- Rapsody has signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for worldwide live music and touring representation, with agent Paul O'Loughlin leading the relationship.
- She keeps Left/Right Management for management, Roc Nation for her label and brand partnerships, and Vital Versatility for publicity.
- The move plugs her into an agency on a hip-hop tear, having added Joyner Lucas, alongside 2026 signings like Anthrax, Slayer, and The Temptations.
Grammy-nominated North Carolina emcee Rapsody has a new touring home. The rapper has signed with Independent Artist Group (IAG) for worldwide live music and touring representation, with agent Paul O’Loughlin now handling the relationship.
On the management side, Rapsody continues with Left/Right Management. She also stays with Roc Nation, her record label and brand partnerships home since 2016, and keeps Vital Versatility on for public relations.
Born Marlanna Evans in Snow Hill, North Carolina, Rapsody signed to 9th Wonder‘s It’s a Wonderful World Music Group before becoming the first female artist to join Jay-Z‘s Roc Nation. Her 2017 album “Laila’s Wisdom” earned two Grammy nominations, for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song.
Her latest project, “Please Don’t Cry,” arrived in May 2024 through Jamla and Roc Nation, followed by a run of sold-out international tour dates.
Rapsody’s live calendar keeps building. She is booked to perform at the GoodWaves Festival at Chicago’s Salt Shed Fairgrounds on August 30, 2026, sharing the bill with Killer Mike, DJ Premier, Snow Tha Product, and Brother Ali.
The signing lands during a busy stretch for IAG’s music division. The agency recently added fellow hip-hop artist Joyner Lucas for representation, and has spent 2026 expanding its roster across genres, signing thrash metal acts Anthrax and Slayer for global touring and Motown legends The Temptations for worldwide representation.
IAG, formed from the 2023 merger of Agency for the Performing Arts (APA) and Artist Group International (AGI), also represents touring heavyweights like Billy Joel, Metallica, Mary J. Blige, Rod Stewart, Ne-Yo, and Norah Jones.
Takeaways
This isn’t just a routine agency swap. Rapsody joining IAG comes right as the agency is on one of its biggest hip-hop pushes yet, and pairing a lyricist of her caliber with an agency building serious festival and touring muscle could mean bigger stages and more international dates than she’s had before.
Keeping Roc Nation, Left/Right Management, and Vital Versatility in place also signals this is a strategic add to her live side, not a full team shake-up.
Could IAG’s touring network open the door for Rapsody’s first major international festival headlining slot? With Joyner Lucas and Rapsody both now on IAG’s roster, is the agency positioning itself as a real player in hip-hop touring?
