| G7 Records Inc. | |
|---|---|
| Parent Company | |
| Global 7 Entertainment Inc. | |
| Founded: | |
| 2004 | |
| Founder: | |
| Kwajo "Cinqo" Boateng | |
| Distributor(s): | |
| Universal Music Canada (In Canada) |
|
| Interscope Records (In the US) |
|
| Universal Music Group (Worldwide) |
|
| Genre: | |
| Hip-Hop | |
| Country of Origin: | |
| Canada | |
| Location: | |
| Toronto, Ontario | |
| Official Website: G7Records.com | |
G7 Records Inc. (G7), is a record label distributed by the Universal Music Group. The label is a subsidiary of Global 7 Entertainment Inc., which performs sound recording, music publishing, digital distribution, artist management, merchandising, film, and concert production. G7 was founded in 2004 by Kwajo "Cinqo" Boateng, artist, producer, CEO and member of Canadian hip-hop group Ghetto Concept,[1] who were twice awarded a Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year for singles "Certified" (1995) and "E-Z On Tha Motion" (1996).[2] G7's current roster of artists are from Toronto, Ontario, Canada [1] but the label is also seeking to sign internationally based artists and producers.
Contents |
G7 Records Inc. was formed in 2004 to release records by Ghetto Concept and their roster of artists. The label's President Kwajo Cinqo began to see that there was a decline in physical record sales, and a shift towards digital distribution of content. He also recognized that while these advancements were occurring in the industry, record labels were also furthering away from artist development.[3] In 2009, Cinqo created G7 Studios with artists from Toronto.
On October 25, 2010 G7 Records Inc. signed a joint-venture label deal with Universal Music Canada and Cherrytree Records/Interscope Records in which 16-year-old rapper Reema Major was signed to an exclusive worldwide license deal.[4] The young lyricist was first introduced in 2009 to the label's President—Kwajo Cinqo, who promised her a major record deal that was contracted the following year.[5] However, prior to the initial deal, Reema Major was interviewed and performed cypher on Royalty Radio 91.9FM,[6] after which she appeared at the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards cypher.[7] This was arranged by Stephen Hill, BET's President of Programming, Talent and Specials.[8] Hill selected Reema Major to perform alongside emcees Nick Javas and Laws,[9] which made her the first and youngest Canadian female rapper to be a part of the event.[10]
Following Reema Major's performance in the BET cypher, major interest came from EMI Music, Capitol Records, Atlantic Records, and Simmons Records, owned by producer and former band member of KISS, Gene Simmons.[11] Eventually, Reema signed with G7 Records Inc.. Additionally, G7 also secured a worldwide digital content distribution deal with Universal Music Group for the other acts on the label's roster. These deals were established with the backing of Jimmy Iovine—chairman of Interscope Records, Randy Lennox—President and CEO of Universal Music Canada, and A&R's Martin Kierszenbaum and Andrea Ruffalo of Cherry Tree/Interscope Records, and Mark Spicoluk of Universal Music Canada.[12] This was the first time Universal Music Group signed a direct deal with a Canadian urban music label.
Kwajo Cinqo
Reema Major
JJ Money
DJ G-Starr
LP Da Original
Richie Payso