUSA and Ice Spice)