XO | |
---|---|
Parent company | Universal Music Group |
Founded | 2011 |
Founder | |
Status | Active |
Distributor(s) | Republic Records |
Genre | |
Country of origin | Canada |
XO (also known as XO Records) [1] [2] is a Canadian record label founded by singer the Weeknd, his managers Wassim Slaiby and Amir "Cash" Esmailian, and his creative director La Mar Taylor. [3] Slaiby also serves as the CEO. [4] As of 2012, it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed through Republic Records. [5]
The label's current acts include the Weeknd, Belly, Nav and Chxrry22. The label has had six projects debut at number one on the Billboard 200: Beauty Behind The Madness , Starboy , My Dear Melancholy , Bad Habits , After Hours and Good Intentions , with the latter two both achieving this in the first half of 2020. [6]
In 2011, the Weeknd, Wassim Slaiby, Amir Esmailian and La Mar Taylor founded XO as an unofficial imprint to release the Weeknd's three mixtapes; House of Balloons , Thursday , and Echoes of Silence . The mixtapes earned the Weeknd a following and recognition from mainstream publications, and helped grow the record label's reputation through various performances, song references and business ventures. [7]
The meaning of "XO" stands for ecstasy and oxycontin. During the Weeknd’s early uprising of his career, he would occasionally record music under the influence of drugs, stating, "There were songs on my first record that were seven minutes long." [8]
When the Weeknd signed with Republic Records in 2012, XO was assumed as a subsidiary label. In 2015, rappers Belly and Derek Wise were signed to XO. In 2016, rapper Nav joined the label's roster. XO signed hip hop duo 88Glam in 2017, [9] following the independent release of their self-titled mixtape. [10] The duo left the label in 2020. [11] Singer Black Atlass joined in 2018, he left the label in 2022. [12] [13] Singer Chxrry22 joined in 2022, becoming the first female artist signed to XO. [14]
On June 6, 2018, the Weeknd announced his new radio show Memento Mori run by the label on Apple Music 1. The first show aired on June 8, 2018, where the Weeknd would play a mixture of songs that have influenced him in the music scene. Often, he would invite his fellow XO members as well for other musicians as guests to host their own episodes in the scene to share their own taste in music. Each episode is run in the span of 2–3 hours. [15]
Act | Year signed | Releases under the label |
---|---|---|
The Weeknd | Founder | 12 |
Belly | 2015 | 7 |
Nav | 2016 | 7 |
Chxrry22 | 2022 | 2 |
Act | Year signed | Releases under the label |
---|---|---|
88Glam | 2017–2020 | 2 |
Black Atlass | 2018–2022 | 2 |
Act | Year |
---|---|
Illangelo [16] | 2011 |
DaHeala [17] | 2013 |
DannyBoyStyles [18] | 2013 |
Belly [18] | 2013 |
Nav [19] | 2016 |
XO has officially released thirteen studio albums, four EPs, and four compilation albums (including two greatest hits albums). Unofficially, the label has released thirteen mixtapes.
