Multi-Grammy & Emmy Award Winner Malik Yusef Expands UMPG Partnership as First Urban Archivist, Reinforcing Global Music Publishing & Sync Strategy.
LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, March 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Multi-Grammy, Multi-Emmy ,Peabody and Tony Award Winning Universal Master Writer, Super Producer, Celebrity DJ, Fashion Visionary, Leader of the Legendary Bad Kids Worldwide, Philanthropist, and Cultural Architect Malik Yusef has officially extended his long-standing co-publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), the world’s largest music publishing company.
The extended Malik Yusef–Universal Music Publishing Group partnership marks a milestone in a 17-year relationship and reinforces Yusef’s commitment to global music publishing infrastructure, catalog monetization, and long-term synchronization licensing expansion.
Yusef’s co-publishing agreement includes a 10-year revision sunset clause allowing Universal Music Publishing Group to retain co-publishing royalty participation at a reduced rate for a 10-year period following legal separation. Malik and his publishing company, Jabriel Iz Myne President Burundi Partlow, spoke with Jody Gerson, Chairman & CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, about exploring other presented offers in the publishing space. Her recommendation was to speak with the Head of Creative before making any decisions.
Rather than restructure under a lean administration model — a growing trend among elite songwriters — Malik Yusef elected to extend his co-publishing relationship with UMPG to leverage the global publishing infrastructure, worldwide licensing capabilities, and synchronized media placement network of Universal Music Publishing Group.
In an era where many elite songwriters pivot toward lean administration deals or self-collection models, Yusef has chosen to maintain and expand his traditional co-publishing structure with UMPG, reinforcing his emphasis on infrastructure, global leverage, and generational cultural stewardship.
Yusef’s catalog spans thousands of works, including songwriting credits, production, featured performances, sample derivatives, and collaborative publishing rights. His creative contributions include early and developmental work with Ty Dolla $ign, Travis Scott, Big Sean, John Legend, Kanye West, Common, Snoh Aalegra, Don Tolliver, and others. He has also collaborated with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Pharrell, The Weeknd, Sir Paul McCartney, and Sir Elton John.
Beyond music releases, Yusef’s catalog has generated extensive film, television, commercial, and video game placements including Black Adam, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Hangover II, Peloton, Absolut Vodka, Boost Mobile, and multiple installments of Grand Theft Auto.
Yusef will also continue recruiting creative talent globally to support archival initiatives and synchronization library expansion efforts within the UMPG ecosystem.
Malik Yusef will continue recruiting global creative talent to support archival expansion efforts and to help build one of Universal Music Publishing Group’s most extensive synchronization-focused music libraries.
“While others chase margin, I choose leverage,” said Malik Yusef.
“Being in partnership with a billion-dollar publishing entity like Universal Music Publishing Group allows me to continue serving the next generation the same way I was positioned at the beginning of so many monumental careers that changed culture.”
First Urban Archivist in UMPG History
As part of the extended Universal Music Publishing Group agreement, Malik Yusef continues serving as UMPG’s first Urban Archivist. His role includes:
• Cultural catalog curation
• Catalog revitalization strategy
• Youth creative pipeline development
• Creative mentorship
• Strategic publishing market expansion
Through Universal Music Publishing Group’s worldwide publishing network and Universal Music Group’s distribution ecosystem, the partnership supports:
• Global music licensing expansion
• Enhanced sync monetization
• DSP catalog distribution
• Film, television, and gaming re-sync initiatives
• Brand collaborations
• Touring and live DJ activation
• Limited edition and reinterpretation releases
About Malik Yusef
Malik Yusef is a Multi-Grammy and Emmy Award-winning songwriter, producer, poet, and cultural architect whose publishing catalog spans thousands of compositions across hip-hop, R&B, pop, and cross-genre collaborations. His work bridges legacy catalog preservation with next-generation creative development including his Bad Kids Worldwide, positioning him at the intersection of cultural authorship and global music publishing strategy.
About Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG)
Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the world’s leading global music publishing company, representing more than 4 million copyrights across every genre of music. As part of Universal Music Group (UMG), UMPG provides creative songwriting support, strategic catalog development, global licensing administration, and synchronization services for film, television, advertising, gaming, and digital platforms.
With offices in over 40 countries, Universal Music Publishing Group delivers worldwide royalty collection, copyright protection, and rights management solutions, while actively developing and promoting the works of many of the most influential songwriters, producers, and artists in contemporary music. UMPG’s global network connects creators to international markets, brand partnerships, and multimedia opportunities across theatrical, streaming, broadcast, and emerging media landscapes.
For more information, visit www.umusicpub.com.
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