High Focus Records is an independent

British hip-hop British hip hop, also known as UK hip hop or UK rap, is a music genre, genre of music, and a culture that covers a variety of styles of hip hop music made in the United Kingdom. It is generally classified as one of a number of styles of urban mu ...

record label founded by rapper Fliptrix in 2010, following the collapse of Low Life Records.

History

In 2008, Fliptrix was in the process of releasing his first album on Low Life Records the largest UK hip-hop label at the time. Unfortunately, the label collapsed later that year. As a result, Fliptrix turned to one of the only other hip-hop labels in the UK at that time, YNR. However the label's owner,

Jehst William G. Shields (born 1979), better known by his stage name Jehst, is an English rapper and co-founder of hip hop label YNR Productions. Biography Born in Kent in 1979, Jehst spent his early childhood in Crowborough in Sussex before moving ...

, recommended he create his own label in order to get his album out as soon as possible. Friends of Fliptrix, such as Jam Baxter and Leaf Dog, asked if he could put their albums out too - and it was from there High Focus Records began to grow.

Details

Originally influenced by late 1990s and early 2000s British hip hop artists such as

, Task Force and

Skinnyman Skinnyman (born Alexander Graham Holland, 9 November 1974) is a British rapper who was born in Chapeltown Leeds, Yorkshire and moved to Finsbury Park, London at a young age. He grew up on the Six Acres Estate next to Andover Estate. Among his ...

, High Focus has often focused on a 1990s US '

boom bap Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in the East Coast during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the b ...

' style hip hop sound. However, it has diversified its artist roster into alternative hip hop in recent years with Onoe Caponoe Strange U and Jam Baxter incorporating wider influences. The label has released dozens of albums and projects since 2010. They have released one UK top 40 album,

Ocean Wisdom Ocean Alexander Alouwishas Wisdom (born 17 May 1993), known professionally as Ocean Wisdom, is an English rapper from Camden Town, London. His largest claim to fame is his debut single "Walkin'", in which he delivered lyrics faster than Eminem's ...

's Wizville in 2018. However, he has since left the label to start his own venture with

Warner Music Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and th ...

. As of October 2015, High Focus Records has had nearly 40 million views on its YouTube channel. In 2016, High Focus regular

Verb T Thomas Conning (born 11 January 1981), better known by the stage name Verb T is a UK hip-hop artist based in London. Biography Verb T has released 10 albums and six EPs as well as numerous singles. His first release was the 12-track EP ''Ba ...

teamed up with comedian Doc Brown to release a song dedicated to their shared local South London football team

Crystal Palace FC Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst in the Borough of Croydon, South London, England, who compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football. Although formally created as a profe ...

. The track, called "Glad All Over Again", was played at Wembley in the

2016 FA Cup Final The 2016 FA Cup Final was an association football match between Crystal Palace and Manchester United on 21 May 2016 at Wembley Stadium in London, England, organised by the Football Association (FA). It marked the 135th final of the Footbal ...

between Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Verb T and producer Pitch 92 (who have two albums out together on High Focus) also recorded the theme tune for the Sky One television series

The Reluctant Landlord ''The Reluctant Landlord'' is a British comedy television series created by Romesh Ranganathan. The series stars Romesh Ranganathan, Sian Gibson and Nick Helm. It premiered in the UK on 30 October 2018. A second and final series premiered on ...

. Show creator and comedian

Romesh Ranganathan Jonathan Romesh Ranganathan (born 27 March 1978), is an English actor and comedian. He is known for his deadpan and often self-deprecating comedy. Ranganathan has made numerous appearances on television comedy panel shows, and in 2016 he co-p ...

has featured High Focus members The Four Owls, Dirty Dike and former label star Ocean Wisdom on his hip hop themed podcast, ''Hip Hop Saved My Life.'' High Focus artists have also been frequent collaborators with

Rag'n'Bone Man Rory Charles Graham (born 29 January 1985), better known as Rag'n'Bone Man, is an English singer and songwriter. He is known for his deep baritone voice. His first hit single, "Human", was released in 2016, and his debut album of the same nam ...

, who released two EPs on the label between 2011 and 2014.

Artists

Current and former acts

* Brothers of the Stone *BVA *CMPND *Contact Play *Coops *Cracker Jon & 2Late *Dabbla *Datkid *Dead Players *Dirty Dike *DJ Sammy B-Side *Ed Scissor *Fliptrix * The Four Owls *Jam Baxter *Leaf Dog *Mr Key *Onoe Caponoe *Ocean Wisdom *

*Ramson Badbonez *Ronnie Bosh *Strange U *TrueMendous *

Associated producers

* Chemo * Leaf Dog * Illinformed * DJ Sammy B-Side * Talos * Pitch 92 * Dirty Dike * Pete Cannon * Joe Corfield * Molotov * DJ Madnice * Ghosttown * Runone

References

{{Authority control British independent record labels Hip hop record labels British hip hop record labels