Rawkus Records was an American hip hop

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustrial (Dystopia One). Label heads Brian Brater and

Jarret Myer Jarret Myer (born February 6, 1973) is an American media entrepreneur who co-founded the record label Rawkus Records, the YouTube talent company Big Frame, and the digital media brand Uproxx. Since the sale of Uproxx to Woven Digital in 2014, Mye ...

then signed some of the top underground talent from the New York area, notably

Mos Def Yasiin Bey (; born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973), previously and more commonly known by his stage name Mos Def (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. His hip hop career began in 1994, alongside his siblings in the s ...

Talib Kweli Talib Kweli Greene (; born October 3, 1975) is an American rapper. He earned recognition early on through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with ...

Hi-Tek Tony Cottrell, better known as Hi-Tek (born May 5, 1976), is an American rapper and record producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Talib Kweli. His father is singer Willie Cottrell of the Willie Cottrell Band, whom H ...

and

Company Flow Company Flow was an American hip hop trio from Brooklyn, New York City, consisting of Bigg Jus, El-P and Mr. Len. The group was at one time associated with the independent record label Rawkus Records. Rapper/ producer El-P and DJ/producer ...

, who went on to define the label's sound. The string of 12" releases and full-length albums that followed helped initiate a resurgence in the New York/ East Coast sound. Many of these are considered classics among hip-hop aficionados. During the mid to late 1990s, Rawkus became a dominant label in the underground hip-hop scene, producing a string of gold albums and a platinum album.

History

Rawkus Records was established in 1995 by Brian Brater and

, with financial backing from their high school buddy

James Murdoch James Rupert Jacob Murdoch (born 13 December 1972) is a British-American businessman, the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and was the chief executive officer (CEO) of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019. He was the chairman and CEO fo ...

, son of

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

. In 1996, Rupert Murdoch bought a majority of Rawkus. In 1999 the label entered into a distribution deal with

Priority Records Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice-T, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Big L, Silkk the Shocker and Westside Connection. It also distributed hip hop record labels including Death Row R ...

. Over the years, Rawkus recorded several notable independent hip hop artists, including

Reflection Eternal Reflection Eternal is an American hip hop duo composed of emcee Talib Kweli and producer Hi-Tek. They released their first album, ''Train of Thought'', in 2000. They have since released a mixtape, ''The RE: Union'', in late December 2009, and t ...

, the High and Mighty,

and

(as

Blackstar ''Blackstar'' is an American animated science fantasy television series, produced in 1981 by Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott for Filmation. The series was Filmation's second fantasy epic, the first being '' The Freedom Force'', a segment of '' ...

Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...

Common Common may refer to: Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts * Clapham Common, originally com ...

Pharoahe Monch Troy Donald Jamerson (born October 31, 1972), better known by his stage name Pharoahe Monch, is an American rapper from South Jamaica, Queens, New York. He is known for his complex lyrics, intricate delivery, and internal and multisyllabic rhy ...

and Skillz. In 2002, Rawkus signed a joint venture deal with MCA. Soon after, MCA folded and Interscope/ Geffen bought Rawkus. After the sale of its catalog in 2004, Rawkus split from Geffen. In 2006, Rawkus signed with

RED Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...

, a

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

distribution company and reemerged with a new line up of notable independent hip hop artists. In early 2007, Rawkus Records accepted album submissions from Hip Hop artists, known or unknown, to be considered for their new campaign. The 50 artists chosen to wear the Rawkus 50 badge were signed to a digital distribution deal through IODA's (Independent Online Distribution Alliance) digital distribution network and had their albums released under the banner "Rawkus 50 presents". Among the 50 were artists including

Custom Made Custom, customary, or consuetudinary may refer to: Traditions, laws, and religion * Convention (norm), a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted rules, norms, standards or criteria, often taking the form of a custom * Norm (social), a r ...

L.E.G.A.C.Y. L.E.G.A.C.Y. is a rapper from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and former member of the Justus League collective. Biography L.E.G.A.C.Y. is an acronym for Life Ends Gradually and Changes You.Cordor, Cyril " L.E.G.A.C.Y. Biography, '' Allmusic'', Macr ...

and Pizon.

