David Geffen and Matt Geffen are two of the most influential figures in the music industry, but are they related by blood or by business? Many people have wondered if the young and successful Matt Geffen is the son or nephew of the legendary David Geffen, who co-founded Asylum Records, Geffen Records, DGC Records, and DreamWorks SKG. The answer, however, is not so simple.
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The Rise of David Geffen
David Geffen was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1943 to Jewish immigrants from Palestine. He dropped out of college and started his career in the mailroom of the William Morris Agency, where he lied about having a UCLA degree to get hired. He quickly rose to become a talent agent and a personal manager for artists like Laura Nyro and Crosby, Stills and Nash. He also helped Jackson Browne get a record deal with Atlantic Records, which led him to co-found Asylum Records with Elliot Roberts in 1971.
Asylum Records was a home for singer-songwriters who had trouble finding a record label that would support their artistic vision. Some of the artists that signed with Asylum included Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Linda Ronstadt, Eagles, and Warren Zevon. In 1975, Asylum merged with Elektra Records to form Elektra/Asylum Records, and Geffen became the vice chairman of Warner Communications.
In 1980, Geffen left Warner and founded his own label, Geffen Records, which signed acts like John Lennon, Donna Summer, Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Beck. In 1990, he created another label, DGC Records (David Geffen Company), which was a subsidiary of Geffen Records and focused on alternative rock bands like Weezer, Hole, Counting Crows, and Garbage.
In 1994, Geffen teamed up with Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg to form DreamWorks SKG, a multimedia entertainment company that produced movies, television shows, video games, and music. DreamWorks was responsible for hits like Shrek, American Beauty, Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, and The Prince of Egypt. In 2004, Geffen sold his record labels to Universal Music Group for $3 billion. In 2006, he sold DreamWorks SKG to Viacom for $1.6 billion.
David Geffen is widely regarded as one of the richest and most powerful people in Hollywood. He has a net worth of $7.6 billion as of August 2023. He is also a philanthropist who has donated millions of dollars to various causes, such as AIDS research, education, arts and culture, and politics. He has also amassed an impressive collection of contemporary art by artists like Jasper Johns, Willem de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock.
The Rise of Matt Geffen
Matt Geffen was born in Los Angeles in 2000. He is the son of Gary Geffen and Lisa Kudrow2. Gary Geffen is a real estate developer who is the cousin of David Geffen. Lisa Kudrow is an actress who is best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay on the sitcom Friends. Matt grew up surrounded by music and entertainment industry insiders. He attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles and then dropped out of the University of Southern California to pursue his passion for music.
Matt Geffen started his career as an intern at Interscope Records when he was 16 years old. He learned the ropes of the music business from mentors like Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. He also developed his skills as a producer and songwriter by working with artists like Kendrick Lamar , Playboi Carti , Ariana Grande , and others.
In 2018 , Matt Geffen joined The Revels Group , a management company founded by Matt Bauerschmidt , who is the longtime manager of rapper G-Eazy. Matt became a management partner and head of A&R at The Revels Group , overseeing a roster that includes G-Eazy , JAHMED , Dounia , Tommy Genesis , and others. The Revels Group has generated more than 25 billion streams to date.
Matt also spearheaded the launch of The Revels Group’s producer and songwriter division in 2018 , which represents producers and writers like Teddy Walton , Maaly Raw , Tommy Parker , Hit-Boy , Boi-1da , Frank Dukes , and others. More than 60% of The Revels Group’s producers have earned at least one Billboard Hot 100 hit.
Matt Geffen is one of the youngest and most successful executives in the music industry. He was named one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music in 2022. He has a net worth of $50 million as of August 2023. He is also a philanthropist who has supported causes like Black Lives Matter , LGBTQ+ rights , and mental health awareness.
The Relationship Between David Geffen and Matt Geffen
David Geffen and Matt Geffen are related by blood, but not by business. They are second cousins, meaning that their fathers are cousins. However, they have never worked together professionally, and they have different approaches to the music industry.
David Geffen is known for being a visionary who created his own labels and companies from scratch. He is also known for being a ruthless negotiator who always gets what he wants. He has been described as “the most powerful man in Hollywood” by Vanity Fair.
Matt Geffen is known for being a prodigy who learned from the best in the business. He is also known for being a collaborative leader who values teamwork and creativity. He has been described as “the future of music” by Billboard.
David Geffen and Matt Geffen have a cordial but distant relationship. They respect each other’s achievements, but they do not interfere with each other’s affairs. They occasionally see each other at family gatherings or industry events, but they do not communicate regularly.
According to Matt Geffen, “David is a legend and an inspiration to me, but he is not my mentor or my boss. We have our own paths and our own visions. I admire him, but I don’t try to emulate him.”
According to David Geffen, “Matt is a talented and smart young man, but he is not my protégé or my heir. We have our own interests and our own goals. I support him, but I don’t influence him.”
Conclusion
David Geffen and Matt Geffen are two of the most influential figures in the music industry, but they are not related by business. They are second cousins who have their own labels and companies, their own approaches and styles, and their own relationships and networks. They are both successful and respected in their own right, but they are not dependent on each other. They are both Geffens, but they are not the same.
