Blackground Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	1993
Founder(s)	Barry Hankerson
Distributing label	Interscope & Universal Records (US)
Genre(s)	Various
Country of origin	US
Official Website	http://www.blackground.com/

Blackground Records is an American record label, owned by entertainment attorney and artist manager Barry Hankerson and his son Jomo Hankerson, and distributed through the Universal Music Group. Image File history File links Blackgroundrecords. ... Universal Music Group (UMG), formerly MCA Music Entertainment Group, is the largest business group and family of record labels in the record industry. ... Interscope Records is a record label currently owned by the Universal Music Group. ... Universal Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For information on the type of fish called Lawyer, see the article on Burbot. ... Barry Hankerson is an African-American record executive. ... Jomo Hankerson is an African-American record executive. ... Universal Music Group (UMG), formerly MCA Music Entertainment Group, is the largest business group and family of record labels in the record industry. ...

Company history

Blackground Records (also known as Blackground Enterprises, Blackground Entertainment, Black Ocean Records overseas, and Barry & Sons Inc.) began operations as 'The Midwest Group,' a management firm owned by Barry Hankerson. Hankerson had used that company to launch the career of R&B singer R. Kelly in 1992, after he had made a move to buy out his rival, fledgling artist manager and record executive David Hyatt, who had discovered Kelly. Both saw the lucrative potential of Kelly and wanted to manage him. Hyatt, the owner of independent label Tavdash Records, refused to give him up, and was subsequently arrested and convicted of federal drugs and conspiracy charges in July 1993. He is currently serving a life sentence in prison; in one recent interview, he claimed that he had been framed. Barry Hankerson is an African-American record executive. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, who goes by the stage name of R. Kelly), is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. ... A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. ... In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more natural persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement. ...

After Kelly's initial success in being signed to Jive Records, through David Hyatt's help, Hankerson took advantage of an opportunity to fullfil the lifelong dream of his sister Diane Haughton. Once an aspiring singer, she urged him to help push her twelve-year-old daughter Aaliyah to stardom, and was willing to do whatever it took. Taking the matter into his own hands, Hankerson formed his own label out of the management firm, proposing to "develop, promote and capitalize" on the musical talents of Aaliyah. Through his relationship with Kelly, Hankerson was able to secure a distribution deal with Jive. Jive Records is a major American record label that specializes in producing and releasing pop and hip hop music. ...

Hankerson encouraged Kelly to befriend his niece Aaliyah in exchange for the work he had done for him. He arranged for them to be together, believing that as the chemistry between them grew, it would inspire Kelly to write songs that were surefire hits. She briefly appeared on his albums Born Into the '90s and 12 Play. Kelly was then assigned to write and produce Aaliyah's entire debut album. This album, 1994's Age Ain't Nothing But a Number scored two gold singles. The first single was "Back and Forth", and the second single was a remix of "At Your Best (You Are Love)", a cover version of the 1976 Isley Brothers single. R. Kelly was on the album cover, and in all of her videos. Born Into the 90s was the debut album for R&B singer R. Kelly and his then-group, Public Announcement. ... 12 Play is the sophomore album released by R&B musician R. Kelly. ... Age Aint Nothing but A Number was the debut album for Aaliyah, released in 1994. ... In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition (performance or recording) of a previously recorded song. ... The Isley Brothers are an American pop, R&B, funk and soul group who began their musical career in Cincinnati in the early 1950s. ...

The pair became inseparable, which some people found disturbing. Studio sessions were scrutinized by critics who were suspicious of the fourteen-year-old Aaliyah singing such mature content, fearing she was being exploited. A worried insider from Vibe magazine received a tip that Aaliyah's relationship with the twenty-seven-year-old Kelly was "sick". Others observed the apparent lack of concern coming from her parents, doubting if they were looking out for the child's best interests. Vibe or VIBE may refer to: VIBE, a magazine about music artists, actors and other entertainers owned by Quincy Jones. ...

In its December 1994 issue, Vibe editors reported that Aaliyah and Kelly had been secretly married at the Sheraton Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois on August 31, 1994.[1] A copy of the marriage certificate was published, and the illegal marriage was annulled. Despite all this, Hankerson and Blackground continued to manage Kelly until 1998. The Sheraton hotel brand is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. ... Rosemont is a village located in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1956. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ...

