No Limit Records

Last updated
No Limit Records
Nolimit.jpg
Company logo from 1998–2000
Parent company EMI
Founded1991;33 years ago (1991)
Founder Master P
StatusActive
Distributor(s) Priority (1995–2001)
Universal (2001–2004)
Koch Records (2004–2005)
Genre
Country of origin United States
Location Richmond, California (1991–1995)
New Orleans, Louisiana (1995–1997)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana (1997–2003)
Established as No Limit Forever Records in Los Angeles, California (2010–present)
Official website NoLimitRecords.com

No Limit Records is an American record company founded by Master P. The label's albums were distributed by Priority Records, Universal and Koch Records. The label included artists such as Snoop Dogg, Mercedes, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, Mia X, Mac, C-Murder, Magic, Romeo Miller, Fiend, Kane & Abel, and Soulja Slim. Anthony Boswell, head of Bout It Bout It Management, served as the vice president of operations as well as head of management for the label. [1]

Contents

In the late nineties, No Limit Records enjoyed mainstream success with releases such as Master P's Ghetto D , T.R.U.'s Tru 2 da Game , and Snoop Dogg's Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told .

No Limit was known for quickly producing lengthy albums consisting of up to twenty tracks, numerous cameo appearances by the label's other artists, cheap packaging of its CDs in cardboard cases, and garish Pen & Pixel-designed album covers.

History

1991–1995: Beginnings

Percy "Master P" Miller began his career distributing his records through a small California Bay Area record label, "No Limit Record Shop", which started out in Richmond. [2]

After signing Oakland rapper Dangerous Dame, who released the EP Escape from the Mental Ward through No Limit, he began working with New Orleans–based talent, starting with Kane & Abel (then known as Double Vision).[ citation needed ]

1995–1999: Successful years, Priority deal, and roster exodus

In 1995, Master P officially relocated No Limit to his birthplace of New Orleans, Louisiana, while retaining his brothers and several California rappers like TRU member Big Ed, King George and Calli G on board. He then added local talent to his roster such as Mystikal, Mia X, Kane & Abel and Mr. Serv-On. No Limit then signed a distribution deal with Priority Records, while Master P maintained ownership of his master recordings and recording studio. He became the label's main artist, releasing Ice Cream Man [3] in 1996 and Ghetto D a year later. [4]

By 1997, No Limit had gained momentum with bestselling, if not critically acclaimed, releases from multiple artists. In May 1997, No Limit released the soundtrack to the film I'm Bout It. The album featured appearances from much of the label's roster at the time of its release. In addition to featuring the label's original artists, the album introduced new artists now signed to No Limit. These artists include Baton Rouge, Louisiana artist Young Bleed, Oakland-based pair Steady Mobb'n, R&B quartet and production group Sons of Funk, Mac, Prime Suspects, The Gambino Family, Mercedes and former Big Boy Records artists Mystikal and Fiend. The album was a commercial success, being certified Platinum by the RIAA. No Limit also had success with albums like TRU (Tru 2 Da Game), Mia X's Unlady Like, which went gold despite producing no hit singles, and Mystikal's platinum-selling Unpredictable . That same year, No Limit moved from New Orleans to a corporate headquarters in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The label also acquired their first marquee name in Snoop Dogg, on the heels of his acrimonious split from Death Row Records. His debut album for No Limit, Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told , was the most successful release in the label's history at the time, selling over half a million copies in its first week and certified double platinum in less than three months.

As No Limit's popularity and mainstream coverage increased, so did its roster. The label signed producers DJ Daryl, Randy Jefferson, K-Lou & Dez as well as Master P's main production team, Beats by the Pound (KLC, Mo B. Dick, Craig B, Odell, and Carlos Stephens), in addition to solo artists Soulja Slim, Full Blooded, Magic, Skull Duggery, Short Circuit, Ghetto Commission. Together they put out 23 albums in 1998, 10 of which went platinum and 11 gold, in some instances their only releases on the label. Master P's own LP that year, MP da Last Don , reached number one on the Billboard 200 after moving 495,000 copies in its first week, and sold 4.5 million units overall, making it the best-selling album of his career.

