EMPIRE Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (marketed as EMPIRE) is an American

distribution company Distribution (or place) is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. Distribution is the process of making a product or service available for the consumer or business user who needs it. This can be done directly by the producer or service p ...

and record label founded in by Ghazi Shami with offices in New York City, London, Nashville, and

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. It has released albums in various genres but it is predominantly focused on hip hop music. Many prominent companies and artists have partnerships with EMPIRE (see

below Below may refer to: *Earth * Ground (disambiguation) *Soil *Floor * Bottom (disambiguation) *Less than *Temperatures below freezing *Hell or underworld People with the surname *Ernst von Below (1863–1955), German World War I general *Fred Below ...

), with music being distributed across platforms such as

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...

, Google Play,

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology co ...

, Deezer, Spotify,

SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...

, and Rdio, along with physical CDs and vinyl being distributed to traditional record stores. EMPIRE has supported the debut albums and early singles of a number of early artists, frequently signing young talent. In the Atlanta scene, orchestrated by their SR. Marketing Executive , John Hill they were the first label to release Trinidad James,

Rich Homie Quan Dequantes Lamar (born October 4, 1989), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. He was previously signed to labels T.I.G. Entertainment and Motown, and is an independent artist as of 2021. Quan experienced commercial succ ...

, Migos,

Rocko Rocko Rama is the main protagonist of the animated television series ''Rocko's Modern Life'', the Netflix special Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, and the comic book series of the same name. Carlos Alazraqui provided the voice of the anthropomo ...

, and K Camp. In Los Angeles, they have distributed and/or are still distributing artists such as Kendrick Lamar,

Schoolboy Q Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q (stylized as ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper. In 2009, Hanley signed to Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and in late ...

Problem Problem solving is the process of achieving a goal by overcoming obstacles, a frequent part of most activities. Problems in need of solutions range from simple personal tasks (e.g. how to turn on an appliance) to complex issues in business an ...

, Snoop Dogg, and

Crooked I Dominick Antron Wickliffe (born September 23, 1976), better known by his stage names Crooked I and Kxng Crooked, (stylised as KXNG Crooked and pronounced "King Crooked") is an American rapper from Long Beach, California. He is best known as a for ...

. They've also been involved in New York with releases from

Fat Joe Joseph Antonio Cartagena (born August 19, 1970), better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper from New York City. He began his music career as a member of hip hop group Diggin' in the Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), then forged a so ...

, Styles P,

Cam'ron Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), better known by his stage name Cam'ron, is an American rapper, record executive, and actor from Harlem, New York City. Beginning his career in the mid-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed to Lance "Un" ...

, and

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

. On the R&B side, they have signed artists such as

Eric Bellinger Eric Aldwin Bellinger Jr. (born March 26, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Los Angeles. He began songwriting in 2010, and his co-writing credits including " Lemme See" by Usher, " New Flame" by Chris Brown, "You ...

Jacquees Rodriquez Jacquees Broadnax (born April 15, 1994), better known as Jacquees (pronounced jah-kwees), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper from Decatur, Georgia. In 2015, he signed a recording and management contract with Cash Money Reco ...

Jesse Boykins III Jesse Boykins III (born February 20, 1985) is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. Career Boykins is a world soul artist originally from Jamaica, later relocating to Miami and finally Brooklyn. H ...

Jonn Hart Di'Jonn Grizzell, (born August 29, 1989) better known by his stage name Jonn Hart, is an American singer, rapper from Oakland, California. He is a former member of the band Tha Outfit and was formerly signed to Epic Records. His debut release, "Wh ...

, and

Lyrica Anderson Lyrica Nasha Anderson is an American R&B singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of singer and former Ikette Lyrica Garrett. Anderson has appeared on the VH1 reality show '' Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood''. Career In 2009, Anderson co-wrote the ...

. EMPIRE has also had several chart topping reggae albums including reggae artist J Boog's album '' Backyard Boogie''. A number of albums and singles distributed by EMPIRE have charted on ''Billboard'', including " Taste" by Tyga featuring

Offset Offset or Off-Set may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Off-Set", a song by T.I. and Young Thug from the '' Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' * ''Offset'' (EP), a 2018 EP by singer Kim Chung-ha * ''Offset'' (film), a 200 ...

, " Look at Me" by

XXXTentacion Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...

, " All the Way Up" by

and Remy Ma, "

Broccoli Broccoli (''Brassica oleracea'' var. ''italica'') is an edible green plant in the cabbage family (family Brassicaceae, genus ''Brassica'') whose large flowering head, stalk and small associated leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Broccoli is cl ...

" by

DRAM Dynamic random-access memory (dynamic RAM or DRAM) is a type of random-access semiconductor memory that stores each bit of data in a memory cell, usually consisting of a tiny capacitor and a transistor, both typically based on metal-oxi ...

