Wassim Slaiby

Wassim Joseph Slaiby{{Citation|title=We Make Our Own Change - Wassim SAL Slaiby (Brilliant Minds 2019)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS_k1fzxi9U|language=en|access-date=2021-11-19}} was born in Ghazir, Lebanon on November 16, 1979. His father passed away when he was ten years old.{{Cite web|year=2021|title=Wassim "Sal" Slaiby, CEO Of XO And Manager Of The Weeknd, Joins Universal To Promote Arab Artists|url=https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/consumer/entertainment/wassim-sal-slaiby-ceo-of-xo-records-and-manager-of-the-weeknd-is-working-with-universal-to-promote-arab-artists|website=Forbes Middle East}} He escaped the Lebanese Civil War conflict and immigrated to Canada without family when he was fifteen years old.{{cite magazine | last=Bliss| first=Karen| title =My Visit With the Pope: The Weeknd Manager SAL Talks Vatican Visit (Photos)| magazine =Billboard| date =11 July 2017 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7858140/pope-francis-wassim-sal-slaiby-vatican-visit-photos| accessdate =19 April 2019}} He initially lived in Montreal before moving to Ottawa in his late teens.{{cite magazine | last=Bliss| first=Karen| title =Meet The Weeknd's Managers: Amir 'Cash' Esmailian and Tony Sal on Breaking Through, Top Influences and More| magazine =Billboard| date =6 November 2015 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6753965/weeknd-managers-amir-cash-esmailian-tony-sal-interview| accessdate =19 April 2019}}

Slaiby began his music industry career after meeting and seeing a young fellow immigrant rapper Belly freestyle rapping on an Ottawa street in 2002.{{cite news|last=Saxberg|first=Lynn|date=16 February 2016|title=The Weeknd's success has a strong Ottawa connection|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/the-weeknds-success-has-a-strong-ottawa-connection|accessdate=19 April 2019}}{{cite news | title =Tony Sal: Building a Music Empire| publisher =HipHopCanada| date =17 July 2008 | url =https://www.hiphopcanada.com/2008/07/interview-tony-sal-cp-records/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910095743/https://www.hiphopcanada.com/2008/07/interview-tony-sal-cp-records/| archive-date=10 September 2017| url-status=dead| accessdate =19 April 2019}}{{Cite web|title=Super-Manager Wassim 'Sal' Slaiby on Helming the Careers of The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Brandy and More|url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/sal-slaiby-weeknd-doja-cat-brandy-manager-hitmakers-1234844345/|website=Variety|publication-date=2020}} Slaiby started managing Belly, with whom he co-founded Capital Prophets Records, which would go on to be known as the CP Music Group.{{cite news | last=Young| first=Kevin| title =CP Music Group celebrates 10th anniversary| publisher =SOCAN Magazine| date =20 August 2014 | url =https://www.socanmagazine.ca/features/cp-music-group-celebrates-10th-anniversary/| accessdate =19 April 2019}} Slaiby also hired Amir "Cash" Esmailian, who was a close friend of Belly, as the head of street promotion for the label.

Rapper Belly and singer Massari were the first artists signed to the new record label by Slaiby.{{cite news | last=Chung| first=Matthew| title =Meet the new Godfather| newspaper =Toronto Star| date =16 June 2007 | url =https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/06/16/meet_the_new_godfather.html| accessdate =19 April 2019}} Massari's 2005 self-titled album was certified Gold in Canada and garnered a Juno Award nomination. Belly's 2007 album, The Revolution, won the Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year. Within six years, CP Music Group had become the dominant independent hip-hop and R&B label in Canada.

In 2011, Slaiby met and began co-managing the singer the Weeknd with Esmailian, and co-founded XO Records with the artist and his creative director La Mar Taylor. Through the label, the Weeknd released his first three mixtapes; House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence, which were produced in-house by Illangelo. In 2012, XO Records was assumed by Universal Music Group as a subsidiary label following the Weeknd signing with Republic Records. In 2013, Slaiby added DaHeala, DannyBoyStyles, Harry Fraud and Belly as in-house producers and songwriters. Slaiby became the label's CEO in 2015.

