Jomo Hankerson"},"fate":{"wt":""},"defunct":{"wt":""},"status":{"wt":""},"distributor":{"wt":"'''In the US:'''\n''Blackground (original)''\n* [[Jive Records|Jive]] (1994–1996)\n* [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] (1996–2000)\n* [[Virgin Records|Virgin]] (2000–2001)\n* [[Universal Music Group|Universal]] (2001–2012)\n* [[Reservoir Media|Reservoir Media Management]] (2012–2019)\n\n''Blackground 2.0''\n* [[Empire Distribution]] (2021–present)"},"genre":{"wt":"{{flatlist|\n*[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]\n*[[hip hop music|hip hop]]\n*[[pop music|pop]]\n*[[rock music|rock]] \n*[[country music|country]]\n*[[urban contemporary gospel|gospel]]\n}}"},"country":{"wt":"United States"},"url":{"wt":"{{URL|https://blackgroundrecords.net}}"}},"i":0}}]}" id="mwBw">Record label
Blackground Records 2.0 | |
---|---|
Parent company | Interscope Records (post 2007 & pre 2010 catalogs) |
Founded | 1993 |
Founder | Barry Hankerson Jomo Hankerson |
Distributor(s) | In the US: Blackground (original)
Blackground 2.0
|
Genre | |
Country of origin | United States |
Official website | blackgroundrecords |
Blackground Records 2.0 (legal name Blackground Records, LLC, formerly known as Blackground Records) is an American record label founded and owned by Jomo and Barry Hankerson. Initially named Blackground Enterprises, the label switched its name to Blackground Entertainment then later Blackground Records in 2000. In 2021, the label rebranded as Blackground Records 2.0, reviving its company and catalogue onto streaming services, with a partnership with Empire Distribution. It co-operated with a publishing company founded by Hankerson, named Black Fountain Music.
Barry Hankerson formed Blackground in 1993, as a result of unsuccessful efforts to sign his niece Aaliyah to big record labels. Using his connection with singer R. Kelly, who he managed at the time, Hankerson obtained a contract with Jive to distribute the release of Aaliyah's debut album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number .
After Aaliyah and R. Kelly parted ways, Jive and Blackground agreed to terminate their contract in 1996 and Hankerson signed a lucrative distribution deal with Craig Kallman at Atlantic. Months later Aaliyah released her second studio LP, One in a Million , and Blackground signed two singing groups, Both Ends and Kashmere (their music was never released). [1]
After positive reviews for Aaliyah's album, her producer Timbaland got his own artist deal with Blackground and in 1997 released Welcome to Our World , a collaboration album with rapper Magoo, as well as his solo album Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment in 1998. Aaliyah's backup singer Tank also got his contract with Blackground in 1998. [2]
After Atlantic contract expiration in 2000, Blackground switched over to Virgin. [3]
Aaliyah served as an executive producer of the soundtrack to the 2000 film Romeo Must Die , in which she made her acting debut. Aaliyah contributed four songs to the soundtrack. [4] "Try Again" was released as a single from the soundtrack; the song topped the Billboard Hot 100, making Aaliyah the first artist to top the chart based solely on airplay; this led the song to be released in a 12" vinyl and 7" single. [5] [6] The music video won the Best Female Video and Best Video from a Film awards at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. [7] It also earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist. [8] The soundtrack went on to sell 1.5 million copies in the United States. [9]
In 2001, after the death of Aaliyah, her self-titled and final album Aaliyah rose to #1 on the Billboard 200 becoming Blackground's first number one and best-selling album. Aaliyah sold over 13 million albums worldwide. Aaliyah's plane crash in August 2001 resulted in Blackground and Virgin parting ways a few weeks later. A new distribution deal was signed with Universal Records in December 2001. [10]
Starting in 2003, Blackground's focus shifted towards pop and rock, signing predominantly white artists beginning with New England tween Joanna "JoJo" Levesque. Her self-titled debut album JoJo was released the following year, entering the Billboard 200 chart at number four and being certified platinum by the RIAA. In 2006, her sophomore album The High Road debuted at number three on the album chart and was certified gold. To date, JoJo sold over 7 million records worldwide. Her singles "Leave (Get Out)" and "Too Little Too Late" were written by Soulshock & Karlin and Billy Steinberg respectively. JoJo was involved in a years-long legal dispute with the label which began in 2009 and ended in 2014. [11] During this time JoJo received support from her friend Taylor Swift, who referred to the Blackground situation as "fucked up" years before facing a similar battle with her label over music ownership. [12] JoJo re-recorded her Blackground catalog in 2018 to make it available on streaming services, while the original albums were re-released in 2021.