Discography

* *1997:

- ''

Funcrusher Plus ''Funcrusher Plus'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop group Company Flow. It was released by Rawkus Records in 1997. In 2009, it was re-released on Definitive Jux. The album has been recognized as "a landmark independent hip-hop releas ...

'' *1997: ''

Soundbombing ''Soundbombing'' is a hip hop compilation album by Rawkus Records, released on October 14, 1997. The album helped launch the careers of Mos Def and Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek), who later became Rawkus's most popular artists. ''Sou ...

'' *1998: ''

Lyricist Lounge, Volume One ''Lyricist Lounge, Volume One'' is the second hip hop compilation album by American record label Rawkus Records. The double-disc was released on May 5, 1998 as the first installment of ''Lyricist Lounge'' album series, based on New York's '' Lyr ...

'' *1998: Black Star - ''

Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star ''Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star'' (often called simply ''Black Star'') is the debut studio album by Black Star, a hip hop duo consisting of emcees Talib Kweli and Mos Def (the latter of whom now goes by Yasiin Bey). The album was released ...

'' *1999:

- '' Little Johnny from the Hospitul: Breaks & Instrumentals Vol.1'' *1999: High & Mighty - ''

Home Field Advantage In team sports, the term home advantage – also called home ground, home field, home-field advantage, home court, home-court advantage, defender's advantage or home-ice advantage – describes the benefit that the home team is said to ga ...

'' *1999:

- ''

Black on Both Sides ''Black on Both Sides'' is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Mos Def, released on October 12, 1999, by Rawkus and Priority Records. Prior to its recording, Mos Def had collaborated with Talib Kweli for the album '' Mos Def & Talib ...

'' *1999:

- '' Internal Affairs'' *1999:

DJ Spinna Vincent E. Williamsbetter known by his stage name DJ Spinna, is an American hip hop and deep house producer from Brooklyn. According to Allmusic, he has "remained strictly an underground artist despite his astonishing talent." Life and career Spi ...

- ''Heavy Beats Volume 1'' *1999: ''

Soundbombing II ''Soundbombing II'' is the second installment in Rawkus Records Rawkus Records was an American hip hop record label known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-dustria ...

'' *2000: ''

Lyricist Lounge 2 ''Lyricist Lounge 2'' is the second installment in Rawkus Records ''Lyricist Lounge'' album series. The release was one of Rawkus' most commercially successful releases, featuring the hit crossover singles, " Oh No" and "Get Up", the former char ...

'' *2000: ''

Hip Hop for Respect ''Hip Hop for Respect'' was a 2000 project which released one EP for Rawkus Records. It was organized by Mos Def and Talib Kweli to speak out against police brutality in general, and the case of Amadou Diallo in particular. History Amadou Dial ...

'' *2000: '' Ego Trip's The Big Playback - The Soundtrack to Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists'' *2000:

Big L Lamont Coleman (May 30, 1974February 15, 1999), known professionally as Big L, was an American rapper and record executive. Emerging from Harlem in New York City in 1992, Coleman became known among underground hip-hop fans for his freestyling ...

- '' The Big Picture'' *2000:

- ''

Train of Thought The train of thought or track of thought refers to the interconnection in the sequence of ideas expressed during a connected discourse or thought, as well as the sequence itself, especially in discussion how this sequence leads from one idea to ...

'' *2001:

Smut Peddlers Smut Peddlers are an American punk band originally from Redondo Beach, California. The band has been performing live since 1993 and has toured in Europe and North America. The Smut Peddlers are notorious in Southern California for their spirit ...

- ''

Porn Again ''Porn Again'' is a 2001 album by the Smut Peddlers, a group composed of Mr. Eon and DJ Mighty Mi from The High & Mighty, and Cage. Music Guest appearances include Kool Keith, Kool G Rap, R.A. the Rugged Man, Copywrite, and Apani B. Fly. Ba ...

