Anticon (often styled as anticon.) is an

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels and artists are often represented ...

based in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. It was founded in 1998 by seven musicians and manager Baillie Parker. It is now collectively owned among six musicians, co-founder Parker, and manager Shaun Koplow. The original musicians signed to Anticon were once referred to as the Anticon collective.

History

The label's roster of artists has been described as "the hip-hop equivalent of post-rock" and "

avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...

hip-hop". Releases feature material created by its members, affiliates, and extended musical family. Although Anticon cohered originally within

alternative hip hop Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a subgenre of hip hop music that encompasses a wide range of styles that are not typically identified as mainstream. AllMusic defines it as comprising " hip hop groups that refuse to confor ...

circles, Anticon's founders have become only tangentially related to hip hop, and the label has begun releasing music in the

indie rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produc ...

and electronica genres. Artists signed to Anticon are based in the United States,

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The artists within the collective have been known to perform and release music in solo and group form. Artists on the label are known for frequent collaboration, both within and outside of their own collective. However, the Anticon collective has over time evolved into a group of separate artists who, despite sharing a similar progressive and often challenging

indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...

quality, explore different styles of music including electronica and

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

. Many of the artists on Anticon are signed to multiple labels, and some have their own small, independent labels through which they have self-released material. Anticon has also organized art exhibitions featuring visual art by several of the artists on the label. On February 9, 2010, co-founder Sole (Tim Holland) left Anticon exclaiming that it is time to try to push forward and find new opportunities. He leaves citing business and ideological differences while maintaining his love for the artists on Anticon. He said, "There are no ill feelings between myself and members of anticon. I will continue to work with many of the artists and will always love them as brothers and consider them allies." He officially renounced his 1/8 of ownership and formal affiliations. On March 30, 2018, founding member Alias died of a heart attack at age 41.

Owners

Alias (musician) Brendon Whitney (April 5, 1976 – March 30, 2018), better known by his stage name Alias, was a producer and rapper from Hollis, Maine. He was a co-founder of the indie hip hop record label Anticon. History Alias originally performed as a rap ...

(Brendon Whitney) *

Doseone Adam Drucker (born April 21, 1977), better known by his stage name Doseone, is an American rapper, producer, poet and artist. He is a co-founder of the indie hip hop record label Anticon. He has also been a member of numerous groups including ...

(Adam Drucker) * Jel (Jeffrey Logan) *

Odd Nosdam David P. Madson (born 1976), better known by his stage name Odd Nosdam, is an American underground hip hop producer, DJ and visual artist. He is co-founder of the record label Anticon. He has remixed tracks by a variety of bands and artists in ...

(David Madson) *

Pedestrian A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In modern times, the term usually refers to someone walking on a road or pavement, but this was not the case historically. The meaning of pedestrian is displayed with ...

(James Brandon Best) *

Yoni Wolf Jonathan Avram "Yoni" Wolf (born April 30, 1979) is an American alternative hip hop and indie rock musician and co-founder of the record label Anticon. From 1997 until 2004, Wolf released music under the stage name Why?. In 2004 he transferred t ...

* Baillie Parker

Roster

Current

* 13 & God *

A7PHA Anticon (often styled as anticon.) is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1998 by seven musicians and manager Baillie Parker. It is now collectively owned among six musicians, co-founder Parker, and ma ...

Anathallo Anathallo was a band originally from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan and then based in Chicago, Illinois. The band started practicing in the fall of 2000 and played their first show soon afterward. Their name is derived from a Greek word meaning "to renew, ...

Angel Deradoorian Angel Deradoorian (born July 18, 1986), also known mononymously as Deradoorian, is a musician based in Los Angeles, California. She is best known for her work with Dirty Projectors as full-time member from 2007 to 2012. She left to pursue a solo ...

Antonionian Antonionian (born Jordan Dalrymple) is a multi-instrumentalist based in California. History Jordan Dalrymple has been a member of Subtle and 13 & God. He released the debut album, '' Antonionian'', under the alias Antonionian on Anticon in 2011 ...

