What is the best hip hop record label of all time not named Def Jam?

The easy answer is Def Jam so let's eliminate them from this discussion. Outside of Def Jam, what has been the best label, and why?

Well, when Death Row was on top of the game they were my favorite but they didn't last long enough. No Limit was successful but i didn't care for much of their albums. Jive is ok. Suave House was dope. However i think i'll go with Rap A Lot. Back in the 90's just about everything that came out on Rap A Lot was dope.

I know this won't be the popular answer, but i'm gonna go with Suave House. I think RAL has released more dope material, but there was some garbage sprinkled in between. Suave House, as brief as it was, released NOTHING BUT DOPENESS. Just look at this discog and tell me what was wack or even just average for that matter.

Comin Out Hard
On The Outside Looking In
On Top Of The World
In Our Lifetime
Lost
No More Glory
Piece Of Mind
Wicked Wayz
Anotha Day Anotha Balla
All In The Game
Conflicts & Confusions
Suave House: The Album of the Year

I'm not sure if Lay It Down was a Suave House album, but that was a good album too. It's not the most extensive discog, but it is efficient and nothing but quality and greatness.

Rap-A-Lot, strong discog and operational

any others listed besides Def Jam were eventually improperly managed causing them to fold.

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

hmmmm

I'm going to say Bad Boy

Diddy had a very strong run even if he was ripping off almost every artist that was on his label...that label was a strong label at one time believe it or not

Uptown Records-Andre Harrell...this label was where Diddy got his start at..they were strong in both the r&b and hip-hop fields

Loud-Steve Rifkind-was a very strong hip-hop label at one time, with a pretty good roster of talent

Profile-this label along with Def Jam(who was in first place) had the hip-hop game locked down in the early to late 80's

bunny did you just say Jive? Anything but a southern label huh? Anyway Jive did have some dope shit like Mystikal, Short, KRS, Keith Murray and others.

I'm going with RAL because unlike Terry's obviously blocked mental state I am able to think about the true choice here. RAL has so many classic and near classic albums its almost unfair. I agree that Suave is a hell of a contender but they loss because they were short on quanity. Its easy to have a good average with low attempts.

I gotta give Powell props on the Loud look.

But "obviously" Def Jam is NOT the best because they put out Rick Ross among others. In your warped mind-state KJ, I'm sure that "doesn't count" for some stupid ass reason, but it does to me. Post 95 Def Jam fell off and that's too bad. I can't really call a BEST record label, but Relativity always had some dope shit IMO.

fuck Def Jam to the fullest, since 2000 the majority of shit put out on Def Jam has been just that, shit.

That would be a good point if we were to just ignore 1985-1999.

KRob86 wrote:

bunny did you just say Jive? Anything but a southern label huh? Anyway Jive did have some dope shit like Mystikal, Short, KRS, Keith Murray and others.

I'm going with RAL because unlike Terry's obviously blocked mental state I am able to think about the true choice here. RAL has so many classic and near classic albums its almost unfair. I agree that Suave is a hell of a contender but they loss because they were short on quanity. Its easy to have a good average with low attempts.

LOL, there is nothing blocked. i said RAL had more dopeness, but they also had a lot more garbge. J. Prince/RAL does not have the same quality control as Suave House.

Def Jux. Def Jam had the 80s and the 90s, Def Jux has been the most important label in pushing Hip-Hop in new directions since it's inception.

Jason wrote:

Def Jux. Def Jam had the 80s and the 90s, Def Jux has been the most important label in pushing Hip-Hop in new directions since it's inception.

LMAO!

N3R0 wrote:

I gotta give Powell props on the Loud look.

But "obviously" Def Jam is NOT the best because they put out Rick Ross among others. In your warped mind-state KJ, I'm sure that "doesn't count" for some stupid ass reason, but it does to me. Post 95 Def Jam fell off and that's too bad. I can't really call a BEST record label, but Relativity always had some dope shit IMO.

I'd say Post 2000 Def Jam fell off, but the 2000's have been the WEAKEST decade for hip-hop.

