Craig Kallman is an American entrepreneur and former DJ. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records. His career in music began in the 1980s as a DJ in Manhattan. He is the founder of the independent label Big Beat, which was established in 1986. Later, the label was purchased by Atlantic, where he has worked since 1991. After the acquisition, Kallman subsequently became its CEO in 2005.
Big Beat Records, Inc. is an American electronic and dance music record label, owned by Warner Music Group and operates through Atlantic Records. It was founded as an independent record label in 1986 by Craig Kallman with an emphasis on house music, and later hip hop. It was absorbed into Atlantic Records in 1998, and eventually relaunched separately in 2010 as a primarily electronic music label. Its current roster includes 100 gecs, Dog Blood, Galantis, Whethan, Cash Cash, and Clean Bandit.
Rostrum Records is an American independent record label initially located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, now located in Los Angeles, California. Benjy Grinberg is the founder and president of the label, which currently has sixteen artists on its roster, some of the more notable artists being Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, Rich the Kid, Mod Sun, The Bird and the Bee, Donora, Lambo Anlo, TeamMate, Mike Taylor, BRÅVES, Juliann Alexander, and Boaz. Rostrum Records has sold millions of albums and singles, and Rostrum's artists have been nominated for a combined total of eleven Grammy Awards.
Rigo "Riggs" Morales is a music executive, writer, producer, author, and former music journalist. He began his career as a music writer for publications such as The Source, XXL, Vibe and The Fader, and later became a record label executive known for working with artists such as Eminem, 50 Cent, Wiz Khalifa, Janelle Monae, and for producing the Original Broadway Cast Recording for the Tony Award-winning musical, Hamilton.
The Smeezingtons were an American songwriting and record production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine formed in 2009. The Smeezingtons were established in Los Angeles, California; the trio primarily served as the producers for the singles and albums of Mars, with additional work for diverse range of artists. Eventually, the trio split, and Mars and Lawrence formed a successor production trio with Christopher Brody Brown called "Shampoo Press & Curl".
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2011.
Edward Christopher Sheeran is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently released the extended play No. 5 Collaborations Project. He signed with Asylum Records the same year.
Jake Nathan Gosling is an English record producer and songwriter. He has worked on albums or singles for artists including Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, The Libertines, James Bay, Shawn Mendes, All Time Low, One Direction, Major Lazer, Christina Perri, Shania Twain, 5 Seconds of Summer, Paloma Faith, and Wiley.
+ ("Plus") is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 9 September 2011 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. The album is considered Sheeran's commercial breakthrough. He previously released five EPs independently. Jake Gosling and Sheeran produced the majority of the album, with additional production by American hip hop producer No I.D.
Mac & Devin Go to High School is the collaborative soundtrack to the film of the same name, as well as the collaborative studio album by American rappers and film stars Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. It was released on December 13, 2011, by Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Bruno Mars, Juicy J, Curren$y and Mike Posner. The album is supported by the lone hit single, "Young, Wild & Free". The album received positive reviews from music critics, who praised Snoop's and Khalifa's technical rapping abilities and production choices. The soundtrack debuted at number 29 on the US Billboard 200, and has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"Go Hard or Go Home" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It appears on the Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2015) and was available as an instant track upon pre-ordering the album via iTunes stores on February 17, 2015. The song was produced by The Featherstones. A second version entitled "Go Hard or Go Home Part 2" featuring Khalifa, French Montana, Trey Songz and Ty Dolla Sign was included as a bonus track on the deluxe version of the soundtrack.
Max Lousada is CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group. He previously was the chairman and CEO of Warner Music UK where he found success working with artists such as Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa. Before moving over to Warner Music UK in 2013, Lousada was successively head of A&R, managing director, president, then chairman of Atlantic Records UK.
Ben Maddahi is an American music executive. He is currently Senior Vice-President of A&R at Columbia Records and president of UNRESTRICTED, music publishing and management company. Maddahi was formerly an A&R at Atlantic Records and President of Artist Publishing Group (APG).
"I See Fire" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was commissioned for the soundtrack of the 2013 film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, where it was played over the closing credits. The Hobbit director, Peter Jackson, asked Sheeran to write a song for the movie after Jackson's daughter, Katie, suggested Sheeran. Sheeran saw the film, wrote the song, and recorded most of the track elements on the same day.
"Thinking Out Loud" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran recorded for his second studio album, × (2014). It was written by Ed Sheeran and Amy Wadge, and produced by frequent collaborator Jake Gosling. It was released in the US on 14 August 2014 as the album's third single.
"See You Again" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa featuring American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth. It was commissioned for the soundtrack of the 2015 film Furious 7 as a tribute to Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker, who died in a single-vehicle crash on November 30, 2013. The song was released on March 10, 2015, as the soundtrack's lead single in the United States. It was later included as a bonus track on the international release of Puth's debut album, Nine Track Mind.
"Purple Lamborghini" is a song by American DJ Skrillex and American rapper Rick Ross. It was released as a single for the motion picture soundtrack for the 2016 DC Comics film Suicide Squad on July 22, 2016, by Atlantic Records and Owsla. In the music video, Jared Leto reprises his role as The Joker from the film. "Purple Lamborghini" received one Grammy Award nomination: Best Song Written for Visual Media in December 2016. "Purple Lamborghini" peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Suicide Squad: The Album is the soundtrack album to the film of the same name. It was released on August 5, 2016, by Atlantic Records and WaterTower Music. A separate film score album, titled Suicide Squad: Original Motion Picture Score and composed by Steven Price, was released on August 8, by WaterTower Music. The digital edition of the film score album contains eight bonus tracks. It received mixed reviews by critics, but the Collector's Edition received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 2017 ceremony. It won the 2017 Kids' Choice Awards for Favorite Soundtrack.
Jethro Callow Sheeran, who goes by the professional name Alonestar, is a British musician, music producer, rapper, and fashion model from Bristol, England. He is a number one Billboard and multi-award-winning artist who has collaborated with several famous musicians, including 2 Pac, Chris Brown,Lil Wayne, Macy Gray, Royce Da 5'9", Akon, DaBaby, Freeway, Snoop Dogg, Michael Jackson, Rick Ross, Ghostface Killer from Wu-Tang, Shatta Wale, Trippie Redd Young Thug, Wiz Khalifa, DMX and the rapper Future among others.
Birds of Prey: The Album is the soundtrack album by various artists for the film Birds of Prey, released by Atlantic Records on February 7, 2020. Atlantic released five singles leading up to the album's release day. The album debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200, number nine in Australia, and within the top 40 in Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland. It won the 2020 American Music Award for Top Soundtrack. A separate film score album, titled Birds of Prey – Original Motion Picture Score and composed by Daniel Pemberton, was released on February 14 by WaterTower Music.