The Aaliyah issue began a long pattern of behavior in Kelly, which would become the main argument of the Cook County, Illinois prosecution's case against him when he was indicted on child pornography charges in 2002. Regardless of what happened, Aaliyah had been compelled to waive all possible criminal and civil claims against Kelly at the time, as Kelly's protection was in the best interest of her mother, Barry Hankerson, and Blackground. Aaliyah's career would continue to progress without him. Cook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Criminal law (also known as penal law) is the body of law that regulates governmental sanctions (such as imprisonment and/or fines) as retaliation for crimes against the social order. ... Child pornography refers to pornography depicting minors. ...

The distribution deal with Jive expired in 1996, but by then Hankerson was able to strike another deal with Craig Kallman at Atlantic Records, just before the release of Aaliyah's second album, One in a Million. By 1999, however, the relationship between Callman and Hankerson had soured, and they separated on bad terms. One industry executive has been quoted as saying that he "felt sorry for Hankerson's future labelmates who will now have to deal with him." Craig Kallman joined Atlantic Records in 1991, when his independent Big Beat Records label was acquired by the company. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... One In A Million is an R&B album released by the singer Aaliyah on Blackground Records in 1996. ...

In 1998, Blackground attempted to buy out Haqq Islam's imprint University Music which was at the time home to acts such as Dru Hill, Pure Soul, and Mya. The deal fell through. Dru Hill was an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. ... Mya on her album Moodring (2003) Mya Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979 in Washington, D.C.) is a United States italian , jamaican American R&B singer, dancer, and actress who debuted in early 1998 as a teenager. ...

Blackground switched distributors in 1999, this time to EMI's Virgin Records. That year, Jimmy Newman, Jr., Hankerson's stepson through his former marriage to R&B star Gladys Knight, vice president of west coast operations for Blackground, and owner of Newman Management Inc.; died on July 10, 1999. [2] Two years later, and three months after the death of Aaliyah in a Bahamas plane crash, Blackground switched distributors once again, after Virgin failed to pay for Aaliyah's funeral expenses. Blackground's switch to the Universal Music Group was announced in a press statement from Monte Lipman of the Universal Motown Records Group, to which Blackground was assigned, in November 2001. The EMI Group (LSE: EMI) is a music company comprising the major record label, EMI Music, based in Brook Green in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based on Charing Cross Road, London. ... Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American R&B/soul singer and actress. ... July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Universal Music Group (UMG), formerly MCA Music Entertainment Group, is the largest business group and family of record labels in the record industry. ... The Universal Motown Records Group is a division of the Universal Music Group, a collection of several record labels: Universal Records Universal South Records Blackground Records Motown Records Republic Records Cash Money Records Casablanca Records Uptown Records Next Plateau Records Rowdy Records Street Records Corporation The Inc. ...

Remanufacturing Aaliyah: the Blackground creative team

Hankerson and Blackground also managed the career of R&B singer Ginuwine. Additionally, Blackground employs an in-house camp of producers and songwriters to write songs for the artists that it manages. These have included Missy Elliot, Timbaland, Static from Playa, Key Beats, and Bud'da, who were all responsible for crafting hits for Aaliyah after her break from R Kelly. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Missy Elliott on the cover of her album Missy Elliott (born Melissa Arnette Elliott on July 1, 1971 in Portsmouth, Virginia), formerly known as Missy Misdemeanor Elliott, is the first female hip hop superstar, known for a long series of hits including The Rain, Shes A Bitch, Get Ur... Timothy Z. Mosley (born March 10, 1971), better known as Timbaland, is an American hip hop and R&B record producer and rapper whose style influenced both genres even helping to blur the distinction between the two, as well as Pop and Dance music. ... Steve Static Garrett is an African-American producer and singer/song-writer from Louisville, Kentucky. ... Playa is an American R&B trio. ...

In 1996, Blackground intentionally went in search of innovative young producers. Barry Hankerson was in a predicament, as he contemplated whether or not he had the ability to drive Aaliyah's career to even further heights. "Babygirl", as Aaliyah was called, would require a drastic image and sonic overhaul, as well as a very clever disguise.