In 2006 Blackground released the debut album Soundtrack to Your Life by former O-Town member Ashley Parker Angel, preceded by its lead single "Let U Go". A year later, the debut single "Forget You" by L.A.X. Gurlz premiered on MTV's TRL in its "First Look" segment. The song was featured on the Universal Republic Records A&R Sampler for March 2007 and was added to Top 40 and Hot AC playlists across the country. [13] "Forget You" made the list of Billboard's 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time at #98. [14] L.A.X. Gurlz went on a promotional tour appearing at radio stations and events including the launch of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock before breaking up in 2008. [15]
In 2010, Blackground partnered with former Universal Motown Senior Vice President of Promotion Gary Marella to distribute his new label Roma Records. Their first signing was Jordy Towers, formerly known as Optimus. He is now in the band SomeKindaWonderful. Later that year, Blackground signed a new artist Crystal Nicole better known as Cri$tyle, who began her career as a songwriter and has written songs for Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Keke Palmer and many more. In June 2011, Crystal released her first single "Pinch Me", which was produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan Michael Cox.
In July 2012, after its distribution deal with Interscope Records expired, Blackground signed a new contract with Reservoir Media Management. After speaking with Reservoir's CEO, Rell Lafargue, Billboard reported that Reservoir would find sync placements for Aaliyah's music to television and film, digitally re-release her music, and offer licensing of songs for sampling and cover versions. [16] These plans were put on hold after another company, Craze Productions claimed the rights to distribution of the late artist's music. On March 20, 2013, Reservoir filed a lawsuit against Craze and in September 2015, the jury agreed that Craze illegally distributed music through online services and that the rightful distributor of Blackground Records' catalog is Reservoir Media Management. [17] Despite the positive ruling, the promised release to streaming services did not happen, and Craze Productions continues today to illegally distribute Aaliyah's music from post-Jive years online (her recordings from Jive years are controlled by Sony Music, current owner of Jive Records). In December 2016, Complex wrote a detailed article on Blackground, Barry Hankerson and his role in the absence of Aaliyah's music. [18] In early 2019, informations about Blackground's catalog were removed from Reservoir's official website.
On August 5, 2012, Canadian rapper Drake released "Enough Said", performed by Aaliyah featuring additional vocals provided by himself. [19] Originally recorded prior to the singer's death in 2001, Drake later finished the track with producer "40". "Enough Said" was released by Blackground Records through their SoundCloud account on August 5, 2012. [20] It was sent to US urban and rhythmic radio stations on August 21. [21] The song charted at number 55 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The latest studio album release from the label was Timbaland's Shock Value II in 2009, with singles: "Morning After Dark", "Say Something", "Carry Out" and "If We Ever Meet Again".
Former Blackground artists JoJo, Toni Braxton and Tank have all released albums on Atlantic Records after leaving the label.
In August 2021, Blackground rebranded as Blackground 2.0, with Barry Hankerson remaining as founder. Blackground 2.0 signed a distribution deal with Empire Distribution, which will re-release the label's catalogue onto digital download sites and streaming services. Aaliyah's catalogue began its re-release in chronological order, starting with One In a Million on August 20, 2021. [22] [23] [24] [25] Her estate, run by her mother and brother Rashad, have gone on the record opposing the new deal.
