Shady Records

About Shady Records

Shady Records is an American record label specializing in hip hop music. Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg founded the label in 2000 after the release of The Marshall Mathers LP. The label has signed seven acts over the years and is considerably successful, having RIAA certifications gone gold or higher on seven of its ten albums which have been released under it. Signed acts include D12, Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater, and Cashis, while DJ Green Lantern was also signed to the label for a period of time. After Eminem released The Marshall Mathers LP, he started his own record label in late 2000 with his manager, Paul Rosenberg. Eminem looked for an avenue to release his Detroit-based rap group, D12, and Rosenberg was keen to start a label, which lead to the two teaming up to form Shady Records. D12 had come around as the first to be signed as they have been rapping together since the 1990s, and the members had made a promise that whoever became successful would come back for the others. Eminem was the first to achieve this success, and kept to his word. By June 2001, D12 released Devil's Night to commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200. Next to be signed to Shady Records was Detroit rapper Obie Trice. Obie Trice was introduced to Eminem through D12 member Bizarre. Eminem was impressed and signed him in June 2001, as the second Shady Records performer. Obie Trice first got public attention via a freestyle skit on the Devil's Night album.

Whilst working on the film 8 Mile, Eminem had a meeting with then small time New York rapper 50 Cent. Eminem managed to get a hold of 50 Cent's early mixtapes and liked what he heard. Eminem took this to Dr. Dre and offered the chance to work together on the artist. Dr. Dre also liked what he heard, so he took the opportunity, and 50 Cent became the first artist signed to Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment. The 8 Mile soundtrack was the second Shady Records album to be released, and went on to be successful. The first single to be released was "Lose Yourself", which achieved many nominations and also became a surprise win of an Academy Award for Best Original Song, as it was the first time a hip hop song had ever won this award. The second single was 50 Cent's "Wanksta", which was released as a buzz track and became popular in 50 Cent's home town. During this time, Eminem had also made a deal with DJ Green Lantern, who released the label's first mixtape, Invasion!, in 2002. He was to DJ for Eminem during the Anger Management Tour, and by the end of 2003, DJ Green Lantern became the fourth signee of Shady Records.

Towards the end of 2003, Dr. Dre and Eminem came to know Atlanta rapper Stat Quo, via his Underground Atlanta mixtapes. After Eminem heard his music, he gained interest and took it to Dr. Dre who also had interest in the music, and a joint deal was made. Stat Quo became the second artist to be signed to Shady/Aftermath, after 50 Cent. The following year saw the release of D12's second album, D12 World. Also, in 2004, Eminem and Rosenberg began a venture offered by Sirius Satellite Radio that saw the airing of their uncensored hip hop radio station, Shade 45. Shady Records DJ, DJ Green Lantern, was given the opportunity to have his own show, whilst 50 Cent's G-Unit DJ, DJ Whoo Kid, co-hosted G-Unit Radio on Saturdays.

In August 2005, Eminem and the XXL magazine teamed up to release a special issue titled XXL Presents Shade 45, and was designed to give maximum exposure to Shade 45 as a radio station, and at the same time give maximum exposure to the Shady Records label as a whole, as well as the radio DJ's and G-Unit Records' artists. XXL executive publisher, Jonathan Rheingold, stated that typically magazines based around particular artists were not favorable, but "since Shade 45 is a truly authentic and uncensored rap radio channel, the marriage with the XXL brand made sense," before adding that it's what would interest rap fans. 2005 also saw the signing of Bobby Creekwater to the label, making him the sixth artist and the second Atlanta-based rapper. 2006 was also a big year for Shady Records as a whole. There had been talk from early in the year of Eminem having the label's roster on a mixtape with new material to be presented by DJ Whoo Kid and The Alchemist. This talk went on for several months. In the end, it was announced that Eminem was so impressed with the mixtape material that he had decided to make it an official album, called Eminem Presents the Re-Up. The album had been long anticipated, until it was released in early December 2006. The release had spawned the single "You Don't Know", which featured 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, and the latest signee Cashis.

Website: www.shadyrecords.com