Label associates agreed that there would have to be some compromising of discipline, as experimentation would be vital to achieving a satisfactory result on all new Aaliyah projects. They realized that they would need underground authenticity for success. Before, Aaliyah had been more notable for the headlines her relationship with Kelly had caused. The next record had to be a musical endeavor which would earn critical acclaim, along with high sales.

After receiving a demo from the upcoming songwriting and production duo of Tim "Timbaland" Mosley and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, Blackground found what they were looking for, and set out to create a looser sound base for Aaliyah than that of Age Ain't Nothing But a Number. Over half of the One in a Million album incorporated Timbaland's patented, drum and bass inspired "double beat", polyrhythms, microtones, and spooky natural sounds that made for unusual R&B music. Timbaland, Elliott, and collaborator Steve "Static" Garret from Playa crafted several hits for Aaliyah over the next four years, among them "One in a Million", "4 Page Letter", "Are You That Somebody?", and "Try Again". Elliott and Timbaland's work on One in a Million was key to helping them become stars in their own right within the coming year. Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated to DnB, drum n bass or drum & bass) is a type of electronic dance music also known as jungle. ... Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms. ... Microtonal music is music using microtones — intervals of less than an equally spaced semitone, or as Charles Ives put it, the notes between the cracks of the piano. ...

Blackground gave Aaliyah more leeway on the follow up album, not pressuring her collaborators to follow standard hit-making formulas. Yet, during the summer of 2001, before the release of Aaliyah's eponymous third album, Aaliyah, there was mild speculation that Aaliyah went on temporary strike. The new album signified a shift in musical direction towards nu metal on a few tracks, which Blackground were opposed to because the material was not as radio friendly. The video for "We Need a Resolution" premiered on MTV's TRL on April 24, 2001, accompanied by an appearance from Aaliyah. Aaliyah is the self-titled third and final studio album by American R&B singer Aaliyah, released by Blackground and Virgin Records on July 17, 2001 (see 2001 in music). ... Nu metal (also called aggro metal, or nü metal using the traditional heavy metal umlaut) is a musical genre that has origins in the mid 1990s. ... MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network headquartered in New York City. ... Total Request Live (commonly known as TRL) is the flagship television series on MTV that features popular music videos. ... April 24 is the 114th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (115th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In the weeks leading up to the album's release date, Aaliyah was nowhere to be found, having never performed "We Need a Resolution" live and only doing a few select appearances and interviews. After being pushed back, Aaliyah finally went on sale on July 17, 2001. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, though sales were below expectations, due to unsuccessful marketing choices made by Blackground. July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

The Aaliyah ordeal

There was no shortage of confusion at the label regarding the next single from the Aaliyah album. Aaliyah had been promoting "More Than a Woman", having performed it twice and shooting a video with director Dave Meyers in late August. According to Blackground, a remix featuring Jay-Z and State Property was also planned, but was scrapped due to lack of adequate funds. David Dave Meyers is an American music video director. ... Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ...

Around the same time, "Rock the Boat" starting gaining airplay on urban radio stations, prompting Blackground to officially make it the second single. Aaliyah was ordered to fly to the Bahamas immediately and shoot another video with Hype Williams. The day before leaving, Aaliyah was a guest on BET's 106 & Park, where she claimed that both singles would be released back to back. Hype Williams in 2002. ... Black Entertainment Television is an American cable network targeted toward African-American audiences in the United States. ... 106 & Park: BETs Top 10 Live is a top-ten video countdown that has aired every weekday on BET since 2000 and is the networks #1 rated show. ...

Hours after shooting finished on Saturday August 25, 2001, her overloaded plane, bound for Miami, crashed seconds after takeoff. Aaliyah, the pilot, her bodyguard, and six other members of her entourage died. One of them was Blackground product manager Gina Smith. She was remembered as an employee whose "contribution was invaluable" to the success of Aaliyah and Blackground. August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... An aviator is a person who flies aircraft for pleasure or as a profession. ... A bodyguard is a person or group of people who professionally protect someone (known as their principal) from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. ...

