Clive Davis helped launch influential record labels like Bad Boy and LaFace, which elevated hip-hop and R&B artists.
Davis guided the careers of superstars like Toni Braxton, Usher, and TLC, cementing their place in music history.
Davis recognized the commercial power of hip-hop early on and backed artists that brought the genre into the mainstream.
Source: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty
Few music executives have left a larger mark on popular culture than Clive Davis.
The legendary record executive, who died at age 94, helped discover, develop, promote, or support some of the biggest names in music history.
While artists like Usher and Whitney Houston became stars through their own talent and vision, they also benefited from an industry landscape shaped by Davis and the labels he helped build. From launching careers to backing influential record companies and business partnerships, Davis played a key role in the rise of hip-hop and R&B.
Here are 11 times he changed music history.
1. He Took A Chance On Sean “Puffy” Combs And Helped Launch Bad Boy Records
In 1993, Clive Davis partnered with Sean Combs to launch Bad Boy Records through a joint venture with Arista Records. The label quickly became home to The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Mase, 112, and Combs himself. Bad Boy would go on to become one of the most successful hip-hop labels of the 1990s, helping bring rap music into the mainstream.
2. He Helped Launch Toni Braxton
Through his partnership with LaFace Records, Davis helped create the platform that introduced Toni Braxton to a national audience. Her self-titled debut sold millions of copies and established her as one of the defining voices of 1990s R&B.
3. He Helped Launch LaFace Records
Davis partnered with L.A. Reid and Babyface to launch LaFace Records in 1989 through Arista Records. The label became one of the most influential forces in urban music, launching stars across both R&B and hip-hop.
4. He Helped Introduce OutKast To The World
LaFace signed OutKast in 1992 and released the duo’s debut album in 1994. With Arista distributing the label, Davis helped provide the platform that turned André 3000 and Big Boi into Southern hip-hop icons.
5. He Helped Build Usher Into A Superstar
Usher was one of the cornerstone artists of LaFace Records. Through Davis’ partnership with L.A. Reid and Babyface, the singer gained access to the resources and industry support that helped launch one of the most successful careers in R&B history.
6. He Helped Make TLC One Of The Biggest Groups Of The 1990s
LaFace Records became the home of TLC, whose blend of R&B, hip-hop and pop changed music and culture. The group’s success helped prove that urban music could dominate the mainstream.
7. He Gave Alicia Keys A Second Chance
After Davis launched J Records, he signed Alicia Keys and helped guide the release of Songs in A Minor. He signed her to the new label and helped guide the release of Songs In A Minor, which sold millions of copies and established her as one of the defining artists of her generation.
8. He Founded J Records And Created Another Home For Urban Music
Many executives would have slowed down after leaving Arista. Instead, Davis launched J Records in 2000. The label found immediate success with Alicia Keys and later featured artists including Monica, Luther Vandross and Jamie Foxx.
9. He Helped Bring Southern Hip-Hop Into The Mainstream
Before Southern rap became a dominant force, Davis helped support LaFace Records through Arista. The label introduced millions of listeners to OutKast, Goodie Mob and other Atlanta-based artists who helped redefine hip-hop in the 1990s.
10. He Discovered Whitney Houston And Helped Create A Superstar
Few executive-artist relationships have been more successful than the one between Clive Davis and Whitney Houston. After seeing Houston perform in the early 1980s, Davis signed the young singer to Arista Records and helped guide her career. Houston’s debut album became one of the best-selling debut records in music history, and she went on to become one of the most successful artists of all time. While her influence extended far beyond R&B, her success helped open doors for generations of Black artists who followed.
11. He Bet On Hip-Hop Before Many Major Executives Did
Davis often admitted he wasn’t a rap expert, but he recognized its cultural and commercial power. His backing of Bad Boy Records and LaFace Records helped transform hip-hop from a growing genre into one of the music industry’s biggest economic forces.
