Roc-A-Fella Records

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Roc-A-Fella Records

Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	1996
Founder(s)	Shawn Carter Dame Dash Kareem "Biggs" Burke
Distributing label	The Island Def Jam Music Group
Genre(s)	Hip-Hop, R&B
Country of origin	United States
Official Website	http://www.rocafella.com

Roc-A-Fella Records is one of the largest hip hop/rap record labels in the United States. It was co-founded in 1996 New York City by hip hop mogul Damon "Dame" Dash, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, and Shawn Carter (also known as multi-platinum rapper Jay-Z).

The label is owned by Universal Music Group, and operatation while attempting to secure a record deal for Jay-Z. After being denied by several labels, they began pressing Jay's records, selling them out of their trunks and requesting time on mix radio; their record label was called Roc-A-Fella Records: a play on Rockefeller, a rich and powerful New York family.

Priority Records was impressed with their determination, and agreed to distribute the release of Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt, put out on Roc-A-Fella.

1 Team Roc
2 Rising Popularity
3 Dame and Biggs Leave Roc-A-Fella
4 Business Ventures
5 Roc La Familia
6 Dame Dash Music Group
7 Artists
8 See also
9 External link

[edit] Team Roc

The original lineup, headed in the business department by, Dame Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, consisted of Jay, Memphis Bleek and Sauce Money. Jaz-O and Da Ranjahz were early affiliates, but were never signed to the label. Producers connected to the label were Ski and DJ Clark Kent. Altogether, signees and affilates formed a collective sometimes known as Team Roc.

While Bleek and Jay stayed on, most of Team Roc eventually disbanded: Sauce Money quietly moved to Priority Records; Jaz-O faded away (later beginning a reasonably well-publicized beef with Jay-Z); Da Ranjahz signed with The Carter Faculty, a short-lived Def Jam imprint, and once this fell through reverted to street life. Ski founded Roc-A-Blok Productions with Dame Dash's cousin Darrien, which also didn't work out. Clark Kent went on to produce for other high-profile artists, but slowly faded from popular view.

[edit] Rising Popularity

Sauce Money moved to Priority before releasing an album, and Jaz cut ties with the label after 1998, the release of Jay-Z's third album Vol. 2, Hard Knock Life. This was at the time Roc-A-Fella's biggest release, and a year later Memphis Bleek released his first album, The Coming of Age. which was also the first appearance of new signee, Philadelphian Beanie Sigel. DJ Clue also released his DJ compilation album, The Professional, on Roc-A-Fella that year. Jay-Z has confirmed that the late Big L was set to sign with Roc-A-Fella in 1999 but was murdered the week before.[1]

In 2000 Beanie Sigel released his first album, The Truth, and the Roc put out Dynasty: Roc La Familia; this was intended to be a showcase for the new Roc-A-Fella roster, though it was billed primarily as a Jay-Z release. Most of the tracks feature Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek, but another new signee, Freeway, and Amil (who was briefly signed to Roc-A-Fella) were both also featured on the album.

Dynasty was also the introduction to Just Blaze and Kanye West, who would become the Roc's two most visible producers. They would produce tracks for Beanie Sigel's second album and Freeway's debut, Philadelphia Freeway, but their big break came when between the two of them they did the lion's share of Jay-Z's The Blueprint.

By this time, Roc-A-Fella Records included the group State Property (including and put together by Beanie Sigel and Freeway); the whole of the roster became involved in the beef between Jay-Z and Nas, which lasted from 1999 to 2001 and died down over the next four years. During this time, several new acts were signed to Roc-A-Fella including M.O.P., Cam'ron and his group the Diplomats, and Ol' Dirty Bastard.

Dame Dash tried to sign Twista, who had ties to the Roc; however, Atlantic wouldn't let him out of his contract, and instead he was made an honorary member. There were also rumors that rappers such as Talib Kweli, Pitbull and Copywrite were to sign, but those never materialized. Grafh and Joe Budden also had joint ventures with Roc-A-Fella, but left after the split between Jay-Z and Dame and Biggs.

Beyoncé is expected to sign to Roc-A-Fella records sooner or later. However, Sony BMG/Columbia records might not let her out of her contract.

