Rhymesayers Entertainment

Last updated
Rhymesayers Entertainment
Rhymesayerslogo.jpg
Founded1995 (1995)
Founder
Distributor(s) ADA (former)
Secretly Distribution (current)
Genre Hip hop, underground hip hop, alternative hip hop
Country of originU.S.
Location Minneapolis, Minnesota
Official website www.rhymesayers.com

Rhymesayers Entertainment (sometimes abbreviated RSE [1] ) is an American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis. [2] [3]

Contents

History

Rhymesayers Entertainment was co-founded in 1995 by Sean Daley (Slug), Anthony Davis (Ant), Musab Saad (Sab the Artist) and Brent Sayers (Siddiq). [4] Former members of the Headshots crew. [5] Beginning in 2008, Rhymesayers Entertainment sponsors the annual Soundset Music Festival, a popular attraction that takes place over Memorial Day weekend in Minneapolis. [6] The music festival was postponed in 2020. [7]

Rhymesayers released Prof and Dem Atlas from their label in 2020.

In 2020, Rhymesayers was among the many labels distributed by Alternative Distribution Alliance that left the company after ADA moved all of its business to the Indiana-based Direct Shot Distributing. Controversy erupted when Direct Shot received numerous complaints from retailers over delayed or missing shipments. [8] As a result, Secretly Distribution became the current distributor for Rhymesayers Entertainment. [9]

The label also opened a record store in 1999 called Fifth Element, which closed on April 1, 2020. [10]

Rhymesayers Entertainment is headquartered in the same building as its former music store, Fifth Element, in Uptown, Minneapolis, 2013. 2013-0314-FifthElement-Rhymesayers.jpg
Rhymesayers Entertainment is headquartered in the same building as its former music store, Fifth Element, in Uptown, Minneapolis, 2013.

Roster

Artists in promotion by 2016 [11]

Archived artists

Artists formerly signed to the label include

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmosphere (music group)</span> American hip hop duo from Minneapolis

Atmosphere is an American hip-hop duo from Minneapolis, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Slug and DJ/producer Ant. Since its formation in 1996, the group has released thirteen studio albums and ten extended plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eyedea</span> American rapper

Micheal David Larsen, better known by his stage name Eyedea, was an American musician, rapper, and poet. He was a freestyle battle champion and songwriter from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

<i>God Loves Ugly</i> 2002 studio album by Atmosphere

God Loves Ugly is the second studio album by American hip hop group Atmosphere. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on June 11, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DJ Abilities</span> Musical artist

Gregory Joseph Keltgen, better known by his stage name DJ Abilities, is an American underground hip hop producer and DJ signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment who is based in Minneapolis. He is a founding member of Eyedea & Abilities alongside Eyedea, and Semi.Official alongside I Self Devine. DJ Abilities is a member of 1200 Hobos and was also a member of Atmosphere at one point. He has won two regional DJ championships for the Midwest region.

Eyedea & Abilities was an American hip hop duo from Saint Paul, Minnesota, consisting of rapper Eyedea and DJ Abilities. The duo was founded in 1999 and became a prominent figure of the underground hip hop scene, becoming known for Eyedea's philosophical and socially conscious lyrics, along with DJ Abilities' dynamic experimental fusion of stylistic elements from both rap and rock, as well as electronic music. The group was active until Eyedea's death in October 2010.

<i>The Dynospectrum</i> 1998 studio album by The Dynospectrum

The Dynospectrum is a studio album by The Dynospectrum, a collaboration between rappers Slug, I Self Devine, Sab the Artist, and Swift. They performed under the pseudonyms Sep Sev Sev Two, Pat Juba, General Woundwart, and Mr. Gene Poole, respectively. The production was handled by Ant, who assumed the name Solomon Grundy for the project. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 13, 1998.

<i>First Born</i> (Eyedea & Abilities album) 2001 studio album by Eyedea & Abilities

First Born is the first studio album by American hip hop duo Eyedea & Abilities. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment on October 1, 2001.

<i>The Many Faces of Oliver Hart</i> 2002 studio album by Oliver Hart

The Many Faces of Oliver Hart or: How Eye One the Write Too Think is the debut solo studio album by Eyedea, released under the pseudonym Oliver Hart. It was released on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2002. In 2014, a vinyl edition of the album was released as a Record Store Day exclusive. The Village Voice included it on the "10 Must-Have Record Store Day Releases" list.

