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Bad Boy Records

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Bad Boy Records
Parent companyWarner Music Group
Founded1993
FounderSean "Diddy" Combs
Distributor(s)Atlantic Records
(In the US)
WEA International Inc.
(Outside the US)
GenreVarious
Country of originUnited States
LocationNew York City, New York
Official websitebadboyonline.com

Bad Boy Records (originally Bad Boy Entertainment) was a record label founded by producer/rapper/entrepreneur Sean "Diddy" Combs in 1993.[1] Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records.[2]

History

Beginnings

After his climb from a non-paying internship to becoming an A&R executive at Uptown Records, Sean ("Diddy") Combs was abruptly terminated in 1993 by then CEO John Galante and Andre Harrell—reportedly due to his own difficulty to work with David E. Thigpen/Nassau. The label’s first release was "Flava In Ya Ear" by Craig Mack, followed quickly by Mack's debut album, Project: Funk Da World in 1994. On the heels of these releases came "Juicy" and Ready To Die, the lead single and debut album from The Notorious B.I.G. (who would also be referred to as "Biggie"), released the same year. While Mack's album went gold, Ready to Die achieved multi-platinum success. Dominating the charts into 1995, B.I.G. became one of the genre’s biggest names of the day and Bad Boy’s premier star. Also in 1995, the label continued its success with platinum releases by Total and Faith Evans. Bad Boy, meanwhile, staffed a bevy of in-house writer/producers, including: Chucky Thompson, Easy Mo Bee, Nashiem Myrick and D Dot—all of whom were instrumental in producing many of Bad Boy’s most noted releases during this time.

Feud with Death Row

The quick success of The Notorious B.I.G., and Bad Boy as a company, did not sit well with others, most notably the Los Angeles-based Death Row Records. For two years leading up to 1995, Death Row (and the west coast hip hop scene that it led) had largely dominated the commercial rap scene. With Bad Boy, and east Coast Scene of hip hop, now garnering the notoriety that it was, resentment loomed as the attention and acclaim now had to be shared.

Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records, held Combs responsible for the shooting death of his friend Jake Robles, allegedly at the hands of Combs' bodyguard. Tensions were heightened when west coast rap superstar Tupac Shakur (2Pac) signed with Death Row Records after having recently forged an indignant rivalry with Wallace as well as other members of Bad Boy. After the June 1996 release of Hit 'Em Up tensions reached a boiling point. Shakur was gunned down on a Las Vegas street on September 7 by an unknown gunman after leaving a Mike Tyson-Bruce Seldon boxing match at the MGM Grand. Tupac would later be pronounced dead on September 13, 1996. Though Bad Boy issued a public statement of condolence, Tupac's death left unrest among those on the west coast. On March 9, 1997, as the label readied for the release of Biggie’s double album, Life After Death, he too was shot and killed, in circumstances similar to Tupac's. The deaths of Biggie and Tupac left many to speculate if the coastal hostility had been responsible for their demise. The depth of the police investigations were criticized by public and judicial sources alike. Both cases remain officially unsolved, however in Biggie's death, police officer David Mack has been indicated by former LAPD officers.

Life after Biggie

Posthumously, Biggie’s Life After Death entered Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart at number one. Its first two singles, "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money, Mo Problems" also topped the singles charts. It eventually sold ten million copies in the United States alone, and is one of the highest selling rap albums ever.

In early 1997, Puff Daddy had begun recording his own solo debut album. The first single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," peaked at number one on the rap, R&B, and pop charts that spring. In response to Biggie’s death, the label rush-released a Puff Daddy tribute song, "I'll Be Missing You", which featured Biggie's widow, Faith Evans, and Bad Boy's R&B singing group 112. The single topped the charts for eleven weeks and became the hasty second single from Combs’ album, No Way Out, which was released in the summer and sold seven million copies. Mase, Combs’ newest protégé, in the meantime was immediately thrust into the void that Biggie left. His own debut album, Harlem World, also released the same year, would go 4x platinum. Due to the successive successes of Life After Death, No Way Out and Harlem World, by the end of 1997, Bad Boy as a label and brand name had hit a commercial peak. During this time, the label began to promote its latest signing—the Yonkers-based act, The L.O.X., who had been prominently featured on various Bad Boy releases that year. Though highly anticipated, their 1998 debut album, Money, Power & Respect sold below commercial expectation. Shortly thereafter, the group departed the label and entered into a long standing publishing dispute with Combs that would continue up until 2005.

