History
In 2010, Joaquin and Darin Dean decided to revamp Ruff Ryders through a new venture known as Ruff Ryders Indy, as a Fontana/Universal affiliated distribution company that provides hands-on mentoring and consulting services to independent labels. Joaquin Dean has helped introduce artists like DMX, Eve, Swizz Beatz, The LOX, and others into pop culture, selling over 35 million records in the process.
Fontana Distribution is a division of San Francisco-based Isolation Network. A minority stake of the company was owned by Universal Music until INgrooves acquired Fontana Distribution from UMG in 2012 to form INgrooves Fontana.
Universal Music Group is an American global music corporation that is a subsidiary of the French media conglomerate Vivendi. UMG's global corporate headquarters are located in Santa Monica, California. It is considered one of the "Big Three" music companies, along with Sony Music and Warner Music Group. Since 2004, the corporation is no longer related to the film studio Universal Studios. In 2019, Fast Company named Universal Music Group the most innovative music company and listed UMG among the Top 50 most innovative companies in the world and "amid the music industry's digital transformation, Universal is redefining what a modern label should look like." UMG has signed licensing agreements with more than 400 platforms worldwide.
Earl Simmons, known professionally as DMX, is an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s, and released his debut album, It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in 1998 to both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling 251,000 copies within its first week of release. He released his best-selling album, ... And Then There Was X, in 1999, which included the hit single "Party Up ". Since his debut, DMX has released seven studio albums.
Ruff Ryders Indy, Inc. has signed new artists to the label such as MOOK, Lil Waah (son of Joaquin Dean), Shella, and Hugo. The company is releasing its first new album a compilation that includes the established Ruff Ryders artists, DMX, Eve, LOX, Drag-On, Swizz Beatz, and Cassidy with the new artists entitled; Ruff Ryders Past, Present, Future on November 21, 2011, 2011. A third album by Drag-On will follow the release of the compilation, with additional music to be released by established and new artists of the label.
Drag-On is an American hip hop recording artist and actor from the Bronx borough of New York City. Drag-On is perhaps best known as an original member of the Ruff Ryders Entertainment imprint, where he released his debut album, Opposite of H2O (2000). The album was successful, debuting at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart and eventually sold over 500,000 copies and earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After leaving Interscope Records, which issued his debut alongside Ruff Ryders, Drag-On joined Virgin Records and released his second album Hell and Back, in 2004. Hell and Back did not sell like Opposite of H2O. However, it did very well for an album that did not receive any promotions, radio spins, or advertising.
Jason Terrance Phillips, better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is known for being one third of the East Coast hip hop group The Lox as well as being a member of Ruff Ryders and for his solo work. He is currently signed to both Def Jam Records and his own label, D-Block Records, which he founded with the other members of The Lox. Jadakiss has released four studio albums, with the most recent being Top 5 Dead or Alive on November 20, 2015.
Kasseem Dean, known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American hip hop recording artist, DJ, record producer, art collector, and entrepreneur from New York City. Born and raised in The Bronx, Dean began his musical career as a disc jockey (DJ). At the age of 16, he gained recognition in the hip hop industry through his friendship and work with East Coast rapper DMX and his family's Ruff Ryders Entertainment record label. Dean later found a protégé in Philadelphia-based rapper Cassidy, whose success helped the launch of his own label imprint, Full Surface Records in 1999. He went on to sign multiple artists to the label, including Eve, Mashonda, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Dean also released two albums under the label; the first was a compilation, titled Swizz Beatz Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, released in 2002, and later his debut studio album, One Man Band Man in 2007. In November 2018, Dean released his second studio album, Poison, featuring collaborations with multiple hip hop artists.
Full Surface is a record label founded in 2001, by American hip hop recording artist and record producer Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean. With the help of his protégé, Cassidy, who was the 1st artist signed, the label was established. The label used to operate through Sony's J and through Universal's Interscope, Motown and Universal Motown. However, the label also had released material through joint ventures with other companies outside the Sony BMG group. It operates as a subsidiary of Warner and is distributed by Atlantic.
