Music biz veteran Lionel Ridenour has been named EVP, promotion, at gamma. He's already helped score major hits for such gamma. acts as 4Batz, Sexxy Red, USHER and October London.

Ridenour founded Anchor Promotions in 2013, which at the time was the only Black-owned label-services and promotion company in the United States. Beforehand, he led the urban departments at Virgin Records and Malaco Records and worked for a decade at Clive Davis' Arista on projects by the Notorious B.I.G., Outkast and Whitney Houston.

He began his career as co-founder of the street-promotion team Mainframe Records, which was later brought in house by Capitol Records.

"Early into the formation of gamma., we oftentimes heard the critique that one of the things we would be challenged to deliver on is radio promotion, for any artist at the highest level. So we challenged ourselves to roll up our sleeves and debunk that theory,” said gamma. co-founder/CEO Larry Jackson, who created the company with Ike Youssef. “And it's because of Lionel, his staff and our efficient spend in this area that we now have such an unbelievably strong radio market share for a company that’s only a year old."

Ridenour thanked Jackson and Youssef "for the opportunity to grow past the boundaries of industry norms and lead all promotion efforts on behalf of a wide variety of incredible talent," adding, "It's gratifying to be a part of an intrepid company reshaping the manner in which careers can be magnified and propelled."

In related news, Jackson will sit for a conversation today (6/6) with rapper/podcaster Joe Budden. Here's a teaser.