In the years to follow, Bad Boy saw a commercial decline. In 1999, Mase became religious and abruptly retired from the business, leaving a serious dent in the company, especially since his second album had just been released. Bad Boy found some success with Shyne, a young rapper from Brooklyn, who garnered both praise and criticism for his deep voice and slow flow—which many considered to be too reminiscent to, and perhaps a rip-off of, the Notorious B.I.G. Meanwhile, Combs' own follow-up albums failed to generate the same kind of acclaim that his debut had. In an attempt to further market himself, he underwent several name changes; from "Puff Daddy" to "P. Diddy," to now simply "Diddy."

As the 2000s emerged, Bad Boy had noticeably floundered. Many of its more noted acts would eventually vacate the label, while those who remained saw their album sales dwindle as time went on. In spite of continually releasing new material, and various attempts at building artists to the status of Bad Boy’s deceased icon, few proved as successful as the company hoped.

Southern rap duo 8Ball & MJG released an album called Living Legends to some success in 2004, prompting the creation of Bad Boy South—which would eventually house acts such as Boyz N Da Hood and Yung Joc. In 2002, Combs’ participated in MTV's Making The Band 2, which spun off the Bad Boy assembled act, Da Band. In spite of their MTV exposure leading to a gold selling debut album, Combs later disbanded the group. At this time, the label also signed a rapper named Aasim, whose Bad Boy debut (as of 2009) still has not been released.

Resurgence

Bad Boy saw its fortunes improve in 2005,[3] with the success of releases from new signees: Cassie and Yung Joc (both of whom would score top five singles/debut albums). Also in 2006, Bad Boy hit paydirt with Making The Band 3’s Danity Kane, whose debut album topped the charts at #1 (the labels first chart topping album since the Bad Boys II soundtrack three years prior), and spun off a top five single. Their second album, Welcome to the Dollhouse also debuted at #1, and containted the group's second top ten single "Damaged". Diddy also signed Day26 and Donnie Klang to the label.

Recently Combs has dissolved Danity Kane, terminating Aubrey O'Day's, D. Woods', Shannon Bex's and Aundrea Fimbres' contracts.[4] Currently Dawn Richard is working as solo artist and songwriter for Bad Boy. In March 2009, it was reported that Richard and Combs were assembling a new girl group. But later formed a group called Dirty Money with Richard, Combs and a singer-songwriter named Kalenna Harper. In April 2009, Bad Boy signed Red Cafe.

Ownership and distribution

Arista Records bought a 50% stake in Bad Boy in 1994. Following Clive Davis’s departure from its parent company, the label broke ties with Arista and BMG—moving to Universal Music Groups’ Universal Records in 2003. The change of distribution, however, did not increase productivity. In 2005, Warner Music Group bought out the remainder of Bad Boy's agreement with Universal Music Group. It then acquired an additional large minority stake in the label.[5] Today the label is distributed through WMG's Atlantic Records, and continues to operate.

