Amaru Entertainment

Last updated

Amaru Entertainment
Amaru Entertainment.jpg
Parent company Universal Music Group
Founded1997 (1997)
Founder Afeni Shakur
Defunct2016
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s) Interscope
Genre Hip hop
Country of origin United States of America
Location Marin City, California

Amaru Entertainment (formerly Amaru Records) was a record label founded in 1997 by Afeni Shakur after the death of her son Tupac Amaru Shakur. The label was created to handle the release of Tupac's previously unreleased material, and was given the rights to release recordings made during his time at both Interscope and Death Row Records, as well as the rights to re-release his Interscope albums 2Pacalypse Now , Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... , Thug Life, Volume I , and Me Against the World . The label initially distributed its releases through Jive Records, beginning with R U Still Down? (Remember Me) , [1] but, as of 2011, the releases were being distributed by Interscope. Amaru has released 11 posthumous albums by 2Pac, as well as a documentary, titled Tupac: Resurrection . On May 2, 2016, Afeni Shakur died of a heart attack. Since Afeni's passing, Amaru Entertainment has been managed by Tom Whalley, the music executive who signed Tupac to Interscope Records. Sekyiwa "Set" Shakur, Tupac's younger half-sister and president of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, has been in an ongoing litigation with Tom Whalley over control of Amaru Entertainment and Tupac's Estate. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupac Shakur</span> American rapper (1971–1996)

Tupac Amaru Shakur, also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. Considered one of the most influential and successful rappers of all time, he is among the best-selling music artists, having sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Much of Shakur's music has been noted for addressing contemporary social issues that plagued inner cities.

<i>Me Against the World</i> 1995 studio album by 2Pac

Me Against the World is the third studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It was released on March 14, 1995, by Interscope Records and Out da Gutta Records and distributed by Atlantic Records. 2Pac draws lyrical inspiration from his impending prison sentence, troubles with the police, and poverty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death Row Records</span> American record label

Death Row Records is an American independent record label that was founded in 1991 by The D.O.C., Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, and Dick Griffey. The label became a sensation by releasing multi-platinum hip-hop albums by West Coast-based artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and 2Pac, during the 1990s. At its peak, Death Row was making over US $150 million a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afeni Shakur</span> American political activist (1947–2016)

Afeni Shakur Davis was an American political activist and member of the Black Panther Party. Shakur was the mother of rapper Tupac Shakur and the executor of his estate. She founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and also served as the CEO of Amaru Entertainment, Inc., a record and film production company she founded.

Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Music Group and Interscope Communications, it differed from most record labels by letting A&R staff control decisions and allowing artists and producers full creative control. Interscope's first hit records arrived in under a year, and it achieved profitability in 1993. Chair and CEO until May 2014, Iovine was succeeded by John Janick.

<i>Tupac: Resurrection</i> (soundtrack) 2003 soundtrack album by 2Pac

Tupac: Resurrection is a soundtrack album for the Academy Award-nominated documentary of the same name. It was released on November 14, 2003, by Amaru Entertainment and Interscope Records.

<i>The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory</i> 1996 studio album by Makaveli

The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory is the fifth studio album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, his first posthumous album and the last released with his creative input. Recorded in July and August 1996, it was released on November 5, 1996, almost two months after his death, under the stage name of Makaveli, through Death Row Records, Makaveli Records and Interscope Records.

<i>R U Still Down? (Remember Me)</i> 1997 studio album by 2Pac

R U Still Down? is the sixth studio album and second double album by American rapper, 2Pac, released on November 25, 1997. It is his second posthumous release and the first to be released without his creative input and contains previously unreleased material from the time period of his albums Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z., Thug Life: Volume 1 and Me Against the World. Throughout the album, 2Pac airs his views on life from a time before he became involved in the controversial East Coast–West Coast rivalry. His lyrics foreshadow his death in songs like "Open Fire", "Thug Style" and "Only Fear of Death." The album spawned two hits, "Do for Love" and "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto", of which "Do for Love" was certified Gold by the RIAA. R U Still Down? sold 549,000 copies in its first week, and topped the R&B charts in the United States for three weeks.

