Ebro Darden has hosted a show on Apple Music’s always-on Beats 1 station since its inception, but now he’s taking on a broader role at the streaming service. Billboard reports this morning that Darden has been appointed as Apple Music’s global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B.
Under this new role, Darden will manage a team of hip-hop and R&B editors and focus on editorial strategies for content releases, Billboard says. He will continue to host his own show on Beats 1 on Monday through Friday from 3PM to 5PM ET.
Further, in addition to his expanded role at Apple Music, Darden will continue to host is hit show on Hot 97 in New York City “Ebro in the Morning” from 6AM to 10AM ET.
Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s global director of editorial, touted the promotion in a statement, praising Darden’s ear for hip-hop and R&B music:
“We’re excited that Ebro is joining us in a full-time capacity. Having dedicated his life and career to hip-hop, R&B and pop music, he has so much to offer. One of Ebro’s most defining characteristics is that he has great ears for where R&B and hip-hop are transcending and evolving to beyond even the borders of the U.S. He’ll obviously take a leadership position for us not just in hip-hop and R&B but also in the communities where the music is made, which is also exciting and something unique to Ebro.”
In his own statement, Darden said that one of his goals with his new role at Apple Music is to help artists serve their communities, as well as help those communities thrive – not only in the United States but elsewhere around the world as well:
“If we’re doing our job, we’ll be able to get down at the community level and connect with people to not only help artists service their communities but help those communities thrive. This is a global position as well. So, as we build this out, I’ll be doing the same thing I want to do in America in the U.K., Africa, India, Japan, Brazil and other countries. I’ll be wherever R&B and hip-hop are being consumed and working to create communication amongst communities around the world through Apple Music — making sure that black music is getting recognized and developing the next superstars.”
Darden originally joined Apple Music in 2015, along with Zane Lowe and Julie Adenuga. Today’s announcement, however, sees him taking a broader editorial role rather than purely hosting a show on Beats 1.
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