Aftermath Entertainment

Aftermath Entertainment is an American record label founded by hip hop producer and rapper Dr. Dre. It operates as a subsidiary of, and is distributed through, Universal Music Group's Interscope Records. Current acts include Dr. Dre himself, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Anderson Paak and Justus, with former acts including 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, The Game, Raekwon, Eve, Rakim, Jon Connor and many others. The label's acts over the years have earned RIAA certifications of platinum or higher on 20 of its 28 released albums.

This article is about the American record label founded by Dr. Dre. For the Norwegian record label, see Aftermath Music.

Aftermath Entertainment
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	March 22, 1996 (1996-03-22)[1]
Founder	Dr. Dre
Status	Active
Distributor(s)	Interscope Geffen A&M (In the US) Polydor Records (In the UK) Universal Music Group (Worldwide)
Genre	Hip hop
Country of origin	United States
Location	Santa Monica, California

History

Upon his departure from Death Row Records on March 22, 1996, Dr. Dre quickly launched Aftermath Entertainment through Interscope Records.[1] It was founded as a "boutique label" that prides itself on "quality over quantity", focusing on small numbers of high-profile releases.[2]

Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath was released towards the year's end featuring artists who were amongst the label's first signees (most of the acts featured, however, quickly became disassociated with the company). In 1997, Dawn Robinson announced her departure from the R&B group En Vogue and that she had signed with Aftermath.[3] Before the year's end, however, she abruptly left the label, claiming that Dr. Dre had been too slow to get the ball rolling on her project.

In the autumn of 1997, Aftermath released the only collaborative project by hip hop super-group The Firm (composed of AZ, Foxy Brown, Nas, and Nature). Despite the highly anticipated album featuring production and cameo appearances by Dr. Dre himself, debuting atop the Billboard 200 and being certified platinum,[4] it sold below commercial expectation. The group subsequently disbanded. Aftermath's next release was supposed to be by rapper King Tee. His album, however, was shelved, and King Tee was released from his contractual obligations in 2001.[5] Last Emperor had also been signed during this time, but was shelved due to creative differences with an A&R at Aftermath.[6]

Upon recommendation from Interscope Records head, Jimmy Iovine, Aftermath signed Detroit rapper Eminem on Monday 9th March 1998.[7] The following year (1999), Eminem's major-label debut album, The Slim Shady LP was released. The album topped the Billboard albums chart, went on to be certified quadruple platinum, and arguably became the label's first successful album release. Also in 1999, Aftermath released 2001, Dr. Dre's follow-up to his 1992 album, The Chronic. The album went on to be certified six-times-platinum.

Several more artists were signed to, and later dropped from Aftermath, including Hittman and Rakim due to production conflicts. Legal troubles forced singer Truth Hurts to subsequently get dropped from the label after her album's release.[8] Aftermath released 50 Cent's multi-platinum major-label debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' through a joint venture with Shady Records in 2003. Rapper The Game, who signed with the label in 2003, also released his debut album The Documentary through a joint venture with 50 Cent's G-Unit Records in 2005. Shortly after the release of The Documentary, tension between The Game and 50 Cent ignited, resulting in The Game leaving Aftermath Entertainment in mid-2006.

Busta Rhymes was also signed and released one album before later being dropped from the label due to conflict with Interscope head, Iovine.[9] His album, then titled Blessed, since retitled Back on My B.S., was to be released on Aftermath. It was later reported that when he signed a deal with Universal Motown, the album would be released on his label, Flipmode Entertainment, through his Universal Motown deal.[10] Stat Quo was also released from the label in 2008, citing differences in direction.[11] In early 2009, Slim the Mobster signed to Aftermath in a joint venture with Shady Records and G-Unit Records. But later he was moved just to Aftermath.[12] While in late 2009, Detroit rapper Hayes was signed to a joint venture with Timbaland's Mosley Music Group but was later released from his contract.[13]

In January 2010, it was revealed that Bishop Lamont had left the label due to the repeated delay of his debut, The Reformation,[14] while long time Aftermath R&B singer, Marsha Ambrosius, had also left the label.[15]

Later in January 2010, Game posted a picture of him on Twitter wearing Aftermath chains with a caption saying "It's funny how things come Full Circle". Later he confirmed that he had returned to Aftermath Entertainment, however it was later confirmed he did not resign to the label.[16][17]

In October 2011, Dr. Dre started to work with his protégés Slim the Mobster and Kendrick Lamar.[18] On October 17, 2012, Slim the Mobster was officially released from the label.[19] In March 2012, it was announced that Kendrick Lamar had officially signed with the label.[20] On October 15, 2013, during the 2013 BET Hip Hop Awards Flint, Michigan rapper Jon Connor announced his signing to Aftermath Entertainment.[21]

On February 20, 2014, 50 Cent announced his departure from his Interscope record deal which included his deal with Aftermath Entertainment and Shady Records.[22] On May 14, 2014, it was revealed that trap producer trio Yogi signed to Aftermath as a producer and to Skrillex's OWSLA label as a recording artist.[23]

