Chicago rapper Lil Durk is partnering with AWAL to relaunch his label venture, OTF (Only The Family).
The partnership will allow OTF – established in 2012 by founders Durk Banks, Dontay ‘Dthang’ Banks, Cedrick ‘SB’ Earsery and Uchenna ‘Chino’ Agina – to use AWAL’s global infrastructure and artist development expertise to identify new talent.
With Durk acting as CEO, the team is rounded out by COO Earsery, who will work alongside AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick, president Pete Giberga, SVP/head of urban music Norva Denton, and the rest of the AWAL A&R and marketing teams to build upon the label’s growing roster.
GTA by DJ Bandz featuring Rob49, Skilla Baby and Fivio Foreign will be released on Friday (May 10) as OTF's first single as part of the new venture.
“Durk has long established himself as a cultural leader in the A&R space,” said Olinick. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with him and OTF during his evolution as an executive.”
Denton, who started his career at Def Jam and previously worked as Durk’s West Coast regional director, said: “Providing a venture home for OTF and my brother Durk after starting our careers together in Chicago is truly a full circle moment for the ages.”
Durk added: “This move was about winning as a family, never business. I’m excited to flood the streets with music!”
AWAL triumphed in the Label/Artist Services category at the Music Week Awards earlier this month.