The circumstances that led up to the accident are still unknown. On August 28, 2001, Barry Hankerson closed the investigation, stating to CNN: "I think we are going to again have a mystery regarding that flight, regarding how it happened...I believe that we'll never really know and I believe that it will always be a mystery...it really doesn't matter how it happened, because if we find out, it's not going to bring anybody back." August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A detective is an officer of the police who performs criminal or administrative investigations, in some police departments, the lowest rank among such investigators (above the lowest rank of officers and below sergeants), a civilian licensed to investigate information not readily available in public records (a private investigator, also called... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ...

The Aaliyah album had a brief posthumous chart resurgence one week after Aaliyah died in August 2001. Since 2003, Blackground has discontinued shipping both One in a Million and Aaliyah.

On June 7, 2004, Blackground was granted the right to hold Instinct Productions accountable for the loss of Aaliyah after her ill-fated "Rock the Boat" video shoot, as ruled by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Carol Edmead.[3] She noted during the hearing that there was never any conclusive evidence that Aaliyah was ever treated like an employee of Blackground Records but that she (or her parents, because of age when she signed her contract) had a 10% stake in the record label, therefore making the third party liable for any future losses Blackground would sustain due to losing their biggest star. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... New York County Supreme Court building at 60 Centre Street, from across Foley Square The Supreme Court of the State of New York is one of several New York State trial courts in which cases originate. ... In law, a hearing is a proceeding before a court or other decisionmaking body or officer. ... The law of evidence governs the use of testimony (e. ...

As stated in Edmead's judgement, the lawsuit was "not an improper attempt by an employer to recover damages incurred as a result of the wrongful death of an employee but is an ordinary negligence claim seeking recovery for damages allegedly arising out of the negligent destruction of a valuable property asset." In law, damages refers to the money paid or awarded to a claimant (as it is known in the UK) or plaintiff (in the US) following their successful claim in a civil action. ... Wrongful death is a claim in tort against a person who can be held liable for a death. ... In tort law, the right to sue and recover damages from another on the basis of negligence, as opposed to numerous other tort theories discussed elsewhere, is based upon proving that the defendant failed to use ordinary care, that is,that degree of care for the protection of the person... Property designates those things that are commonly recognized as being the possessions of a person or group. ... In business and accounting an asset is anything owned which can produce future economic benefit, whether in possession or by right to take possession, by a person or a group acting together, e. ...

However, on January 6, 2005, the ruling was overturned by a Manhattan appeals judge who deemed the lawsuit "frivolous", and stated "the concept that a person is a property asset of another is, of course, abhorrent to modern-day thinking. Courts almost universally reject the antiquated proprietary view of the master/servant relationship." [4]The judge repeated that only Aaliyah's mother and father could sue, which they already had. That case had been settled out of court in Los Angeles. [5] January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 359 days (360 in leap years) remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Master was once a title used in England for men of fairly high rank, such as gentlemen, priests or scholars. ... A servant is a person who is hired to provide regular household or other duties, and receives compensation. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

Blackground's attorney Frank Penski stated that the lawsuit was meant to recover the value of lost contracts, which were not included in the Haughton Family's compensation, and that he found the decision disappointing. An appeal has yet to be filed. For information on the type of fish called Lawyer, see the article on Burbot. ... Compensation has several different meanings as indicated below. ... It has been suggested that Mandate (law) be merged into this article or section. ...

Blackground's future

Blackground mainly prefers signing multi-talented entrepreneurs who can do CEO and managerial work, as well as arrange, produce and write all their own music. Blackground has joint venture production agreements with Vincent Herbert's Da Family Entertainment; Static and Tim Barnett's SWATT Music (formerly Southernaire Entertainment); Troy Cashius and Tony Deniro's Brigade, Cliff Jones' Big Dog Entertainment; and the most recent acquisitions of Alonzo "Zo" Lee and Shamar "Sham" Daugherty's imprint TrakStarz, and House of Fire Records. Many of Blackground's artists are signed through production deals with the labels affiliated partners rather than to Blackground directly. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the job of having the ultimate executive responsibility or authority within an organization or corporation. ...

