The Top Hip Hop Music Management Companies

Check out the top hip hop music management companies in the game. These are the movers and shakers who are making it happen for the biggest names in the industry.

Def Jam Recordings

Def Jam Recordings was founded in 1984 by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin. It is a record label that is a part of the Universal Music Group. Def Jam Recordings has been home to some of the biggest names in hip hop music, including Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and more.

History

Def Jam Recordings was founded in 1984 by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons. Rubin, a former co-founder of hip hop label Def Jam Recordings, was credited with signing some of the most successful acts in rap history including the Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy, and LL Cool J. The label’s first release was LL Cool J’s hit single “I Need a Beat.”

In the mid-1990s, Def Jam expanded its artist roster to include R&B and pop acts such as Mary J. Blige, Usher, Alicia Keys, and Mariah Carey. It also began making forays into film and television production with films such as “How to Be a Player” and the Fugees’ “The Score.” In 1999, Def Jam was acquired by Universal Music Group and became part of the world’s largest music company.

Today, Def Jam is home to some of the biggest names in hip hop including Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, and Jeremih. The label also boasts a robust roster of up-and-coming talent such as Jhené Aiko, Logic, Big Sean, and Desiigner.

Artists

Today, Def Jam Recordings is one of the top hip hop music management companies in the world. The company was founded in 1984 by Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, and has since gone on to sign some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ludacris, Rihanna, and more. As of 2019, Def Jam Recordings is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

Achievements

In its three decades of existence, Def Jam has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, Redman, DMX, Ja Rule, and Kendrick Lamar. To date, the label has put out over 500 albums and sold over 100 million records worldwide. In addition to its music business endeavors, Def Jam also houses a successful clothing line and has ventured into film with the release of movies like “Krush Groove” and “Funny Money.”

Roc Nation

Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by rapper Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter in 2008. The company has offices in New York City, London, and Los Angeles. Roc Nation is home to a number of artists, including Rihanna, J. Cole, and Big Sean. Roc Nation has a partnership with Live Nation, which gives the company a wide range of resources and opportunities.

History

Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by rapper Jay-Z in 2008. The company has offices in New York City, London, and Los Angeles. Roc Nation is home to a number of artists, including Rihanna, Shakira, J. Cole, Big Sean, Meek Mill, Wale, and many others.

The company was originally founded as a record label, but has since expanded into other areas of the music industry, including management, touring, merchandising, and more. Roc Nation is also involved in a number of charitable endeavors, such as the Shaun Carter Scholarship Fund and the Make It Right Foundation.

Artists

Roc Nation is home to some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Jay Z, Rihanna, and Big Sean. The company was founded in 2008 by Jay Z and president Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith. Roc Nation has a full-service management division that handles artist management, music publishing, touring, production, and marketing. Roc Nation also has a joint venture with Live Nation that gives the company a stake in many of the biggest concert venues in the country.

Achievements

Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by rapper and businessman Jay-Z in 2008. The company has offices in New York City, London, and Los Angeles. Roc Nation is home to a number of artists, including Rihanna, Megan Thee Stallion, J. Cole, Junglepussy, Willow Smith, and Big Sean. The company also has a music publishing arm, Roc Nation Songs, and a film and television production arm, Roc Nation Studios.

Roc Nation has achieved a number of milestones since its inception in 2008. In 2010, the company partnered with Live Nation to create Roc Nation Live, the first ever hip hop concert series at Madison Square Garden. In 2011, Roc Nation signed a partnership deal with Jay-Z’s vodka brand D’ussé to become the exclusive entertainment partner for the brand. In 2012, Roc Nation Sports was founded in partnership with CAA Sports. In 2013, Roc Nation partnered with Three Six Zero Group to create Management 360. In 2014, RocNation formed Arrive, an accelerator for startups in the music industry

Bad Boy Entertainment

History

Bad Boy Entertainment is an American record label founded in 1993 by Sean “Diddy” Combs. The label operated as a subsidiary of Interscope Records from 2013 until 2017 when it was relaunched as an independent company.

The label’s original roster included Craig Mack, Above the Law, D-Mob, Total, and The Notorious B.I.G., amongst others. The label has released thirteen studio albums by various artists, including two compilations and one soundtrack album.