On August 25, 2021, Barry Hankerson revealed in an interview with Big Tigger for WVEE that a fourth (and likely final) studio album, titled Unstoppable , would be released in "a matter of weeks". The album will feature Drake, Snoop Dogg, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, Future and use previously unreleased vocals from before Aaliyah's passing. Hankerson shared that this will be the end of new music for the late star and added, "I think it's wonderful. It's a very emotional process to do. It's very difficult to hear her sing when she's not here, but we got through it." [26] [27] [28] In the same interview, Hankerson revealed that Beyoncé helped Aaliyah write songs towards the end of her life, adding, "I'm a fan of hers, Aaliyah was a fan of hers". [29] After the album's re-release, Aaliyah re-entered the UK Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart Top 40 at number seven [30] and reentered the US Billboard 200 chart at number 13, charting at number four for high pure sales. [31] In celebration of the reissue, Blackground released an animated commercial titled "It's Been A Long Time" (in a similar style to the album's original 2001 commercial), directed by Takahiro Tanaka, showing Aaliyah resurrecting her music from out of a large underground vault. [32] As of 2023, the Unstoppable album has yet to be released, with no announcement at all from Blackground Records 2.0.
In October 2021, Billboard revealed through an article that Blackground Records' first signee, Autumn Marini, would be releasing her debut single "Drive" on November 12, 2021. [33] Additionally, Blackground introduced their latest artist, Elijah Connor. [34] BR2.0's latest signing Miracle King released her debut single "My Dawg" featuring G Herbo on May 20, 2022. [35] Other artists signed in 2022 included former Grand Hustle artist Yung Booke and Rob Jones whose debut single was a cover of the Chris Stapleton song "Cold". [36] [37]
On December 14, 2021, it was announced that a new single would be released by Aaliyah, featuring The Weeknd. The mid-tempo track, "Poison", was released on December 17, 2021. Blackground Records 2.0 and Empire tweeted a puzzle to reveal the single's cover art. [38] [39] [40] Following the release of the single, Barry Hankerson told Billboard: "Everything I do at Blackground is always with Aaliyah in my heart and in my mind. God knows Aaliyah and I spent a lot of time talking about music. I think she would be very happy with the selections we made and the guests because the artists themselves made it known to us how much they wanted to work with her and be a part of her legacy. And I pray that she is happy. Aaliyah would love hearing herself with the current stars of the industry that she cared so much about. And that’s all I wanted to do." [41] On January 16, 2024, what would have been Aaliyah's 45th birthday, Blackground's social media announced that Unstoppable was coming soon. [42] [43]
Act | Year signed | Studio albums released under Blackground |
---|---|---|
Aaliyah | 1993–2001 | Age Ain't Nothing but a Number , One in a Million , Aaliyah |
Timbaland | 1996–2012 | Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment , Shock Value , Shock Value II |
Timbaland & Magoo | 1996–2012 | Welcome to Our World , Indecent Proposal , Under Construction, Part II |
Tank | 2000–2009 | Force of Nature , One Man , Sex, Love & Pain |
JoJo | 2004–2013 | JoJo , The High Road |
Toni Braxton | 2003–2007 | Libra |
Ashley Parker Angel | 2004–2008 | Soundtrack to Your Life |
Static Major | 1997–2008 | - |
J. Lewis | 2010–2011 | - |
Crystal Nicole | 2010–2012 | - |
Autumn Marini | 2021–2023 | - |
Elijah Connor | 2021–2022 | - |
Miracle King | 2022–2023 | - |
Final Draft | 2022–present | - |
Yung Booke | 2023–present | - |
Rob Jones Winn | 2022–present | - |
London Cheshire | 2023–present | - |
Mylo Waiters | 2023–present | - |
Max Luiz | 2023–present | - |
Daniel Jeffers | 2024–present | - |
Carvin Winans | 2024–present | - |
Sean Garrett | 2024–present | - |
Year | Title | Artist | US Sales (based on RIAA certifications) | Billboard 200 (Peak) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | Age Ain't Nothing but a Number | Aaliyah | 2 million | 18 |
1996 | One in a Million | Aaliyah | 2 million | 10 [a] |
1997 | Welcome to Our World | Timbaland & Magoo | 1 million [44] | 33 |
1998 | Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment | Timbaland | - | 50 |
2000 | Romeo Must Die | Various Artists | 1 million | 3 |
2001 | Aaliyah | Aaliyah | 2 million | 1 |
Exit Wounds | Various Artists | - | 8 | |
Force of Nature | Tank | 500,000 [44] [45] | 7 | |
Indecent Proposal | Timbaland & Magoo | - | 29 | |
2002 | I Care 4 U | Aaliyah | 1 million | 3 |
One Man | Tank | - | 20 | |
2003 | Under Construction, Part II | Timbaland & Magoo | - | 50 |
2004 | JoJo | JoJo | 1 million [44] | 4 |
2005 | Libra | Toni Braxton | 500,000 [44] | 4 |
Ultimate Aaliyah | Aaliyah | - | 41 [b] | |
2006 | Soundtrack to Your Life | Ashley Parker Angel | - | 5 |
The High Road | JoJo | 500,000 [44] | 3 | |
2007 | Shock Value | Timbaland | 1 million [44] | 5 |
Sex, Love & Pain | Tank | - | 2 | |
2009 | Shock Value II | Timbaland | - | 36 |
TBA | Unstoppable | Aaliyah | TBC | TBC |
Aaliyah Dana Haughton, known as Aaliyah, was an American singer, actress, dancer, and model. She has been credited with helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop, and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and "Queen of Urban Pop".