* Baths *

Beans A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...

Bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...

Darc Mind Darc Mind is an underground hip hop duo from Queens, New York (state), New York. It consists of rapping, rapper Kev Roc and record producer, producer X-Ray. History Darc Mind recorded their debut album ''Symptomatic of a Greater Ill'' for Loud R ...

DJ Mayonnaise Chris Greer, better known by his stage name DJ Mayonnaise, is an alternative hip hop hip hop production, producer and disk jockey, DJ from Portland, Maine. He has released two albums on Anticon. History DJ Mayonnaise released his debut album ''55 ...

D33j Djavan Santos (born October 30, 1990), better known by his stage name D33J, is an American record producer based in Los Angeles, California. He is a member of the Wedidit collective. He has collaborated with Tory Lanez and Lil Yachty. Early l ...

Dosh Dosh or DOSH may refer to: * Mary Lucy Dosh (1839-1861), American Roman Catholic nun and nurse * Dosh (musician) (born 1972), American musician * ''Dosh'' (album) * Deoxysarpagine hydroxylase, an enzyme * Kariel Gardosh (1921–2000), Israeli c ...

* Jel *

Josiah Wolf Josiah Wolf is a drummer and vocalist from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known as the drummer, percussionist, and backing vocalist of the indie rock band Why?, of which his brother Yoni is the lead vocalist. History Josiah Wolf has been a member ...

Pictureplane Travis Egedy (born May 1, 1985), better known by his stage name Pictureplane, is an American electronic musician, visual artist and fashion designer based in Brooklyn, New York. He first appeared in the music scene of Denver, Colorado, making a ...

Raleigh Moncrief Raleigh Moncrief is an American electronic musician, record producer and recording engineer who has worked with Zach Hill, Dirty Projectors and !!!. History The debut album, ''Watered Lawn'', was released on Anticon in 2011. Discography Albums * ...

Saroos Saroos is a post-rock trio from Berlin, Germany. It consists of Florian Zimmer, Christoph Brandner and Max Punktezahl. History Saroos released the self-titled debut album, ''Saroos'', on Alien Transistor in 2006. The second album, '' See Me Not ...

SJ Esau SJ Esau is the music project of Sam Wisternoff, an experimental pop musician from Bristol, England. Although ostensibly a solo project, Wisternoff is often joined by the drummer Sean Talbot and has incorporated a variety of other musicians into re ...

Telephone Jim Jesus George Chadwick, better known by his stage name Telephone Jim Jesus, is an alternative hip hop producer based in Oakland, California. He is a member of Restiform Bodies along with Passage and Bomarr. History Telephone Jim Jesus released his deb ...

Thee More Shallows Thee More Shallows is a three-piece experimental indie rock band based in San Francisco, California. It was formed in 2001. The band consists of Dee (ne David) Kesler, Chavo Fraser and Jason Gonzales. History The three musicians who would come to ...

Themselves Themselves, previously known as Them, is an American hip hop duo based in Oakland, California. It consists of Doseone and Jel. They are also part of Subtle and 13 & God. The duo's first studio album, '' Them'', was included on '' Fact''s "100 ...

Tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

Young Fathers Young Fathers are a Scottish band based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2014, they won the Mercury Prize for their album ''Dead''. History Formed in Edinburgh in 2008 by Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings, the group starte ...

Former

Alias Alias may refer to: * Pseudonym * Pen name * Nickname Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Alias'' (2013 film), a 2013 Canadian documentary film * ''Alias'' (TV series), an American action thriller series 2001–2006 * ''Alias the ...

* Alias & Ehren *

Alias & Tarsier ''Brookland/Oaklyn'' is the only collaborative studio album by Alias & Tarsier. It was released on Anticon in 2006. Critical reception Brian Howe of ''Pitchfork'' gave the album a 7.0 out of 10, saying, "for the bulk of it, Alias stays behind the ...