, "

Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh) "Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)" is a song by American rapper Rich Homie Quan. It was released on February 10, 2015, as a single from his fifth mixtape '' If You Ever Think I Will Stop Goin' in Ask RR (Royal Rich)'' & ''Summer Sampler'' (2015). It was produ ...

" by

, "Might Be" and " OTW" by DJ Luke Nasty, '' Malibu'' by

Anderson .Paak Brandon Paak Anderson (born February 8, 1986), better known by his stage name Anderson .Paak (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and drummer. He released his debut mixtape, ''O.B.E. Vol. 1,'' in 2012 and went on to rel ...

, '' Section.80'' by Kendrick Lamar, "

Gas Pedal "Gas Pedal" is a song by American rapper Sage the Gemini with additional vocals from fellow Bay Area rapper Iamsu!. It was produced by Dominic Wynn Woods and written by Woods and Sudan Williams. It was released on March 21, 2013 as the second ...

" by Sage the Gemini, ''

Phantom and the Ghost ''Phantom and the Ghost'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper Styles P. The album was released on April 29, 2014, by Phantom Entertainment, New Music Cartel and Empire Distribution. The album features guest appearances from Sheek Louch ...

'' by Styles P, "#IWantDat" by

Mindless Behavior Mindless Behavior was an American boy band who were best known for the singles " My Girl" and " Mrs. Right", produced by Walter Millsap. The band was put together in Los Angeles in 2008, by Keisha Gamble, Vincent Herbert and Walter Millsap. The ba ...

, ''

Knock Madness ''Knock Madness'' is the third studio album by American rapper Hopsin. It was released on November 24, 2013, by Funk Volume and distributed by EMPIRE. Hopsin has said that the overall vibe of the album is different from his previous album '' Ra ...

'' by

Hopsin Marcus Jamal Hopson (born July 18, 1985), known professionally as Hopsin, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Los Angeles. In 2007, he was signed to Ruthless Records, and had founded his own record label, Funk Volume, ...

, and '' Stoner's EP'' by Snoop Dogg.

History

Founding

EMPIRE was founded in 2010 by CEO Ghazi Shami, a music technology graduate of

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different b ...

and the former Director of Urban Music at INgrooves. In operating the company, Shami was joined by Nima Etminan, an MBA graduate in Media Management from Hamburg Media School. Etminan, co-founder of the hip hop platform DubCNN.com, worked to expand the mission and services and as of 2011 was handling Marketing and A&R. Etminan now serves as Vice President of Operations and A&R.

Releases

One of the label's first charting releases was ''

Authenticity Authenticity or authentic may refer to: * Authentication, the act of confirming the truth of an attribute Arts and entertainment * Authenticity in art, ways in which a work of art or an artistic performance may be considered authentic Music * ...

'' by hip hop duo

The Foreign Exchange The Foreign Exchange is an R&B/electronica/ hip hop duo consisting of the American rapper/singer Phonte and the Dutch record producer Nicolay. Musical career The pair initially made contact via message boards on Okayplayer.com and soon be ...

, released on October 12, 2010. It peaked at #145 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, and #23 on the US R&B chart. Rapper

ScHoolboy Q Quincy Matthew Hanley (born October 26, 1986), better known by his stage name Schoolboy Q (stylized as ScHoolboy Q), is an American rapper. In 2009, Hanley signed to Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and in late ...

's album '' Setbacks'', released on January 11, 2011, also charted, reaching #100 on the ''Billboard'' 200. ''

Longterm Mentality ''Longterm Mentality'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Ab-Soul. It was released on April 5, 2011, by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), exclusively to digital retailers, serving as Ab-Soul's debut retail release. The a ...

'' by

Ab-Soul Herbert Anthony Stevens IV (born February 23, 1987), better known by his stage name Ab-Soul, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in Carson, California, he signed to indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2007, where ...

, released the following April, peaked at #32 on the US ''Billboard''

Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...

. In November 2013, Hopsin's ''

'' album peaked at #76 on the Billboard 200 and at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Nima Etminan soon signed California hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar to the distribution company, and as of early 2012 Empire began handling distribution for all the projects by

Top Dawg Entertainment Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) is an American independent record label founded in 2004, by CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Terrence "Punch" Henderson is president of the label. There are currently eleven artists signed to the label: the label's f ...

, including Lamar's '' Section.80.'' Released on July 2, 2011, the album reached #113 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and #1 on the ''Billboard''

Top Heatseekers Albums Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...

