Wayne “Wayno” Clark Named Vice President, A&R for Asylum Records
Noted music executive Wayne “Wayno” Clark has joined Asylum Records, Warner Music Group’s indie-spirited, streaming-focused imprint, as Vice President, A&R. In this role, he will cultivate Asylum’s fresh crop of talent and align them with premier producers and songwriters. Based at the label’s New York headquarters, Wayno will report to Asylum General Manager Gabrielle Peluso. He has already added Chicago Hip-Hop star 600Breezy to Asylum’s blossoming roster and will A&R the debut album from Detroit rapper Sada Baby.
“Wayno is an authority in the hip-hop community, having spent years climbing the ranks and working with some of the biggest names in the space,” said Peluso. “His widespread network and his reputation as a respected go-getter are apparent in the emerging acts he’s already brought to us. The relaunched Asylum is made up of a dynamic group of creatives whose hunger and drive will help propel our roster to forward, and I’m thrilled to welcome Wayno into the family.”
“Asylum is a place where independent artists have the freedom and creative control to express themselves through their music, with support from some of the best young execs in the industry,” said Wayno. “The work Gabrielle’s team has done thus far is impressive, and I’m excited to start this next chapter of my career and continue to develop and mentor a new generation of talent.”
This announcement comes as Asylum is riding a wave of successful hip-hop releases, including platinum-selling emcee Ugly God’s “Hello,” which generated over 15 million streams, and Detroit upstart Sada Baby’s Bartier Bounty mixtape, which generated 7.9 million streams in its first week alone.
Previously, Clark served as Assistant A&R at Roc-A-Fella Records, where, in 2003, he led hip-hop duo Young Gunz to a Grammy nomination. Throughout his nearly 15-year career, Clark has served under the leadership of A&R greats such as Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua, Gee Roberson, and Lenny S., and has worked with superstars from JAY-Z to Nas.
In 2012, Clark founded Triangle Offense, a management, A&R, and marketing group. His current management clients include hip-hop newcomer TJ Porter (Def Jam) and singer-songwriter Daniel Munoz (Epic Records). He also serves as co-host of Complex News’ hip-hop debate show, Everyday Struggle, alongside DJ Akademiks.
