Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records | |
---|---|
Parent company |
|
Founded | 1993 |
Founder | Sean "Puffy" Combs |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) | |
Genre | |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | New York City, U.S. |
Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by Sean "Puffy" Combs.[1][2] During the late 1990s, the label signed numerous artists including Craig Mack, The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Mase, 112, Total, The Lox, Shyne and Carl Thomas. At its 1997 peak, Bad Boy was worth an estimated US$100 million.
During the 2000s, the label signed French Montana, Machine Gun Kelly, Janelle Monáe, and Cassie, among others. In 2023, Combs created a successor label, Love Records to independently release his fifth studio album, The Love Album: Off the Grid.[3][4][5]
History
Beginnings
After his climb from a non-paid
Feud with Death Row Records and loss of the Notorious B.I.G.
The rapid success of the Notorious B.I.G., and Bad Boy as a company, raised some tensions, especially with the
After the June 1996 release of 2Pac's "
Life after the Notorious B.I.G. and rebuilding the label
Posthumously, Biggie's Life After Death reached number one on the Billboard Top 200. Its first two singles, "Hypnotize" and "Mo Money, Mo Problems" also topped the singles charts. The album eventually sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone, and is one of the highest selling rap albums ever in the U.S..
In 1996, Puff Daddy had begun recording his own solo debut album. The first single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", peaked at No. 1 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, "
Bad Boy found success with rap group
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 2nd album had just been released. Bad Boy found some success with Shyne, a young rapper from Brooklyn, who garnered generally mixed reviews 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' later 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 "Puffy" to "P. Diddy", to simply just "Diddy" then shortly Diddy- Dirty Money". But with the split of the group he abruptly returned to "Diddy". In June 1999, it was reported that Clive Davis and Arista had given Combs a $50 million advance on future earnings in 1998, but Bad Boy only generated around $30 million in 1999.[9]
As the 2000’s 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 the Notorious B.I.G., few proved as successful as the company hoped. Bad Boy had success in 2000 with Black Rob, a New York City rapper who began associating with Bad Boy in 1996. His album, Life Story, was released through Bad Boy on March 27, 2000. The album debuted in the top 3 on the Billboard top 200, and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.
On June 20, 2002, it was announced and confirmed that Combs and Bad Boy parted ways with Arista Records after being with the label since its inception. Combs was able to walk away with ownership of Bad Boy's catalogue as well as recording roster.
In January 2003, Combs and Bad Boy then entered talks with
By January 2005, Bad Boy began clashing with Universal Records. It is alleged that the tension between the two labels stemmed from Combs believing that Universal had not done enough to market their music, while Universal in turn had refused to offer more money until Bad Boy started to produce more hit records. Though Bad boy's contract with Universal was set to expire in 2006, Combs had already began talking to other record labels, in particular
Resurgence
In 2005, the company formed a joint venture with Warner Music Group (WMG). This saw WMG become the worldwide distributor of the company’s back catalog of classic hits, and take 50% equity in Bad Boy Entertainment.[14] Combs, however, retained joint control over the label and can buy back his equity stake at a later date.
Bad Boy would also see its fortunes improve in 2005,[15] 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 No. 1 (the label's 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 No. 1, and contained the group's second top ten single "Damaged". Diddy also signed Day26 and Donnie Klang to the label.
However, by 2009, Combs had dissolved Danity Kane, terminating Aubrey O'Day's, D. Woods', Shannon Bex's and Aundrea Fimbres' contracts.[16] Dawn Richard remained signed 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 Diddy – Dirty Money, composed of Combs, Richard and a singer-songwriter named Kalenna Harper. In April 2009, Bad Boy also signed Red Cafe.