In 2003, Hankerson signed pop singer JoJo. JoJo caught the attention of Vincent Herbert who discovered her and brought her to Barry Hankerson where she auditioned for him at his house. The public took notice of the fact that Blackground were utilizing some of the same tactics to launch JoJo's career as they used to launch Aaliyah's, which JoJo herself admitted. They played up the age factor as a gimmick, while making her sing material that was seemingly beyond her age. That controversy helped push her single "Leave (Get Out)" to number-twelve on Billboard's Hot 100. Unlike Aaliyah, JoJo was given some creative freedom. Three of her own compositions made it to the album, though none of them were singles. On June 22, 2004, JoJo released her debut JoJo. Debuting at number-four, it became the first album on the label to go platinum without being linked to Aaliyah. JoJo's second album The High Road was released on October 17, 2006. Joanna Noëlle Levesque (born December 20, 1990), best known by her stage name JoJo, is an American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... JoJo is the Platinum-selling debut album from American pop/R&B singer JoJo. ... October 17 is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Also in 2003, Blackground signed Toni Braxton to a three album deal, although she had already been a client of Barry Hankerson. Her Blackground debut, and fifth album Libra was released to stores on September 27, 2005 without a top 100 single. It debuted at number-four on the Billboard 200, but fans have complained about the album's promotion. Toni Braxton dropped Barry Hankerson as her manager around the time of the album's release, due to a conflict of interest. Libra's three singles "Please", "Trippin (That's The Way Love Works)", and "I Wanna Be (Your Baby)" had almost no success, but the album was certified gold. Toni Michelle Braxton (born October 7, 1966 in Severn, Maryland, United States)[2] is a six-time Grammy Award winning[3] American R&B singer-songwriter who was popular during the 90s. ... September 27 is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

In late 2005 a petition was launched by an irritated fan claiming that Toni Braxton has received unfair treatment in the promotion of Libra. The petition also cites that funds that were to be spent on Libra are being redirected towards the new JoJo album instead. Others felt that Blackground was stuck in "Aaliyah mode", and too busy promoting and pushing the absence of Aaliyah, not rightfully giving Braxton the attention her work deserved. In the petition the fan asked J Records to buy Toni's contract and save her career. [6] J Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony BMG, and is distributed through the RCA Records Group. ...

On January 12, 2007 it was announced that Braxton was suing her ex-manager Barry Hankerson for 10 million dollars, stating that he caused tensions between Braxton and Arista which resulted from her leaving her long term label and signing with Blackground. It was also announced by Billboard.com that Toni was later released from Blackground/Universal after having recorded just one album for the label.

In 2005 artist Tank released his latest single "I Love Them Girls" but it failed to gain widespread airplay. His first album, Force Of Nature, was certified gold in 2001 after the success of his single "Maybe I Deserve" which remains his biggest hit single to date.

Trak Starz's Star Studded is due out by mid 2006 with the lead off single either being "Take It Off" or "Producers' Anthem". Through Blackground, they also plan on promoting and developing such breaking new acts as rappers Louis V, 2 Deep and Starr 47 as well as the R&B singer JoJo and female crunk & b group STL.

Rock/r&b fusion group C.A.S.H. featuring members Troy Cashius, Tony DeNiro, Richie Kotzen and DJ Lethal, released two singles "My My My" and "Lavish Life" in 2005. A video was planned for "Lavish Life" but has not surfaced and the band does not have any immediate plans for a new album or tour. Image:R-kotzen. ... Leor DiMant (born December 18, 1972 in Riga, Latvia), known as DJ Lethal, is a turntablist and producer, best known as a member of the band Limp Bizkit, and formerly a member of the Irish-American-influenced hip hop group House of Pain. ...

New artist, Lea Quezada, known simply as Lea is working on her Blackground debut. It is coming straight off the success of her 2004 number-two hit "Sunshine" with Lil Flip. Her new single "I'm Gone" was shipped to radio for testing but has generated little interest, causing the album release date to be pushed back. Three new tracks were also posted on her blog, "Read My Mind", "U Can't Handle This" and "Trust" none of which garnered any industry buzz. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

SWATT Entertainment, which has a split-profit deal with Blackground, are readying the release of Static's solo album Supertime On The Feddy Side, Goodfellas Organized Rhyme and Feast and Famine, the debut from Native. Other artists part of the team are Rudy, Blue Eye, Sears, and Polo Blu.

In 2003, Yoncea O'Neal aka Yonnie released "In Da Club" featuring the Ying Yang Twins, though the video and single did not climb the charts and a release date has not been set for her debut album. The Ying Yang Twins are an Atlanta-based crunk rap duo consisting of Kaine (born Eric Jackson on December 16, 1978) and D-Roc (born DAngelo Holmes on February 13, 1979). ...

