ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS

'Roc-A-Fella Records' is an American hip hop/rap record label. It was co-founded in 1996 in New York City by hip hop mogul Damon "Dame" Dash, Kareem "Biggs" Burke, and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. The label is owned by Universal Music Group.
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.
The original lineup, headed in the business department by, Dame Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, consisted of Jay-Z, 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 affiliates 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.
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 which was also the first appearance of new signee, Philadelphian Beanie Sigel. A year later Memphis Bleek released his first album, The Coming of Age. DJ Clue also released his DJ compilation album, ''The Professional'', on Roc-A-Fella that year. Jay-Z has claimed 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. New signees which included, Freeway, Young Gunz, Omillio Sparks and Amil (who was briefly signed to Roc-A-Fella) were also featured on the album.
''The Dynasty'' was also the introduction to Just Blaze,Kanye West, and Bink! who would become the Roc's three 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 three 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 2002 and died down over the next three years. During this time, several new acts were signed to Roc-A-Fella including M.O.P., Cam'ron and his group The Diplomats, Rell 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.

Contents
Dame and Biggs leave Roc-A-Fella
Business ventures
Roc La Familia
Roc-A-Fella's future
Dame Dash Music Group
Roster
Current Roc-A-Fella Artists
Former Artists
Discography
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Upcoming Releases
Unreleased Albums
Films
See also
External links

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 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 Beans 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 Jonathan Chandler, 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".
Tevin Castle and Roc-A-Fella Records recently parted ways. He is still working on his 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.

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 acquisition 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''.

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.
Roc La Familia no longer exists and N.O.R.E is no longer on Roc-A-Fella's roster.

Roc-A-Fella's future

Jay-Z has stated he is focused on rebuilding the Roc-A-Fella Dynasty.
.

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.

Roster

Current Roc-A-Fella Artists

Jay-Z

Memphis Bleek

Beanie Sigel

Kanye West

Freeway

Young Gunz

Peedi Peedi

DJ Clue

Neo Da Matrix

Hector Bambino

Tru Life

Uncle Murder

Young Chris

Former Artists

Allen Anthony

Amil

Aztek Escobar

Cam'Ron

Christion

Dame Dash

Da Ranjahz

Denim

Diamonds In Da Ruff

The Diplomats

Foxy Brown

Freekey Zekey

Grafh

Jaz-O

Joe Budden

Jim Jones

Juelz Santana

Kareem "Biggs" Burke

Mecca

M.O.P

Nicole Wray

N.O.R.E.

Ol' Dirty Bastard

Omillio Sparks

Oschino

Rell

Samantha Ronson

Sauce Money

State Property (Group)

Teairra Mari

Young Steff
Tevin Castle

Discography

Upcoming Releases

★ Beanie Sigel - ''The Solution'' (September 25, 2007)

★ Freeway - Free at Last (October 9, 2007)

★ Jay-Z - Roc La Familia II

★ Memphis Bleek - ''The Process''

★ Young Chris - ''Now or Never''

★ Peedi Peedi - ''Prince of the Roc''

Unreleased Albums

★ Christion - Soul Survivors

★ Diamonds in Da Ruff - Walk In My Shoes

★ N.O.R.E. - 1 Fan a Day

★ Nicole Wray - Lovechild

★ Rell - The Remedy

★ Rell - Medicine

★ Samantha Ronson - RED

★ Teairra Mari - Second Round

Films

★ Streets Is Watching

★ State Property

★

★ Paper Soldiers

★ Death of a Dynasty

★ Paid in Full

★ State Property 2

External links

★ Official site

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ROC-A-FELLA RECORDS

Dame and Biggs leave Roc-A-Fella

Business ventures

Roc La Familia

Roc-A-Fella's future

Dame Dash Music Group

Roster

Current Roc-A-Fella Artists

Former Artists

Discography

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Upcoming Releases

Unreleased Albums

Films

See also

External links

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