Draft:Andre Benz
{{Short description|American music executive and digital entrepreneur}}
{{Draft topics|biography|internet-culture|video-games}}
{{AfC topic|blp}}
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{{AFC submission|d|v|u=Johnmillion102|ns=118|decliner=Greenman|declinets=20250509205835|reason2=npov|ts=20250509153908}}
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{{AFC comment|1=See WP:BLP. Statements, starting with the date of birth, need to be sourced or removed.
Sources listed should also actually exist. Greenman (talk) 20:58, 9 May 2025 (UTC)}}
{{AFC comment|1=The article has zero reference Tesleemah (talk) 15:23, 9 May 2025 (UTC)}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Andre Benz
| image =
| caption = Benz in 2024
| birth_place = New Jersey, United States
| nationality = American
| occupation = Music executive, entrepreneur
| years_active = 2012–present
| known_for = Founder of Trap Nation, The Nations, Broke Records
| website = {{URL|https://broke.nyc}}
}}
Andre Benz is an American music entrepreneur and digital media executive, best known as the co-founder of Trap Nation and founder of The Nations network of YouTube music channels. He launched Trap Nation in 2012 at age 15, growing it into one of YouTube’s largest music curation brands.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8506751/trap-nation-interview-spotify-playlist|title=Trap Nation Interview|magazine=Billboard}} Under Benz’s leadership, The Nations expanded into multiple genre-focused channels (e.g. Chill Nation, Rap Nation), amassing over 50 million subscribers and 20 billion views, according to Social Blade and other public analytics.{{cite web|url=https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/AllTrapNation|title=Trap Nation YouTube Channel Stats|website=Social Blade}}{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/create-music-group-acquires-youtube-network-the-nations|title=Create Music Group acquires The Nations|website=Music Business Worldwide}} He is also the founder of independent record labels Lowly and Broke Records. In 2024, Benz was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Music category.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2024/music|title=Forbes 30 Under 30 2024: Music|website=Forbes}}
Early Life
Andre Benz was born and raised in New Jersey. From an early age, he was drawn to technology and music, often spending hours exploring new tracks online and interacting with online communities through gaming and chat platforms. His passion for electronic music grew alongside his interest in digital culture. By his early teens, he was discovering and sharing music while playing online games like RuneScape and World of Warcraft. In 2014, his family relocated to California, where he attended Menlo-Atherton High School. Feeling socially isolated after the move, Benz doubled down on digital projects. At age 15, he launched Trap Nation as a YouTube channel, originally curating music to share with friends. His first uploads featured trap and electronic tracks by emerging artists, with their permission.{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/how-andre-benz-built-the-most-popular-music-curation-network-on-youtube/|title=How Andre Benz Built the Most Popular Music Curation Network on YouTube|website=LA Weekly}}
Career
In 2025, Broke Records expanded its roster to include Dutch-Iranian artist Sevdaliza, signaling the label's growing international footprint.{{cite web|url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/signing/sevdaliza-signs-with-broke-2025-03-01|title=Sevdaliza Signs With Broke Records|website=Hits Daily Double}} That same year, the label also signed RJ Pasin, further solidifying its reputation for identifying rising talent across genres.{{cite web|url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/signing/create-inks-rj-pasin-2025-04-17|title=Create Inks RJ Pasin|website=Hits Daily Double}} Benz's partnership with Create Music Group CEO Jonathan Strauss has been highlighted in industry interviews as a strategic alignment of digital-first philosophies.{{cite web|url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/interview/jonathan-strauss-2026-03-06|title=Jonathan Strauss Interview: Scaling a Digital Music Empire|website=Hits Daily Double}}
Trap Nation grew quickly, reaching 800,000 subscribers by early 2015. Benz expanded the brand into The Nations, launching genre-based channels including Chill Nation, House Nation, Rap Nation, and more.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/digital/read/inside-the-nations-the-youtube-network-powering-lowly/080537|title=Inside The Nations: The YouTube Network Powering Lowly|website=Music Week}}
In 2016, Benz founded Lowly Palace (later Lowly), a record label distributed by AWAL, to release music promoted by his channels.{{cite web|url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2018/12/inside-the-nations-how-a-diy-electronic-music-network-built-an-empire.html|title=Inside The Nations: How a DIY Electronic Music Network Built an Empire|website=Hypebot}} Trap Nation was listed among the top 10 fastest-growing YouTube channels that year, averaging 70M weekly views.
