Mass Appeal announced Tuesday (June 29) two new executive hires — Jessica Rivera as general manager of music and Jenya Meggs as senior vp of content.
In her new role, Rivera will oversee creative and day-to-day operations of Mass Appeal’s music division. “It’s an inspiring time to join Mass Appeal and continue to build the music division and elevate the artist’s narrative through the synergy of Music and media,” Rivera said in a statement.
Rivera and Meggs will work together on Mass Appeal’s #HipHop50 program, the former overseeing original music projects aimed at celebrating Hip Hop’s history and the latter leading the content partnership with Showtime/ViacomCBS. The #HipHop50 platform was created to celebrate Hip Hop’s 50th anniversary through partnerships that will produce original music, content, podcasts, live experiential, products, education, publishing and more, “with a charitable component attached to everything.”
Meggs will also be spearheading programming strategies and partnerships in her new position, the press release said.
“I’m excited to use my talents and join Mass Appeal on this journey, to expand the narrative of film and TV, while creating exceptional content,” Meggs said. “Mass Appeal has brilliantly created a path for authentic storytelling journeys. Hip-Hop 50 will bring together the best we have to offer to serve the culture the most defining celebration it deserves.”
Rivera most recently served as head of artist relations for YouTube’s West Coast territory, and before that worked as vp of East Coast Operations at Universal Music Publishing Group. Her resume includes leading the marketing campaign that launched Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” to its first ever No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, signing a 16-year-old Rhianna to her first publishing deal at EMI and being named one of Billboard’s 2020 R&B/Hip Hop Power Players.
Previously, Meggs served as the original content producer for Apple Music and produced the BET Web Series Brooklyn Blue Sky (2017) and executive produced the BET George Floyd Special (2020). She also has video marketing campaign credits with artists like Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Rhianna and Kanye West.
Both Rivera and Meggs will work closely with the company’s CEO Peter Bittenbender and co-founder Nas.
“Great moment as the team expands with the hiring of Jessica and Jenya, both of whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with for years,” Nas said. “I look forward to working with Jessica as the GM of the label, Jenya as the svp of content and together as a team as we scale our #HipHop50 program and Mass Appeal’s overall business.”