. 2012 saw releases by artists such as Slum Village, Trinidad James, Snoop Dogg, and Freddie Gibbs, several of which charted. In 2012 the label helped organize a 2013 tour between

Trae tha Truth Frazier Othel Thompson III (born July 3, 1980), better known by his stage name Trae tha Truth (or simply Trae), is an American rapper and record executive from Houston, Texas. Embarking on a musical career in 1998, he soon established himself ...

and

J. Stalin Jovan Smith (born January 25, 1983), better known by his stage name J. Stalin (also stylized as J Stalin or J-Stalin), is a rapper from the Cypress Village housing projects in West Oakland. In 2007, he signed to Zoo Entertainment Production ...

. Also in 2013, Empire distributed the album ''Still Goin In (Reloaded)'' by

, which was named tenth best mixtape of 2013 by '' Rolling Stone''. Recent albums include ''

'' by Styles P, released on April 29, 2014. It charted at #74 on US ''Billboard''

200 __NOTOC__ Year 200 ( CC) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Victorinus (or, less frequently, year 953 ''Ab urb ...

, and #14 on US ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In 2013, Empire established its recording division, with Fairfield, CA native Sage The Gemini being the first signee. In 2017, it was announced that Rayya Lioness launched a new Independent label called Lioness Music Style Records, LLC, which will be distributed by Empire. LMS Records is home to such artists as Albino Redz, BLK XLNZ, and more... In 2018, it was announced that record producer and label executive

L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...

founded a new label Hitco Entertainment, which will be distributed by Empire. In the same year, Australian and rapper Iggy Azalea announced her own record label originally titled ''New Classic Records'' and later renamed to ''Bad Dreams'' with its distribution being handled by Empire. On August 5, 2021,

Blackground Records Blackground Records 2.0 (legal name Blackground Records, LLC, formerly known as Blackground Records) is an American record label founded and owned by Jomo and Barry Hankerson. Initially named Blackground Enterprises, the label switched its name ...

signed a distribution deal with EMPIRE to re-release its discography, most notably the catalogue of singer

Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and ...

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

, - , , , "Out of Many, One Music" (Shaggy), ,

Best Reggae Album The Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1985 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works in the reggae music genre. Honors in se ...

, , , - , , , " Strictly Roots" (Morgan Heritage), , Best Reggae Album , , , - , rowspan="6" , , , "Malibu" (Anderson .Paak), ,

Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...

, , , - , "Malibu" (Anderson .Paak), ,

Best Urban Contemporary Album The Grammy Award for Best Progressive R&B Album is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for quality works on albums in the urban contemporary subgenre within the R&B field. Honors in several categories are presented at t ...

, , , - , "All The Way Up" (Fat Joe & Remy Ma), ,

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which poi ...

, , , - , "All The Way Up" (Fat Joe & Remy Ma), ,

Best Rap Song The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several c ...

, , , - , "Broccoli" (DRAM), ,

Best Rap/Sung Performance The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...

, , , - , "Rose Petals EP" (J Boog), , Best Reggae Album , ,

Artists

Notable artists who have released music on EMPIRE: *

9th Wonder Patrick Denard Douthit (born January 15, 1975),
better known as 9th Wonder, is a 2nd Nature (boy band), 2nd Nature *

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

A.Chal Alejandro Chal Salazar (born May 30, 1989), professionally known as A. Chal (stylized A.CHAL), is a Peruvian-American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He released his first EP, ''Ballroom Riots'', in 2013. His debut studio album, ...

Adam Lambert Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. Since 2009, he has sold over 3 million albums and 5 million singles worldwide. Lambert is known for his dynamic vocal performances that fuse his theatrical tra ...

* Afgan * Albee Al *

Alexis & Fido Alexis & Fido, a.k.a. Los Pitbulls,Reggaetón 'Pitbulls' Ready To S ...

* Amanda Perez * Amber Liu *

Andre Nickatina Andre L. Adams (born March 11, 1970), better known by his stage name Andre Nickatina, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California. He previously performed under the stage name Dre Dog. Personal life Andre Adams was born on March 11, 1 ...

Asake Ahmed Ololade (born 13 January 1995), known professionally as Asake, is a Nigerian Afrobeats singer and songwriter. He is signed to YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution. His stage name pays homage to his mother, whose first name is Asake. To pro ...

Bankroll Mafia Bankroll Mafia is an American hip hop collective from Atlanta, Georgia. The collective was formed in 2015, after southern rappers T.I., Young Thug and Shad da God began frequently working together. Other Atlanta-based rappers also joined the ...

B-Legit Brandt Jones (born January 13, 1968), better known by his stage name B-Legit, is an American rapper from Vallejo, California. Early life Brandt "B-Legit" Jones graduated from General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Senior High School on June 17, 19 ...

* BeachBoyNino * Berner *

B.o.B Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years later ...

Bobby V Bobby Marcel Wilson (born February 27, 1980), better known by his stage name Bobby V (also known as Bobby Valentino), is an American R&B singer. He was first a member of the R&B group Mista in 1994, before signing to rapper Ludacris through h ...