Def Jam has the best HISTORY of dopeness. They are the New York Yankees of hip-hop labels. Nobody has released more classics than Def Jam, that's why I called them the best.

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

So KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeff & Fresh Prince, Whodini, Souls Of Mischief, Mobb Deep (who went to Jive after Loud folded) and Too Short aren't hip hop artists? There's more than that but I'll stop there....

Do some fact checking before talking shit, fool!!!!

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

So KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeff & Fresh Prince, Whodini, Souls Of Mischief, Mobb Deep (who went to Jive after Loud folded) and Too Short weren't hip hop artists? There's more than that but I'll stop there....

Do some fact checking before talking shit, fool!!!!

no, they were rap artists signed to Jive. there is a difference. Would a rap label release albums from Brittney Spears and N*Sync? Now quit putting your foot in you mouth. The question was what was the best hip hop record label. not what label released the best rap albums. do you like your feet in your mouth?

D.Powell wrote:

hmmmm

I'm going to say Bad Boy

Diddy had a very strong run even if he was ripping off almost every artist that was on his label...that label was a strong label at one time believe it or not

I was gonna say them because they were VERY successful, but after Biggie passed there started to be a ripple effect with cats leaving Bad Boy so I don't think they're the best. They'd be in my Top 5 though.

Bad Boy had like 5 really dope albums. While i admire Puffy's business acumen, Bad Boy is not the best. I would take Uptown over Bad Boy.

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

So KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeff & Fresh Prince, Whodini, Souls Of Mischief, Mobb Deep (who went to Jive after Loud folded) and Too Short weren't hip hop artists? There's more than that but I'll stop there....

Do some fact checking before talking shit, fool!!!!

no, they were rap artists signed to Jive. there is a difference. Would a rap label release albums from Brittney Spears and N*Sync? Now quit putting your foot in you mouth. The question was what was the best hip hop record label. not what label released the best rap albums. do you like your feet in your mouth?

Come on son!!! others have dropped names of labels who had some non-hip hop artists signed to them as well, but I didn't see you calling them out. So GTFOH with that bullshit!

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

So KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeff & Fresh Prince, Whodini, Souls Of Mischief, Mobb Deep (who went to Jive after Loud folded) and Too Short weren't hip hop artists? There's more than that but I'll stop there....

Do some fact checking before talking shit, fool!!!!

no, they were rap artists signed to Jive. there is a difference. Would a rap label release albums from Brittney Spears and N*Sync? Now quit putting your foot in you mouth. The question was what was the best hip hop record label. not what label released the best rap albums. do you like your feet in your mouth?

Come on son!!! others have dropped names of labels who had some non-hip hop artists signed to them as well, but I didn't see you calling them out. So GTFOH with that bullshit!

WHO'S MENTIONED ANY LABEL THAT IS NOT KNOWN AS A HIP HOP LABEL?

As far as hip-hop record labels go?

-Rawkus...home to some of Hip-Hop's greatest..then they just bounced...

-Loud...was home to a very heavy/diverse set of artists from all regions of the US..now 'SRC' records...what really happened to Loud Records?..i dont know....??

-Deathrow...the epicenter of West Coast gangster rap..but it was just that..they brought that real deal gangster shit to the table-and crumbled from the inside out with the help of their brute, financially unstable General..it aint always like the movies when you mix the streets with business


**Id definitely put Rawkus as my No.2-but as far as longetivity..DefJam obviously takes the cake.......in the words of RA the Rugged Man...'All Record Comp.'s suck Dick"

Jason wrote:

Def Jux. Def Jam had the 80s and the 90s, Def Jux has been the most important label in pushing Hip-Hop in new directions since it's inception.

You know what...this makes sense. It has def pushed hip hop in new directions.

My vote would be Hiero Imperium.

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

T. Myers wrote:

KJ Styles wrote:

The title here should be "What's the Second Best label" cuz Def Jam is without question the best.

I'll go with Jive. They've had a lot of hitmakers over the years and they still do on occasion.

Jive is not a hip hop label. Try again fool

So KRS-One, A Tribe Called Quest, Jeff & Fresh Prince, Whodini, Souls Of Mischief, Mobb Deep (who went to Jive after Loud folded) and Too Short weren't hip hop artists? There's more than that but I'll stop there....