In a September 2015 interview with Mr. Wavvy, singer Asia Bryant hinted that she was in talks to sign a deal with Aftermath.[24] The singer is featured on Dr. Dre's latest album, Compton.[25]

Artists

Current acts

Act	Year signed	Releases under the label
Dr. Dre	1996	3
Eminem	1999	11
Kendrick Lamar	2012	4
Anderson .Paak	2018	2

Former acts

50 Cent[26] Antonio McLendon[27] Bishop Lamont Brooklyn[28] Busta Rhymes Dawn Robinson Dion[29] Eve G.A.G.E.[30] Group Therapy Hayes[31] Hittman Joell Ortiz Jon Connor Justus King T Marsha Ambrosius Raekwon Rakim[32] RBX Slim the Mobster Stat Quo The Firm The Game The Last Emperor Truth Hurts

Current producers Dem Jointz DJ Khalil Dr. Dre Focus... Fredwreck Mark Batson Mr. Porter[33]

Former producers Taz Arnold of Sa-Ra[34][35] Bud'da[36] The Glove[37] Dawaun Parker Mike Elizondo[38] Scott Storch Mel-Man

Discography

Artist	Album	Details
Various Artists	Dr. Dre Presents the Aftermath	Released: November 26, 1996 Chart positions: #6 U.S.[39] RIAA certification: Platinum[40]
The Firm	The Album (released with Columbia)	Released: October 21, 1997 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[41] RIAA certification: Gold[4]
Eminem	The Slim Shady LP (released with Web)	Released: February 23, 1999 Chart positions: #2 U.S.[42] RIAA certification: 5× Platinum[43]
Dr. Dre	2001	Released: November 16, 1999 Chart positions: #2 U.S.[44] RIAA certification: 6× Platinum[45]
Eminem	The Marshall Mathers LP (released with Shady)	Released: May 23, 2000 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[46] RIAA certification: Diamond[47]
Various Artists	The Wash (released with Doggystyle)	Released: November 6, 2001 Chart positions: #19 U.S.[48] RIAA certification: Gold[49]
Eminem	The Eminem Show (released with Shady)	Released: May 26, 2002 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[50] RIAA certification: Diamond[51]
Truth Hurts	Truthfully Speaking	Released: June 25, 2002 Chart positions: #5 U.S.[52] RIAA certification: —
50 Cent	Get Rich or Die Tryin' (released with Shady)	Released: February 6, 2003 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[53] RIAA certification: 8× Platinum[54]
Eminem	Encore (released with Shady and Goliath)	Released: November 12, 2004 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[55] RIAA certification: 5× Platinum[56]
The Game	The Documentary (released with G-Unit)	Released: January 18, 2005 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[57] RIAA certification: 2× Platinum[58]
50 Cent	The Massacre (released with Shady)	Released: March 3, 2005 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[59] RIAA certification: 5× Platinum[60]
Eminem	Curtain Call: The Hits (released with Shady)	Released: December 6, 2005 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[61] RIAA certification: 7× Platinum[62]
Busta Rhymes	The Big Bang (released with Flipmode)	Released: June 13, 2006 Chart positions: #1 U.S.[63] RIAA certification: Gold[64]
50 Cent	Curtis (released with Shady)	Released: September 11, 2007 Chart positions: #2 U.S.[65] RIAA certification: Platinum[66]
Eminem	Relapse (released with Shady)	Released: May 15, 2009 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: 2× Platinum[67]
50 Cent	Before I Self Destruct (released with Shady)	Released: November 9, 2009 Chart positions: #4 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold[68]
Eminem	Recovery (released with Shady)	Released: June 18, 2010 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: 3× Platinum[69]
Kendrick Lamar	good kid, m.A.A.d city (released with Top Dawg)	Released: October 22, 2012 Chart positions: #2 U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Eminem	The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (released with Shady)	Released: November 5, 2013 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: 4× Platinum[70]
Kendrick Lamar	To Pimp a Butterfly (released with Top Dawg)	Released: March 15, 2015 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Dr. Dre	Compton	Released: August 7, 2015 Chart positions: #2 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Kendrick Lamar	untitled unmastered. (released with Top Dawg)	Released: March 4, 2016 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Kendrick Lamar	DAMN. (released with Top Dawg)	Released: April 14, 2017 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: 3× Platinum [71]
Eminem	Revival (released with Shady)	Released: December 15, 2017 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold[72]
Various Artists	Black Panther: The Album (released with Top Dawg)[73]	Released: February 9, 2018 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum
Eminem	Kamikaze (released with Shady)	Released: August 31, 2018 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum[74]
Anderson .Paak	Oxnard (released with 12 Tone Music Group)	Released: November 16, 2018 Chart positions: #11 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold
Anderson .Paak	Ventura (released with 12 Tone Music Group)	Released: April 12, 2019 Chart positions: #4 U.S. RIAA certification: -
Eminem	Music to Be Murdered By (released with Shady)	Released: January 17, 2020 Chart positions: #1 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold

DVDs

• 50 Cent - 50 Cent: The New Breed (April 15, 2003)

References

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External links

• Aftermath Entertainment official website