Benny the Butcher Jeremie Damon Pennick (born November 27, 1984), known professionally as Benny the Butcher or simply Benny, is an American rapper. He is part of the hip hop collective Griselda with frequent collaborators and first-cousins Westside Gunn and Con ...

Boosie Badazz Torence Ivy Hatch (born November 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Boosie BadAzz or simply Boosie (formerly Lil Boosie), is an American rapper. Hatch began rapping in the 1990s as a member of the hip hop collective Concentration Camp, ev ...

* Black Sherif *

BONES A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, and ...

* Brockhampton *

* Che’Nelle * Christopher eSX *

Chronixx Jamar Rolando McNaughton (born 10 October 1992), popularly known as Chronixx, is a Jamaican reggae artist. His stage name replaced the name "Little Chronicle" which he was given because of his father, the singer "Chronicle".Jackson, Kevin (2014 ...

Clyde Carson Clyde Nyle Kalin Carson Parrish (born June 2, 1981), better known by the stage name Clyde Carson, is an American rapper from Oakland, California. He was originally known as a member of the hip hop group The Team. After the group went on hiatus ...

Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud (born May 25, 1973), known professionally as Daz Dillinger (formerly Dat Nigga Daz and commonly Daz), is an American rapper and record producer. In the 1990s at Death Row Records, aided the catapult of West Coast rap and gan ...

Diamond D Joseph Kirkland (born April 5, 1968), better known by his stage name Diamond D, is an American hip hop MC and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, and one of the founding members of the Diggin' in the Crates Crew, abbreviated as D.I.T ...

Dinah Jane Dinah Jane Milika Ilaisaane Hansen (; born June 22, 1997) is an American singer and a member of girl group Fifth Harmony. In October 2017, she featured in RedOne's single " Boom Boom" with Daddy Yankee and French Montana. After the group's hiatu ...

Dizzy Wright La'Reonte Wright (born November 26, 1990), known professionally as Dizzy Wright, is an American rapper and record producer. In December 2011, Wright signed to rapper Hopsin's independent record label, Funk Volume. After signing, he released his ...

* DJ Kay Slay * DJ Pauly D *

Doe B Glenn Thomas (June 13, 1991 – December 28, 2013), better known by his stage name Doe B, was an American rapper from Montgomery, Alabama. He was perhaps best known for being signed to fellow rapper T.I.'s Atlanta-based record label, Hustle Ga ...

Drakeo the Ruler Darrell Wayne Caldwell (December 1, 1993 – December 19, 2021), known professionally as Drakeo the Ruler, was an American rapper. He was known for his flow, as well as his "oddly expressive, poetic word-choices", leading the ''Los Angeles Tim ...

* Dounia * Dru Hill *

D Smoke Daniel Anthony Farris (born October 17, 1985), known professionally as D Smoke, is an American rapper and songwriter from Inglewood, California. He gained attention after winning the first season of the Netflix music competition show '' Rhythm + ...

EarthGang EarthGang (stylized EARTHGANG) is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, composed of Olu (aka Johnny Venus) and WowGr8 (aka Doctur Dot – born Eian Parker). They are co-founders of the musical collective Spillage Village, with JID, Ho ...

* Eaz G *

Emilio Rojas Emilio Rojas is an American rapper. Biography Early life and career beginnings Emilio Rojas was born to a Venezuelan father and an American mother in the suburbs of Rochester. At age 10, Emilio's father left his family and returned to Venezuel ...

* Ester Dean *

Fashawn Santiago Leyva (born October 19, 1988), known by his stage name Fashawn, is an American hip hop recording artist from Fresno, California. He first gained major attention after releasing his debut album ''Boy Meets World'' in 2009, which was pro ...

Fireboy DML Adedamola Adefolahan (born 5 February 1996), known professionally as Fireboy DML, is a Nigerian singer. He is signed to YBNL Nation, a record label founded by Nigerian rapper Olamide. His debut studio album '' Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps'' was ...

Flipsyde Flipsyde is an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Career Flipsyde currently consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Steve Knight, lead guitarist Dave Lopez, and rapper The Piper (Jinho Ferreira). Their 2005 debut alb ...

* Freddie Gibbs * Glasses Malone *

Hayley Kiyoko Hayley Kiyoko Alcroft (born April 3, 1991) is an American singer, dancer and actress. As a child model and actress, she appeared in a variety of films including '' Scooby-Doo!'' film series (2009–2010), '' Lemonade Mouth'' (2011), '' Blue Lagoo ...

Hustle Gang Grand Hustle Records (formerly Grand Hustle Entertainment), also known as Hustle Gang Music, is an Atlanta, Georgia-based hip hop record label, founded in 2003, by American rapper T.I. and his manager Jason Geter. Up until December 2012, the lab ...