Antwon Antonio Williams (born October 25, 1986), better known by his stage name Antwon, is an American rapper based in San Jose, California. In 2013, he was included on '' Complex''s "15 Unsigned Rappers Who Should Get a Deal After SXSW" list. He was al ...

* Bike for Three! *

Bomarr Matt Valerio, better known by his stage name Bomarr (formerly The Bomarr Monk), is an alternative hip hop producer based in San Francisco, California. He is a member of Restiform Bodies along with Passage and Telephone Jim Jesus. History Bomar ...

Buck 65 Richard Terfry (born March 4, 1972), better known by his stage name Buck 65, is a Canadian alternative hip hop artist. Underpinned by an extensive background in abstract hip hop, his more recent music has extensively incorporated blues, countr ...

Danielson Danielson is an American rock band from Clarksboro, New Jersey, that plays indie pop gospel music. The group consists of frontman Daniel Smith and a number of various artists with whom he collaborates. Smith has also released solo work as Br ...

Deep Puddle Dynamics Deep Puddle Dynamics was a collaborative group featuring underground hip hop artists Sole, Doseone, Alias and Slug. History Deep Puddle Dynamics released the album '' The Taste of Rain... Why Kneel?'' on Anticon in 1999. Discography Albums * ...

Passage Passage, The Passage or Le Passage may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Passage'' (2008 film), a documentary about Arctic explorers * ''Passage'' (2009 film), a short movie about three sisters * ''The Passage'' (1979 film), starring ...

* Restiform Bodies *

Sage Francis Paul William "Sage" Francis (born November 18, 1976) is an American independent underground rapper from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of Strange Famous Records. Early life and education Francis was born in Miami, Florida ...

Serengeti The Serengeti ( ) ecosystem is a Geography of Africa, geographical region in Africa, spanning northern Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game res ...

* Serengeti & Polyphonic *

Sisyphus In Greek mythology, Sisyphus or Sisyphos (; Ancient Greek: Σίσυφος ''Sísyphos'') was the founder and king of Ephyra (now known as Corinth). Hades punished him for cheating death twice by forcing him to roll an immense boulder up a hill ...

Sixtoo Sixtoo was the main project of Canadian underground hip hop DJ, producer and rapper Vaughn Robert Squire between 1996 and 2007. He has since retired the Sixtoo name, and is pursuing other directions in electronic music, with a large genre shift ...

* Sole *

Sole and the Skyrider Band Sole and the Skyrider Band is an alternative hip hop quartet based in Denver, Colorado. The band consists of rapper Tim Holland a.k.a. Sole, producer Bud Berning a.k.a. Skyrider, multi-instrumentalist William Ryan Fritch, and drummer John Wa ...

Son Lux Son Lux is an American experimental band. Originally the solo project and moniker of founding member Ryan Lott, the band's first three albums, '' At War with Walls & Mazes'', '' We Are Rising'' and ''Lanterns'', shaped the band's unique sound ...

* Tha Grimm Teachaz * WHY?

License

Genghis Tron Genghis Tron is an American four-piece cybergrind band formed in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, and latterly based in Brooklyn, New York and San Francisco, California. The band signed to Relapse Records after releasing two recordings ...

Peeping Tom Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly re ...

Zach Hill Zachary Charles Hill (born December 28, 1979) is an American multi-instrumentalist and visual artist. He is best known as the drummer and co-producer of the groups Death Grips and the I.L.Y's, and as the drummer of math rock band Hella. Art In ...

Collaborators

Moodswing9, Slug,

Ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of ...

Eyedea Micheal David Larsen (November 9, 1981 – October 16, 2010), better known by his stage name Eyedea, was an American musician, rapper, and poet. He was a freestyle battle champion and songwriter from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Larsen had appear ...

DJ Abilities Gregory Keltgen, better known by his stage name DJ Abilities, is an American underground hip hop producer and DJ signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment who is based in Minneapolis. He is a founding member of Eyedea & Abilities alongside Eyedea, S ...

