It’s hard to imagine a universe where Missy Elliott, Pantera, 21 Savage, En Vogue, and Camila Cabello have much in common, but here’s one way they all did: All were among the many artists whose careers were fostered and launched by Sylvia Rhone , the pioneering executive whose career spanned decades and genres. Today, Rhone announced she was stepping down from Epic Records , where she had been president since 2014 and chair and CEO since 2019.

Rhone’s accomplishments are many: She was the first Black woman to head a major label, she stressed much-needed diversity in the business and its signings, and she is credited with helping foster the careers of many women in hip-hop, from Elliott and MC Lyte to Nicki Minaj and Rah Digga.

Never one to downplay the impact of Black music on the cu

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