BEAT Music Fund Acquires Legendary King Street Sounds Label and Catalog of Chocolate Puma
29 June 2023 - Press release
The deal further expands the company’s dance music catalog
BEAT Music Fund, the first investment company focusing on the acquisition of music rights in the dance music industry from Armada Music, today announced it has entered the acquisition of King Street Sounds and the master and publishing catalog of Chocolate Puma’s René ter Horst and Gaston Steenkist. The announcement comes on the heels of BEAT’s acquisitions of KMS Records’ master recordings catalog and ARTY’s master and publishing catalog, as the company aims to announce at least one new deal every month this year.
"It is an honor to be trusted with these legendary catalogs, and I'm confident that we will add value through our vision and expertise," said Maykel Piron, CEO of Armada Music and BEAT Music Fund. “Partnering with King Street Sounds and Chocolate Puma signifies a big step for BEAT as we look to maintain and build upon the most respected catalogs in dance music. We look forward to working with Hisa, René and Gaston to represent the legacies they hold in dance music and to the extensive opportunities these partnerships bring to BEAT, Armada and these iconic catalogs."
A trailblazer in the New York dance scene and the founder and sole owner of King Street Sounds, Hisa Ishioka sought to work with a company that would respect the legacy of the catalog while also aiding in its continuation. King Street Sounds represents leading artists such as Dennis Ferrer, Kerri Chandler, Louie Vega, and Blaze, among many others. The ongoing partnership grants BEAT ownership of King Street Sounds’ past and present catalog of master recordings and publishing catalog, with a mission to reinvigorate the catalog by optimizing and promoting it. As the company’s third and largest acquisition since launching in April 2023, the venture exemplifies BEAT’s commitment to honoring and representing the greatest in dance music. King Street Sounds will continue to release new music and operate as a sub-label under Armada Music with Ishioka at the helm as an A&R consultant.
"We're thrilled about this alliance between King Street Sounds and Armada Music,” said Ishioka. “For over 30 years, we've been dedicated to bringing people the best house music with passion. With this new partnership, we look forward to our continued growth and keeping this great dance music vibing and thriving. We hope that our music continues to touch people's hearts and make the world a brighter place."
In addition to the King Street Sounds partnership, BEAT has acquired the master and publishing catalog of Chocolate Puma, the duo consisting of celebrated Dutch producers René ter Horst and Gaston Steenkist aka DJ Zki & Dobre or The Good Men. The acquisition includes the releases from 1991-2011 of René et Gaston, Klatsch, Jark Prongo, and Riva, allowing BEAT to add value to these iconic records while continuing the catalog’s legacy. The catalog has seven singles that charted on the Dutch Top 50, plus UK Top #6 (I Wanna Be U), UK Top #2 (Who Do You Love Now?) and USA Dance #1 (Give It Up).
“It’s clear Maykel has a real love for our music and is genuinely passionate about giving our creations the attention they deserve,” added ter Horst and Steenkist. “With confidence and trust, we are placing BEAT in charge of our musical legacy. We're excited about this new chapter."
