Uptown Records
Uptown Records | |
---|---|
Parent company | Universal Music Group |
Founded | 1986 |
Founder | Andre Harrell |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) | |
Genre | R&B, hip hop |
Country of origin | U.S. |
Location | New York City |
Uptown Records is an American record label, based in New York City, founded in 1986 by onetime rapper Andre Harrell.[1] From the late 1980s into the early 1990s, it was a leader in R&B and hip hop.[1]
Beginnings
In 1986,
By 1990, 20-year-old Sean "Puffy" Combs began an internship at Uptown. Combs worked with newly signed acts Jodeci, Father MC, and Mary J. Blige,[1] who altogether placed a number of singles on the R&B chart. Marking a fusion of hip hop and R&B was Mary J. Blige's debut album What's the 411?, released in July 1992, whereby she was dubbed the Queen of Hip Hop Soul. Led by her single "You Remind Me", it was certified three times platinum, honoring three million copies sold.
In 1991, Harrell was executive producer of the comedy film Strictly Business, starring Tommy Davidson and Halle Berry, as well as its soundtrack.[1] The following year, Harrell and MCA reached a multimedia deal that eventuated in development of FOX's hit television series New York Undercover—a police drama originally named Uptown Undercover—which aired from 1994 to 1998. The record label itself was renamed Uptown Enterprises. By 1993, it was the leading urban label.
In February 1993, the MTV Unplugged live, acoustic series featured Jodeci, Father MC, Mary J. Blige, Christopher Williams, and Heavy D, resulting in release of Uptown Unplugged as both album and home video.[3] A resulting single, Jodeci's live cover of Stevie Wonder's "Lately" peaked at #1 on the R&B chart and #4 on the pop singles chart, the Billboard Hot 100. Later in 1993, Uptown released the soundtrack to the hip-hop film Who's the Man?. Closing 1993, Uptown released Jodeci's second album, Diary of a Mad Band.
Decline
In July 1993, amid issues with Harrell, Uptown fired Combs. Within two weeks, he launched his own label,
Increasingly dissatisfied, Mary J. Blige and Jodeci both signed to West Coast Management, the firm of
In 1995, Uptown's new R&B group
By 1996, MCA along with
Present day
As of 1999, the label was thought to be defunct.[5] However in 2022, Ciara announced that she had signed a deal with Uptown Records via Republic Records, which would see the label assist in distributing her eighth studio album.[8]
Current artists
- Ciara (distribution/partnership deal with Republic)[8]
- Coi Leray (Uptown/Republic)
- Flo (Island UK/Uptown/Republic)
- frex (Uptown/Republic)
- Joe West (Akademy/Uptown/Republic)
- Pop Money (NCredible/Uptown/Republic)
- Rucci LSE (Universal Music Operations/Uptown/Republic)
Former artists
- Al B. Sure! (Uptown/Warner Bros.)
- Anthony Hamilton
- Christopher Williams
- Crystal Johnson
- Dig
- Father MC
- Groove B. Chill (Uptown/A&M Records)
- Guy
- Heavy D & The Boyz
- Horace Brown
- Jeff Redd
- Jodeci
- Little Shawn
- Mary J. Blige
- McGruff
- Monifah
- Fat Doug
- The Notorious B.I.G. (deceased)
- Puff Daddy (A&R and intern)
- Soul for Real
- Lost Boyz
- The Gyrlz (Uptown/Capitol)
References
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
- ^ https://www.discogs.com/release/187246-Various-Uptown-Is-Kickin-It
- Los Angeles, California.
- ISBN 9780802139719. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
- ^ a b Samuel Momodu (2019-03-05). "Uptown Records (1986-1999)". BlackPast. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
- ^ "BET Orders Miniseries on Hip-Hop Label Uptown Records". variety.com. 2019-12-04. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ "Can you sing like Mary J. Blige? Rap like LL Cool J? N.J. miniseries casting call wants you". NJ.com. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
- ^ a b Brodsky, Rachel (July 8, 2022). "Ciara shares new song 'Jump'". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.