Iamsu! Sudan Ameer Williams (born November 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Iamsu! (stylized as IamSu! or IAMSU!), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also a part of the production team The Invasion and lead ...

* Iggy Azalea *

J Dilla J, or j, is the tenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...

* J. Valentine * J-HAZE * Justina Valentine *

Jacob Latimore Jacob O'Neal Latimore (born August 10, 1996) is an American actor, singer and dancer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2016, Latimore released his debut album ''Connection''. As an actor, he is best known for his roles in ''Black Nativity'', ''Th ...

* Jake Miller *

Jarren Benton Jarren Giovanni Benton (born October 26, 1981), is an American rapper from Decatur, Georgia. In early 2012, he signed to rapper Hopsin's independent record label Funk Volume and released a mixtape titled, ''Freebasing with Kevin Bacon'' in Ju ...

* Jewel *

Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In what he called "revolutionary suicide", ...

* Johnny Haze * Joji * JUsjoose * Keak Da Sneak *

Kilo Kish Lakisha Kimberly Robinson (born May 10, 1990), known professionally as Kilo Kish, is an American singer-songwriter and visual artist. Early life Kilo Kish was born in Orlando, Florida, on May 10, 1990. She attended Glen Rock Elementary School in ...

King Von Dayvon Daquan Bennett (August 9, 1994 – November 6, 2020), known professionally as King Von, was an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He was signed to Lil Durk's record label Only the Family and Empire Distribution. Early life Benn ...

* Kizz Daniel *

Konshens Garfield Delano Spence (born 11 January 1985), also known as Konshens, is a Jamaican dancehall recording artist. Biography Garfield Delano Spence was born on 11 January 1985. Prior to his solo career, he was a member of the duo SoJah with his ...

* Kurupt * Kwengface * Lamont Sincere * Leekthough *

Lil Duval Roland Powell (born June 12, 1977), better known by his stage name Lil Duval, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. In 2005, he was a finalist on BET's comedy competition series ''Coming to the Stage''. Powell is a series regular to the MT ...

Lloyd Lloyd, Lloyd's, or Lloyds may refer to: People * Lloyd (name), a variation of the Welsh word ' or ', which means "grey" or "brown" ** List of people with given name Lloyd ** List of people with surname Lloyd * Lloyd (singer) (born 1986), America ...

* Lloyd Banks *

Loote Loote is an American pop duo based in New York City consisting of Jackson Foote and Emma Lov Block. They released their debut single, "High Without Your Love", in May 2017 through Island Records. Background Block's career began by writing jingl ...

Lucki Lucki Camel Jr. (born May 30, 1996) known mononymously as Lucki (stylized in all caps) is an American rapper and record producer from Chicago, Illinois. He came to public attention in 2013, after receiving recognition for his debut project, '' A ...

Mac Dre Andre Louis Hicks (July 5, 1970 – November 1, 2004), known by his stage name Mac Dre, was an American rapper from Vallejo, California. He was an instrumental figure in the emergence of hyphy, a cultural movement in the Bay Area hip hop scene ...

* MAJOR. * Mandy Rain *

Mann Mann may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Mann (chess), a variant chess piece which moves as a king * ''Mann'' (film), a 1999 Bollywood motion picture * ''Mann'' (magazine), a Norwegian magazine * Mann Theatres, a theatre chain corp ...

* Mario * Mars * Members Only *

Messy Marv Marvin Watson Jr. (born March 19, 1976), better known by his stage name Messy Marv, is an American rapper who began his career in the Fillmore District of San Francisco, California. Messy was also known as a collaborator in the rap group Kaalman ...

Mistah F.A.B. Stanley Petey Cox (born January 23, 1982), better known by his stage name Mistah F.A.B. (backronym for Money Is Something To Always Have–Forever After Bread), is an American rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, community organizer and activist. ...

Mitchy Slick Charles Mitchell (born December 29, 1973), known professionally as Mitchy Slick, is an American rapper from Southeast San Diego, California. He is a member of the rap supergroup Strong Arm Steady, along with rappers Phil Da Agony and Krondon. ...

* MO3 (rapper) *

Mozzy Timothy Cornell Patterson (born June 24, 1987), known professionally as Mozzy, is an American rapper from Oak Park, Sacramento, California. He is signed with CMG, Interscope Records, Blackmarket Records. He started rapping in 2004 under the ...

* Mack Wilds *

NIKI __NOTOC__ Niki may refer to: People * Niki (given name) * NIKI (singer), Indonesian singer and songwriter * Niki DeMar, American singer * Niki Etsuko (1928–1986), Japanese author of mystery fiction Places * Niki, Hokkaido, a town in Japan * Ni ...