One in a Million is the second studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on August 13, 1996, by Blackground Records and Atlantic Records. After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with her mentor R. Kelly following the success of her debut studio album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994), Aaliyah severed all ties with him as Blackground ended its partnership with Jive Records and signed a new distribution deal with Atlantic. Throughout that period of turmoil, Aaliyah began recording her second studio album with Sean Combs, who soon abandoned the project, prompting Aaliyah and her management to seek new collaborators. She subsequently began recording with producers such as Jermaine Dupri, Vincent Herbert, and Craig King, before meeting the previously unknown Timbaland and Missy Elliott, who quickly became the album's primary contributors.
Aaliyah is the third and final studio album by American R&B singer Aaliyah. It was released on July 7, 2001, by Blackground Records and Virgin Records. Because of its packaging design, it is also known as "The Red Album". Aaliyah started to work on the album in 1998, but rescheduled its recording around her developing film career. She resumed recording in 2000 at Sing Sing Studios in Australia, where she shot her role for the 2002 film Queen of the Damned during the day and recorded songs at night. Additional recording took place at Manhattan Center and Sony Music Studios in New York and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles, among other locations. Through her recording contract with Blackground, the singer worked primarily with the record label's in-house crew of writers and producers, including Bud'da, J. Dub, Rapture, and Eric Seats, as well as longtime collaborator Timbaland.
JoJo is the debut studio album by American singer JoJo, released on June 22, 2004, by Da Family Entertainment, Blackground Records, and Universal Records. Incorporating pop and R&B, JoJo was influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Brown, and Aretha Franklin. While recording the album over an eight-month period, JoJo worked with producers including Brian Alexander Morgan, Soulshock and Karlin, Mike City, Bink!, Kwamé "K1 Mill" and The Underdogs, among others. JoJo co-wrote three out of the seventeen original tracks on the album. The album also includes a cover of R&B group SWV's 1993 song "Weak".
Barry Hankerson is an American record producer, music label owner and manager. Hankerson is the founder of Blackground Records, and the uncle of late singer and actress Aaliyah.
I Care 4 U is a posthumous compilation album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on December 10, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records. Following Aaliyah's death on August 25, 2001, Blackground decided to release a posthumous record in collaboration with Universal Music Group. The album compiles eight of Aaliyah's previously released songs alongside six previously unreleased recordings which were discarded from sessions for her eponymous third and final studio album (2001).
Age Ain't Nothing but a Number is the debut studio album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on May 24, 1994, by Blackground Records and Jive Records. After being signed by her uncle Barry Hankerson, Aaliyah was introduced to recording artist and producer R. Kelly. He became her mentor, as well as the lead songwriter and producer of the album. The duo recorded the album at the Chicago Recording Company in Chicago periodically from January 1993 until early 1994.
Romeo Must Die: The Album is the soundtrack to Andrzej Bartkowiak's 2000 action film Romeo Must Die, composed of hip hop and R&B music. It was released on March 14, 2000 through Blackground Records and Virgin Records in association with Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions took time between May 1999 and January 2000.
