Who is Scooter Braun?
Scooter Braun is best known by many as the man who first found Justin Bieber on YouTube. Currently, those people who know him as such are suspicious that he has something to do with Justin Bieber’s recent engagement to model Hailey Baldwin, as well as Ariana Grande’s engagement to comedian Pete Davidson. Since he manages Bieber and Grande, among many others, some believe the engagements are both publicity stunts.
Karlie Kloss, another one of Braun’s clients, got engaged this week, and it sparked further questions and hatred.
However, it is important that Braun is recognized for everything else he has accomplished as well, and that he is not painted in a negative light because of unhappy fans.
Scooter’s Story
Scott “Scooter” Braun was born in New York City and raised in Connecticut. Growing up, he discovered he had a passion for music, film, and technology, among other things. His first brush with the entertainment industry was when he made a documentary about the Hungarian people before, during, and after the Holocaust. His video was sent to Steven Spielberg, where it was then sent to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
From there, he went to Emory University in Atlanta, where he planned after-parties for hip hop artists Ludacris and Eminem during their Anger Management Tour. This introduced him to the entertainment industry as well as record producer and rapper, Jermaine Dupri, who asked him to work for him at his label, So So Def. Braun accepted the job and dropped out his sophomore year.
In the interview below, Braun admitted that his time at So So Def was great, but it didn’t end well. He explained that he was discouraged because he knew that social media was a fast-paced and new way for artists to make a name for themselves and get their brand out there, but no one at the company believed him. After receiving advice from his dad, he knew he had to leave the label. However, before he was able to say anything, he was let go by Dupri and Dupri’s mom due to a heated argument. Braun knew that leaving would be a risk, but after that situation, he knew it was right.
In 2007, Braun officially left the So So Def label despite Dupri wanting him back, and started his own marketing business, SB Projects, with areas of interest focusing on music, television, culture, and brands. It’s still a growing company and it is very successful.
In 2008, he discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube. The first video he saw was of Bieber singing “So Sick” by Ne-Yo.
He reached out to several different people who knew Bieber, as well as his school, when finally, Bieber’s mom, Pattie Mallette, responded to his calls. Braun was able to persuade Mallette to bring her son to the States, since they were in Canada, for a free week-long trial period to experience what it was like with Braun as a manager.
Mallette and Bieber eventually moved to the States, with Braun paying for their apartment and everything in it. While this happened, Braun had hopeful rapper Asher Roth living on his couch, also waiting to be signed. Despite the fact that he was running low on money, he pushed through just enough to make it.
After months of being rejected by many labels and producers, Braun finally pitched Bieber’s talents to both Usher and Justin Timberlake. Usher set up a meeting with music director and his mentor, LA Reid, for Braun where he was finally able to convince Reid to sign Bieber to his label, Island Def Jam.
Three years later, Braun helped produce the documentary “Never Say Never,” which focused on Bieber and his career so far at that point. It was released in 2011, and did incredibly well in theaters.
While he had an eventful start, Bieber went through some changes, which caused Braun, as he said in the interview, to worry about Bieber. Despite the few rough patches Bieber went through throughout his later teenage years in his career, Braun was able to help him out of the bad mindset he was in. Bieber went on to be highly successful, and still is. Their careers grew together.
In 2013, Braun signed Ariana Grande, another chart-topper.
As his company grew, more stars were managed under him. He now has more than two dozen clients, such as Lil Dicky, Martin Garrix, and Rixton.
He has also been incredibly successful in philanthropic events. Through his clients and companies, he has granted more wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation than any other organization in the history of the foundation. He helped organize the One Love Manchester event with Ariana Grande, raising $13 million for the victims of the terrorist attack, as well as a telethon to help hurricane victims, which raised $44 million for the victims.
He was on the cover of Billboard’s “Forty Under Forty" issue that features successful people on the rise in 2012, and he was on TIME magazine’s “Top 100 of 2013,” another list that recognizes incredible people.
So… Is He Behind the Engagements?
Though there is no way of truly knowing, it would be difficult to believe that Scooter Braun could make his clients get engaged. Ariana Grande even went out of her way to defend him on Twitter.
I think she has settled the debate. Scooter Braun is more than likely not behind any of their engagements. He’s an amazing manager, but he’s no Cupid.