Year | Album details | Details |
---|---|---|
2013 | The Weeknd – Kiss Land |
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2015 | The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
|
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2016 | The Weeknd – Starboy
|
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2018 | Nav – Reckless
|
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Black Atlass – Pain and Pleasure
|
| |
Belly – Immigrant
|
| |
88Glam – 88Glam2
|
| |
2019 | Nav – Bad Habits
|
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2020 | The Weeknd – After Hours
|
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88Glam – Close to Heaven Far from God
|
| |
Black Atlass – Dream Awake [24]
|
| |
Nav – Good Intentions [25]
|
| |
2021 | Belly – See You Next Wednesday [26]
|
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2022 | The Weeknd – Dawn FM
|
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2022 | Nav – Demons Protected by Angels
|
|
2025 | The Weeknd – Hurry Up Tomorrow
|
|
Year | EP details | Details |
---|---|---|
2018 | The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy,
|
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2019 | Nav – Brown Boy [27]
|
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2022 | Chxrry22 – The Other Side
|
|
2023 | Chxrry22 – Siren
|
|
Year | Album details | Details |
---|---|---|
2012 | The Weeknd – Trilogy
|
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2018 | The Weeknd – The Weeknd in Japan
|
|
2021 | The Weeknd – The Highlights
|
|
2023 | The Weeknd – Live at SoFi Stadium
|
|
Year | Album details |
---|---|
2011 | The Weeknd – House of Balloons
|
The Weeknd – Thursday
| |
The Weeknd – Echoes of Silence
| |
2015 | Belly – Up For Days
|
2016 | Belly – Another Day in Paradise
|
Belly – Inzombia
| |
2017 | Nav – Nav
|
Nav and Metro Boomin – Perfect Timing
| |
Belly – Mumble Rap
| |
88Glam – 88Glam
| |
2020 | Nav – Brown Boy 2
|
Nav – Emergency Tsunami
| |
2023 | Belly – Mumble Rap 2
|
Ahmad Balshe, known professionally as Belly, is a Palestinian-Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Jenin, Balshe was raised in Ottawa. His debut mixtape, Death Before Dishonor: Vol. 1 (2005) was followed by eight additional projects until the release of his debut studio album, The Revolution (2007). After an eight-year hiatus in favor of songwriting for fellow Canadian singer the Weeknd, Balshe signed with his record label, XO, as a recording artist in 2015.
Wassim Joseph Slaiby, also known as Sal, is a Lebanese-Canadian record executive, talent manager, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He co-founded the record label XO with Canadian singer the Weeknd in 2011, for whom he has also served as manager. Furthermore, Slaiby is the founder and CEO of Universal Arabic Music, which he launched in 2021 in partnership with Republic Records, a division of Universal Music Group.
This is the discography of American record producer, Metro Boomin. It includes a list of songs produced, co-produced and remixed by year, artists, album and title.
Inzombia is the tenth mixtape by Palestinian-Canadian rapper Belly. It was released on 11 November 2016 through XO and Roc Nation. The mixtape features guest appearances from Jadakiss, Future, Nav, Young Thug, Zack, Ty Dolla Sign, and Ashanti. Production was handled by Belly and Nav themselves, DannyBoyStyles, DaHeala, Velous, Cubeatz, Ben Billions, Infamous, and the ANMLS. The mixtape was supported by one single, "Re Up", which features Nav and was also solely produced by him.
Navraj Singh Goraya, known professionally as Nav, is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He began his career in production for other artists in the mid-2010s before shifting to a recording career. He was credited on the 2015 single "Back to Back" by Canadian rapper Drake, which peaked within the top 30 of both the Canadian Hot 100 and Billboard Hot 100. He signed with Canadian singer the Weeknd's record label, XO, an imprint of Republic Records in 2016.
Danny Schofield, known professionally as DannyBoyStyles, is an American Grammy award-winning record producer, engineer, songwriter, and composer. He produced all ten tracks on the Weeknd's album Kiss Land and won a Grammy for his work on the Weeknd's follow-up, Beauty Behind the Madness.
Nav is the debut commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper and record producer Nav. It was released through XO and Republic Records on February 24, 2017. The mixtape features a sole guest appearance from Canadian singer-songwriter and XO label boss the Weeknd, who appears on the lead single of the project, "Some Way". Nav handled most of the production himself, with some tracks featuring co-production from other record producers such as Metro Boomin, Rex Kudo, Frost, and DannyBoyStyles. The mixtape received generally mixed to negative reviews from critics, with a 42% score on Metacritic.
"Some Way" is the official debut single by Canadian rapper and singer Nav featuring fellow Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. Written by both and produced solely by the former, it was released as the lead single from his self-titled debut mixtape on February 15, 2017 through the latter's XO and Republic Records.
Derek Fifi "Wise" Bissue, is a Canadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was formerly signed to Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd's record label, XO and Republic Records, under the hip hop duo 88Glam with his friend, fellow Canadian rapper 88Camino.