Artists

While Bad Boy Entertainment might be best known for rap and hip hop, the company has also worked with R&B, pop, and dance artists over the years. Here are some of the most popular artists that have been associated with Bad Boy Entertainment:

-The Notorious B.I.G.
-Puff Daddy
-Mase
-Craig Mack
-Faith Evans
-Total
-Cassie
-Day26
-Danity Kane
-Diddy Dirty Money

Achievements

Bad Boy Entertainment is one of the top hip hop music management companies in the world. The company was founded in 1993 by Sean “Diddy” Combs, and it has achieved great success in the music industry.

Bad Boy Entertainment has worked with some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Biggie Smalls, Lil’ Kim, P. Diddy, Busta Rhymes, and Craig Mack. The company has also produced successful albums and singles, such as “Ready to Die” by Biggie Smalls and “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down” by P. Diddy.

Bad Boy Entertainment has won numerous awards, including Grammy Awards and BET Awards. The company has also been inducted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame.

Death Row Records

Death Row Records was an American record label founded in 1991 by Suge Knight, The D.O.C. and Dr. Dre. The label rose to prominence in the early 1990s with artists such as Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre.

History

Death Row Records was launched in 1991 by Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and The D.O.C., and quickly became the most successful hip hop record label of all time. The label’s signature sound was a mix of G-Funk and East Coast hip hop, and its roster included some of the biggest names in the genre, including Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Tha Dogg Pound.

Death Row hit its stride in the mid-1990s, releasing a string of hugely successful albums that helped define the gangsta rap sound. However, the label’s success was marred by violence and controversy, both within its ranks and with the law. In 1996, Tupac Shakur was murdered in a still-unsolved drive-by shooting, and two years laterDr. Dre left the label amid rumors of financial mismanagement.

The early 2000s were tough years for Death Row; Suge Knight was sent to prison for parole violation in 2002, and the label declared bankruptcy in 2006. Since then, there have been several attempts to revive the label, but none have been successful.

Artists

Some of the artists currently or formerly signed to Death Row Records include Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Michel’le, The Dogg Pound, Lady of Rage, Nate Dogg and Crooked I.

Achievements

Death Row Records was founded in 1991 by Dr. Dre, Suge Knight and The D.O.C. The label rose to prominence in the early 1990s with Dre’s landmark album “The Chronic” and Snoop Dogg’s debut album “Doggystyle.” Death Row went on to release albums by Tupac Shakur, Tha Dogg Pound and other West Coast rappers.

The label fell on hard times after Knight was sent to prison in 1996 and Shakur was murdered in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996. Dre left the label in March 1996, just before the release of Shakur’s double album “All Eyez on Me.”

In the 2000s, Death Row was revived by new owner WIDEawake Entertainment, who released previously unreleased material by Tupac and Snoop Dogg.

Interscope Records

Interscope Records is an American record label that is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field. The label specializes in hip hop, R&B, and pop music. Interscope has released albums by many popular artists such as Dr. Dre, Eminem, Lady Gaga, and Kendrick Lamar.

History

Interscope Records is an American record company. It was founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Warner Music Group’s Atlantic Records. The label rose to prominence in the 1990s with such releases as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, as well as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s E. 1999 Eternal.

Iovine served as chairman and CEO of Interscope until May 2014, when he was succeeded by John Janick. Interscope Geffen A&M is operated through Interscope’s flagship labels: Interscope Records, Geffen Records, and A&M Records, as well as Motown, MapleMusic Recordings, Fueled by Ramen, and many others.

Artists

Interscope Records is an American record label that is a subsidiary of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, which is owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. The label has signed some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, J. Cole, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., and Snoop Dogg. Interscope has also been home to some of the most successful hip hop albums of all time, such as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic, 2Pac’s All Eyez on Me, and Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Achievements

Interscope Records is an American music label owned by Universal Music Group, founded in 1990 by producer Jimmy Iovine and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group’s Interscope Geffen A&M Records label. Interscope has achieved success with a broad range of artists, including hip hop, pop, rock, and alternative music.

The label’s achievements include:
– discover and sign numerous multi-platinum selling artists such as Eminem, Lady Gaga, U2, and Kendrick Lamar
– release Grammy Award-winning albums such as Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (1992) and Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. (2017)
– distribute films such as Straight Outta Compton (2015)