In September 2009, it was announced that Combs would be leaving Warner, inking a new deal with Universal's Interscope Records. Under the terms of the new deal, Combs rebooted the Bad Boy name and trademark, to be operated through Interscope. The previous Bad Boy catalog and roster, however, remains under the control of Warner.[17]
2010–present
In 2010, Diddy offered Mase a 1-year release from Bad Boy to settle their differences after the 2009 incident with Mase wanting to be released from Bad Boy. With this Mase decided to retire from rap for good, although he was to be reassigned to Bad Boy after his year break was done. In 2011, under his new deal with
On April 25, 2012, Mase featured alongside Diddy on
On October 5, 2015, Combs announced that Bad Boy would be distributed by Epic Records.[22][23] This will mark the second time that Epic president L.A. Reid oversaw distribution for Bad Boy, having previously overseen distribution for the label 15 years earlier after being appointed president of Arista in 2000. Despite founding the label in 1993, Bad Boy began celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2015 with a 20-minute mega-medley performance at the BET Awards. It stretched into 2016, starting with the label's May reunion sold-out shows at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and originating the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour, starting in North America in the last week of August 2016.[24][25][26]
Notable artists
Current
Act | Year signed |
Releases under Bad Boy |
---|---|---|
Puff Daddy | Founder (1993) | 5 |
Janelle Monáe | 2008 | 3 |
Machine Gun Kelly | 2011 | 6 |
King Combs[27] | 2016 | 2 |
Quincy[28] | — |
Former
- Craig Mack (deceased) (1993– 1995)
- The Notorious B.I.G. (deceased) (1993–1997)
- Faith Evans (1994 - 2004)
- Total(1994 - 2000)
- 112 (1995 - 2005)
- Mase (1996 - 2010)
- Tanya Trotter (1996-2000)
- Mario Winans (2001 - 2008)
- The Lox (1996 - 1999)
- Black Rob (deceased) (1996 - 2010)
- Jordan McCoy
- Carl Thomas (1997 - 2005)
- Shyne (1998 - 2001)
- Mark Curry
- Kain
- Dream
- G. Dep (1999 - 2005)
- Loon (2001 - 2006)
- Da Band (2002 - 2004)
- Fuzzbubble
- 8Ball & MJG (2002 - 2008)
- Foxy Brown (2002 - 2004)
- Boyz n da Hood (2004-2008)
- Cheri Dennis (2000 - 2009)
- Kalenna Harper
- New Edition (2003 - 2006)
- Red Café
- B5 (2004 - 2008)
- Yung Joc (2004 - 2009)
- Dirty Money
- Gorilla Zoe
- Danity Kane
- King Los
- Day26
- Elephant Man (2006 - 2009)
- Donnie Klang (2006 - 2008)
- Cassie (2006 - 2021)
- Pitbull (2006 - 2007)
- French Montana (2012 – 2022)[29]
The Hitmen
The Hitmen | |
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Genres | Hip hop |
Years active | 1993–present |
Labels | Bad Boy |
Members |
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Past members |
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The Hitmen is the production team for Bad Boy Records. The collective consisted of several notable producers and musicians that either worked solo or alongside Combs in composing tracks for the artists on Bad Boy as well as outside the label.[31]
On August 20, 2015, it was announced that Kanye West was a part of the current roster.[32]
Discography
Albums
Year | Information |
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1994 | The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die
|
Craig Mack - Project: Funk da World
| |
1995 | Faith Evans - Faith
|
1996 | Total - Total
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112 - 112
| |
1997 | The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death
|
Puff Daddy & the Family - No Way Out
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Mase - Harlem World
| |
1998 | The LOX - Money, Power & Respect
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Faith Evans - Keep the Faith
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Total - Kima, Keisha, and Pam
| |
112 - Room 112
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1999 | Mase - Double Up
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Puff Daddy - Forever
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The Notorious B.I.G. - Born Again
| |
2000 | Black Rob - Life Story
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Carl Thomas - Emotional
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Shyne - Shyne
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2001 | Dream - It Was All a Dream
|
Part III
| |
Faith Evans - Faithfully
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Child of the Ghetto
| |
2002 | P. Diddy & the Bad Boy Family - We Invented the Remix
|
2003 | Bad Boys II: The Soundtrack
|
Da Band - Too Hot for TV
| |
Loon - Loon
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112 - Hot & Wet
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2004 | Carl Thomas - Let's Talk About It
|
Mario Winans - Hurt No More
| |
8Ball & MJG - Living Legends
| |
Mase - Welcome Back
| |
New Edition - One Love
| |
2005 | Boyz n da Hood - Boyz n da Hood
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B5 - B5
| |
Black Rob - The Black Rob Report
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The Notorious B.I.G. - Duets: The Final Chapter
| |
2006 | Yung Joc - New Joc City
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Cassie - Cassie
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Danity Kane - Danity Kane
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Diddy - Press Play
| |
2007 | The Notorious B.I.G. - Greatest Hits
|
Ridin High
| |
Yung Joc - Hustlenomics
| |
| |
Gorilla Zoe - Welcome to the Zoo
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Boyz n da Hood - Back Up n da Chevy
| |
2008 | Cheri Dennis - In and Out of Love
|