Mashonda Tifrere, is an American singer from Boston, Massachusetts. Tifrere appeared on several songs from hip hop artists in the 2000s. In 2004, she married record producer Swizz Beatz, and was once signed to his label Full Surface, under the aegis of J Records. Tifrere released her debut studio album January Joy in 2005. In 2011, Tifrere was a part of the first season of VH1's reality show Love & Hip Hop: New York.
A Gangster and a Gentleman is the first studio album by American rapper Styles. The album was released on July 9, 2002, through Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Interscope Records. Styles was the second member of The LOX to record a solo album, after Kiss Tha Game Goodbye by Jadakiss was released in 2001.
It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is the debut studio album by American rapper DMX. It was released on May 12, 1998 by Ruff Ryders Entertainment, Def Jam Recordings, and PolyGram. It was supported by four singles—"Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "Ruff Ryders Anthem" and "How's It Goin' Down", in order of release—and their accompanying music videos.
James Carlton Anderson better known by his stage name Yung Wun is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.
We Are the Streets is the second studio album by hip hop group The Lox. The album was released on January 25, 2000, by Ruff Ryders Entertainment and Interscope Records. It was their second album as a group, and is mainly produced by Swizz Beatz. Its commercial success was driven primarily by the hit singles "Wild Out," produced by Swizz Beatz, and "Ryde or Die, Bitch", produced by Timbaland.
"We in Here" is a song by American hip hop recording artist DMX, released in June 2006 as the lead single from his sixth studio album, Year of the Dog... Again (2006). The song features vocals and production from longtime friend and collaborator American record producer Swizz Beatz. The song is also known as a diss track towards his old label Def Jam Recordings.
American rapper and producer Swizz Beatz has released one studio album, one compilation album, one mixtape, thirty-nine singles, three promotional singles and thirty-three music videos.
"Ruff Ryders' Anthem" is a song by American hip hop recording artist DMX, released as the fourth single from his debut studio album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998). It ranks at #79 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. In the U.S. it peaked at #93 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Professional is DJ Clue?'s debut studio album. It features appearances from Jay-Z, DMX, Nas, Ja Rule, Missy Elliott, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nicole Wray and others. As of 2001, the album has sold 1,000,000 copies in the US, being certified Platinum by the RIAA.
"Where the Hood At?" is a song by American hip hop recording artist DMX, released as the lead single from his fifth studio album Grand Champ (2003). The track is noted to be a diss track towards Ja Rule; particularly in the first verse. Allmusic stated "The anthemic lead single, 'Where the Hood At,' is precisely modeled after previous DMX rallying calls like 'Ruff Ryder Anthem,' 'What's My Name?,' and 'Who We Be.'"
Damon Blackman, better known by his stage name Dame Grease, is an American hip hop record producer from Harlem, New York. Born in The Bronx, raised in Harlem he began his musical career as a producer and has since added rapper, record executive, creative director and fashion designer, to his repertoire. In 1996 he gained recognition in the hip hop industry, through his work with Bad Boy Records and The Lox. He also established himself as a prominent New York Producer while working with East Coast rapper DMX and the Ruff Ryders Entertainment record label.
The following list is a discography of production by Swizz Beatz, an American record producer and recording artist from The Bronx, New York. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artist, album and title. With a career spanning over two decades, Swizz Beatz has contributed production on over 160 albums, including studio projects, compilations, soundtracks and mixtapes. Beatz has also produced 81 singles, a number of them certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"Who's Real" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Jadakiss, released June 16, 2009 as the fourth single from his third studio album The Last Kiss. The song features guest appearances from fellow American rappers OJ Da Juiceman and Swizz Beatz, the latter of whom produced the track. The single was officially released on June 16, 2009.
Ruff Ryders: Past, Present, Future is the fifth compilation album from American hip hop record label Ruff Ryders Entertainment, released on November 21, 2011.
Undisputed is the seventh studio album by American rapper DMX. It was released on September 11, 2012 on Seven Arts Music.
Ruff Ryders is a record label founded by Joaquin "Waah" Dean and Darin "Dee" Dean and Chivon Dean, uncles and aunt of producer Swizz Beatz. It operated as a subsidiary of Universal, and distributed by Fontana Distribution.