'' *2001:

- ''

Hi-Teknology ''Hi-Teknology'' is the debut album from producer Hi-Tek, released on Rawkus Records. Most songs feature rapping or singing by other artists, and all are produced by Hi-Tek. A sequel, ''Hi-Teknology 2'', was made for MCA Records but never released ...

'' *2001:

Da Beatminerz Da Beatminerz are a hip-hop production crew from Bushwick, Brooklyn, and are known for their dark, gritty sound that is very popular with the underground hip-hop scene. History The crew, originally composed of brothers Mr. Walt (born June 2, 196 ...

- ''

Brace 4 Impak ''Brace 4 Impak'' is the debut album, studio album by American hip hop production team Da Beatminerz. It was released in 2001 via Rawkus Records, and was produced entirely by Da Beatminerz. The album featured guest appearances from Apani B, Black ...

'' *2001:

Various Artists A compilation album comprises tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several performers. If by one artist, then generally the tracks were not originally intended for rel ...

- ''Scratch Vol 1'' *2002:

Mad Skillz Donnie Shaquan Lewis, (born June 2, 1974) also known as Skillz, or Mad Skillz is an American rapper known for his acclaimed 1996 album ''From Where???'', a reference to his origins in Virginia, not a New York City or Los Angeles rapper. He ...

- '' I Ain't Mad No More (unreleased)'' *2002:

- ''

Quality Quality may refer to: Concepts *Quality (business), the ''non-inferiority'' or ''superiority'' of something *Quality (philosophy), an attribute or a property *Quality (physics), in response theory * Energy quality, used in various science discipl ...

'' *2002:

Kool G Rap Nathaniel Thomas Wilson (born July 20, 1968), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap (or simply G Rap), is an American rapper from Queens, New York City. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and a ...

- '' The Giancana Story'' *2002: ''

Soundbombing III ''Soundbombing III'' is the third installment of the Rawkus Records Rawkus Records was an American hip hop record label known for starting the careers of many rappers. Rawkus started in 1995 with releases in hip-hop, drum and bass and fun-du ...

'' *2004:

- ''

The Beautiful Struggle ''The Beautiful Struggle'' is the second studio album by American rapper Talib Kweli. The album was released on September 28, 2004, by Rawkus Records and Geffen Records. The album features guest appearances such as Common, Faith Evans, Anthony H ...

'' *2005: '' Best of Decade I: 1995-2005'' *2006:

The Procussions The Procussions are an American hip hop group based in Los Angeles, California, consisting of rapper Mr. J. Medeiros and rapper-producer Stro Elliot (Stro the 89th Key) and rapper Resonant. Known for their eclectic production, socially consciou ...

- ''5 Sparrows for 2 Cents'' *2006:

Kidz in the Hall Kidz in the Hall is an American hip hop duo from Chicago, Illinois. History Group members Jabari Evans (Naledge) and Michael Aguilar ( Double-0) met in 2000 during a talent show at the University of Pennsylvania. They began recording songs, ...

- ''

School Was My Hustle ''School Was My Hustle'' is the first studio album from Kidz in the Hall, a Chicago hip hop duo. It was the first release from a reactivated Rawkus Records, after its catalog was purchased by Universal Music Group. Track listing #"Hustler's Intr ...

'' *2006:

Panacea In Greek mythology, Panacea (Greek ''Πανάκεια'', Panakeia), a goddess of universal remedy, was the daughter of Asclepius and Epione. Panacea and her four sisters each performed a facet of Apollo's art: * Panacea (the goddess of univers ...

- '' Ink Is My Drink'' *2007:

Mr. J. Medeiros Jason Christopher Medeiros better known as Mr. J. Medeiros, is an American rapper, record producer, and songwriter. As well as releasing music under the name, Mr. J. Medeiros, he is responsible for forming the Hip Hop group The Procussions, ...

- '' Of gods and girls'' *2007:

Blue Scholars Blue Scholars is an American hip hop duo based in Seattle, Washington, created in 2002 while the members, DJ Sabzi (Saba Mohajerjasbi) and MC Geologic (George Quibuyen), were students at University of Washington. The name "Blue Scholars" is ...

