Empire Distribution

EMPIRE
Founded	2010-present
Founder	Ghazi Shami
Status	Active
Genre	Hip hop, R&B, rock, pop, gospel, Latin
Country of origin	United States
Location	San Francisco, California
Official website	www.empi.re

EMPIRE Distribution is an American distribution company and record label based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 2010 by Ghazi Shami, it has released albums in the genres of hip hop, R&B, rock, gospel, Latin, and pop. A number of albums and singles distributed by EMPIRE have charted on Billboard, including Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar, Gas Pedal by Sage the Gemini, O.K.E. (Deluxe Edition) by The Game, Phantom and the Ghost by Styles P, Knock Madness by Hopsin, and Stoner's EP by Snoop Dogg.^[1]

History

Founding

EMPIRE Distribution has been based in San Francisco, California since its founding in January 2010.^[2] It was started by CEO and founder, Ghazi Shami, a music technology graduate of San Francisco State University and the former Director of Urban Music at INgrooves.^[2] From its inception, Empire Distribution released a large number of hip hop and rap albums, but also released gospel, rock, R&B, among other genres. In operating the company, Shami was joined by Nima Etminan, who graduated in business at Hamburg Media School in 2010. Etminan, co-founder of the hip hop platform DubCNN.com, worked to expand the mission and services, and as of 2011 was handling Marketing and A&R. Companies and artists such as Top Dawg Entertainment (Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul), Funk Volume (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton), ESGN (Freddie Gibbs), Think It's A Game Entertainment (Trinidad James, Rich Homie Quan), and Jamla Records (9th Wonder, Rapsody) have partnerships with EMPIRE Distribution, with music being distributed across platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Amazon.com, Spotify, Soundcloud and Rdio.^[3]

Releases

One of the label's first charting releases was Authenticity by hip hop duo The Foreign Exchange, released on October 12, 2010. It peaked at #145 on the US Billboard 200, and #23 on the US R&B chart. Rapper ScHoolboy Q's album Setbacks, released on January 11, 2011, also charted, reaching #100 on the Billboard 200. Long Term Mentality by Ab-Soul, released the following April, peaked at #32 on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers. In November 2013, Hopsin's Knock Madness album peaked at #76 on the Billboard 200^[4] and at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.^[5]

Nima Etminan soon signed California hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar to the distribution company, and as of early 2012 Empire began handling distribution for all the projects by Top Dawg Entertainment, including Lamar's Section.80.^[6] Released on July 2, 2011, the album reached #113 on the US Billboard 200 and #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums.

2012 saw releases by artists such as Slum Village, Trinidad James, Snoop Dogg, and Freddie Gibbs, several of which charted. In 2012 the label helped organize a 2013 tour between Trae tha Truth and J. Stalin.^[7] Also in 2013, EMPIRE distributed the album Still Goin In (Reloaded) by Rich Homie Quan, which was named tenth best mixtape of 2013 by Rolling Stone.^[8] Recent albums include Phantom and the Ghost by Styles P, released on April 29, 2014. It charted at #74 on US Billboard 200, and #14 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

EMPIRE has supported the debut albums and early singles of a number of early artists, frequently signing young talent. In the Atlanta scene, they were the first label to release Trinidad James, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Rocko and K Camp. In Los Angeles, they have distributed and/or are still distributing artists such as Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Problem, Skeme and Crooked I. They've also been involved in New York with recent releases from Troy Ave, Styles P, Cam'ron and Busta Rhymes.

On the R&B side they have signed artists such as Eric Bellinger, Jacquees, Jesse Boykins III, Jonn Hart and Lyrica Anderson. EMPIRE has also had several chart topping reggae albums, including reggae artist J Boog's album Backyard Boogie^[9] and Shaggy's 2013 release Out Of Many, One Music.^[10]

In 2013, EMPIRE established its recording division, with Fairfield, CA native Sage The Gemini being the first signee.^[11] Sage's two debut singles "Gas Pedal" and "Red Nose" became nationwide hits, earning him and the label a platinum plaque for "Gas Pedal" and a gold plaque for "Red Nose". Sage's debut album Remember Me was released in March 2014 under EMPIRE Recordings/Republic Records. Other artists on Empire Recordings include Rayven Justice, Jonn Hart, D Lo, Emilio Rojas, Baeza, Dmac, M.I.C. Show Banga, Smoovie Baby and Priceless Da Roc. At 2014's SXSW Festival in Austin, TX, EMPIRE hosted their first official showcase, featuring performances by Slim Thug, Eric Bellinger, Problem, Dorrough Music, Emilio Rojas and the EMPIRE Recordings roster.^[12]

Artists

Artists who have released music on EMPIRE:^[13]

9th Wonder Ab-Soul The Alchemist Alexis Bell Alexis y Fido Amanda Perez Anderson Paak Andre Nickatina B-Legit Berner Blakk Soul Boosie Badazz Busta Rhymes CKan Cam'ron Chronixx Clyde Carson Crooked I Da YoungFellaz Daz Dillinger Diamond D (D.I.T.C.) Dizzy Wright DJ Pauly D Doe B EarthGang Emilio Rojas Eric Bellinger Erk Tha Jerk Ester Dean

Fashawn Fat Joe Flipsyde Freddie Gibbs Glasses Malone Hopsin Hustle Gang Iamsu! (HBK Gang) J Boog J Dilla J. Valentine Jacquees Jarren Benton Jazmin Sisters Jesse Boykins III Jim Jones Jonn Hart Kidd Upstairs K Camp K Stylis Keak Da Sneak Kendrick Lamar Kranium Kurupt Lil Duval Lumidee Lyrica Anderson