Nef the Pharaoh Tonee Hayes (born January 11, 1995), better known by his stage name Nef the Pharaoh, is an American rapper from Vallejo, California. In 2014 he was selected by fans as the "Bay Area Freshman of the Year" in a yearly contest held by Thizzler.com. ...

Nefew Nefew (stylised as NEFEW) is a multicultural hip hop group currently based in Switzerland. It consists of ''Polemikk'' (MC, producer) and ''PA-Double'' (DJ, producer). Nefew is an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word. Q Magazine ...

* No Malice * Olamide * Philthy Rich *

Pia Mia Pia Mia Perez (born September 19, 1996) is an American singer, songwriter, and model. She began her career by posting videos of herself singing on the video sharing site YouTube, and went on to star in commercials and music videos. Pia Mia sign ...

Phresher Kashaun Rameek Rutling (born May 16, 1989), known professionally as Phresher (stylized as PHresher), is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York. Phresher first gained recognition in 2016 for his single "Wait a Minute" featuring Remy Ma, and ...

PnB Rock Rakim Hasheem Allen (December 9, 1991 – September 12, 2022), better known by his stage name PnB Rock, was an American rapper and singer. He gained a large following in 2016 with his song "Selfish", which peaked at number 51 on the US ''Billbo ...

* Popcaan *

Pleasure P Marcus Ramone Cooper Sr, (born December 27, 1984), better known by his stage name Pleasure P, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, who experienced success as a member of the group Pretty Ricky before embarking on a solo career in 2007. Hi ...

* Raisa * Rakeem Miles * Ramengvrl * Rapper Big Pooh *

Rapsody Marlanna Evans (born January 21, 1983), better known by her stage name Rapsody, is an American rapper. Her second album, '' Laila's Wisdom'' (2017), which was critically acclaimed, received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album and Be ...

* Rayven Justice * Riff Raff *

RBL Posse RBL Posse is a gangsta rap group from the Hunters Point section in San Francisco, California. The members were Black C, Mr. Cee, and Hitman. The only surviving member is Black C. History RBL Posse was formed in 1991 by Black C (Christian Mathew ...

* Remy Ma * RemyMuzik *

Rich Brian Brian Imanuel Soewarno (born 3 September 1999), known professionally as Rich Brian, is an Indonesian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his viral debut single " Dat $tick", which was first released in March 2016 o ...

* Robin Thicke *

* Robb Banks * Rotimi * Saba * Sean Garrett * Sean Kingston *

Selfish Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively, for oneself or one's own advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others. Selfishness is the opposite of altruism or selflessness; and has also been contrasted (as by C. S. Lewis) w ...

* Shaggy * Shapiro (Song writer) *

Show Banga Show Banga is a rapper and songwriter from San Francisco, California. Currently signed to Cam Publishin he was releasing singles as early as 2011 on HomeTeam Entertainment, and in 2013 he released the deluxe edition of his album ''Don't Stop Vot ...

Skeme Lonnie Kimble (born January 3, 1990), better known by his stage name Skeme, is an American rapper from Inglewood, California. Skeme has collaborated with various West Coast rappers such as the group Black Hippy, Bizzy Bone, The Game, Dom Kenne ...

* Skyzoo &

Torae Torae L. Carr (born March 18, 1977), known mononymously as Torae, is an American rapper from the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York. He has released a number of solo albums and collaborative works, and operates the independent record la ...

Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, " Still Tippin'". In July 2005, ...

SOB X RBE SOB X RBE (an acronym of Strictly Only Brothers x Real Boi Entertainment) is an American hip hop group. The group consists of two active members, DaBoii and Slimmy B. The group was founded in 2016 by Slimmy B (Jabbar Brown), Yhung T.O. (Juwon Le ...

SpaceGhostPurrp Markese Money Rolle (born April 1, 1991), known professionally as SpaceGhostPurrp, is an American rapper and record producer from Miami, Florida. He was the founder of the American hip hop group Raider Klan and Black Money Boys. Famous Raider ...

* Supa Bwe * Starlito * Styles P * Tank * TaylorMade Roc * Tribe Mafia *

The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...

* The Grouch & Eligh *

The Jacka Dominick Newton (August 12, 1977 – February 2, 2015), better known by his stage name The Jacka, was an American rapper from Pittsburg, California. The Jacka began his career as part of the rap group Mob Figaz. He was killed in a shooting in ...

* Travis Garland * Trevor Jackson * Trinidad James *

Troy Ave Roland Collins (born November 23, 1985), better known by the stage name Troy Ave, is an American rapper from the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. His moniker derives from Troy Avenue, a street near his childhood home. In ...

Turf Talk Turf Talk (born Demar Bernstine in Vallejo, California), is a Bay Area rapper involved with the hyphy movement. He is a cousin of Bay Area rapper E-40, and is signed to his record label Sick Wid It Records. (Source needed). Growing Up Turf Ta ...