- '' Bayani'' *2007:

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

- '' Port Authority'' *2007:

- ''The Scenic Route'' *2007:

Sev Statik Joseph T. Evans (born December 11, 1971), known professionally as Sev Statik and Stu Dent, is a hip hop musician and promoter from Albany, New York. Active as a rapper since the early 1990s, he has performed and recorded both as a solo artist and ...

and

DJ Dust DJ Dust is the DJ and producer for the underground hip-hop groups Mars ILL and Deepspace5. His real name is Nathan Corrona. DJ Dust is known for his hard hitting "boom bap" style of production, often mixing samples from obscure 1960s and 1970s ...

- ''

Back to Dust ''Back to Dust'' is a studio album by Albany, New York-based rapper Sev Statik and Atlanta-based producer DJ Dust, originally released on October 9, 2007, through Rawkus Records. It was the fourth studio release by Sev Statik and the second stu ...

'' *2007: Point Blank - ''Don't Get Carried Away'' *2007:

Hezekiah Hezekiah (; hbo, , Ḥīzqīyyahū), or Ezekias); grc, Ἐζεκίας 'Ezekías; la, Ezechias; also transliterated as or ; meaning "Yahweh, Yah shall strengthen" (born , sole ruler ), was the son of Ahaz and the 13th king of Kingdom of Jud ...

- ''I Predict A Riot''

Rawkus 50

The "Rawkus 50" marketing campaign saw the release of fifty digital hip-hop albums. They were all made available on 27 November 2007. # 12Bit - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # 3rd Brillyance - ''"Grass Roots"'' # Aarophat - ''"Aarodynamix"'' # Attlas - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # Bekay - ''"The Horror Flick"'' # Barak Yalad - ''"A Loss For Words"'' # Chuck Taylor - ''"Black Hop"'' # Clan Destined - ''"And For Our Next Trick"'' #

- ''"Truth Be Told"'' # Cymarshall Law - ''"Hip Hop in the Flesh"'' # Cy Young - ''"Exactly"'' # Doujah Raze - ''"Where You Are"'' # Dutchmassive - ''"Crush Your System"'' # Dynas - ''"Me, Myself and Rhymes"'' # East - ''"The Right Direction"'' # Finale - ''"Develop"'' # Grand Agent - ''"Peak Oil"'' # Hassaan Mackey - ''"Soul For Sale"'' # Intricate Minds - ''"Self Hypnosis"'' # Kaimbr - ''"Why Be Somebody Else"'' # Kaze - ''"Block 2 the Basement"'' # Kojoe - ''"Rawnin'"'' # Krukid - ''"African"'' # Laws - ''"Super Thug Killa Rap"'' # LEGACY - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # Mookie Jones - ''"Catch Me If You Can"'' # Mr. Metaphor - ''"The Evolution of Marc Bars"'' # Phenetiks - ''"Revolutionary Non Pollutionary"'' # Pizon - ''"I Am Hip Hop"'' # Prime - ''"From the Ground Up"'' # Protoman - ''"Grey Area"'' # Red Clay - ''"The Red Dawn"'' # Roddy Rod - ''"Blunt Park Sessions"'' # Scanz - ''"Prelude to a Legacy"'' # Scavone - ''"The Rehab Record"'' # Sev Statik & Dust - ''"Back to Dust"'' # Silent Knight - ''"Hunger Strike 2"'' # Brooklyn Shanti - ''"The1Shanti"'' # 6th Sense - ''"It's Coming Soon"'' # The Smile Rays - ''"Smilin' on You"'' # Span Phly - ''"Two Weeks Notice"'' # Spit Supreme - ''"Whole Life For This"'' # Spokinn Movement - ''"60 Min. Spin Cycle"'' # SunN.Y. - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # The Breax - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # The Foundation - ''"Forever Behind the Music"'' # The Regiment - ''"The Come Up"'' # Together Brothers - ''"Rawkus 50 Presents..."'' # Wildabeast - ''"Many Levels"'' # Willie Evans Jr. - ''"Communication"''

References

External links

Rawkus
at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

{{Authority control Record labels established in 1996 Record labels disestablished in 2004 Hip hop record labels American independent record labels