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Entrepreneurship is likely one of the most worthwhile strikes in Hip Hop past music, from touring and model offers to investments and launching companies. File labels are undoubtedly a favourite route among the many style’s moguls, whether or not as joint ventures or totally impartial from main gamers like Common Music Group and Warner Music Group.
Ye’s G.O.O.D Music is arguably one of the profitable examples, which, at its peak, was house to abilities like Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Child Cudi and Large Sean. Nonetheless, it additionally exhibits how mixing mates with enterprise can backfire, as almost all of them distanced themselves after his controversial feedback in 2022. There are additionally labels centered on native expertise, reminiscent of Yo Gotti’s Collective Music Group, recognized for its Memphis roster of acts like GloRilla and Moneybagg Yo, and Drake’s OVO Sound, with a primarily Canadian lineup.
Beneath, Rap-Up put collectively 13 Hip Hop artists who turned their lyrical abilities into profitable entrepreneurial ventures by beginning their very own report labels.
1. Yo Gotti — Collective Music Group
Pivoting from his success as a rapper — together with hits like “Rake It Up” and “Down Within the DM” — Yo Gotti launched CMG in 2012. Since then, his label has housed fellow Memphis stars like Moneybagg Yo, Blac Youngsta and GloRilla, in addition to names like 42 Dugg, EST Gee and Mozzy.
Among the many firm’s main wins, except for housing one in every of Hip Hop’s main women, was Moneybagg Yo’s A Gangsta’s Ache, which dominated the Billboard 200 chart for 2 weeks in 2021. The rap powerhouse additionally launched three compilation tasks: 2014’s CMG Presents: Chapter One, 2022’s Gangsta Artwork, and 2023’s Gangsta Artwork 2.
2. Drake — OVO Sound
Housing a few of Canada’s most promising artists, Drake co-founded OVO Sound together with his longtime supervisor, Oliver El-Khatib, and frequent collaborator Noah “40” Shebib. A lot of the label’s roster unsurprisingly consists of expertise the “Hotline Bling” hitmaker has labored with, reminiscent of PARTYNEXTDOOR (“Come and See Me,” “Acknowledge” and extra), Popcaan (“We Caa Accomplished”), Majid Jordan (“Stars Align”), and Roy Woods (“Drama”).
In 2023, OVO Sound welcomed its first woman, Naomi Sharon. Curiously, Bryson Tiller had truly needed to signal with Drake, but it surely fell via. “He simply by no means texted me again, and I used to be similar to, ‘I suppose that’s every thing I have to know proper there,’” the St. Louis native revealed throughout “The Breakfast Membership.”
3. Travis Scott — Cactus Jack Data
Created in 2017, Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Data consists of the likes of Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, SoFaygo, and Chase B. Taking the same path to different labels on this record, the imprint’s debut compilation album, JACKBOYS, arrived in 2019 with a comparatively brief tracklist. Arguably, a few of the most talked-about Cactus Jack releases have come from Toliver, with tasks like Lifetime of a DON and HARDSTONE PYSCHO touchdown throughout the High 5 of Billboard’s 200 chart.
“I would like, initially, to assist different artists, launch new names [and] to supply alternatives. I need to do for them what occurred to me, however higher,” Scott advised Numéro concerning the enterprise. “By higher, I imply no bulls**t. No mendacity to the artists about album launch dates or the budgets of movies and albums.”
4. J. Cole — Dreamville Data
Dreamville Data has a roster filled with unimaginable lyricists, a few of whom nonetheless don’t get sufficient reward. J. Cole and his supervisor, Ibrahim Hamad, based the label in 2007, beginning with Bas, Omen and Cozz. Since then, the lineup has expanded to incorporate Ari Lennox, JID, EARTHGANG and Lute. Posse tasks embrace Revenge of the Dreamers, which, up to now, has gotten three installments through the years, and Creed III: The Soundtrack.
5. Nicki Minaj — Heavy On It
“I’m not gonna announce the identify, however I’ve a report label now,” Nicki Minaj teased on Queen Radio in 2023. That very same yr, Heavy On It formally launched via a three way partnership with Republic Data. Though she will not be the primary feminine rapper to begin a label or signal different girls in Hip Hop — Ice Spice, JT and BIA would have been excellent matches given their previous collabs — the “FTCU” hitmaker’s mark on the trade is plain.