No Limit started 1999 with Silkk the Shocker's January release, Made Man , which debuted and peaked at #1 on the US Billboard 200. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA. Made Man featured guest appearances from No Limit artists Mystikal, Fiend, Master P (who executive produced the album), O'Dell, Sons of Funk, C-Murder, The Ghetto Commission, Mia X, and Snoop Dogg. No Limit producers KLC, O'Dell, Carlos Stephens, Craig B., and Sons of Funk all provided production for the album. TRU also released their fifth studio album, Da Crime Family in June 1999.

1999 also saw the departure of many No Limit producers and artists. In 1999, Beats By The Pound members Odell, Craig B, Mo B. Dick, and KLC left No Limit due to a dispute with Master P. [5] As a result, KLC's project, Hits By The Pound, scheduled for a September 14, 1999 release through No Limit, was consequently shelved. Mr. Serv-On and Fiend left No Limit to go independent, and Mia X left No Limit and went on a musical hiatus to take care of her family. Kane & Abel were dropped from No Limit in 1999 due to their investigation involving drug activity. [6] Sons of Funk, Steady Mobb'n, Prime Suspects, and The Gambino Family all parted ways with the label.

2000–2003: Continued success, decline, The New No Limit, and final years

In 2000, 504 Boyz album Goodfellas made it big on the Billboard peaking at #2 on the Billboard 200 making No Limit a small factor in the 2000s, but in 2000 only Master P, Snoop Dogg, C-Murder, Silkk, Magic, and Mac remained from their most celebrated artists. By 2000, Ghetto Commission, Mystikal and Big Ed had left the label. The following year, the label lost Mac to prison after he was convicted of manslaughter in connection to a nightclub shooting; [7] he was ultimately sentenced to thirty years in prison on September 21, 2001. [8] Snoop Dogg had left No Limit after his three-year contract with No Limit expired, and C-Murder distanced himself from No Limit to focus on his own label, TRU Records. In 2001, No Limit's deal with Priority expired, and No Limit subsequently signed with Universal Records for a $10 million distribution deal. [9] After the signing, Master P renamed No Limit to The New No Limit. The New No Limit's roster included Master P, Lil Romeo, Silkk The Shocker, 504 Boyz, Magic, and Choppa. Releases on The New No Limit under Universal failed to achieve the same success as the previous incarnation of No Limit.

On December 17, 2003, the company filed for bankruptcy due to various lawsuits, and Master P then sold the catalog. [10]

Reorganization

In 2001, No Limit left Priority Records and signed a distribution deal with Universal. The label's name was changed to The New No Limit. [11] The first release under the New No Limit banner was Master P's tenth album, Game Face . With Universal, the label also released new albums by the 504 Boyz, Lil' Romeo, Magic and Choppa. In 2004, the reorganized label had moved to Koch Records for distribution. From 2004 to 2005, The New No Limit Records issued new albums by Master P, Silkk the Shocker, C-Murder, Lil' Romeo and the reformed TRU. In 2005, Master P established a new label called Guttar Music Entertainment.

See also

Related Research Articles

This is a list of albums released by No Limit Records between 1991–2006.

<i>I Got the Hook-Up</i> (soundtrack) 1998 soundtrack album by various artists

I Got the Hook-Up is the soundtrack to Michael Martin's 1998 crime comedy film I Got the Hook-Up. It was released on April 7, 1998, through No Limit/Priority Records.

<i>Skys the Limit</i> (Magic album) 1998 studio album by Magic

Sky's the Limit is the debut studio album by American rapper Magic. It was released on September 15, 1998, on No Limit Records, Tru Records and Priority Records. The record features production from Beats by the Pound, Mark in da Dark, and DJ Daryl, and guest appearances from almost the entire No Limit and Tru Records artists roster.

<i>Made Man</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Silkk The Shocker

Made Man is the third studio album by American rapper Silkk The Shocker, released on January 19, 1999, on Priority Records and Master P's No Limit Records. Production for the album was handled by No Limit producers Beats By the Pound and The Whole 9. The album features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Mýa, Jay-Z, and Master P, the latter whom executive produced the album.

<i>Life or Death</i> (C-Murder album) 1998 studio album by C-Murder

Life or Death is the debut studio album by American rapper C-Murder. It was released on March 24, 1998, by No Limit Records and Priority Records. It was produced by Beats By the Pound. Like most of No Limit's albums in the 1990s, the album was a success, peaking at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums; as well as number 21 on the Top Heatseekers. After debuting on the charts with 197,000 copies sold its first week out, Life or Death achieved platinum status moving over 2 million copies by the end of 1999. In its second week of release, the album charted at number 7 on the Billboard 200, then at number 10 in its third week.