Danity Kane - Welcome to the Dollhouse
| |
Day26 - Day26
| |
Elephant Man - Let's Get Physical
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Donnie Klang - Just a Rolling Stone
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2009 | Notorious: The Soundtrack
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Gorilla Zoe - Don't Feed da Animals
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Forever in a Day
| |
2010 | Dirty Money - Last Train to Paris
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2011 | Gorilla Zoe - King Kong
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2012 | Machine Gun Kelly - Lace Up
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2013 | French Montana - Excuse My French
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Janelle Monáe - The Electric Lady
| |
2015 | General Admission
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Puff Daddy - MMM
| |
2017 | Machine Gun Kelly - bloom
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French Montana - Jungle Rules
| |
2018 | Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer
|
2019 | French Montana - Montana
|
2020 | Machine Gun Kelly - Tickets to My Downfall
|
2021 | French Montana - They Got Amnesia
|
2022 | Machine Gun Kelly - Mainstream Sellout
|
2023 | Janelle Monáe - The Age of Pleasure
|
Label compilations
Year | Information |
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1998 | Bad Boy Greatest Hits: Volume 1
|
2002 | P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records Present... We Invented the Remix
|
2004 | Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits
|
Bad Boy's R&B Hits
| |
2016 | Bad Boy 20th Anniversary Box Set Edition
|
References
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (July 29, 2016). "Who's Who of Bad Boy Records". Complex Networks. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Gilmore, Mike (August 7, 1997). "Puff Daddy Cometh". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 2, 2007. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Aswad, Jem (May 10, 2022). "Sean 'Diddy' Combs Launches New R&B Label, Love Records". Variety. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ Guerrasio, Jason (November 5, 2022). "Sean 'Diddy' Combs recently overtook Kanye West as hip-hop's second-highest earner — here's how he makes and spends his money". Insider. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 15, 2005). "P. Diddy No Longer Has Total Bad Boy Control". MTV. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
- ^ "Unsupported Browser". Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
- Viacom. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
- ^ Glauber, Gary (January 5, 2003). "Fuzzbubble: Demos, Out-takes and Rarities". PopMatters. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
- ^ "ARISTA HUFFING & PUFFING OVER PUFFY'S $50M". Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "Combs' Bad Boy, Arista Terminate Joint Venture". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ "DIDDY IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR ITTY-BITTY ELEKTRA DEAL". Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "Bad Boy Confirms Universal Pact". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ "COMBS' BAD BOY LABEL, UNIVERSAL IN CASH CLASH". Retrieved April 15, 2024.
- ^ "Sean "P. Diddy" Combs And Bad Boy Entertainment Form Joint Venture With Warner Music Group".
- ^ Tamara Conniff and Bill Werde (October 4, 2006). Diddy: The Saga Continues. Billboard. Accessed November 22, 2006.
- ^ "Danity Kane's Aundrea Fimbres Fired By Diddy". MTV News. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Diddy Exits Warner, 'Last Train' Coming On Interscope". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Ruthlessblogs.com". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "Is Lil B Signing to Diddy's Bad Boy Records? | Hip-Hop News, Music, Entertainment Updates, Fashion & Sneakers". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Announces Deal With Bad Boy/Interscope: 'They Understood Our Idea'". Vibe. August 3, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ "King Los Leaves Bad Boy: Was Diddy's 'Nobody' Rant The Reason?". MTV News. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
- ^ Hernandez, Victoria (October 5, 2015). "Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment Signs With Epic Records". hiphopdx.com. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ^ "Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Entertainment Partners With Epic Records". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- ^ "Bad Boy Plots Packed 20th Anniversary Box Set". Rolling Stone. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ "Bad Boy Celebrating 20th Anniversary With Huge Box Set". The Fader. Andy Cohn. July 12, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ "Puff Daddy Announces Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour Featuring Lil' Kim, Mase, Faith Evans, Mario Winans, More". Pitchfork Media. Condé Nast. May 16, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ Bowenbank, Starr (December 12, 2022). "Diddy Explains How Son King Combs Is Keeping Bad Boy Entertainment Alive". Billboard.
- ^ "Quincy Signs Deal With Bad Boy, Plan Set For Combs Family '106 & Park' Takeover". REVOLT TV. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
- ^ "French Montana Has Never Felt So Free". August 8, 2022.
- ^ "Kanye West Joins Diddy's Producer Supergroup The Hitmen". Billboard.
- ^ Williams, Brennan (September 28, 2016). "New Documentary Gives Inside Look Behind Diddy's Bad Boy Records". HuffPost.
- ^ "Kanye West joins Diddy's production supergroup, The Hitmen". April 21, 2015.