Do some fact checking before talking shit, fool!!!!

no, they were rap artists signed to Jive. there is a difference. Would a rap label release albums from Brittney Spears and N*Sync? Now quit putting your foot in you mouth. The question was what was the best hip hop record label. not what label released the best rap albums. do you like your feet in your mouth?

Come on son!!! others have dropped names of labels who had some non-hip hop artists signed to them as well, but I didn't see you calling them out. So GTFOH with that bullshit!

WHO'S MENTIONED ANY LABEL THAT IS NOT KNOWN AS A HIP HOP LABEL?

Bad Boy and Uptown were both mentioned

Bad Boy and Uptown were both established for the hip hop fan

Bad Boy's had how many rap acts vs. how many "R&B" acts? And those R&B acts were obviously hip hop influenced. Even Dream and Danity Kane had Run DMC samples and Danja Handz beats. Did you need surgery to talk out of your ass or were you just born deformed KJ?

"Did you need surgery to talk out of your ass or were you just born deformed KJ?"

I always thought it was obvious that R&B was the logical extension on a hip hop label, and that went without saying. maybe i was wrong on that one though.

I also love the Rawkus pick too.

If we're talking about majors, It would have to be Jive-RCA. They put out some of the best Hip Hop acts:

Tribe Called Quest
Boogie Down Productions/KRS One
Kool Moe Dee
Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Schooly D
D Nice
Kid Capri
Steady B
E-40
Fu-Schnikins (I know I got that wrong)
ICP
Kid Rock
Mobb Deep
Keith Murray
Papoose
Spice 1
UTFO
Whodini

Were all signed to Jive at one point.

Gangsta Zol wrote:

If we're talking about majors, It would have to be Jive-RCA. They put out some of the best Hip Hop acts:

Tribe Called Quest
Boogie Down Productions/KRS One
Kool Moe Dee
Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Schooly D
D Nice
Kid Capri
Steady B
E-40
Fu-Schnikins (I know I got that wrong)
ICP
Kid Rock
Mobb Deep
Keith Murray
Papoose
Spice 1
UTFO
Whodini

Were all signed to Jive at one point.

THANK YOU ZOL!!!!!! See, somebody sees my point!!!

Priority Records had the West Coast Locked down back in the day. They were the original label that spawned off Ruthless Records and Ice Cube's label - Lynch Mob.

TheHazardous wrote:

Rap-A-Lot, strong discog and operational

any others listed besides Def Jam were eventually improperly managed causing them to fold.

Yeah, it has to be Rap-A-Lot. Folks like to front on them, but they've been doing it almost as long as Def Jam.

Def Jux is a stretch...if a different direction was all it took, we'd have to say Fondle 'Em or Rawkus did it better. It takes more than that.

Bad Boy (undeniably a hip hop label in the beginning) is an even bigger stretch because their run only lasted about 6 years.

Death Row and No Limit crumbled after their biggest artists left (Mystikal, Snoop Dogg) or got killed (Soulja Slim, Tupac) and became shells of their former selves. Death Row also falls under the Bad Boy Umbrella (see above).

Powell made a great call with Loud, but they simply do not exist anymore.

Suave House no longer exists in the form we all knew it...

One could argue Hypnotized Minds, but their success hasn't been on the same level as RAL or Def Jam.

Roc-A-Fella had moderate success, but most of that was due to Jay-Z selling the way he did. Everyone else were pretty much footnotes at best. And, ultimately, their run ain't comin' close to Rap-A-Lot's...

Rhymesayers, Quannum, Select, Sugar Hill, Bust It!, So So Def, Ruthless, Epic Street, Slip N Slide, Luke, Duck Down, Priority, Ruffhouse, Wild Pitch, All Natural, Cash Money, Tommy Boy...you can look all over the place, but only Rap-A-Lot has been able to do anything remotely close to being as consistent as Def Jam. With Def Jam out of the picture, the answer is pretty clear to me...

Maybe not the best, but I love a lot of shit that's come outta LOUD.