Uptown Records
Uptown Records was an American record label, founded by Andre Harrell in the late-1980s. It went on to become one of the most popular hip hop and R&B labels of the early 1990s, and featured Guy, Heavy D, Christopher Williams, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Father MC, Monifah, and Soul 4 Real on its roster.
Uptown was a starting ground for Sean "Diddy" Combs, who started as an intern and later became a top executive. Combs was instrumental in developing Jodeci and signing and producing for Mary J. Blige. He was fired from Uptown in 1993, and went on to establish Bad Boy Records, taking new hip-hop artist The Notorious B.I.G. with him.
The label was acquired by MCA Records in 1987. Harrell left Uptown in 1996 to become the CEO of Motown Records, and Heavy D became the president and CEO. The same year, Uptown was shifted to operate under the newly-established Universal Records. Subsequently, many of its artists (with the exception of Monifah and Soul For Real) were moved to the MCA roster. By the late 1990s, Uptown Records became dormant and ceased to releasing any new material. Today the label is now a part of Fox Film Music Group, but remains in hibernation.