By 2018, The Nations channels had over 6 billion total views, with Trap Nation alone among YouTube’s top 50 most-subscribed channels. Benz hosted showcases at SXSW and major festivals to expand into live events.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8506751/trap-nation-interview-spotify-playlist|title=Trap Nation Interview|magazine=Billboard}}
In 2022, Create Music Group acquired a majority stake in The Nations for a disclosed amount of $10 million USD.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2024/music|title=Forbes 30 Under 30 2024: Music|website=Forbes}}
=Broke Records=
In 2023, Benz launched Broke Records, an independent label focused on breaking viral hits using fast-paced social media tactics. Based in NYC and LA, Broke Records signed artists including Ndotz and Yung Fazo, achieving millions of daily streams. The label helped the single "Embrace It" by Ndotz gain over 200 million Spotify streams.{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/how-andre-benz-built-the-most-popular-music-curation-network-on-youtube/|title=How Andre Benz Built the Most Popular Music Curation Network on YouTube|website=LA Weekly}} Benz discussed the label's success and digital-first strategies in MusicWeek and Billboard articles.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/labels/read/broke-records-founder-andre-benz-on-viral-hits-and-the-power-of-digital-marketing/091398|title=Broke Records founder Andre Benz on viral hits and the power of digital marketing|website=MusicWeek}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/broke-records-turned-youtube-savvy-music-streaming-hits/|title=How Broke Records Turned YouTube Savvy Into Music Streaming Hits|magazine=Billboard}}
Business Ventures
Trap Nation and its associated channels formed The Nations, including Chill Nation, Bass Nation, Indie Nation, and others. Each channel featured visually branded music uploads and built fan communities across platforms.
Lowly signed indie and electronic artists, using single-song deals and digital-first promotion to avoid traditional album cycles.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/digital/read/inside-the-nations-the-youtube-network-powering-lowly/080537|title=Inside The Nations: The YouTube Network Powering Lowly|website=Music Week}}
Broke Records grew from 25,000 daily streams to over 5 million daily streams within one year, becoming known for leveraging TikTok and creator partnerships to drive music discovery.{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/how-andre-benz-built-the-most-popular-music-curation-network-on-youtube/|title=How Andre Benz Built the Most Popular Music Curation Network on YouTube|website=LA Weekly}}
Accolades
Benz was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Music in 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2024/music|title=Forbes 30 Under 30 2024: Music|website=Forbes}} He was also named a 2025 "Noisemaker" by Hits Daily Double, recognizing his role in reshaping the independent label landscape.{{cite web|url=https://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/feature/noisemakers-luck-of-the-draw-2025-03-18|title=Noisemakers: Luck of the Draw|website=Hits Daily Double}} Trap Nation was listed by Billboard as the top dance music curator on YouTube, and was frequently cited in industry roundups as one of the most influential channels for emerging electronic music.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/billboard-dance-100-2019-8505709/|title=Billboard Dance 100|magazine=Billboard}} Benz has been credited with early support for now-mainstream artists such as Marshmello and Halsey.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8506751/trap-nation-interview-spotify-playlist|title=Trap Nation Interview|magazine=Billboard}} He was also profiled in *Swagger Magazine*, *Spin*, and in a 2017 Forbes piece about YouTube entrepreneurs disrupting record labels.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cheriehu/2017/10/25/how-youtube-entrepreneurs-in-their-20s-are-disrupting-traditional-record-labels/|title=How YouTube Entrepreneurs in Their 20s Are Disrupting Traditional Record Labels|website=Forbes}}
Media Coverage
Benz has been profiled by Forbes, LA Weekly, Hypebot, Billboard, Swagger Magazine, Spin, and Music Ally. He has spoken at SXSW and industry summits on digital music marketing.{{cite web|url=https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2018/12/inside-the-nations-how-a-diy-electronic-music-network-built-an-empire.html|title=Inside The Nations: How a DIY Electronic Music Network Built an Empire|website=Hypebot}}
References
External Links
- [https://nations.io The Nations official website]
- [https://www.youtube.com/user/ChillStepNation Chill Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/user/BassNationHD Bass Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUZHFZ9jIKrLroW8LcyJEQQ Indie Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa10nxShhzNrCE1o2ZOPztg House Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKdMBEsuAST9mZxwMismKg Rap Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQdD-b0g_v7l1VUPITy0vA R&B Nation on YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/user/AllTrapNation Trap Nation on YouTube]
- [https://lowly.io/ Lowly Records website]
- [https://www.instagram.com/benz Andre Benz Instagram]
- [https://broke.nyc Broke Records website]
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