Murder Inc. Records
Murder Inc. Records, LLC, also abbreviated as The Inc. Records, is an American record label founded by brothers and record executives Chris and Irv Gotti in 1999. The label's flagship artist was Ja Rule. According to Chris Gotti, Murder Inc. had sold over 30 million units worldwide and grossed over $500 million. Murder Inc. was headquartered at One Worldwide Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York, while their main studio was The Crackhouse, also located in New York City. History Formation, success and raid (1999—2003) After helping Def Jam with the success of DMX, Jay-Z, and Ja Rule, Russell Simmons gave Irv Gotti his own label under Def Jam. While watching ''Biography'' on A&E during gangster week, a Murder, Inc. logo appeared on the screen, inspiring Irv to name his label after the organized crime group, paralleling his desire to put out hit records to the crime group's purpose of putting out contract hits. Murder Inc.'s first set of artists were Ja Rule, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands, and its operational headquarters are located in Santa Monica, California. The biggest music company in the world, it is one of the " Big Three" record labels, along with Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. Tencent acquired ten percent of Universal Music Group in March 2020 for €3 billion and acquired an additional ten percent stake in January 2021. Pershing Square Holdings later acquired ten percent of UMG prior to its IPO on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. The French Bolloré family still owns 28 percent of UMG (18 percent directly, and ten percent through Vivendi, the Bolloré family's investment company). The company went public on 21 September 2021, at a valuation of €46 billion. As of April 202 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the greatest rapper of all time by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' and ''Vibe (magazine), Vibe'' in 2023. Known for his complex lyrical ability—which often uses double entendres and word play—and Braggadocio (rap), braggadocio, his music is built upon a rags to riches narrative. He served as president and chief executive officer of Def Jam Recordings from 2004 to 2007, and founded the entertainment company Roc Nation the following year. A protégé of fellow New York City-based rapper Jaz-O, Jay-Z began his musical career in the late 1980s; he co-founded the record label Roc-A-Fella Records in 1994 to release his first two studio albums ''Reasonable Doubt (album), Reasonable Doubt'' (1996) and ''In My Lifetime, Vol. 1'' (1997), both o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pain Is Love
''Pain Is Love'' is the third studio album by American rapper Ja Rule, released on October 2, 2001 under Murder Inc. Records and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The entirety of the album (excluding skits) was executive produced by Murder Inc. co-founder and record producer Irv Gotti. Although the album received a mixed reception from critics, ''Pain Is Love'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was supported by four singles: " Livin' It Up", "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", " Always on Time" and " Down Ass Bitch". It was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 3,000,000 copies in the United States. ''Pain is Love'' received numerous awards and nominations including a nomination for Best Rap Album at the 44th Grammy Awards. The album's first two singles "Livin' It Up" featuring Case and "Always on Time" featuring Ashanti collected nominations for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2002 and 2003. Critical recepti ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ashanti (singer)
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas (born October 13, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was discovered as a teenager by record producer Irv Gotti, and signed with his label Murder Inc. Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2002. That same year, Ashanti guest appeared on the singles " What's Luv?" by Fat Joe, and " Always on Time" by Ja Rule, which peaked at numbers two and one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, respectively; the latter, with her 2002 debut single " Foolish", made her the first female artist to occupy the top two positions the chart simultaneously. "Foolish" served as lead single for Ashanti's eponymous debut album (2002). Despite mixed reviews, it debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200, received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, and spawned the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top 40 singles "Happy" and "Baby". She then co-wrote and prov ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Charli Baltimore
Tiffany Lane (born August 16, 1974), better known by her stage name Charli Baltimore, is an American rapper, and television personality. Her stage name is taken from Geena Davis's character in the film '' The Long Kiss Goodnight''. Career Charli Baltimore began her musical career when she met the Notorious B.I.G. in the winter of 1995, and they became involved in a romantic relationship. Several months into their relationship, she left him a voicemail of a rap verse that she had written and he began encouraging her to pursue a career in rap music. Following the death of B.I.G., Charli continued her career in the industry, booking several modeling jobs and creating a number of hip-hop and R&B songs including "Money", with Gamble and Huff, and "Stand Up", which rose to the top ten of the ''Billboard Magazine'' "Hot Rap Singles Chart". Despite her moderate success on the charts, Baltimore's first studio album '' Cold as Ice'' was never released. In 2001, she signed to Irv Gott ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vita (rapper)