Mr. Dibbs Mr. Dibbs (born Brad Forste) is an American DJ and hip hop producer. He is the Founder of 1200 HOBOS j/graff collective He was also one of the founders of Scribble Jam. Early life Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Forste was introduced to DJing aroun ...

DJ Signify DJ Signify is an underground hip hop producer from Brooklyn, New York. History DJ Signify's first album '' Sleep No More'', featuring collaborations with Sage Francis and Buck 65, was described as "hip-hop at its darkest and most chilling" and ...

DJ Krush , better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Early life Ishi was born in ...

Controller 7 Controller 7 (born Tommy McMahon) is an underground hip hop producer from San Jose, California. History Controller 7 released the debut album '' Left Handed Straw'' in 2000. It was reissued on 6months in 2001. He has produced and remixed tracks ...

J. Rawls Jason Rawls (born February 27, 1974), better known by his stage name J. Rawls, is an American hip hop musician, producer, disc jockey (DJ), educator, and speaker born in Columbus, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Masta Ace, Mos Def ...

Dax Pierson Dax Pierson (born 1970) is an American musician from Oakland, California. He has been a member of Subtle and 13 & God. Life and career Dax Pierson worked at Amoeba Music in Berkeley, California for 10 years. He has been a member of Subtle and 1 ...

Daddy Kev Kevin Marques Moo (born 1974), better known by his stage name Daddy Kev, is an American DJ, Grammy Award-winning audio engineer, record producer and executive from Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Alpha Pup Records and the founder of Low ...

The Notwist The Notwist are a German indie rock band. Formed in 1989, the band moved through several musical incarnations, despite maintaining a relatively stable line-up. While their early records moved through heavy metal into dark indie rock, their re ...

Tunde Adebimpe Babatunde Omoroga Adebimpe (born February 26, 1975) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, actor, director, and visual artist best known as the lead singer of the Brooklyn-based band TV on the Radio. Early life Adebimpe was born into a Nig ...

TV on the Radio TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), David Andrew Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and ...

Mike Patton Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, producer, film composer and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative metal band Faith No More. Noted for his vocal proficiency, diverse singing techni ...

Jessica Bailiff Jessica Bailiff is an American singer-songwriter from Toledo, Ohio. Her music is largely classified as slowcore, although it contains elements of post-rock and shoegaze. Bailiff was discovered by Low's Alan Sparhawk, who recommended her ear ...

Andrew Bird Andrew Wegman Bird (born July 11, 1973) is an American indie rock multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Since 1996, he has released 16 studio albums, as well as several live albums and EPs, spanning various genres including swing music ...

, Andrew Broder of Fog,

Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason Örvar Þóreyjarson Smárason (born 1977) is a founding member of Icelandic experimental band múm, and has been a part-time member of other Icelandic bands such as Benni Hemm Hemm, Singapore Sling, Slowblow, Andhéri, Skakkamanage, FM B ...

Múm Múm (stylized in lowercase) () is an Icelandic indietronica band whose music is characterized by soft vocals, electronic glitch beats and effects, and a variety of traditional and unconventional instruments. History The band was formed in 1 ...

Dark Dark Dark Dark Dark Dark is an American folk band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Formed in 2006, the band has toured extensively in the United States and Eastern Asia and are known for their blend of Dixieland, New Orleans jazz, Americana (music), Americana ...

John Herndon John Herndon is an American musician and artist. Based in Chicago, he plays drums and percussion, and works as a producer for instrumental hip hop under the name A Grape Dope. Career John Herndon is a member of the bands Tortoise and Isotope 217 ...

Tortoise Tortoises () are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin: ''tortoise''). Like other turtles, tortoises have a turtle shell, shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, ...

Wise Intelligent Timothy Grimes, better known by his stage name Wise Intelligent, is an American hip hop musician from Trenton, New Jersey. He is a member of Poor Righteous Teachers. He released ''The Talented Timothy Taylor'' in 2007. His third solo studio album ...

