Aspire Music Group

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Aspire Music Group, LLC is an American record label founded by Cortez Bryant, Gerald "Gee" Roberson and Derrick Lawrence in 2008. Their roster includes Canadian rapper Drake.

A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing, promotion, and enforcement of copyright for sound recordings and music videos, while also conducting talent scouting and development of new artists, and maintaining contracts with recording artists and their managers. The term "record label" derives from the circular label in the center of a vinyl record which prominently displays the manufacturer's name, along with other information. Within the mainstream music industry, recording artists have traditionally been reliant upon record labels to broaden their consumer base, market their albums, and be both promoted and heard on music streaming services, radio, and television. Record labels also provide publicists, who assist performers in gaining positive media coverage, and arrange for their merchandise to be available via stores and other media outlets.

Drake (musician) Canadian rapper, singer-songwriter and actor

Aubrey Drake Graham is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and entrepreneur. Drake gained recognition as an actor on the teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation in the early 2000s. Intent on pursuing a career in music, he left the series in 2007 after releasing his debut mixtape, Room for Improvement. He released two further independent projects, Comeback Season and So Far Gone, before signing to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment in June 2009.

Contents

History

In 2008, Houston-based music executive Jas Prince discovered Drake and introduced him to Cortez Bryant, who served as Lil Wayne's manager together with Gerald "Gee" Roberson. Cortez, Robertson and partner Derrick Lawrence then signed Drake to a four-year exclusive management agreement through their companies Wash House Entertainment, LLC and Three Kings, LLC. However, they also established Aspire Music Group and inked an exclusive recording agreement with Drake, making them his management and record label. Shortly after, Aspire pitched Drake to their other management client Lil Wayne's record label Young Money Entertainment—a joint-venture with Cash Money Records—and entered into a four-album recording agreement. The agreement granted Aspire thirty-three percent (33%) of the profits, thirty-three percent (33%) of Drake's future master recordings (with the other two-thirds going to YMCMB) and a $400,000 advance for his first album, while Drake received a $900,000 recording fund. [1]

Houston City in Texas, United States

Houston is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States, with a census-estimated population of 2.312 million in 2017. It is the most populous city in the Southern United States and on the Gulf Coast of the United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the seat of Harris County and the principal city of the Greater Houston metropolitan area, which is the fifth most populous metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States and the second most populous in Texas after the Dallas-Fort Worth MSA. With a total area of 627 square miles (1,620 km2), Houston is the eighth most expansive city in the United States. It is the largest city in the United States by total area, whose government is similarly not consolidated with that of a county or borough. Though primarily in Harris County, small portions of the city extend into Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.

Lil Wayne American rapper

Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, record executive and actor. His career began in 1993, at the age of 11, when he was discovered by Bryan "Birdman" Williams and joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo The B.G.'z, alongside fellow New Orleans-based rapper B.G.. In 1996, Lil Wayne and B.G. joined the southern hip hop group Hot Boys, with Cash Money label-mates Juvenile and Turk. Hot Boys debuted with Get It How U Live!, that same year. Most of the group's success came with their platinum-selling album Guerrilla Warfare (1999) and the 1999 single "Bling Bling". For many years, he was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records, before ending his long-tenured deal with the company in June 2018.

Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republic Records.

On July 23, 2012, Jas Prince filed a lawsuit against Aspire Music Group for not honoring an oral agreement that stated he would be paid 22% of Aspire's 33% share of Drake's recording profits, 22% of Aspire's 33% ownership share in Drake's master recordings and 5% of Drake's gross compensation derived from the management agreement. [1]

In April 2012, Drake retained counsel to renegotiate or terminate the recording agreement. In the breach of contract notice to Aspire and YMCMB, Drake's attorney claimed that Drake had fulfilled his recording obligations to the labels, not received any royalties, and there was a conflict of interest between the parties. Drake has since severed management ties with Cortez, Robertson and Lawrence, although he is still in an exclusive recording agreement with Aspire. [1]

Discography

<i>So Far Gone</i> (EP) 2009 EP by Drake

So Far Gone is the debut extended play by Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake. It was released on September 15, 2009, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Universal Motown. This is his reissued project from his third mixtape that was released earlier on February 13, 2009. This EP features five tracks from the mixtape, with the inclusions of two new songs. The EP features guest appearances from Trey Songz, Lil Wayne, Bun B and Young Jeezy. The EP was supported by three singles: "Best I Ever Had", "Successful" featuring Trey Songz and Lil Wayne, and "I'm Goin' In" featuring Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy. In April 2010, the EP won the Rap Recording of the Year at the 2010's Juno Awards.

<i>Thank Me Later</i> 2010 studio album by Drake

Thank Me Later is the debut studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on June 15, 2010, by Aspire Music Group, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown Records. Production for the album took place at various recording studios during 2009 to 2010 and was mostly produced by longtime collaborators 40 and Boi-1da. It also featured contributions from Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, The-Dream, and Kanye West, among others.

<i>Take Care</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Drake

Take Care is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on November 15, 2011, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Youderian, Annie. "Drake's Discoverer Says Managers Stiffed Him". Entertainment Law Digest. Retrieved 2015-02-02.
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