<i>Unlady Like</i> 1997 studio album by Mia X

Unlady Like is the second studio album by American rapper Mia X. It was released on June 24, 1997, on No Limit Records, distributed by Priority Records and EMI, and featured production from Beats By the Pound. The album made it to #21 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA. Fellow No Limit Soldiers Master P, C-Murder, Silkk the Shocker, Mr. Serv-On, Fiend, Mac, Kane & Abel, KLC, Mystikal, Mercedes, Mo B Dick, O'Dell and Big Ed are featured, along with Foxy Brown. The song "The Party Don't Stop" charted on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Airplay in August 1997.

<i>Mama Drama</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Mia X

Mama Drama is the third and final studio album released by American rapper Mia X, which was released on October 27, 1998, on No Limit Records, distributed by Priority Records and EMI, and featured production from Master P and Beats By the Pound. Many of the guests who appeared on the previous album returned for guest appearances on the album including Fat Joe and Charlie Wilson. Mama Drama debuted at numbers three and seven on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts respectively. It spawned two singles: "What'cha Wanna Do" and "Imma Shine". It went on to sell 400,000 units in the US.

<i>Am I My Brothers Keeper</i> 1998 studio album by Kane & Abel

Am I My Brother's Keeper is the third studio album by American hip hop duo Kane & Abel. It was released on July 7, 1998, on No Limit Records and Priority Records and was produced by Master P and Beats By the Pound. The album contained the single "Time After Time", which peaked at #18 on the Hot Rap Singles.

<i>Theres One in Every Family</i> 1998 studio album by Fiend

There's One in Every Family is the second studio album by the American rapper Fiend, released in 1998 on No Limit Records. It was produced by Master P and Beats By the Pound. Like most of the albums released by No Limit in the late 1990s, the album was a success, peaking at #8 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It featured all of the label's top acts, including Master P, Snoop Dogg, Silkk the Shocker, Mystikal, Mia X, and C-Murder.

<i>On Top of da World</i> 1999 studio album by Lil Italy

On Top of da World is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Lil Italy. It was released on August 3, 1999 via No Limit Records. Recording sessions took place at K-Lou Studios in Richmond, California and at No Limit Studios in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Production was handled by K-Lou, KLC, Ricky "Gold Fingers" Rivera, Carlos "C-Los Beats" Stephens, Charles Doyle Leonard and Poorman Dre, with Master P serving as executive producer.

<i>These Wicked Streets</i> 1998 studio album by Skull Duggery

These Wicked Streets is the second studio album by American rapper Skull Duggery. It was released on September 8, 1998 via No Limit/Penalty Recordings, making it the rapper's final record for the label. Production was handled by Beats By The Pound, with Master P serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Silkk the Shocker, C-Murder, Fiend, Master P, Mo B. Dick, Big Ed, Ghetto Commission, KLC, Mia X, Mr. Serv-On, Mystikal, O'Dell, Shad, Snoop Dogg and Soup Bone. The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200, number 41 on the Heatseekers Albums and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States.

<i>Guilty til Proven Innocent</i> 1998 studio album by Prime Suspects

Guilty Til Proven Innocent is the only album released by hip hop group, Prime Suspects. It was released on October 6, 1998 through No Limit Records and was produced by the labels production team, Beats By the Pound.

<i>Life Insurance</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Mr. Serv-On

Life Insurance is the debut album by rapper, Mr. Serv-On. It was released on August 5, 1997 through No Limit Records and was mostly produced by the labels in-house production team, Beats By the Pound, with one track produced by Brotha Lynch Hung. The album was both a commercial and critical success selling 98,000 units in one week, peaking at #20 on the Billboard 200 and #12 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums,.

