Blackground Records (Record Label Info)

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Label Name	Blackground Records
Also Known As	Blackground Records 2.0, Blackground Enterprises, Blackground Entertainment
Legal Name	Blackground Records, LLC
Founders	Jomo Hankerson, Barry Hankerson
Focus	Black music, including hip hop
Notable Artists	Aaliyah, Timbaland & Magoo, Tank, Toni Braxton, JoJo, Ashley Parker Angel
Current President	Jasmine “Jay” Love (as of October 2021)
Partnerships	Empire (for release of catalogue material)
Controversies	Legal disputes (e.g. with pop star JoJo), issues with music streaming rights
Control Over Album Masters	Aaliyah's albums, The Romeo Must Die soundtrack, among others
Status	Prominent recording company within the music industry

History and Evolution of Blackground Records

Blackground Records, also known as Blackground Records 2.0 (with the legal name Blackground Records, LLC), is an American record label with a rich history and evolution.

Originally named Blackground Enterprises, it transitioned to Blackground Entertainment before finally settling on its current name in 2000.

Founders and Owners

The masterminds behind this influential record label are Jomo Hankerson and his father Barry Hankerson. Barry wears many hats – he's an entertainment attorney, artist manager, but most importantly, one of the pillars of Blackground Records.

Blackground Records' Focus on Black Music

From its inception, the record label has been a beacon for black music – serving as a platform for hip hop and R&B artists to showcase their talents. They've built a reputation for their commitment to music production that highlights these genres.

Notable Artists of Blackground Records

Over the years, many distinguished artists have called this record label home. Some of these include pop culture icons like Aaliyah, Timbaland & Magoo, Tank, Toni Braxton, JoJo and Ashley Parker Angel among others.

Notably Aaliyah was one of the first artists signed by the label. The roster also boasts other prominent names in hip hop such as Ginuwine and Missy Elliott.

Operational Structure and Key Personnel Changes

In recent developments within the company structure, Jasmine “Jay” Love has been announced as the new President of Blackground Records 2.0. This change in leadership was made public in October 2021.

Partnership with Empire for Catalogue Material Release

In an exciting venture for music lovers everywhere, Blackground has partnered with Empire to release catalogue material from its signed artists – making their album releases more accessible to fans around the globe.

Legal Disputes involving Blackground Artists

The journey hasn't always been smooth sailing for this record label. It's been tangled in legal disputes involving some of its artists.

Most notably pop star JoJo had a long-standing legal battle with them which ended when she finally broke free from her contract after nearly a decade-long legal fight.

Controversy over Control of Album Masters

One major point of contention surrounding this recording company is their control over album masters – including records like Aaliyah's albums and The Romeo Must Die soundtrack.

This control led to issues concerning music streaming rights which were later resolved leading to releases on digital platforms.

Digital Platform Releases following Music Streaming Rights Issues

After resolving issues related to music streaming rights, many beloved classics from their catalogue have finally made their way onto digital platforms – much to fans' delight.

Impact and Prominence within the Music Industry

Despite stumbling blocks faced along its journey so far, Blackground Records‘ impact within the music industry cannot be understated or overlooked. It continues standing tall as a prominent recording company that has nurtured some unforgettable talents in hip hop and R&B.