Jason Heinrichs, also known by his stage name Anomaly was a Canadian-born musician and producer from Minneapolis. He worked primarily in dance music and hip-hop, and was notable for producing some of the earliest works by prominent Twin Cities rappers Atmosphere, Eyedea, P.O.S., and Oddjobs, as well as his own work with house-music duo Roomsa and solo efforts. He also played in Brother Sun Sister Moon, a side project of Information Society's Paul Robb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slug (rapper)</span> American rapper

Sean Michael Daley, better known by his stage name Slug, is an American rapper from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Slug is best known as one-half of the hip-hop group Atmosphere, which he founded with Derek Turner (Spawn). Turner has since left and Anthony Davis (Ant) produces Atmosphere with Slug. In 1995, Slug, in collaboration with Anthony Davis, Musab Saad, and Brent Sayers founded the Minneapolis-based independent hip hop record label Rhymesayers Entertainment.

<i>E&A</i> 2004 studio album by Eyedea & Abilities

E&A is the second studio album by American hip hop duo Eyedea & Abilities. It was released on Epitaph Records and Rhymesayers Entertainment on March 23, 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ant (producer)</span> American record producer

Anthony Davis, better known by his stage name Ant, is an American hip hop producer. He is best known as being one half of the hip hop group Atmosphere, but has worked with many other artists and projects, mostly with Rhymesayers Entertainment, such as Brother Ali, I Self Devine, Felt and The Dynospectrum. He has also released three albums, Melodies and Memories, Melodies and Memories 85–89 and Collection of Sounds Vol. 1.

Twin Cities hip hop, also referred to as Minneapolis hip hop, is sub-genre of rap music that originates from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sab the Artist</span> American rapper

Musab Saad, better known by his stage name Sab the Artist, Musab, or Beyond, is an American recording artist, rapper, songwriter, record producer, and music executive from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Semi.Official is an American hip hop group from Minnesota. It consists of I Self Devine and DJ Abilities. The duo released the debut album, The Anti-Album, on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2003. In 2011, Complex listed the track, "Grey", as one of the 25 Best Rhymesayers Songs.

Micranots is an American hip hop duo, consisting of I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem from Atlanta, Georgia, but currently reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2013, the group was described by City Pages as "the pioneering rap group that left an immense footprint on the local hip-hop scene".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dem Atlas</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Joshua Evans Turner, better known by his stage name Dem Atlas, is an American rapper from Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was formerly a member of the group Sifu Hotman alongside rapper Guante and producer Rube. He was formerly signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Soundset Music Festival was a hip-hop music festival held yearly in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area over Memorial Day weekend. Since Soundset began in the Metrodome parking lot in 2008, attendance has grown from 12,000 to over 30,000 consistently since 2014. Over 280,000 fans have traveled from fifty U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand to experience Soundset in Minnesota.

<i>The Emperor & the Assassin</i> 2004 studio album by Micranots

The Emperor & the Assassin is the third studio album by American hip hop duo Micranots, consisting of I Self Devine and DJ Kool Akiem. It was released February 3, 2004 on Rhymesayers Entertainment.

Akeena Bronson, known professionally as DJ Keezy, is a DJ from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

References

  1. Kangas, Chaz (December 2, 2015). "Rhymesayers at 20: How the best roster in hip-hop was built". City Pages . Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  2. Rhys, Dan (December 4, 2015). "How Rhymesayers Entertainment Survived 20 Years As An Indie Label". Billboard . Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  3. Burbeck, Rory (February 4, 2015). "Rhymesayers Label Founders to Discuss 20 Years of Success at SXSW Music 2015". SXSW . Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  4. Setaro, Shawn (November 30, 2015). "Rhymesayers At 20: An Oral History". Forbes . Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  5. "A Moment In Rhymesayers: Episode 4 - Headshots Tape 4 History". Rhymesayers Entertainment. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  6. Fischer, Reed (May 23, 2012). "How Rhymesayers set up the Soundset Festival". City Pages . Retrieved June 30, 2019.
  7. Kangas, Chaz (2020-01-24). "Soundset 2020: CANCELLED, Go Radio looks back on Soundset memories". Go 95.3. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  8. Grech, Aaron (7 January 2020). "Indie Labels 4AD, Matador, Domino and More Exit Warner's Alternative Distribution Alliance Due to Delayed or Missing Vinyl Shipments". mxdwn.com. mxdwn.com. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  9. "Secretly Distribution - Partners". secretlydistribution.com. Secretly Group. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  10. Wiita, Tommy (2020-03-27). "Fifth Element, Rhymesayers record store, closes permanently". KSTP. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  11. "Artists". Rhymesayers Entertainment. Retrieved January 6, 2016.

Further reading