<i>Dont Go 2 Sleep</i> 2001 EP by Makaveli and Daz Dillinger

Don't Go 2 Sleep is a compilation EP by American rappers Makaveli and Daz Dillinger. It has eight tracks. There are two other (bootleg) versions of the EP, but the original has only eight tracks. It was released December 24, 2001, on D.P.G. Recordz. The tracks were recorded at Death Row Records between 1995–96 for Tupac's and Boot Camp Clik's project "One Nation". Later when Daz left Death Row, he stole an unknown amount of Tupac's unreleased masters, some of which can be heard on this EP. The only track left untouched by Daz is "They Don't Give a Fuck About Us", all other tracks were remixed and Daz also added himself onto tracks he originally didn't appear on, despite Dillinger marketing the EP as an original collaboration album.

<i>Thug Life, Volume I</i> 1994 studio album by Thug Life

Thug Life, Volume I is the only studio album by the American hip-hop group Thug Life. The album was released on September 26, 1994, by Interscope Records and Out da Gutta Records and distributed by Atlantic Records. The group, started by American rapper 2Pac, comprised 2Pac, his stepbrother Mopreme Shakur, and Stretch, who was heavily involved in 2Pac's previous two albums, Big Syke, The Rated R, and Macadoshis. The album features guest appearances by Y.N.V. and Nate Dogg and production by Thug Music, comprising 2Pac and Stretch, Stretch himself, Professor Jay, Johnny "J", Warren G, and Easy Mo Bee. Since 1998, the album has been reissued by Amaru Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quincy Jones III</span> Music and documentary film producer

Quincy Delight Jones III, better known as QDIII, QD3 and Snoopy, is a Swedish-American music producer and documentary film producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts</span> Performing arts center in Stone Mountain, Georgia

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, based in Stone Mountain, Georgia, was a performing arts center supported through the Shakur Family Foundation. The Shakur Center's mission was to provide opportunities for young people through the arts, and offered programs such as drama, dance, and creative writing classes. The organization also ran a Performing Arts Day Camp for youth ages twelve to eighteen.

The Panther 21 is a group of twenty-one Black Panther members who were arrested and accused of planned coordinated bombing and long-range rifle attacks on two police stations and an education office in New York City in 1969, who were all acquitted by a jury in May 1971, after revelations during the trial that police infiltrators played key organising roles.

<i>Pacs Life</i> 2006 studio album by 2Pac

Pac's Life is the tenth and final studio album by American rapper 2Pac. It is also his sixth posthumous album, released on November 21, 2006, in the United States, on Amaru Entertainment. Its 2006 release date was intended to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his murder. The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Day at a Time (Em's Version)</span> 2004 single by Tupac and Eminem featuring Outlawz

"One Day at a Time (Em's Version)" is a song by American rapper Tupac from the 2003 soundtrack album Tupac: Resurrection: The Original Soundtrack. The track is American rapper Eminem's take on the 1996 original, which features both Shakur and Spice 1. Eminem's version features vocals from both himself and Outlawz. The song was released as a 12" promo single in 2004, no official music video was ever created. It charted at #80 on The Billboard Hot 100, number 55 in the RNB chart and 22 in rap singles. It also peaked at 134 in the UK.

<i>All Eyez on Me</i> 1996 studio album by 2Pac

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last to be released during his lifetime. Released on February 13, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, the album features guest appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger, E-40, K-Ci & JoJo, and the Outlawz, among others.

<i>Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991</i> 2007 compilation album by 2Pac

Beginnings: The Lost Tapes 1988–1991 is a bootleg album by American rapper 2Pac, released on June 12, 2007 by Koch Records. The album was originally released on April 18, 2000, in bootleg form under the title The Lost Tapes: Circa 1989, but the selling was quickly halted due to copyright infringement and then re-released on Koch with and agreement with 2pac's former label Death Row Records but is officially also a bootleg because the estate of the rapper who was gunned down in 1996 had since moved on and formed its own label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erik Rico</span> American singer

Erik Rico is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thug Life (band)</span> American hip hop group

Thug Life was an American hip hop group that consisted of 2Pac, Big Syke, Mopreme, Macadoshis, and The Rated R. They released one album, 1994's Thug Life, Volume I, before disbanding in 1995.

<i>All Eyez on Me</i> (film) 2017 film by Benny Boom

All Eyez on Me is a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Benny Boom. Titled after the 1996 studio album, as well as the song of the same name, it is based on the life and death of the titular American rapper Tupac Shakur. The film stars Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac, with Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper, and Danai Gurira. Jamal Woolard reprises his role as Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace / The Notorious B.I.G. from Notorious (2009).

References

  1. Philips, Chuck (October 30, 1997). "Amaru Label to Release Shakur CDs". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  2. Donahue, John. "Tupac's Sister Says Trustee Still Has 'Disregard For Transparency'". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.