Mixpak Records is a Brooklyn-based

independent record label An independent record label (or indie label) is a record label that operates without the funding or distribution of major record labels; they are a type of small and medium-sized enterprise, small- to medium-sized enterprise, or SME. The labels ...

, founded in 2009 by record producer Dre Skull. The label operates across a range of genres, from

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...

to underground

club music Electronic dance music (EDM), also referred to as dance music or club music, is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres originally made for nightclubs, raves, and festivals. It is generally produced for playback by DJs who create s ...

experimental electronic An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...

rap Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...

and leftfield pop. Mixpak has released music by

Vybz Kartel Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican dancehall Toasting (Jamaican music), deejay. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as Worl' Boss, Teacha and King of Dancehall. As summarized by ''Roll ...

Popcaan Andrae Hugh Sutherland (born 19 July 1988), known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican Toasting (Jamaican music), deejay. In 2008, Popcaan joined Vybz Kartel's Gaza Music Empire. In 2010, he released his breakthrough international hit "Cl ...

Palmistry Palmistry is the pseudoscientific practice of fortune-telling through the study of the palm. Also known as palm reading, chiromancy, chirology or cheirology, the practice is found all over the world, with numerous cultural variations. Those w ...

Murlo Murlo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about south of Siena. Murlo borders the following municipalities: Buonconvento, Civitella Paganico, Montalcino, Mon ...

, and

Jubilee A jubilee is often used to refer to the celebration of a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term comes from the Hebrew Bible (see, "Old Testament"), initially concerning ...

, among others.

History

Mixpak was started by producer and musician Dre Skull in 2009 as a multi-genre label encompassing music from across the world. The label's early years saw releases spanning dancehall,

synth pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...

, UK funky house,

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

, and more. In 2011, following a trip to

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

, Mixpak released its first full-length album: ''Kingston Story'' by Vybz Kartel, featuring the singles “Yuh Love”, “Go Go Wine”, and “Half on a Baby”. The album reached number seven on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and received coverage in outlets such as

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

and the

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

. Subsequent releases on Mixpak struck a balance between dancehall

riddim In Jamaican dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the ''riddim'' plus the ''voicing'' (vocal part) sung by the deeja ...

s and releases from emerging electronic and experimental artists such as Jubilee, Dubbel Dutch, and Murlo. In 2012, Mixpak began working with Vybz Kartel’s then protege Popcaan and subsequently signed him to a multi album deal. On June 10, 2014, Mixpak released Popcaan’s debut album,

Where We Come From ''Where We Come From'' is the debut studio album by Jamaican dancehall artist Popcaan, released on 10 June 2014 by Mixpak Records. A prolific dancehall artist from Jamaica, Popcaan collaborated with several producers on the album: Dre Skull (who ...

. The release entered the Billboard Reggae Chart at number two and spawned the singles “Everything Nice” and “Love Yuh Bad”. The album received critical acclaim across the board and in 2016 “Love Yuh Bad” was sampled by Drake on “Too Good” feat. Rihanna. In 2016, Mixpak won Red Bull Culture Clash in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, defeating

Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he signed with the local independent label Rostrum Records to re ...

, UKG Allstars and Wiley's Eskimo Dance for the trophy. The surprise victory catapulted Mixpak to greater visibility and led to them being ranked among the top labels of the year by many. They continued to release acclaimed full-length albums by Palmistry, Jubilee, and Gaika as well as EPs by Murlo and Wildlife! Jubilee's album was ranked among the best electronic releases of the year by

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

and

. Mixpak released Popcaan's second album ''Forever'' on July 20, 2018. It was preceded by the singles "Body So Good", "Wine For Me" and "Firm And Strong". As well as releasing records, Mixpak throws a series of parties in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and hosts a monthly show on Red Bull Radio. They have a recording studio complex in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York.

Discography

Releases

Roster

* Andy Petr *

Beenie Man Moses Anthony Davis OD (born 22 August 1973), professionally known as Beenie Man, is a Jamaican dancehall deejay. His awards include DJ of the Year Award eight years in a row. His twelfth studio album '' Art and Life'' received a Grammy Award ...

* Cory Blaine * Deva Bratt * Douster * Dre Skull * Dubbel Dutch * Famous Eno * Gaika * Hard Nips *

Konshens Garfield Delano Spence, also known as Konshens, is a Jamaican dancehall recording artist, deejay, singer and businessman. Biography Prior to Spence's solo career, he was a member of the duo SoJah with his brother Delus . ...

* Koyote *

Lil Scrappy Darryl Raynard Richardson III (born January 19, 1984), professionally known as Lil Scrappy, is an American rapper. Richardson was discovered by producer and performer Lil Jon while performing at a bar in their respective hometown of Atlanta. A ...

Machel Montano Machel Montano (born 24 November 1974)Thompson, Dave (2002), ''Reggae & Soca Music'', Backbeat Books, , pp. 300–301. is a Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidadian Soca music, soca recording artist and record producer. Known for his high energy, fast-pa ...

* MC Buzzz * Melé * Mr One Hundred * Ms. Thing * Murlo * Natalie Storm * Palmistry * Poirier *

* Psycho Tanbad * QQ * Schlachthofbronx * Sissy Nobby *

Sizzla Miguel Orlando Collins (born 17 April 1976), known by his stage name Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high num ...

* Sticky * Suku * Tifa * Tortur3 T *

* Warrior One * Wildlife!

References

External links

* * {{Authority control American independent record labels Companies based in New York City Record labels established in 2009