Abou "Bu" Thiam

Abou “Bu” Thiam was inspired to pursue a career in music after growing up listening to his father – legendary drummer Mor Thiam. His first major business opportunity was handling A&R for his brother, Akon, with his multiplatinum album “Trouble.” This led to the signing of T-Pain in 2005 and the setup of Interscope-affiliated Kon Live Distribution. At 28-years-old, Bu was the youngest person to be appointed Vice President of A&R at iconic Def Jam Records, overseeing A&R and executive producing for Rihanna’s album “Talk That Talk.” Bu was also responsible for the pairing of Jay-Z and Kanye West, which led to the opportunity to executive produce their Grammy Award-winning collaboration album “Watch the Throne.” As an established businessman and game changer, Bu has made a memorable mark in the music industry.