LaFace Records

infobox record label


parent = Sony Music Entertainment
founded = 1989
founder = Antonio Reid
Kenneth Edmonds
Arista Records
distributor = Zomba Music Group (US)
genre = R&B, hip-hop
country = US
url = [http://laface.com/ Official website of LaFace Records]

LaFace Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment.

Company history

LaFace was formed in 1989 as a joint venture between the producing duo Antonio "L.A." Reid & Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Arista Records. The combined nicknames of the duo's successful production company inspired the name of the label.

LaFace went on to become a successful label throughout the 1990s, responsible for producing popular artists such as TLC, Toni Braxton, OutKast, P!nk, Usher, Goodie Mob, Ciara, Donell Jones, Pressha, and Cee-Lo. Towards the end of the decade LaFace produced fewer artists and Babyface began to focus more on his own music career.

The label was acquired completely by Arista and BMG in 1999. In 2001, L.A. Reid was appointed Chairman/CEO of Arista. As a result of Reid's promotion, LaFace was dissolved as most of its prominent acts moved up to the main Arista label to work under Reid.

In 2004, after the corporate restructuring of the BMG labels, LaFace was reactivated as one quarter of the newly reconstructed Zomba Music Group. Also in the Zomba Group portfolio are labels like Verity Records and Jive Records. Most of its former roster that had moved on to Arista returned to the company, upon its reactivation.

Currently, the most successful acts from the label are Usher, Ciara, Pink, and OutKast. The previously named four artists have each achieved multi-platinum success and have gone on to make worldwide names for themselves.

Notable LaFace artists/Current artists

* A Few Good Men
* Az Yet
* Cee-Lo
* Ciara
* Corey Glover
* Damian Dame
* Dolla (rapper)
* Goodie Mob
* Highland Place Mobsters
* Joy Enriquez
* Jermaine Jackson
* K.i.K
* Donell Jones
* OutKast
* Petey Pablo
* P!nk
* Pressha
* Tony Rich
* Sam Salter
* Shanice
* Society of Soul
* Toni Braxton
* TLC
* Usher
* YoungBloodz
* Kashiff Jenkins

Former Artists

* T.L.J. Sponge (moved to Island Records)

See also

* List of record labels