Mac Dre Mally Mall Mann Mars Ma$e Master P Messy Marv Mistah F.A.B. Mitchy Slick Monty Mozzy N.O.R.E. (Noreaga) No Malice (The Clipse) Paul Wall Philthy Rich Pia Mia Priceless Da Roc Problem P.Watts Raider Klan (RVIDXR KLVN) Rapper Big Pooh Rapsody Rayven Justice RBL Posse Rich Homie Quan Rocko Sage The Gemini ScHoolboy Q Sean Garrett Shaggy Show Banga Skeme Skyzoo & Torae

Slim Thug Smoovie Baby Spice 1 Starlito Str8-Lace Styles P Tego Calderon The Foreign Exchange The Game The Grouch & Eligh The Jacka T.I. TMack Trae Tha Truth Travis Garland Trinidad James Troy Ave Turf Talk Tyga WC We Are Toonz Young Chop Yukmouth Zion I Zion y Lennox

Discography

Incomplete list of releases for Empire Distribution

Yr	Cat	Title	Artist(s)	Details	Certifications
2010	ERE	Authenticity	The Foreign Exchange	Oct 12, 2010	#145 on the Billboard 200 #23 US R&B
2011	ERE	Setbacks	ScHoolboy Q	Jan 11, 2011	#100 on the US Billboard 200
2011	ERE	Longterm Mentality	Ab-Soul	April 5, 2011	#32 on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers #73 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
2011	ERE	Section.80	Kendrick Lamar	July 2, 2011	#113 on the US Billboard 200 #1 on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums
2011	ERE	Charity Starts At Home	Phonte	Sep 27, 2011
2011	ERE	Element of Surprise	P.Watts	Oct 25, 2011
2011	ERE	In None We Trust	Crooked I	Nov 17, 2011
2011	ERE	Gift Of Gab 2	Rocko	Nov 24, 2011
2012	ERE	Dirty Slums	Slum Village	Mar 27, 2012
2012	ERE	Stoner’s EP	Snoop Dogg	April 17, 2012	#31 on the US Billboard Independent Albums #33 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
2012	ERE	Don't Be S.A.F.E.	Trinidad James	Sep 18, 2012	#103 on the US Billboard 200 #8 on the US Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums
2012	ERE	Baby Face Killa	Freddie Gibbs	Sep 25, 2012
2013	ERE	Still Goin In (Reloaded)	Rich Homie Quan	Feb 8, 2013	Named tenth best mixtape of 2013 by Rolling Stone.[8]
2013	ERE	The Year of the Underdogz	Young Noble & Gage Gully	May 7, 2013
2013	ERE	West Coast Gangsta Shit	Daz Dillinger and WC	June 19, 2013
2013	ERE	ESGN (Evil Seeds Grow Naturally)	Freddie Gibbs	June 20, 2013	#8 on US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[14] #24 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
2013	ERE	Cold Turkey	Starlito	July 2, 2013
2013	ERE108	Apex Predator	Crooked I	July 30, 2013	#33 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[15]
2013	ERE	3ChordFold	Terrace Martin	Aug 13, 2013	#43 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums #9 on US Billboard Heatseekers Albums
2013	ERE	Travis Garland	Travis Garland	Sep 10, 2013
2013	ERE	Gas Pedal EP	Sage The Gemini	Sep 10, 2013
2013	ERE	O.K.E. (Deluxe Edition)	The Game	Oct 8, 2013	#89 on the US Billboard 200 #19 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
2013	ERE	Knock Madness	Hopsin	Nov 24, 2013	#1 on US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[16] #7 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums #6 on US Billboard Independent
2014	ERE135	Tortoise and the Crow CD	Grouch, Eligh	Mar 04, 2014
2014	ERE136	Keep It On the D-Lo	D-Lo	Apr 01, 2014
2014	ERE139	Phantom and the Ghost	Styles P	Apr 29, 2014	#74 on US Billboard 200 #14 on US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums #18 on US Billboard Independent
2014	ERE141	Mafia Royalty 2K14	AWOL	Apr 29, 2014
2014	ERE	Barrel Brothers	Skyzoo and Torae	May 27, 2014

See also

• 2014 in hip hop music

References

1. "Top Artists". Empire Distribution. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
2. "Ghazi Shami". Linkedin. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
3. "NEWS: STRT TRBL Announces Partnership with Empire Distribution". Forth District. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
4. "Hopsin - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
5. "Hopsin - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
6. "Nima Etminan: The Man Behind DubCNN". 2DBZ. December 1, 2011. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
7. Caples, Garret (December 11, 2012). "YEAR IN MUSIC 2012: Waiting for Four-O". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
8. "10 Best Mixtapes of 2013: Rich Homie Quan, 'Still Goin' In Reloaded'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2014-04-17.
9. "J Boog - Chart history | Billboard". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
10. http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/global/5755446/shaggyreleasesfirst-allreggaealbumatkingstonslegendaryrae
11. http://www.dubcnn.com/2013/08/22/bayareas-sagethegeminisignsdealwithempireuniversalrepublic/
12. "EMPIRE Presents: YNGCA x YNGTX - The Tap Room - Austin, TX on 3/14/2014 - 25 photos, pictures and videos on CrowdAlbum". crowdalbum.com. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
13. "New Artists". Empire Distribution. Retrieved 2014-05-30.
14. "Heatseekers Albums : Jul 06, 2013 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard.com. 2013-07-06. Retrieved 2013-08-27.
15. "Crooked I - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
16. "Hopsin - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-01-26.

External links

• www.empi.re