<i>Ghetto Organized</i> 1998 studio album by Gambino Family

Ghetto Organized is the only studio album by American hip hop group the Gambino Family. It was released on October 20, 1998, via No Limit Records and was entirely produced by Beats By The Pound. It features guest appearances from 241, Big Ed, C-Murder, Fiend, Full Blooded, Ghetto Commission, KLC, Mac, Magic, Master P, Mia X, Mo B. Dick, Mr. Serv-On, Mystikal, O'Dell, Porsha, QB, Silkk the Shocker and Snoop Dogg. The album peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart selling 160,000 copies in its first week, but the group never released a follow-up and have not been heard of since. The tracks "Studio B" and "Childhood Years" were released as promotional singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Make 'Em Say Uhh!</span> 1998 single by Master P featuring Fiend, Silkk the Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal

"Make Em Say Uhh!" is the second single from Master P's 1997 studio album Ghetto D, produced by KLC. The album was released in 1997, although the single was released in January 1998 by Priority Records and Master P's No Limit Records. The song featured performers Fiend, Silkk The Shocker, Mia X and Mystikal. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Master P's highest-charting single. "Make Em Say Uhh!" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mystikal discography</span>

The discography of American rapper Mystikal consists of six studio albums, two compilation albums, twenty-five singles and fifteen music videos. In 1994, Mystikal released a self-titled album on the independent record label Big Boy Records. Following his signing to Jive Records in 1995, the album was re-released under the title Mind of Mystikal as his debut studio album. Mind of Mystikal peaked at number 103 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 13 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album featured the single "Y'all Ain't Ready Yet", which peaked at number 41 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Mystikal's following two studio albums, Unpredictable and Ghetto Fabulous, were both released on the record label No Limit Records; Jive distributed the albums rather than No Limit's distributor, Priority Records. Both peaked in the top five of the Billboard 200 and were later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Each of the albums featured one single, "Ain't No Limit" and "That's the Nigga", respectively. Both songs peaked in the top 65 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

This is the production discography of Craig "KLC" Lawson, an American hip hop music producer from New Orleans, Louisiana, and lead producer of the production team The Medicine Men. Lawson is credited on close to 300 studio recordings covering over 100 studio albums. His RIAA accolades include approximately eighteen gold albums, twelve platinum albums, four double-platinum albums, two triple-platinum albums, and one quadruple-platinum album as well as two gold singles, two platinum singles and one double-platinum single. Lawson has two Grammy Award nominations, both at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards for "Best Rap Album" and two BMI Awards - one for the hit single Move Bitch and one for the associated album Word of Mouf.

<i>No Limit Greatest Hits</i> 2006 compilation album by Various artists

No Limit Greatest Hits is a 2006 two-disc greatest hits album released on August 1, 2006 by Priority Records. The compilation managed to make it to #56 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Prior to the release of this compilation, No Limit Records went bankrupt in 2003 which resulted in Master P selling the back catalog of the label. Today, EMI owns the No Limit back catalog. Due to no longer owning No Limit, Master P had no involvement in the making of this compilation.

Vyshonn King Miller, better known by his stage name Silkk the Shocker, is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brother of Master P, Miller signed with his record label No Limit Records, an imprint of Priority Records to release his debut studio album, The Shocker (1996). Despite unfavorable critical reception, his second and third albums—Charge It 2 da Game (1998) and Made Man (1999)—were both met with minor critical inclines and received platinum certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); the latter debuted atop the Billboard 200.

References

  1. ↑ "Master P Saves The 'No Limit' Legacy After Downfall Of Many Members. No Limit Chronicles E5 Clip". September 8, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  2. ↑ Master P plan retrieved 21 April 2021
  3. ↑ The Improbable Empire: Master P's 'Ice Cream Man' and the Birth of a Southern Rap Dynasty Ice Cream Man the ringer.com Retrieved 21 May 2024
  4. ↑ Master P Retrieved 21 May 2024
  5. ↑ "Death Row Catches Snoop Dogg Slippin' & Master P Creates New Start for No Limit Soldiers | Ep 4 Clip". September 1, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Kane And Abel Claim Feds Tried To Use Them To Get To Master P". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ "No Limit Rapper Mac Charged With First-Degree Murder". Mtv.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Rapper convicted of manslaughter in nightclub slaying". The Advocate. Baton Rouge, LA. 2001-09-25. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  9. ↑ "Master P Saves The 'No Limit' Legacy After Downfall Of Many Members | No Limit Chronicles E5 Clip". September 8, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ Yvonne Bynoe (2006). Encyclopedia of rap and hip-hop culture. Greenwood Press. p. 249. ISBN   0-313-33058-1 . Retrieved 2009-09-20.
  11. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (December 15, 2001). "Rhythm, Rap, and The Blues". Billboard.
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