[edit] Dame and Biggs Leave Roc-A-Fella

2004 brought Kanye West's debut (leading to his becoming one of the label's premiere artists), Beanie Sigel's incarceration, rape charges against Dame Dash and Jay-Z's retirement. Rumors of a split between Dame Dash and Jay-Z began to spread. Sources claimed that Dame was becoming too flashy for Jay's tastes, that he and Jay disagreed on some of the acts signed to Roc-A-Fella, and that they had surrounded themselves with different groups of people.

In early 2005, Jay-Z was offered the position of President of Island Def Jam, Roc-A-Fella's parent company. In return, he would sell Def Jam his share of the Roc, which would ultimately make him sole president of that label as well. Dame and Biggs confronted him and were given an ultimatum: if they would give him ownership of the Reasonable Doubt masters, he would refuse the position. They refused, so Jay-Z took the position and the presidency of Roc-A-Fella.

Upon Dame and Biggs' leaving the Roc to start their own label, Dame Dash Music Group, the roster was given the choice between staying at Roc-A-Fella and going to DDMG. Beanie Sigel, then still in prison, stated his intention to bring State Property to DDMG. However, every member of the group except Oschino opted to stay on Roc-A-Fella, which ignited a quiet beef between Beanie and the crew.

In 2005 and 2006, Jay-Z signed R&B act Teairra Mari and longtime collaborator Foxy Brown; he tried to sign Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco, though the deal never went through. Memphis Bleek said that Jay also signed Cory Gunz, although no other sources have substantiated the claim. It is unclear whether or not Beanie Sigel is still on Roc-A-Fella; his last album, The B.Coming, was released on DDMG, but he also appeared at Jay-Z's I Declare War concert with the rest of the Roc roster.

Freeway is readying his next release, Free At Last, which is to be a collaborative, executive-produced Jay-Z and assisted by 50 Cent. Kanye West is also preparing his third album, Graduation. Foxy Brown, who had stopped working on her album because of deafness, has also picked up work again following an operation that has restored her hearing significantly.

Former Roc artist Cam'ron has dissed Jay-Z on several songs "Wet Wipes," "Suck It Or Not," "Swagger Jacker," and most notably "U Gotta Love it"

Teairra Marí and Roc-A-Fella Records recently parted ways. She is still working on her second album, and is now signed to a deal with Interscope Records. The departure was strictly a business decision, and she remains on good terms with everyone on the label.

[edit] Business Ventures

The Label has ventured into producing movies. "Paper Soldiers", Paid In Full, State Property, State Property 2 and The Woodsman were some of their more notable successes. Other ventures included Rocawear, an urban apparel clothing company, State Property Clothing, the aquasition of footwear brand, Pro-Keds, and Roc4Kids, a community outreach program started by Dame Dash to support students. Roc-A-Fella has also invested in Armadale Vodka, luxury timepiece collection,"ROC-ICE", and also its publication America.

[edit] Roc La Familia

Jay-Z also expanded the Roc-A-Fella label to include reggaeton and Latino music with the sublabel Roc La Familia. Juan Perez was appointed its president. Roc La Familia has officially signed New York rappers Tru Life and Uno Dos to the franchise, as well as N.O.R.E. and Hector El Father.

Aztek Escobar left Roc La Familia and addresses a bit of what happened on his newest song entitled "Child Of God":

I love you Jay but the Roc was just a chain to me

Juan you fucked up and Moya did the same thing

I cried on your shoulder you laughed behind my back

I slammed the chain on the table

Its over laugh at that

Rumors have circulated that Aztek is set to sign with multi-platinum selling record label G-Unit Records.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Dame Dash Music Group

Undeterred, Dash and Burke started a new record label. The moguls started the Dame Dash Music Group (DDMG) and established Nicole Wray, Rell, Grafh, and Sizzla among its artists. The lineup also included former Wu-Tang Clan member Ol' Dirty Bastard, who was going to release an album for the label before his untimely death in 2004.

Dash also still is invested in management of former artists: Latin Prince, N.O.R.E. and Cam'Ron. There is also investment in Team Roc, the sporting division of Rocawear whereas proceeds go to Roc4Life, a children's outreach program. Dash no longer operates DDMG as a joint venture with Island Def Jam, but has signed a distribution deal with Koch Records.