Virginia boy band Outsiderz 4 Life [7] were set to release their self-titled debut in late 2001 coming off the minor hit "Not Enuff" and having shot videos for the singles "College Degree" and "Who R U?". A duet with Aaliyah entitled "Ain't Never" was debated for a potential single, but Aaliyah's death halted any plans for the video. The album was shelved, and the group moved to a local label. Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... A boy band is a type of pop group usually featuring three to five young male singers, though it can go up to six, like bands like Shinhwa, or KAT-TUN. It is disputed whether or not music groups that have more than five members should be considered boybands, such...

The Hamptons, a B2K-like urban boy band, had a minor hit with the video to "My Jacket" in 2002, which performed extremely well on internet streaming music video sites. The members of the group decided to finish high school and their album was shelved indefinitely. This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

In 2000, Blackground signed the urban/latin pop band Mami who were under the guidance of Bryce Wilson and Jimmy Henchmen of Czar Entertainment. The group were lost in the shuffle due to poor planning and mismanagement, stemming from Blackground's departure from Virgin Records.

Other albums in Blackground's catalog are Tank's One Man, in 2002, Timbaland's only "solo" album, 1998's Tim's Bio: Life From Da Basement, two additional Timbaland & Magoo albums (2001's Indecent Proposal and 2002's Under Construction, Part II), the Million Family March compilation in 2000, and the soundtrack from the film Exit Wounds. Aaliyah's I Care 4 U, part b-sides, part greatest hits package was released in 2002. Exit Wounds is a 2001 action movie based on the book, Exit Wounds, written by John Westermann. ... I Care 4 U is a greatest hits album by American R&B singer Aaliyah, released by Blackground Records on December 10, 2002. ... A greatest hits album (sometimes referred to as a best of album) is a compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular music artist or band. ...

New rapper Pheave (Feva) has just been signed and is rising up the charts with his debut single "Motorcycle", as well as Q. Amey whose single "Forever Girl" is currently being added to playlists around the country.

Blackground signed the Miami based Rawlo Boys who stayed with the label for two and a half years before splitting. In an interview with M.I.A. Magazine, the group's leader Lt. Lucky claimed the reason for this was Blackground's mishandling of the Rawlo Boys. He claims the label put them and the other struggling new black talent on hold as well as leaving new albums by Tank and Toni Braxton to disappear simply because they were allocating the budget for Aaliyah projects, saying "they fucked us up". [8]

Ashley Parker Angel (formerly of the group O-Town) was signed to the label in 2004. In early 2006, he promoted his forthcoming debut effort with a reality series on MTV entitled "There And Back." The show provided a glimpse into the making of his comeback to the national music scene. Ashley's album Soundtrack To Your Life debuted at #5. Ashley Parker Angel (born Ashley Ward Parker on August 1, 1981 in Redding, California, USA) is a musician and aspiring actor, best known as a member of the now-defunct boy band O-Town. ... O-Town O-Town is a boy band formed from the first series of the MTV-produced reality television series Making The Band, in 2000. ...

Kasey Butler is a 18 year old, white pop artist who just reached a deal with Blackground and is working on her debut album with Soulpower. She was a finalist on America's Most Talented Kid, like her labelmate JoJo, but was discovered by Soulpower Productions at The Hollywood Pop Acadmy, who brought her to the attention of Blackground Records. Americas Most Talented Kid is an American television series that originally aired on NBC in 2003. ...

Lil Eazy-E and second Hollywood Pop Academy discover LAX ("Los Angeles' Finest X-port", formerly Willow) which make up Brianna Cara, of America's Most Talented Kid fame, Jamie Spradley and Cristina Ballestero are new to the roster. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The quality of this article or section may be compromised by peacock terms. You can help Wikipedia by removing peacock terms. ... Brianna Cara is a member of the contemporary R&B trio LAX. She is known as Breezy and is the most experienced performer in the group. ... Americas Most Talented Kid is an American television series that originally aired on NBC in 2003. ...

See also

• Blackground Records artists
• List of record labels
• Jojo Fan Site