In 2011, Slaiby founded his own artist and talent management company SALXCO, and later sold the CP Music Group to Live Nation. In May 2016, he partnered with Guy Oseary's Maverick consortium.{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7385827/tony-sal-joins-maverick-management|title=The Weeknd Co-Manager SAL Joins Guy Oseary's Maverick: Exclusive|date=2016-05-26|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2020-04-27}} Through SALXCO, Slaiby manages the artists signed to XO Records, including singer Black Atlass and rapper Nav, and other artists and producers such as Doja Cat, Nicki Minaj, London On Da Track, Ali Gatie, Harry Fraud, Metro Boomin, Bebe Rexha and Swedish House Mafia.{{cite magazine | last=Bliss| first=Karen| title =The Weeknd Co-Manager SAL Joins Guy Oseary's Maverick: Exclusive| magazine =Billboard| date =26 May 2016 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7385827/tony-sal-joins-maverick-management| accessdate =19 April 2019}}{{cite magazine | title =No. 52. Wassim "Sal" Slaiby {{!}} Power 100| magazine =Billboard| date =9 February 2017 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685286/no-52-wassim-sal-slaiby-power-100| accessdate =19 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=319153&title+GATIE-BAR-THE-DOOR|title=HITS Daily Double : Rumor Mill - GATIE BAR THE DOOR|website=HITS Daily Double|language=en|access-date=2020-04-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/caa-signs-singersongwriter-ali-gatie-143988|title=CAA Signs Singer/Songwriter Ali Gatie|website=www.pollstar.com|date=19 March 2020 |access-date=2020-04-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/pollstar-live-coverage-2020-salcos-artist-manager-dina-sahim-pays-it-forward-143549|title=Pollstar Live! Coverage 2020: SAL&CO's Artist Manager Dina Sahim Pays It Forward|website=www.pollstar.com|date=10 February 2020 |access-date=2020-04-27}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/music/features/maverick-sal-slaiby-the-weeknd-1203314531/|title=Music Moguls of the Year: The Weeknd Manager Sal Slaiby Swears He'll Be 'The Greatest Immigrant' Trump Ever Saw|last=Halperin|first=Shirley|date=2019-08-27|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2020-04-27}}

On April 6, 2021, Universal Music Group and Republic Records announced the launch of the new record label Universal Arabic Music, with Slaiby as its founder and CEO.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-06|title=UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND REPUBLIC RECORDS PARTNER WITH WASSIM "SAL" SLAIBY TO LAUNCH UNIVERSAL ARABIC MUSIC|url=https://www.universalmusic.com/universal-music-group-and-republic-records-partner-with-wassim-sal-slaiby-to-launch-universal-arabic-music/|access-date=2021-10-16|website=UMG|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Aswad|first=Jem|date=2021-04-06|title=Universal Launches Arabic Music Label With Weeknd Manager Wassim 'Sal' Slaiby and Republic|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/weeknd-sal-slaiby-arabic-label-universal-republic-1234944626/|access-date=2021-10-16|website=Variety|language=en-US}}

In December 2017, Slaiby joined the Lebanon-based music streaming service, Anghami, as the head of international partnerships.{{cite magazine | last=Stutz| first=Colin| title =Wassim 'Sal' Slaiby Teams With Anghami to Head International Partnerships: Exclusive| magazine =Billboard| date =19 December 2017 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8071117/wassim-sal-slaiby-anghami-international-partnerships| accessdate =19 April 2019}} In 2018, he joined the board of HXOUSE, an incubator founded by La Mar Taylor, Belly and the Weeknd consisting of a 30,000-square-foot space facility located near Toronto's waterfront that provides studio rooms and offers equipment needed for recording, designing, and producing at a low cost for young artists.{{cite news | last=Rattan| first=Chris| title =The Weeknd's XO crew discuss new creative incubator Hxouse| newspaper =Now| date =24 May 2018 | url =https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/the-weeknd-hxouse-creative-incubator/| accessdate =19 April 2019}} In the same year, he helped bring Shakira to the Cedars International Festival in Lebanon.{{cite news|date=13 May 2018|title=Shakira to perform in Lebanon during Cedars International Festival|publisher=Lebanese Examiner|url=https://www.lebaneseexaminer.com/2018/05/13/shakira-perform-lebanon-cedars-international-festival/|accessdate=19 April 2019}}

In 2019, Slaiby became an investor of the music-focused social video platform Triller.{{Cite web|year=2019|title=TIKTOK RIVAL TRILLER BREAKS 26.5M MONTHLY USERS, NAMES MEGA-ROSTER OF INVESTORS & PARTNERS|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/tiktok-rival-triller-breaks-26-5m-monthly-average-users-names-mega-roster-of-investors-partners/|website=Music Business Worldwide}} In April 2019, he was invited as a guest speaker to the Brilliant Minds, an annual conference created by Spotify founder Daniel Ek, where he was among a panel of speakers that included former US President Barack Obama, businessman Even Spiegel, and scientist Hartmut Neven.{{Cite web|url=https://entawayn.com/archives/38132|title=Wassim SAL Slaiby : guest speaker in the Brilliant Minds 2019 edition – EntaWayn.com {{!}} By Viken Tchaparian|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-27}}

