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| First Priority Music | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder |
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| Distributor(s) |
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| Genre | Hip hop |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Official website | firstprioritymusic |
First Priority Music (FPM) was an American hip hop record label of the late 1980s and early 1990s, which later released contemporary R&B and country music, among others.
A small independent, it formed distribution relationships first with Atlantic Records, and later on with Jive/Zomba.
First Priority was founded by Nat Robinson in 1987, to release music by his son Kirk better known as Milk Dee of Audio Two. FPM's first release was Audio Two's "Make It Funky"/"Top Billin'", which was successful enough to secure the label a distribution deal with Atlantic Records.
MC Lyte's debut album Lyte as a Rock (1988) was followed by her records, Eyes on This (1989) and Act Like You Know (1991). "Ruffneck", from 1993's Ain't No Other , was the first gold single by a solo female rap artist. Other members of the hip hop roster of the period include Positive K, Michie Mee, Alliance, Kings of Swing, and Barsha. A compilation featuring FPM artists, The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor , was released by the label in 1988. A short-lived sub-label called Bum Rush was distributed by Atlantic then-sister label Virgin Records from 1989 to 1991.
Recent years saw releases by Jason Downs and the 2004 single by Eamon called "Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)," which were released through Jive/Zomba.
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Lana Michele Moorer, better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a full solo album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock. The album spawned the singles "10% Dis" and "Paper Thin".
Jive Records was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chicago. Jive was best known for its successes with hip hop, R&B, and dance acts in the 1980s and 1990s, along with teen pop and boy bands during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Eamon Doyle, known mononymously as Eamon, is an American singer and songwriter. He is mainly known for his 2003 hit single "Fuck It ".
Michelle McCullock, better known by her stage name Michie Mee, is a Canadian rapper and actress. Canada's first notable female MC, she is considered a national hip-hop pioneer.
Audio Two was the Brooklyn, New York hip hop duo of emcee Kirk "Milk Dee" Robinson and DJ Nat "Gizmo" Robinson, best known for their first hit "Top Billin'".
The Zomba Group of Companies was a music group and division owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was placed under the RCA/Jive Label Group umbrella. In 2011, the RCA/Jive Label Group was split in half. Multiple Jive Label Group artists were moved to Epic Records while others stayed with Jive as it moved under the RCA Music Group. In October 2011 Jive Records was shut down and their artists were moved to RCA Records.
Positive K is an American MC and songwriter from the Bronx, New York City, New York, and one of the original artists of the First Priority Music camp. He is best known for his hits "I'm Not Havin' It" and his 1992 hit "I Got a Man".
Niatia Jessica Kirkland, better known by her stage name Lil Mama, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and dancer. She experienced top 10 Billboard placements at 17 with her debut album VYP (2008), which debuted at number 25 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned her four major singles including her staple song and dance anthem "Lip Gloss", earning her two Teen Choice Awards and Monster Single of the Year nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards. Kirkland gained further attention in pop music after a collaboration with Avril Lavigne for the remix of her hit single "Girlfriend".
Lyte as a Rock is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on April 19, 1988, via First Priority and Atlantic Records, and was produced by Audio Two, Prince Paul, and King of Chill and his group, Alliance.
Glenn K. Bolton, widely known as Daddy-O, is an American rapper and record producer. He began his career by founding the hip-hop group Stetsasonic. He is known as an early advocate of sampling in music.
I Don't Care: The Album is the second and final studio album by American hip hop duo Audio Two. It was released in 1990 through First Priority Music with distribution by Atlantic Records. Production was handled by its members Milk Dee and DJ Gizmo along with the King of Chill and Terence Dudley. It features guest appearances from MC Lyte and Positive K. I Don't Care: The Album was not a success, only peaking at number 74 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and spawning two singles: "On the Road Again" and "I Get the Papers". Its lead single, "On the Road Again", peaked at number 16 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Eyes on This is the second studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on October 3, 1989, via First Priority and Atlantic Records, and featured production from Audio Two, as well as Grand Puba, The King of Chill, Marley Marl and PMD.
Act Like You Know is the third studio album by American hip hop recording artist MC Lyte. It was released on September 17, 1991, by First Priority Music, distributed by Atlantic Records, and featured production from Audio Two, The 45 King, Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, The King of Chill, Pal Joey, Epic Mazur, Richard Wolf and DJ Master Tee.
This article lists albums that were released or distributed by JIVE Records.
Battery Records was a hip-hop label started by Neil Levine under Zomba Label Group, which is owned by Sony Music Entertainment. The label was launched mid-2008 by Sony BMG Music Entertainment. The label primarily focuses on new talent, often overseeing early-stage development for acts that are destined for other labels such as J Records or Jive. However, it also serves established artists looking for non-traditional deals, such as releasing Q-Tip's solo album Kamaal the Abstract, which had been shelved nearly seven years prior. In September 2011 Levine left Battery before Jive shut down in the following month.
The following is the discography of MC Lyte, an American hip hop musician.
The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor is a hip hop compilation album, released on December 15, 1988, on First Priority/Atlantic Records. The single "I'm Not Havin' It" by Positive K and MC Lyte peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart in 1989.
"I Cram to Understand U (Sam)" is the debut single by American rapper MC Lyte, in which features their DJ, DJ K-Rock, released in 1987. The song was part of her first album Lyte as a Rock, released the following year.
"I'm Not Havin' It" is a song by American rappers Positive K and MC Lyte. It was included on the 1988 compilation album The First Priority Music Family: Basement Flavor and released as a single the following year. The B-side "A Good Combination", by Positive K as a solo artist, is the main song in some versions of the single.