* Tyra B * Tink *

Victoria Monet Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

* WC *

We Are Toonz We Are Toonz is an American hip hop group from Stone Mountain, Georgia, formed in 2013, known for the viral debut dance single " Drop That #NaeNae", inspired by Martin Lawrence's character Sheneneh Jenkins from his popular 1990's sitcom ''Marti ...

* WHITE EAGLE * Wande Coal *

Yaw Tog Thorsten Owusu Gyimah (born 8 May 2003), popularly known as Yaw Tog, is a Ghanaian rapper who majors in drill music, known in Ghana as ''Asakaa''. He is best known for his viral song "Sore" which featured O'Kenneth, City Boy, Reggies & Jay Bahd an ...

* Young Chop *

Young Dolph Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper. In 2016, he released his debut studio album, '' King of Memphis'', which peaked at number 49 on the ''Billboar ...

* Yung Beef *

Yung Bleu Jeremy Biddle (born April 5, 1994), known professionally as Yung Bleu and Bleu Vandross, is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his 2020 single " You're Mines Still", which peaked at number 18 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 after i ...

Zion I Zion I was an American hip hop project founded by MC and producer Baba Zumbi (real name Stephen Gaines) in Oakland, California. K-Genius and Amp Live were also project members. Career Originally formed as a group, Zion I released the debut s ...

* Zion y Lennox * Z-Ro

Selected discography

G-Town BlackTrab

Singles

Notable singles released by EMPIRE *2011 **Kendrick Lamar – "ADHD" *2012 **Hopsin – "Ill Mind of Hopsin 5" **Trinidad James – "

All Gold Everything "All Gold Everything" is the debut single by American rapper Trinidad James. It was released on December 20, 2012, as the first single from his debut mixtape '' Don't Be S.A.F.E.'' (2012). The single has sold over 1,000,000 copies and was certified ...

" *2013 **Alexis y Fido" – "Rompe La Cintura" **Problem – "Like Whaaat" **Rocko – "

U.O.E.N.O. "U.O.E.N.O." (verbal shorthand for You Don't Even Know as spoken with a regional dialect) is a song by American hip hop recording artist Rocko. It was released on March 5, 2013, as the first single from his sixth mixtape ''Gift of Gab 2'' (2013). ...

" **Sage The Gemini – "Red Nose" **T.I. – "Memories Back Then" *2014 **Busta Rhymes – "

Calm Down #REDIRECT CALM {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...

" ft. Eminem **Rayven Justice – "Hit or Nah" **Rich Homie Quan – "Walk Thru" **Sage The Gemini – "Gas Pedal" **Troy Ave – "About The Money" *2015 **Alexis y Fido – "Una en un Millón" **Colonel Loud – "California" ft. T.I., Young Dolph & Ricco Barrino **D.R.A.M. – "Cha Cha" **Jermaine Dupri – "WYA" ft. Bow Wow **Kane Brown – "Used To Love You Sober" **Nef The Pharaoh – "Big Tymin’" **P Diddy – "Finna Get Loose" ft. Pharrell **Popcaan – "Never Sober" **Rich Homie Quan – "Flex" (Ooh Ooh Ooh) **Rich Homie Quan – "The Most" **Tyga – "Stimulated" *2016 **D.R.A.M. – "Broccolli" ft. Lil Yachty **Fat Joe & Remy Ma – "All The Way Up" ft. French Montana & Jay-Z (Remix) **Lloyd – " Tru" **Luke Nasty – "Might Be" **Luke Nasty – " OTW" **Mario - "I Need More" **Mario – "Let Me Help You" **Wizkid – "Shabba" ft. Chris Brown, Trey Songz & French Montana **Young Dolph – "Get Paid" *2017 **Sammie – "Coa" **Lamont Sincere – "Where It Came From" **Eric Bellinger – "Be The Change" **Mario – "Pain is the New Pleasure" **Trinidad James – "Father FiGGA" **Lamont Sincere – "Broken" **Xai Beats – "Can't Relate" ft. Ellah & Young Gully **J-HAZE - "The Body Guard" *2018 ** Mario - "Dancing Shadows" **Mario - "Drowning" ** Tyga - " Taste" ft.

- " Bottled Up" ft.

Ty Dolla Sign Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...

and Marc E. Bassy **J-Haze - "Hussein on Cocaine" ft.

Conway The Machine Demond Price (born February 16, 1982), known professionally as Conway the Machine (or simply Conway), is an American rapper. Alongside his paternal half-brother Westside Gunn and cousin Benny the Butcher, Conway was a member of Griselda Record ...