Libra is the sixth studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on September 27, 2005, by Blackground Records. It marked Braxton's debut on the label, following her split with longtime record company Arista Records in 2003 after the release of her album More Than a Woman (2002), which was commercially less successful than its predecessors. The album's title is a reference to Braxton's astrological sign, Libra.
Ultimate Aaliyah is a posthumous box set and second posthumous album overall by American singer Aaliyah. It was released in selected countries on April 4, 2005, by Blackground Records. The box set consists of three discs–the first disc is a greatest hits collection, the second, entitled Are You Feelin' Me?, contains material from soundtracks and Timbaland's studio albums, while the third is a DVD with the documentary The Aaliyah Story.
"(At Your Best) You Are Love" is a song by R&B group the Isley Brothers. It was originally released on their album Harvest for the World. The song was dedicated to their mother, Sally. Although not a single, the song was a radio hit in 1976, and later became a hit for R&B singer Aaliyah in 1994.
"Miss You" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. Written by Johntá Austin, Ginuwine and Teddy Bishop in 1998, the song was initially recorded in 1999 for Aaliyah's eponymous third studio album (2001). However, it did not make the final cut for Aaliyah and remained unreleased until after Aaliyah's death in 2001. It was then included on the posthumous compilation album I Care 4 U (2002) and was released as its lead single on October 28, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records.
"If Your Girl Only Knew" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. It was released to radio on July 15, 1996, by Blackground Records and Atlantic Records as the lead single for her second studio album, One in a Million (1996). It was physically released in August 1996. Written by both Missy Elliott and Timbaland, with the latter producing the song, it focuses on a guy who receives a scolding from the female narrator (Aaliyah) for hitting on her when he already has a girlfriend. Musically, "If Your Girl Only Knew" is a "bouncing" funk, pop and hip hop song. Its production also incorporates other instruments ranging from keyboards, organs, and guitar licks.
Tim's Bio: From the Motion Picture – Life from da Bassment is a 1998 album released by Blackground Records. Though nominally the debut solo album by hip-hop/R&B producer Timbaland, the LP is technically a compilation of tracks produced by Timbaland and often – though not strictly – featuring his vocals. A litany of guest stars appear on Tim's Bio, from Timbaland's "Swing Mob" partners Magoo, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Playa, and Skillz, to outside performers Nas, Jay-Z, Twista and others. Tim's Bio notably marks the on-record debut of Ludacris on "Phat Rabbit", later included on his major-label debut LP Back for the First Time (2000).
Welcome to Our World is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released on November 11, 1997, through Blackground Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The production was handled by Timbaland, except for the song "Joy", which was produced with Smoke E. Digglera. It features guest appearances from Playa, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Aaliyah, Ginuwine, Shaunta Montgomery, & Mad Skillz.
Under Construction, Part II is the third and final studio album released by hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released by Blackground and Universal on November 18, 2003, in the United States. The group's third album and Timbaland's fourth overall LP, as he issued Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment, a solo album, in 1998, Under Construction Part II is nominally a sequel to Missy Elliott's fourth studio album Under Construction, which was also chiefly produced by Timbaland. The album was dedicated to R&B singer and regular Timbaland collaborator Aaliyah, who had died on August 25, 2001.
Rashad Hasan Haughton is an American writer, film director and screenwriter. Haughton is the older brother of American singer and actress Aaliyah and nephew of Blackground Records founder Barry Hankerson.
"I Care 4 U" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. Written by Missy Elliott and Timbaland, the song was originally recorded for Aaliyah's second studio album One in a Million (1996), but the recording was shelved. It was re-recorded in 2000 for Aaliyah (2001). A neo soul ballad, "I Care 4 U" features beatboxing, an electric piano and multi-tracked vocals.
"I Don't Wanna" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah. Written and composed by Johntá Austin, Jazze Pha, Donnie Scantz, and Kevin Hicks, it appears on both the Next Friday (1999) and Romeo Must Die (2000) soundtracks.
"Poison" is a song by American singer Aaliyah featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd. It was released on December 17, 2021, through Blackground Records 2.0, as the lead single from Aaliyah's upcoming posthumous album, Unstoppable. The Weeknd has writing credits alongside Belly and Static Major. Production was handled by DannyBoyStyles and Nick Lamb with engineer Mike Dean.