LaVita Gwendolyn Raynor (born January 27,1976), known simply as Vita, is an American rapper, songwriter and actress. Raynor is perhaps best known for her role as Kionna, the mistress of Tommy "Buns" Bundy (portrayed by DMX), in the 1998 crime drama film '' Belly''. As a rapper, Raynor is known for her appearances on the songs " Lapdance" by N.E.R.D, " Put It on Me" by Ja Rule, and " Down 4 U" by Irv Gotti. In 2014, Raynor was included in ''Billboard''s list of the "31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop". Biography Career Raynor had a minor role in the 1998 crime drama film ''Belly'' as 16-year-old girl Kionna (who is one of Tommy "Buns" Bundy's girlfriends). In the same year, Raynor also appeared in the video of the song " Break Ups 2 Make Ups" by Method Man and D'Angelo, playing the former's girlfriend. By 2000, Raynor was signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. In 2001, Raynor appeared on the hook of “The Learning (Burn),” the first single released from the Mobb Deep album Infa ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Holla Holla
"Holla Holla" is the first single by the American rapper Ja Rule from his first studio album, '' Venni Vetti Vecci'' (1999). It was produced by Taiwan "Tai" Green and Irv Gotti. The music video was shot in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and was directed by Hype Williams and Irv Gotti. A remix and the album's third single featured Jay-Z, Vita, Caddillac Tah, Black Child, Memphis Bleek and Busta Rhymes, the latter of which would later feud with Ja Rule. Background and composition After Ja Rule finalized the recording of the album, Ja Rule's record label Def Jam, did not consider any song on the album worthy of marketing as a single. Despite his surprise at this, admitting in an interview with ''Complex'' magazine that he "didn’t grasp the idea of making a radio record", he resumed recording sessions to compose what became "Holla Holla". It transpired to be the final song recorded for ''Venni Vetti Vecci''. Ja Rule's rapping on "Holla Holla" employs what he described as his "stutter flow", ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Venni Vetti Vecci
''Venni Vetti Vecci'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Ja Rule. It was released on June 1, 1999, by Def Jam Recordings and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. It was the first album to be released on Murder Inc. Production was mostly handled by Irv Gotti (who also executive produced the album), with additional work provided by Lil Rob, Ty Fyffe, Erick Sermon and Self Service. The album features guest appearances from Jay-Z, DMX, Case, Memphis Bleek, Black Child, Ronald Isley and Erick Sermon, among others. The album title alludes to the Latin phrase " veni, vidi, vici", meaning "I came, I saw, I conquered". ''Venni Vetti Vecci'' debuted at number three on the US ''Billboard'' 200, selling 184,000 copies in its first week. The album was supported by one successful single, "Holla Holla," which peaked at number 35 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. Background In 1995, Ja Rule was one of the first artists to be featuring on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build". H ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Black Child
Ramel Leroy Gill (born October 18, 1973), better known by his stage name Black Child, is an American rapper from New York City. He is best known for his time being signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records and being affiliated with Irv Gotti, Ashanti, and Ja Rule. He appeared on hit singles with Ja Rule and did various songs with other members of Murder Inc. Biography Gill was born in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Queens when he was young. During his childhood years, one of family friends wrote verses for him at the age of 11. While Gill was rapping in his neighborhood, he began to write some of his own rhymes to use that motivation from his family and friends. Learning his ways of life, he had a few run-ins with the law, doing time in jail for a gun case that lasted only 30 months, while after being signed by Jam Master Jay Records (now defunct after Jay's death in 2002) in 1993, which was a label owned by the late DJ Jam Master Jay. Before that, he was already ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Contract Killing
Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, monetary or otherwise. Either party may be a person, group, or organization. Contract killing has been associated with organized crime, government conspiracies, dictatorships and vendettas. Contract killing provides the hiring party with the advantage of not having to carry out the actual killing, making it more difficult for law enforcement to connect the client with the murder. The likelihood that authorities will establish that party's guilt for the committed crime, especially due to lack of forensic evidence linked to the contracting party, makes the case more difficult to attribute to the hiring party. Contract killers may exhibit serial killer traits, but are generally not classified as such because of third-party killing objectives and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Murder, Inc
Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group active from 1929 to 1941 that acted as the enforcement arm of the National Crime Syndicatea closely connected criminal organization that included Italian-American Mafia, the Jewish Mob, and other criminal organizations in New York City and elsewhere. Murder, Inc. was composed of Jewish and Italian-American gangsters, and members were mainly recruited from poor and working-class Jewish and Italian neighborhoods in Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was initially headed by Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and later by Albert "Mad Hatter" Anastasia. Murder, Inc. was believed to be responsible for between 400 and 1,000 contract killings, until the group was exposed in 1941 by former member Abe "Kid Twist" Reles. In the trials that followed, many members were convicted and executed, and Abe Reles himself died after suspiciously falling from a window. Thomas E. Dewey first came to prominence as a prosecutor of Murder, Inc. and other o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |