Warp Records is a British independent record label founded in Sheffield in 1989 by record store employees Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell and record producer Robert Gordon. It is currently based in London.
GOOD Music is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide distribution contract with the Island Def Jam Music Group in 2011. In 2012, the label released its only compilation album, Cruel Summer. In 2015, Pusha T was appointed president of the label by West, while record executive Steven Victor was appointed chief operating officer (COO). In late 2022, Pusha T stepped down from the position as he was no longer on speaking terms with West.
Benjamin Hudson McIldowie, better known by his stage name Mr Hudson, is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer from Birmingham, England. He formed the band Mr Hudson and the Library in 2006, for which he served as lead vocalist, and signed with American rapper Kanye West's record label, GOOD Music through a joint venture with Mercury Records as a solo act two years later. He is best known for his guest performance on West's 2009 single "Paranoid", as well as his songwriting contributions to "Say You Will" and "Street Lights"; all three appeared on West's fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008).
Ross Matthew Birchard, better known by the stage name Hudson Mohawke, is a Scottish producer, composer, and DJ from Glasgow. He is known for his work in 21st century hip-hop and electronic music. A founding member of the UK based record label LuckyMe, his fractured take on hip-hop made him a leading figure in the late-2000s wonky scene. He released his debut album Butter in 2009 on Warp Records. He has followed with the solo albums Lantern (2015) and Cry Sugar (2022), both on Warp.
"Hard in da Paint" is the second single from American rapper Waka Flocka Flame's debut studio album Flockaveli.
LuckyMe is a United Kingdom–based record label and design studio specialising in the release of new electronic, hip hop, pop, rock and underground dance music. Referred to as "one of the most innovative and prolific independent record labels of the decade" and acclaimed for "distinctive visual arts projects and collaborations".
Kanye West Presents: GOOD Music – Cruel Summer, commonly referred to simply as Cruel Summer, is a compilation album by recording artists of American record label GOOD Music, released on September 14, 2012, by the label itself and its parent company, Def Jam Recordings. GOOD Music's founder, American rapper Kanye West, first revealed plans for the label's collaborative album in October 2011. It was preceded by four singles—"Mercy", "Cold", "New God Flow", and "Clique"—that saw mixed success on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album features West himself, alongside the label's then-signees Pusha T, Big Sean, Teyana Taylor, Kid Cudi, John Legend, Common, D'banj and Malik Yusef, as well as affiliates Jay-Z, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, and Cyhi the Prynce, among others. Production of Cruel Summer was primarily handled by members of GOOD Music's production wing, Very GOOD Beats, which included West, Hit-Boy, Hudson Mohawke, Travis Scott and Lifted, among others.
Lunice Fermin Pierre II, better known by his mononymous stage name Lunice, is a Canadian record producer and DJ from Montreal. He is one half of the duo TNGHT along with Hudson Mohawke.
My Name Is My Name is the debut studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on October 7, 2013, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. While leading up to the album's announcement, Pusha T released the mixtape Fear of God and the EP Fear of God II: Let Us Pray during 2011, along with collaborating on the GOOD Music's compilation album Cruel Summer. In 2013, he also released another mixtape Wrath of Caine. The album's production was handled primarily by Kanye West, along with several producers, including Pharrell Williams, The-Dream, Hudson Mohawke, Sebastian Sartor, Don Cannon, Swizz Beatz, Rico Beats, Mano and Nottz. It also features guest appearances from Rick Ross, Jeezy, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Future, Pharrell Williams, Chris Brown and Kendrick Lamar, among others.
TNGHT is a musical duo consisting of Scottish producer Hudson Mohawke and Canadian producer Lunice, formed in 2011. The duo released their self-titled debut EP to positive reviews in 2012. They announced an indefinite hiatus in late 2013, until their return in September 2019.
Harry Bauer Rodrigues, known professionally as Baauer, is an American record producer and DJ, best known for his double platinum song "Harlem Shake".
"New Slaves" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). The song features additional vocals from Frank Ocean. It was produced by West and co-produced by Benjamin Bronfman, while Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Travis Scott, Sham Joseph, and Che Pope contributed additional production. West, Bronfman, and Dean co-wrote the song with Ocean, Cyhi the Prynce, Malik Yusef, Rhymefest, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, King Louie, and Anna Adamis, with Gábor Presser receiving credit due to a sample of his composition. In May 2013, the song was previewed by Hudson Mohawke at the Polish Free Form Festival and formally announced by Virgil Abloh. West debuted it with video projections of him rapping on buildings worldwide in locations like Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam.
"Blood on the Leaves" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). In the song, West presents his thoughts on how fame can cause the destruction of relationships, while making comparisons of contemporary times to the lynching of African Americans in the United States during the pre-civil rights era. West delivers his vocals through an Auto-Tune processor, like on his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. It contains samples of both singer Nina Simone's 1965 rendition of Billie Holiday's song "Strange Fruit", and "R U Ready" by the duo TNGHT, who co-produced the track.
"I Am a God" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). The song credits God as a featured performer. It was produced by West, Hudson Mohawke, Daft Punk, and Mike Dean, and includes vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. The song contains samples of "Forward Inna Dem Clothes", written by Capleton and H. Hart, and performed by the latter, and "Are Zindagi Hai Khel" by Manna Dey, R. D. Burman and Asha Bhosle.
Joshua Leary, better known by the stage name Evian Christ, is an English electronic music producer, DJ, songwriter and performance artist from Ellesmere Port, UK. He is signed to Tri Angle Records, Warp and Kanye West’s publishing house Donda and record label Very Good Beats. He released his debut mixtape Kings and Them in 2012 and gained prominence as a collaborator on West's 2013 album Yeezus. He released a further EP on Tri Angle, Waterfall, in 2014, and released his debut album on Warp Records, Revanchist, in 2023.
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude is the second studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on December 18, 2015, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. The album was supported by three singles: "Untouchable", "M.F.T.R." featuring The-Dream and "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets". The album features guest appearances from The-Dream, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky, Ab-Liva, Beanie Sigel, Kehlani and Jill Scott, with production handled by a variety of high-profile record producers, including Kanye West, J. Cole, Timbaland, Q-Tip, Metro Boomin, Boi-1da, Hudson Mohawke and Puff Daddy, among others.
"Waves" is a song by the American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). The song includes guest vocals from singer Chris Brown and fellow rapper Kid Cudi. It was the first beat conceived by West with Charlie Heat, which was set to be scrapped until a few weeks before release and Chance the Rapper persuaded West to keep the song on the album. An art pop number with gospel elements, the song samples Fantastic Freaks's "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" and features choral synths. It mostly features vocals from Brown, who sings about the symbolism of waves crashing at sea. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly praised Brown's appearance. Some highlighted the musicality, while a few critics picked it as a highlight of the album.
"FML" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016), which features vocals from Canadian singer the Weeknd. It contains a sample of "Hit" by Section 25, which two of the band members praised West for sampling. In the song, West references his issues with mental health. The song charted in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada in 2016.
TNGHT is the self-titled debut extended play of the duo TNGHT, the collaboration of producers Hudson Mohawke and Lunice. Recorded in a London studio in a couple of nights, it was released on the labels Warp and LuckyMe on July 23, 2012.
Danielle Balbuena, known professionally as 070 Shake, is an American rapper and singer. She is best known for her guest appearance on English singer Raye's 2022 single "Escapism", which peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked atop the UK Singles Chart, and won Song of the Year at the 2024 Brit Awards, as well as her features on American rapper Kanye West's tracks, particularly the 2018 song "Ghost Town".
