31 articles
1017 Records
1017 Records is Gucci Mane's Atlanta trap label, also known as So Icey Entertainment, 1017 Brick Squad, 1017 Eskimo, and 1017 Global Music; now partnered with Atlantic as The New 1017, named for his grandfather's Bessemer, Alabama address.
Aftermath Entertainment
Aftermath Entertainment is the American hip hop record label imprint founded by Dr. Dre in 1996 under Interscope/Universal, known for Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar and its boutique, low-output release model.
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records (Bad Boy Entertainment), founded by Sean Combs in New York, 1993 under an Arista deal; East Coast hip-hop label behind The Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, and 112; passed through Arista, Universal, Warner ($30M joint venture), Interscope, and Epic/Sony; now an active legacy catalog label.
Cactus Jack Records
Cactus Jack Records, also called Cactus Jack, is the American hip-hop label and publishing company Travis Scott founded in Houston on January 10, 2017, distributed via Epic, Atlantic, and Interscope joint deals, whose JackBoys compilations topped the Billboard 200 in 2019 and 2025.
Death Row Records
Death Row Records: Los Angeles hip-hop label founded 1991 by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre; released The Chronic and Doggystyle, defined G-funk, went bankrupt in 2006, and was bought by Snoop Dogg in 2022.
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings, founded 1984 in New York by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons, is a hip-hop label (now under Universal Music Group) behind LL Cool J, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Rihanna, and Jay-Z.
Dreamville Records
Dreamville Records is an American independent record label founded in 2007 by J. Cole and Ibrahim Hamad in New York City, focused on hip-hop, R&B, and soul.
Empire Distribution
Empire Distribution (EMPIRE), founded by Ghazi Shami in San Francisco in 2010, is an independent distributor, record label, and publisher known for non-exclusive artist-friendly deals, early Kendrick Lamar and XXXTentacion releases, a 2018 UMG partnership, and expansion into Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Freebandz
Freebandz (Free Bandz, Freeband Gang) is the Atlanta record label and collective founded in 2011 by rapper Future (Nayvadius Wilburn), distinct from unrelated artists using the same name; known for Epic Records joint ventures, Doe Boy, Zoey Dollaz, and its clothing line.
G-Unit Records
G-Unit Records is an American hip hop record label founded in 2003 by rapper 50 Cent and Sha Money XL as a joint venture with Interscope Records.
GOOD Music
GOOD Music, formally Getting Out Our Dreams, Inc., is an American record label founded by Kanye West in 2004 and a Def Jam sublabel since 2011.
Grand Hustle Records
Grand Hustle Records, also known as Hustle Gang Music, is an Atlanta, Georgia-based hip hop record label founded in 2003 by rapper T.I. and Jason Geter.
Griselda Records
Griselda Records, also written GxFR, is an American independent hip-hop label founded in 2012 by Westside Gunn. It is known for its gritty, sample-heavy boom-bap sound in Buffalo, New York.
Hypnotize Minds
Hypnotize Minds (Hypnotize Minds Productions) is a Memphis record label and production house founded in 1994 by DJ Paul and Juicy J as the umbrella for Three 6 Mafia and Hypnotize Camp Posse, with platinum albums and a 2006 Warner Bros. deal.
Konvict Kulture
Konvict Kulture (formerly Konvict Muzik) is the American hip hop and R&B record label founded by Akon with Melvin Brown and Bu Thiam, rebranded in 2022, known for T-Pain, Akon's Konvicted, and the sister KonLive imprint with Lady Gaga.
Mass Appeal Records
Mass Appeal Records is a New York independent hip-hop label founded in 2014 by Nas and Peter Bittenbender as the music arm of the Mass Appeal media company, distributed by Sony RED, then UMG, then The Orchard, and known for Mass Appeal India and the Legend Has It series.
Maybach Music Group
Maybach Music Group (MMG) is the record label founded by Rick Ross (legal entity July 2007), distributed by Island Def Jam, Warner Bros., Atlantic, Epic, and later gamma., known for Wale, Meek Mill, and the Self Made series.
No Limit Records
No Limit Records, founded by Master P (Percy Miller), is the American independent hip-hop label behind the No Limit Soldiers brand, distinct from unrelated German and Beatport labels of the same name; peak 1998, bankruptcy 2003.
Opium (record label)
Opium (00pium) is an Atlanta hip-hop label founded in 2019 by Playboi Carti, distributed by Interscope, with roster Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Homixide Gang; known for dark distorted trap and all-black goth aesthetics.
Psychopathic Records
Psychopathic Records, "The Hatchet", is an independent hip hop label founded 1991 in Farmington Hills, Michigan, by Alex Abbiss and Insane Clown Posse; home of Juggalo culture, Dog Beats, and the Gathering of the Juggalos.
Quality Control Music
Quality Control Music: Atlanta hip-hop label and management company founded March 2013 by Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas; home of Migos, Lil Baby, City Girls; acquired by HYBE America in 2023 for about $300 million.
Rap-A-Lot Records
Rap-A-Lot Records, also styled Rap-A-Lot, is a Houston, Texas independent hip-hop label founded in 1986 by J Prince (James Smith) and Cliff Blodget, known for the Geto Boys, Scarface, and pioneering Southern hip hop nationally.
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records, the New York hip-hop label founded by Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem Burke, launched Reasonable Doubt, sold to Def Jam in 1997 and 2004, and became defunct in 2013.
Ruff Ryders Entertainment
Ruff Ryders Entertainment, also Ruff Ryders Records or Ruff Ryders Indy, is a Yonkers, New York hip-hop label founded by the Dean siblings, home to DMX, Eve, the LOX, and producer Swizz Beatz.
Ruthless Records
Ruthless Records: Compton, California hip-hop label founded by Eazy-E (Eric Wright) with Jerry Heller, 1986/1987; home of N.W.A, Straight Outta Compton, J.J. Fad, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony; now owned by Tomica Woods-Wright.
Shady Records
Shady Records, American hip hop label founded in 1999 by Eminem and Paul Rosenberg, distributed by Interscope/Polydor/UMG; home of D12, 50 Cent, Yelawolf, Griselda, Ez Mil; 8 Mile soundtrack won the first hip hop Oscar.
So So Def Recordings
So So Def Recordings is an Atlanta hip-hop and R&B label founded by Jermaine Dupri in 1993 as a Columbia/Sony joint venture, home to Kris Kross, Xscape, Da Brat, Jagged Edge, and Bow Wow, now distributed by HYBE America.
Strange Music
Strange Music is an independent hip-hop record label in Lee's Summit, Missouri, founded by rapper Tech N9ne and businessman Travis O'Guin; its first release was Tech N9ne's Anghellic in 2001.
Top Dawg Entertainment
Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an independent hip-hop and R&B label founded in 2004 by Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith in Carson, California, home to Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Doechii, with seven No. 1 albums.
Young Money Entertainment
Young Money Entertainment, founded by Lil Wayne in 2005, is a Cash Money joint-venture record label distributed via Republic/UMG; it launched Drake and Nicki Minaj and released We Are Young Money (2009).