In 2017, Slaiby and French Montana helped build the Suubi Hospital in Uganda in conjunction with Global Citizen and Mama Hope. In February 2018, he joined the advisory board of the international organization Global Citizen.{{cite magazine | title =Wassim 'Sal' Slaiby Joins Global Citizen Advisory Board| magazine =Billboard| date =1 February 2018 | url =https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8097560/wassim-sal-slaiby-joins-global-citizen-advisory-board| accessdate =19 April 2019}} In November 2018, he canceled his annual birthday party as a result of the deadly wildfires in California and urged his followers in an Instagram post to donate to the Los Angeles Fire Department and the California Community Foundation's Wildfire Relief Fund.

In response to the 2020 Beirut explosion, Slaiby, alongside his wife Rima Fakih, started a campaign called #GlobalAidForLebanon, in collaboration with Global Citizen and the United Nations World Food Programme. The fundraiser has raised over 2 million dollars to provide assistance to those affected.{{cite web |title=XO Records, Mika, Global Citizen Rally Support, Aid for Lebanon |date=11 August 2020 |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/xo-records-mika-global-citizen-lebanon-aid-1234731112/ |accessdate=11 August 2020}}

On May 15, 2016, Slaiby married Lebanese model, philanthropist and Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih in a ceremony at The Patriarchal Edifice in Bkerké, Lebanon.{{cite news|url=http://www.todaysoutlook.com/celebrity-weddings/details/rima-fakih-and-wassim-salibis-wedding|title=Rima Fakih and Wassim Salibi's wedding|date=18 May 2016|work=Today's Outlook|accessdate=19 April 2019}} The wedding was attended by numerous celebrities, including The Weeknd, French Montana, Haifa Wehbe, and Wael Kfoury and was presided over by Maronite Patriarch, Bechara Boutros al-Rahi.{{cite news|url=https://www.the961.com/people/lebanese-manager-the-weeknd-billboard-power-100-list|title=Lebanese Manager of The Weeknd Just Made It On Billboard Power 100 List|date=20 February 2017|accessdate=19 April 2019|publisher=The961}} The couple have four children together; Rima, Joseph, Amira, and Jacob. They reside in Los Angeles, California.{{cite magazine|last=Bliss|first=Karen|date=15 November 2018|title=The Weeknd, French Montana Manager Scraps Annual Bash in Wake of California Fires|url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/weeknd-french-montana-manager-wassim-sal-slaiby-california-fires-1203029982/|magazine=Variety|accessdate=19 April 2019}}

Slaiby is a Maronite Christian and, in 2017, was invited to visit the Pope who blessed his newborn daughter.

• 2015 – 40 under 40's Top Young Power Players{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6706952/40-under-40-music-industry-power-players-2015-list|title=40 Under 40: Music's Top Young Power Players Revealed|date=2015-09-24|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2020-04-27}}
• 2017 – Billboard Power 100 (no.52){{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7685286/no-52-wassim-sal-slaiby-power-100|title=No. 52. Wassim "Sal" Slaiby {{!}} Power 100|date=2017-02-09|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2020-04-27}}
• 2018 – Billboard Power 100 (no.53){{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8096030/no-53-wassim-sal-slaiby-power-100|title=No. 53: Wassim 'SAL' Slaiby {{!}} Power 100|date=2018-01-25|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2020-04-27}}
• 2020 – Variety's Manager of the Year{{Cite web|title=BLACKPINK chosen Group of the Year by Variety|url=https://mb.com.ph/2020/11/23/blackpink-chosen-group-of-the-year-by-variety/|website=MB|publication-date=2020}}
• 2021 – Billboard International Power Player{{Cite magazine|title=Billboard's 2021 International Power Players|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9561885/billboard-international-power-players-list-2021/|magazine=Billboard|publication-date=2021}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://salxco.com/ SALXCO official website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Slaiby, Wassim Sal}}

Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Lebanese emigrants to Canada

Category:Canadian Maronites

Category:XO (record label)

Category:Canadian music industry executives

Category:Canadian music managers

Category:Canadian businesspeople

Category:Canadian philanthropists