Poor Righteous Teachers Poor Righteous Teachers was a hip hop group from Trenton, New Jersey, founded in 1989. Often referred to as PRT by its fans, Poor Righteous Teachers was known as a socially and politically conscious hip hop group, with musical content inspired ...

, Sufjan Stevens, Stefanie Böhm of

Ms. John Soda Ms. John Soda is an indietronica band from Weilheim in Oberbayern, Germany. It consists of Stefanie Böhm and Micha Acher. History Ms. John Soda released the first album '' No P. or D.'' on Morr Music in 2002. It is listed by ''Pitchfork Media ...

Anders Holm Anders Christian Holm (born May 29, 1981) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is one of the stars and creators of the Comedy Central show ''Workaholics'' and starred in the short-lived NBC series ''Champions''. He, along wit ...

, Chris Adams of

Hood Hood may refer to: Covering Apparel * Hood (headgear), type of head covering ** Article of academic dress ** Bondage hood, sex toy * Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt Anatomy * Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris * Hood, a flap of ...

, Circus of Shape Shifters, Scott Matelic, Matth, Megabusive,

D-Styles Dave Cuasito (born July 6, 1972), better known by his stage name D-Styles, is a hip hop producer and DJ. He has been a member of Invisibl Skratch Piklz, Beat Junkies, and Third Sight. He has also been a resident DJ of Low End Theory. D-styles i ...

, others.

Projects

The Anticon collective is known for its many musical projects. Not all of these projects are released on the Anticon label. Artists within the Anticon collective have released collaborative albums on different labels or on their own independent labels. Some notable projects of the Anticon collective include the following: *

cLOUDDEAD Clouddead (styled as cLOUDDEAD) was an American experimental hip hop group, consisting of Doseone (Adam Drucker), Why? (Yoni Wolf) and Odd Nosdam (David Madson). The group's name came from a nonsensical knock-knock joke Drucker's sister told hi ...

(Doseone, Why?, Odd Nosdam) on

Mush Records Mush Records is an American independent record label. It was founded by Robert Curcio and Cindy Roché in 1997. History Originally known as Dirty Loop Music, Mush Records started out as a recording studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the label for ...

and

Big Dada Big Dada is a British independent record label imprint distributed by Ninja Tune. It was started by reputed hip hop journalist Will Ashon in 1997. It is best known for marketing of prominent British hip hop artist Roots Manuva, poet and play ...

Reaching Quiet Reaching Quiet was an American alternative hip hop duo. It consisted of Yoni Wolf and Odd Nosdam. The duo released one album, ''In the Shadow of the Living Room'', on Mush Records in 2002. In 2001, ''Split EP!'' was released on Anticon. It cont ...

(Why?, Odd Nosdam) on Mush Records *

So-Called Artists James Timothy "Tim" Holland Jr. (born September 25, 1977), better known by his stage name Sole, is an American underground hip hop artist from Portland, Maine. He is one of eight co-founders of the record label Anticon. He has been a member of th ...

(Sole, Alias, DJ Mayonnaise) on Mush Records * Hymie's Basement (Why?, Andrew Broder) on

Lex Records Lex Records is a British independent record label based in Camden, London, England. Style Lex has a varied musical output. Most releases are alternative hip hop, alternative rock or electronic. The label works with a small group of artists. ...

* Subtle (Doseone, Jel, Dax Pierson, Jordan Dalrymple, Alexander Kort, Marty Dowers) on Lex Records *

Greenthink Anticon (often styled as anticon.) is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1998 by seven musicians and manager Baillie Parker. It is now collectively owned among six musicians, co-founder Parker, and man ...

(Doseone, Why?) on A Purple 100 * Presage (Jel, Mr. Dibbs) on Future Primitive Sound * Object Beings (Doseone, Pedestrian & Why?)

Discography

References

External links

*
Anticon
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 American independent record labels Record labels established in 1997 Hip hop record labels Hip hop collectives