R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players: Billboard’s 2026 List Revealed

Above Ground Entertainment CEO David Ali leads Billboard ’s list of executives across multiple industry sectors pushing the genres forward.

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Hubert Co-president; executive vp, Atlantic Music Group Nico Ziangas Co-president Tom Phillips Senior director of marketing 300 Entertainment/Atlantic Records Rayna Bass Selim Bouab Co-presidents; co-presidents of hip-hop, R&B and global music Tashana Ventura Vp of marketing Shyniece “Shy” Ferguson Senior director of marketing strategy and implementation Gabe Krantz Director of streaming Michael Quiros Director of A&R, 300 Entertainment Bass Flo Ngala Bouab Gabriella Spiegel Bass is concerned about “the lack of creative growth” she’s seeing in R&B and hip-hop today.

“We have to continue to innovate and push the culture forward.” Bass and Bouab — co-­presidents of the Atlantic Music Group division 300 Entertainment, as well as co-presidents of hip-hop, R&B and global music at Atlantic Records — are dedicated to making good on that mission.

Over the last 18 months, a parade of artists across both Atlantic’s and 300’s label rosters has notched multiple career milestones.

Before launching her anticipated Little Miss Drama Tour earlier this year, Cardi B watched her long-awaited sophomore album, Am I the Drama? (which has now surpassed 2.2 billion official on-demand global streams for its songs since its release, according to Luminate) debut atop the Billboard 200 last October and launch 14 songs onto the Billboard Hot 100 .

Hitting the arena circuit in February, the rap superstar’s tour wrapped in April with a gross of more than $70 million and 453,000 tickets sold, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Atlantic’s Don Toliver also posted wins for the label.

Toliver’s fifth studio album, Octane , became his first Billboard 200 chart-topper, and the first leg of his Octane arena world tour began in May and ended in July; the second started Aug.

4 and will wrap in London in November.

Meanwhile, the Kehlani whirlwind is in full force.

“Folded,” the singer-­songwriter’s first No.

1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and first top 10 on the Hot 100, won two Grammys (best R&B song and best R&B solo performance).