Shaman Work Recordings
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Shaman Work Recordings is a record label based in Atlanta, Georgia. They represent a wide range of music genres, including hip hop, soul and jazz.
Shaman Work Recordings started as the brainchild of Divine Mind’s Chris “Rictor” Craft in the fall of 1999 while working towards a general science degree at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Shaman Work is one of several companies under the Crafted, LLC. umbrella, the direct result of a determined and restless entrepreneur attempting to make his mark in the music industry. The company began as one of several record labels under the Divine Mind network, a group that Craft founded with like-minded people he met during his studies at Morehouse College, including Lamar Gilliam who would later become co-owner of Crafted, LLC. Since then, the Divine Mind idea has expanded to incorporate different aspects of the music industry. Crafted, LLC. sub-companies include Shaman Work Recordings, I.M.A.D.U. Music - a music production company, and Alpha-n-Omega Magazine - an on-line magazine geared towards music production.
"The artists of Shaman Work Recordings are not afraid to push the boundaries of creativity and music. Their goal is to not only fill a void in hip-hop, but also a music world lacking in originality."
Shaman Work Recordings resurfaced with the release of AlphaBeats.com’s ‘The Alpha Project Vol. 1’ in the spring of 2002. This compilation featured such rising artists as B.I. and the Divine Mind crew. It was an important step in the process that shaped Shaman Work’s identity. Through word of mouth and internet buzz, the ‘Vol. 1’ compilation gained enough underground recognition and energy which resulted in the making of ‘The Alpha Projects Vol. 2,’ released in the spring of 2003. This album not only included Shaman Work artists as the previously mentioned B.I. and Divine Mind, but also featured the Neptunes, Clipse, and underground heroes Little Brother and Science Fiction aka Wale Oyejide. The conclusion was simple and audible; the artists of Shaman Work were able to hold their own against music’s finest. There was no turning back.
That spring, Craft and his partner Gilliam decided to rebuild and strengthen their Shaman Work roster, adding musicians and artists with not only hip-hop aspirations, but other musical interests as well. They made it a point to add individuals with visions and aspirations to not only make good music, but also to innovate and elevate their musicality to higher levels. Likewise, the results can be seen in the variety of musical genres the label represents, including hip-hop, soul, jazz, and dance. Shaman Work’s diverse roster includes such artists as C.L. Smooth, John Robinson, Wise Intelligent and Intelligent Muzik, DJ K.O. and Elementality Production, Tiffany Paige, K. Banger, Sene, Sol Uprising, Wale Oyejide aka Science Fiction, Emanon, Metal Fingers aka MF DOOM, Scienz of Life, Lacks aka Ta’Raach, Finale, Divine Mind, B.I., Bandwidth and Misters.
The artists of Shaman Work Recordings are not afraid to push the boundaries of creativity and music. Their goal is to not only fill a void in hip-hop, but also a music world lacking in originality. Through future recordings, they will innovate and break down the existing barriers that suffocate other musicians. Company execs Chris Craft, Lamar Gilliam, and John Robinson have put together a team that will lay the foundation for Shaman Work to become a mainstay in the entertainment industry.
-Written by: Yu Miyagawa
