Part of Eminem's music catalog will go public, and give you a chance to own shares
Jeff and Mark Bass, the brothers who discovered the Detroit rapper Marshall Mathers, have agreed to sell the part of Eminem's catalog that they still own to Royalty Flow, a new subsidiary company of the online music-rights marketplace Royalty Exchange.
A press release from Royalty Flow states that the brothers "own producer credits and additional royalties on all Eminem recordings and releases from 1999 [to] 2013."
The Bass brothers will sell up to 25 percent of their interest in Eminem's music to Royalty Flow, whose executives told Bloomberg that they plan to buy the stake through fundraising in a "mini initial public offering."
Royalty Flow is looking to raise between $11 million and $50 million, according to the release, and the Bass brothers will reportedly make either $9.75 million or $18.8 million from the stock sale, depending on if they commit to sell 15 or 25 percent of their stake.
If Royalty Flow reaches its minimum funding goal, the company will then file to list it with NASDAQ, according to Variety.
Bloomberg notes that investors have historically had few chances like this to invest in the music business directly, as large corporations in the industry have dominated the field.
In 2012, however, a law made it easier for small businesses like Royalty Flow to raise funds. As a result, investors are reportedly eyeing an increased demand in streaming as a sign that Eminem's catalog will prove to be increasingly valuable over time.
"If you're a fan and wanna bet on that artist, you've got some skin in the game," Joel Martin, a business partner of the Bass brothers, told the outlet. "It takes the average investor and puts them in a position they wouldn't be in before."
Read Bloomberg's report here.