10K Projects

What 10K Projects does

10K Projects is an independent record label and music publisher founded in 2016 by Elliot Grainge and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The label discovers, signs, and develops emerging artists across hip-hop, pop, R&B, alternative, and electronic genres, with a roster of over 40 acts including Ice Spice, Trippie Redd, Aminé, Surfaces, Salem Ilese, Artemas, Dro Kenji, and international acts such as PSYCHIC FEVER (Japan) and Nafeesisboujee (South Africa). Its core offering is artist development, production support, marketing, and global distribution, with distribution infrastructure provided through its embedded relationship with Atlantic Records and the Atlantic Music Group. Revenue is generated through music streaming royalties, sales, publishing rights, and synchronization licensing on platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and TikTok.

The label's go-to-market centers on identifying emerging talent—often via TikTok-driven discovery—and providing label infrastructure without imposing the traditional major-label creative constraints it markets itself against. Marketing leverage is concentrated on organic social (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) feeding into DSP consumption. In 2025–2026, 10K Projects expanded through a joint venture with Runway Records for emerging hip-hop, a collaboration with 2101 Records and Atlantic on RedOne's A.W.A.M. album, and a multi-party arrangement with Internet Money Records for select artists. The label has also faced a $4 million lawsuit filed in November 2025 alleging misconduct tied to a joint venture, which represents a material reputational and financial risk requiring diligence.

Name

10K Projects

Legal name

10K Projects

Website

https://10kprojects.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

10K Projects is an independent Los Angeles-based record label founded in 2016 by Elliot Grainge, signing and developing over 40 emerging artists across hip-hop, pop, R&B, and alternative genres, with distribution via Atlantic Music Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Record Label Services

NAICS

Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Music Publishers (51223)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Indie Publishing & Label Services (Funding, Marketing, Release Management) (MPAFABAF)

Keywords

• Record label services
• Music publishing
• Artist development
• Music distribution
• Recording label

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Music streaming and sales: Revenue generated through music streaming on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other DSPs. Artists generate income through streams, downloads, and digital sales.
2. Artist development and publishing: Record label revenue from artist development, publishing rights, and synchronization licensing deals for recorded music.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

10K Projects is an independent record label and music publisher that signs emerging artists across hip-hop, pop, R&B, alternative, and electronic music. The company provides artist development, music production support, marketing, promotion, and global distribution through major digital streaming platforms via its partnership with Atlantic Records/Atlantic Music Group.

Product overview

10K Projects is a record label operating as a single unified platform for artist development and music publishing. The company provides artist signing and development services, representing a diverse roster of over 40 artists across genres including hip-hop, trap, pop, R&B, alternative, and electronic music. The core offering centers on the label's partnership network, where artists receive production support, marketing, and distribution services in exchange for representation. Notable signed artists include Ice Spice, Trippie Redd, Aminé, Surfaces, and numerous emerging artists. The platform positions itself as serving artists who prioritize creative integrity alongside commercial success.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 10K Projects Record Label An independent record label providing artist signing, artist development, music production support, marketing, promotion, and global distribution services for emerging musicians across genres including hip-hop, pop, R&B, alternative, and electronic music.

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple artists with hundreds of millions of streams and billions of views
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• 2101 RecordsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 2026Collaborative partnership on the landmark album project 'A.W.A.M.' by RedOne featuring major African and international artists including Davido, Ayra Starr, French Montana, Rema, Akon, Ne-Yo, and Jason Derulo. Created in collaboration with CAF and host nation Morocco.
• Atlantic RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 January 202610K Projects operates as part of the Atlantic Music Group ecosystem. Atlantic Records provides distribution infrastructure, industry resources, and strategic support for artist development and releases.
• Runway RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 202510K Projects signed a joint venture with Runway Records to create a developmental hub focused on emerging hip-hop artists. This partnership combines the expertise and resources of both labels to identify, develop, and support rising talent in the hip-hop genre.
• Internet Money RecordscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Internet Money Records for artist Dro Kenji, who is signed to Mira Touch/Internet Money Records/10K Projects. This multi-party arrangement combines resources for artist development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EMPIRE Distribution: Independent music company handling distribution, label services, and publishing. Directly comparable as a leading indie operator combining label services with worldwide distribution — serving similar emerging-artist segments with a similar revenue mix of streaming royalties and licensing.
• 88rising: Independent music label and media company focused on Asian and Asian-American artists. Comparable for its indie-label scale, genre-blending roster, and culture-led brand positioning targeting digitally native audiences — a model 10K Projects emulates with international acts like PSYCHIC FEVER.
• Create Music Group: Independent music company combining label, publishing, and distribution services. Comparable in scale and operating model as a digitally native indie that signs, develops, and distributes emerging artists across hip-hop and pop.
• Internet Money Records: Independent hip-hop/pop label founded by producer Taz Taylor. Comparable as a similarly-sized indie label leveraging TikTok-era producer networks and digital-native A&R; the two labels even share a joint signing (Dro Kenji), evidencing direct overlap in artist and partner relationships.
• Rostrum Records: Independent record label historically associated with Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa. Comparable as a mid-sized indie label with a hip-hop/alternative roster and a similar model of artist development and digital-era marketing.
• Quality Control Music: Independent hip-hop label known for artists like Migos and Lil Baby. Comparable as an indie hip-hop label that built major commercial traction while remaining independent, with similar A&R-driven signing strategies and reliance on social/digital channels for breakout hits.

Broad incumbents

• 10K Projects (Atlantic Music Group): Atlantic Records / Atlantic Music Group. Comparable as the parent-distribution partner and major-label incumbent whose infrastructure underwrites 10K Projects' global reach; an overlap exists in signed hip-hop/pop artists but Atlantic operates as a broad major across many sublabels.
• Interscope Records: Major-label incumbent under Universal Music Group. Comparable as a destination for breakout indie artists that may ultimately lure away 10K Projects' roster, and as an incumbent competing for the same pop/hip-hop/R&B emerging-artist pipeline.
• Def Jam Recordings: Major hip-hop-focused label under Universal Music Group. Comparable as an incumbent competing for the same artist pool, especially emerging hip-hop talent; overlaps with 10K Projects on genre and signing targets but offers much broader resources.

Emerging players

• ONErpm: Independent music distribution and label services company with a strong emerging-markets footprint, including Latin America and Africa. Comparable to 10K Projects' new African-market JV ambitions via RedOne/A.W.A.M. and its indie label-services model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/10kprojects
• Facebookfacebook.com/10kprojects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tenthousand-projects-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 10K Projects