88Glam was a Canadian hip hop duo that formed in 2017 by Shakqueel "88Camino" Burthwright and Derek "Wise" Bissue. They were formerly signed to XO and Republic Records before getting dropped in 2020 and frequently collaborated with Nav, their now-former labelmate from the two labels.
Shakqueel Malcolm De'shon Burthwright, known professionally as 88Camino, is a Canadian-American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was formerly signed to Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd's record label, XO and Republic Records, under the hip hop duo 88Glam with his friend, fellow Canadian rapper Derek Wise.
88Glam is the self-titled debut mixtape by Canadian hip hop duo 88Glam. It was self-released on November 7, 2017. The mixtape was features a sole guest appearance from Nav. It was re-released through XO Records and Republic Records on April 20, 2018. It features an additional guest appearance from 2 Chainz. The production on the mixtape was handled by Murda Beatz, WondaGurl, Cubeatz, AlexOnWeed, Joseph L'étranger, and Villa Beatz, among others.
Caleb Zackery "Don" Toliver is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. His debut mixtape, Donny Womack (2018) was released a day prior to fellow Houston rapper Travis Scott's album Astroworld (2018), on which Toliver guest appeared on its song "Can't Say". In the following week, he signed with Scott's record label, Cactus Jack Records, in a joint venture with Atlantic Records.
Maverick is an American music management group formed in 2014 by Guy Oseary. A revival of the Maverick company (1992–2009), the management group also adopts the company's logo.
Bad Habits is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Nav. It was released through XO Records and Republic Records on March 22, 2019. The album features guest appearances from The Weeknd, Meek Mill, Young Thug, Gunna, and Lil Durk. The deluxe edition was released four days later on March 26, 2019. It features additional guest appearances from Future and then-XO labelmate duo 88Glam. It follows his previous album, Reckless (2018), as well as his unofficial Brown Boy EP, released a week and a day before Bad Habits. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart as well as the US Billboard 200, becoming Nav's first chart-topper on both.
"Price on My Head" is a song by Canadian rapper Nav, featuring vocals from Canadian singer the Weeknd. The song was released through XO Records and Republic Records as the second single from Nav's second studio album, Bad Habits, on March 26, 2019. The song marks Nav and the Weeknd's second collaboration since Nav's single, "Some Way" from his self-titled mixtape (2017). The song was produced by Derek Wise from Canadian hip hop duo 88Glam and AlexOnWeed.
Amir Esmailian, also known as Cash and Cash XO, is an Iranian-Canadian music industry executive, talent manager, and record producer. He is the co-founder of XO Records and the co-manager of the label's primary artist, singer the Weeknd. He has executively produced albums and songs for artists such as Nav and the Carters.
"Turks" is a song by Canadian rapper Nav and American rapper Gunna featuring fellow American rapper and singer Travis Scott. It was released on March 27, 2020, through XO and Republic as the only single from the former's third studio album, Good Intentions. The song was written by the artists alongside Cash XO and producer Wheezy. The official music video was released on March 30, 2020. The title of the song is a reference to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The three artists previously collaborated on Scott's single "Yosemite", from his third studio album, Astroworld (2018).
"Bali" is a song by Canadian hip hop duo 88Glam, featuring vocals from Canadian rapper Nav. It was released independently by 88Glam as the second single from their self-titled debut mixtape on November 7, 2017, along with the mixtape. The two 88Glam members, Derek Wise and 88Camino, and Nav wrote the song with producers AlexOnWeed and Villa Beatz. The remix of the song also adds a feature from American rapper 2 Chainz and was released as part of the reloaded version of the mixtape on April 20, 2018. The song reached number 62 on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified platinum by Music Canada.
Alexander Fleming, professionally known as Black Atlass, is a Canadian singer, songwriter and model. His song, Paris, debuted in a Louis Vuitton campaign, and was also featured in a Saint Laurent fragrance ad. He was previously signed to XO/Republic Records and released his debut studio album, Pain & Pleasure, in 2018. He released his second studio album Dream Awake in 2020.