*2019 **

- "Feel Something" ** Iggy Azalea - " Sally Walker" **Mario - "Care for You" **

- "New Eyes" **

Shapiro Shapiro, and its variations such as Shapira, Schapiro, Schapira, Sapir, Sapira, Spira, Sapiro, Spiro (name)/Spyro (in Greek), Szapiro/ Szpiro (in Polish) and Chapiro (in French), is a Jewish Ashkenazi surname. Etymology The surname is deriv ...

- "Urgent" **

- "Bleu Chanel" ** Xai Beats – "Miss Me" ft. GreedyBoyFred, J.Star & 1.TakeOcho **

Free Nationals Free Nationals are an American R&B band formed in Los Angeles, California. The group consists of Jose Rios (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ron "T.Nava" Avant (keyboard, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Kelsey Gonzales (bass guitar, bass synth) an ...

- "Beauty & Essex" ft. Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra *2020 **

- "Took Her To The O" **

- "RNB" ft.

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...

** T-Pain - "Wake Up Dead" ft.

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to ''Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempor ...

August Alsina August Anthony Alsina Jr.(April 8, 2013)R&B Singer August Alsina Talks Working With The Dream, Preps Def Jam Debut, ''Life + Times'' (confirms middle name; other sources confirm he is a "junior") (born September 3, 1992) is an American singer f ...

- "Entanglements" with Rick Ross **

- "YUUUU" with

** T.I. - "Pardon" ft. Lil Baby ** French Montana - "Double G" ft. Pop Smoke **King Von - "The Code" ft.

Polo G Taurus Tremani Bartlett (born January 6, 1999), known professionally as Polo G, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence with his singles " Finer Things" and "Pop Out" (featuring Lil Tjay). His debut album '' Die a Legend'' (2019) peaked at ...

** Rich The Kid & YoungBoy Never Broke Again - "Bankroll" **

- "

You're Mines Still "You're Mines Still" is a song by American rapper Yung Bleu. It was released on October 2, 2020, as the third track from his EP ''Love Scars: The 5 Stages of Emotions''. A remix featuring Canadian musician Drake was released on October 16, 2020 ...

" ft. Drake **

- "Fast Pace" **

- "Red Handed" *2021 **

- "Part of the Game" ft. NLE Choppa and Rileyy Lanez **French Montana - "Hot Boy Bling" ft.

Jack Harlow Jackman Thomas Harlow (born March 13, 1998) is an American rapper from Louisville, Kentucky. He started his career in 2015 and released several EPs and mixtapes before he was signed to Don Cannon and DJ Drama's record label Generation Now in 20 ...

and

Lil Durk Durk Derrick Banks (born October 19, 1992), known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer. He is the lead member and founder of the collective and record label Only the Family (OTF). Durk garnered a cult following with the ...

**Fat Joe - "Sunshine" (The Light) with DJ Amorphous **Busta Rhymes - "Czar" ft.

M.O.P. M.O.P. (short for Mash Out Posse) is an American hip hop duo composed of East Coast rappers Billy Danze and Lil' Fame. The song " Ante Up", was released on their '' Warriorz'' album in 2000. The group has frequently collaborated with DJ Prem ...

and CJ **Yung Bleu - "Ghetto Love Birds" with A Boogie Wit da Hoodie **

- "Never Change" **

Shelley FKA DRAM Shelley Marshaun Massenburg-Smith (born August 3, 1988), known professionally as DRAM (); an abbreviation for "does real-ass music", formerly Shelley FKA DRAM, is a German-born American rapper, singer, and record producer from Hampton, Virginia. ...

- "All Pride Aside" with

Summer Walker Summer Marjani Walker (born April 11, 1996) is an American R&B singer. In 2017, she signed to Love Renaissance and Interscope Records. The following year, she released the mixtape '' Last Day of Summer,'' which spawned the single "Girls Need L ...

**T-Pain - "I Like Dat" with Kehlani **

OG Parker Joshua Isaih "OG" Parker (born October 27, 1993), is an American record producer from Atlanta. He is currently signed to Quality Control Music and has been with the label since 2014. OG Parker has produced for artists including Migos, Chris Bro ...

, Chris Brown - Rain Down ft.

Latto Alyssa Michelle Stephens (born December 22, 1998), professionally known as Latto or Big Latto (formerly known as Mulatto), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. She first appeared on American rapper Jermaine Dupri's reality television s ...

and

Layton Greene Layton Greene is an American singer and songwriter from East St. Louis, Illinois. She is signed to Quality Control Music and Universal Music Group. Her debut EP, ''Tell Ya Story,'' was released on September 9, 2019. Greene is Quality Control ...

**Yung Bleu - "Baddest" with Chris Brown and

2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, ...

**Tyga - "Mrs. Bubblegum" ** Sean Kingston - "Love Is Wonderful" ft. Travis Barker

References

External links

* {{Authority control American record labels Record labels established in 2010 Hip hop record labels Record label distributors Companies based in San Francisco Record labels based in California 2010 establishments in California