In September 2009, it was announced that Combs would be leaving Warner Music Group, inking a new deal with Universal Music Groups's Interscope Records. Under the terms of the new deal, Combs will start a new imprint (which may, or may not, include the Bad Boy moniker) to be operated under the Interscope-Geffen-A&M umbrella. The existing Bad Boy Records' roster and catalog will remain at Warner Music Group.[6]

Artists

See List of Bad Boy Records artists

Current Artists

Act Year signed # Albums released under Badboy
Diddy 1993 5
Harve Pierre 1993
The Hitmen 1993
Mario Winans 1995 1
Mase 1995 3
Cheri Dennis 2001 1
Boyz n da Hood 2003 2
Kalenna Harper 2004
Aasim 2004
Dawn Richard 2005
Cassie 2006 1
Jordan McCoy 2006
Yung Joc 2006 2
Younglord 2007
Janelle Monáe 2007 1
Gorilla Zoe 2007 2
Elephant Man 2007 1
Red Cafe 2009
Dirty Money 2009
Liz Davis 2009

Discography

Year Information
1994 The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
Craig Mack - Project: Funk Da World
  • Released: September 20, 1994
  • Singles: "Flava In Ya Ear", "Get Down"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
1995 Faith Evans - Faith
  • Released: August 29, 1995
  • Singles: "You Used to Love Me", "Soon As I Get Home", "Ain't Nobody", "Come Over"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
1996 Total - Total
  • Released: February 13, 1996
  • Singles: "No One Else", "Kissin' You", "When Boy Meets Girl"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
112 - 112
  • Released: August 27, 1996
  • Singles: "Come See Me", "Only You", "Cupid"
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
1997 The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
Puff Daddy & the Family - No Way Out
Mase - Harlem World
  • Released: October 28, 1997
  • Singles: "Lookin' At Me", "Feel So Good", "What You Want", "24 Hours to Live"
  • RIAA certification: 4x Platinum
1998 The LOX - Money, Power & Respect
  • Released: January 28, 1998
  • Singles: "If You Think I'm Jiggy", "Money, Power & Respect"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Bad Boy Greatest Hits: Volume 1
  • Released: October 13, 1998
  • Singles: "Too Too Old For Me" by Jerome
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Faith Evans - Keep the Faith
  • Released: October 27, 1998
  • Singles: "Love like This", "All Night Long", "Never Gonna Let You Go", "Lately I"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Total - Kima, Keisha, and Pam
  • Released: November 3, 1998
  • Singles: "Trippin'", "Sitting Home"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
112 - Room 112
  • Released: November 10, 1998
  • Singles: "Love Me", "Anywhere", "Love You Like I Did", "Your Letter"
  • RIAA certification: 2x Platinum
1999 Mase - Double Up
  • Released: June 15, 1999
  • Singles: "Get Ready", "All I Ever Wanted"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Puff Daddy - Forever
  • Released: August 24, 1999
  • Singles: "P.E. 2000", "Satisfy You", "Best Friend"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
The Notorious B.I.G. - Born Again
2000 Black Rob - Life Story
  • Released: March 7, 2000
  • Singles: "Whoa!"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Carl Thomas - Emotional
  • Released: April 18, 2000
  • Singles: "Emotional", "I Wish", "Summer Rain"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Shyne - Shyne
  • Released: September 26, 2000
  • Singles: "Bad Boys", "Bonnie & Shyne", "That's Gangsta"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
2001 Dream - It Was All a Dream
112 - Part III
P. Diddy & the Bad Boy Family - The Saga Continues...
  • Released: July 10, 2001
  • Singles: "Diddy", "Bad Boy For Life", "Let's Get It"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Faith Evans - Faithfully
  • Released: November 6, 2001
  • Singles: "Can't Believe", "You Gets No Love", "I Love You", "Burnin' Up"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
G. Dep - Child of the Ghetto
  • Released: November 20, 2001
  • Singles: "Special Delivery"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
2002 P. Diddy & the Bad Boy Family - We Invented The Remix: Volume 1
2003 Bad Boys II: The Soundtrack
Da Band - Too Hot for TV
  • Released: September 30, 2003
  • Singles: "Bad Boy This, Bad Boy That", "Tonight"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Loon - Loon
  • Released: October 21, 2003