6. Megan Thee Stallion — Scorching Lady Productions
After a prolonged authorized battle with Carl Crawford’s 1501 Licensed Leisure, Megan Thee Stallion took the impartial route for the primary time since her profession started in late 2023. “The funds is coming from me. Motherf**kin’ Scorching Lady Productions,” the Houston native shared along with her followers by way of Instagram Dwell.
Megan’s first launch below the label, “Cobra,” served as a predecessor to her self-titled third studio album, which dropped in June 2024. Along with the chart-topping “HISS” and award-winning “BOA,” she debuted MEGAN: ACT II some months later.
7. Ye — G.O.O.D Music
Ye has spent a long time constructing his music empire. In 2004, he launched G.O.O.D Music — arguably one of the outstanding labels owned by a rapper. Releases below the corporate embrace albums like Child Cudi’s Man On The Moon: The Finish Of Day and Large Sean’s Darkish Sky Paradise, the latter of which contained classics like “I Do not F**ok With You,” “Blessings” and “One Man Can Change The World.” Different abilities on the G.O.O.D Music roster included John Legend, Frequent, Desiigner and 070 Shake, to say a couple of.
It’s also inconceivable to overstate the grip Kanye West Presents Good Music Merciless Summer season had on Hip Hop when it dropped in 2012. The 12-track providing launched hits like “Chilly.1,” “Don’t Like.1” and “Clique” with Ye, Large Sean and JAY-Z.
8. Meek Mill — Dream Chasers Data
Pulling inspiration from his mixtape sequence of the identical identify, Meek Mill based Dream Chasers Data in 2012. Sadly, the Philadelphia native has not had the perfect luck in preserving expertise. Lil Snupe tragically handed away simply months after signing, Yung Bleu quietly left his administration deal and Calboy reduce ties together with his crew after Mill allegedly declined to fund his “Chariot” music video.
“Doing enterprise with Hov is like, even after we speak, I all the time clarify it to him like that, that was loopy. It is a common day for you, however this is part of my desires being on this scenario,” Meek advised CBS’ Gale King relating to his resolution to companion with JAY-Z’s Roc Nation for Dream Chasers.
9. Lil Child — Glass Window Leisure
Whereas clearly not the primary label to rebrand below a unique identify, Lil Child launched Glass Window Leisure in 2023 as a successor to his 4 Pockets Full imprint. Arriving in partnership with Capitol Music Group and Motown Data, the “Woah” hitmaker recruited Alabama star and frequent collaborator Rylo Rodriguez because the label’s first artist. “I’m overly excited for Rylo and for his followers and the world to actually get to see him on a bigger platform! It’s been a very long time coming with Rylo, and even longer to go,” Lil Child shared.
10. Chief Keef — 43B
Having beforehand based his Glory Boyz Leisure imprint within the early 2010s, Chief Keef determined it was time for a restart. He based 43B, which stands for Neglect All people, by way of a three way partnership with RBC Data and BMG in 2022. The label’s first signee, Lil Gnar, labored with Chief Keef on tracks like “Almighty Gnar” and “PB&J.”
“43B has been a ardour venture of mine for over a yr, and I’m prepared to provide artists which are altering the sport a label the place they’ll actually succeed,” the “I Don’t Like” hitmaker stated in a press assertion. “I’ve been impartial for nearly 10 years, so I need to cross on my information of the trade to artists who’re shifting the tradition to allow them to make it to the highest.”
11. Younger Thug — Younger Stoner Life Data
Younger Thug based Younger Stoner Life Data in 2016 with help from 300 Leisure. Fortunately, his label succeeded by bringing in artists like Gunna, Strick, the late Lil Keed, YoungBoy By no means Broke Once more, and even Lil Child at one level.
In 2021, the imprint launched its compilation album Slime Language 2. Only a yr prior, Gunna earned his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with WUNNA.
12. Playboi Carti — Opium Data
Simply one of the defining labels of the 2020s, Playboi Carti’s Opium Data is house to the likes of Ken Carson and Destroy Lonely. The MUSIC artist additionally signed Homixide Gang in 2021.
13. Rob49 — VULTURE MODE
On the heels of the large success of his monitor “WTHELLY,” Rob49 launched VULTURE MODE as a three way partnership with impartial report label SLANG in 2025. “I all the time knew I might achieve success past music,” he advised Billboard concerning the transfer. “However I noticed it extra as being a serial entrepreneur with a bunch of companies.” The label’s first signee was fellow New Orleans artist Moskino.