  • Singles: "How You Want That", "Down For Me"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
112 - Hot & Wet
  • Released: November 18, 2003
  • Singles: "Na Na Na Na", "Hot & Wet"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
2004 Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits
  • Released: March 9, 2004
  • Singles: "Victory 2004"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Carl Thomas - Let's Talk About It
  • Released: March 23, 2004
  • Singles: "She Is", "Make It Alright", "My First Love"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Mario Winans - Hurt No More
  • Released: April 20, 2004
  • Singles: "I Don't Wanna Know", "Never Really Was"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
8Ball & MJG - Living Legends
  • Released: May 11, 2004
  • Singles: "You Don't Want Drama", "Straght Cadillac Pimpin", "Forever"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Mase - Welcome Back
  • Released: August 24, 2004
  • Singles: "Welcome Back", "Breathe, Stretch, Shake"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
New Edition - One Love
  • Released: November 9, 2004
  • Singles: "Hot 2Nite"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Bad Boy's R&B Hits
  • Released: November 23, 2004
  • Singles: -------
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
2005 Boyz n da Hood - Boyz n da Hood
  • Released: June 21, 2005
  • Singles: "Dem Boyz", "Felonies"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
B5 - B5
  • Released: July 19, 2005
  • Singles: "All I Do", "U Got Me"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Black Rob - The Black Rob Report
  • Released: July 19, 2005
  • Singles: "Ready"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
The Notorious B.I.G. - Duets: The Final Chapter
2006 Yung Joc - New Joc City
Cassie - Cassie
Danity Kane - Danity Kane
Christian Daniel - Christian Daniel
  • Released: September 26, 2006
  • Singles: "Donde Quedaran"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Diddy - Press Play
2007 The Notorious B.I.G - Greatest Hits
  • Released: March 6, 2007
  • Singles: "Running Your Mouth"
  • RIAA certification: Gold
8Ball & MJG - Ridin High
  • Released: March 13, 2007
  • Singles: "Relax and Take Notes", "Cruzin", "Clap On"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Yung Joc - Hustlenomics
B5 - Don't Talk, Just Listen
  • Released: September 11, 2007
  • Singles: "Hydrolics", "In My Bedroom"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Gorilla Zoe - Welcome to the Zoo
  • Released: September 25, 2007
  • Singles: "Hood Figga", "Tryin' To Make A Jug"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Boyz n da Hood - Back Up n da Chevy
  • Released: October 2, 2007
  • Singles: "Everybody Know Me", "Table Dance"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
2008 Cheri Dennis - In and Out of Love
Danity Kane - Welcome to the Dollhouse
  • Released: March 18, 2008
  • Singles: "Damaged", "Bad Girl"
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Day26 - Day26
Elephant Man - Let's Get Physical
  • Released: April 8, 2008
  • Singles: "Five-O", "Jump"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Donnie Klang - Just a Rolling Stone
  • Released: September 2, 2008
  • Singles: "Take You There"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
2009 Notorious: The Soundtrack
  • Released: January 13, 2009
  • Singles: "Brooklyn Go Hard", "Letter to B.I.G."
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Gorilla Zoe - Don't Feed da Animals
  • Released: March 17, 2009
  • Singles: "Lost", "What It Is", "Echo", "I Got It"
  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)
Day26 - Forever in a Day
2010 Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)

"Cold War"

  • RIAA certification: (uncertified)

Upcoming releases

Information
Jordan McCoy - Just Watch Me
  • Scheduled: TBA
  • Singles: "Next Ex-Boyfriend", "Just Watch Me", "I Get Weak", "I Decide"
Cassie - Electro Love
Diddy-Dirty Money - Last Train to Paris
Marina Chello - What’s Done Is Done
  • Scheduled: 2010
  • Singles: "Sideline", "What's Done Is Done"
Boyz n da Hood - Working Title
  • Scheduled: TBA
  • Singles: "Down South"
Gorilla Zoe - Working Title
  • Scheduled: TBA
Red Cafe - Above the Clouds
  • Scheduled: TBA
Mario Winans - Love: It's Only Fair
  • Scheduled: TBA

References