Decon

Decon
Founded 2002
Headquarters New York, NY, United States
Key people
 Peter Bittenbender (co-founder, CEO)
Jason Goldwatch (co-founder)
Website www.decon.co

Decon is a New York-based creative studio. Housing production, creative, strategy and music divisions, the company creates campaigns on behalf of brands and advertising agencies.[1]

History

Originally named Deconstruction Company, the company was founded in 2002 by Peter Bittenbender and Jason Goldwatch after the creation of their award-winning hip-hop documentary and accompanying soundtrack, One Big Trip.[2] The soundtrack was released as a double-sided DVD/CD in 2002 with Hieroglyphic Imperium Records - it is thought to be the first hip-hop-centric release in the hybrid format.[3]

In 2012, Decon earned a Promax Award for work on NBCUniversal's "Green Week" campaign.[4] That year, Misha Louy and Sacha Jenkins both joined as partners, expanding the Production and Entertainment divisions.[5][6]

Decon Records

Decon Records is the independent record label that is a division of Decon. It got its start releasing underground hip-hop recordings.[7] It was established in 2003. In 2013, Decon Records was noted as one of Billboard’s 50 Best Independent Labels in America.[8][9] Decon Records began by collaborating with the west coast collective Project Blowed to release projects from Aceyalone of the Freestyle Fellowship, such as Love & Hate which features production from El-P and RJD2.[10] Other early Decon Records projects include partnering with The Roots to establish Okayplayer Records.[11] The label provided further releases from Aceyalone as well as RJD2’s Magnificent City Instrumentals (2006) and Evidence’s Red Tape Instrumentals (2007).[12] In 2008, the label released an album from frequent Talib Kweli and Mos Def collaborator, 88-Keys, called The Death of Adam.[13] The album featured Kid Cudi and Redman and was executive produced by Kanye West.[14] The video for the lead single “Stay Up! (Viagra)” was directed by Decon co-founder Jason Goldwatch and premiered on MTV.[15]

The following year, Decon licensed RJD2’s “A Beautiful Mine” as the theme song for the AMC show Mad Men.[16] That year, Decon released Jay Electronica's Just Blaze-produced tracks "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C".[17][18] While collaborating with Decon Records, Jay won two awards from MTV and signed a deal with Roc Nation.[19]

The Alchemist’s Russian Roulette, Gangrene’s Vodka & Ayahuasca, and Roc Marciano’s Reloaded all made the HipHopDX 2012 records of the year awards list.,[20] and were favorably reviewed in Complex Magazine.[21][22] XXL singled out Roc Marciano’s Decon Records release, Reloaded, as the “Best Slept-On Album” of that year.[23] Early album releases saw Decon working alongside Project Blowed and Okayplayer.[24] In 2011, Decon earned recognition from Billboard as one of the 50 Best Indie Labels in America.[25]

Roster

Selected discography

2003

2004

2005

  • Various Artists - 2K6: The Tracks
  • Ellay Khule - Califormula
  • Lyrics Born - Big Money Talk
  • Afu-Ra - State Of The Arts
  • Various Artists - Cali Comm 2004
  • Various Artists - Project Blowed: 10th Anniversary
  • Various Artists - Who The F*ck Is You

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

  • Evidence - Green Tape Instrumentals
  • Aceyalone - Leanin' On Slick
  • Boldy James - Grand Quarters
  • Notes to Self - Target Market [RECOIL]
  • Alexander Spit - A Breathtaking Trip To That Otherside
  • The Hood Internet - FEAT Remixes

See also

References

  1. ↑ Frazer, Bryant (May 30, 2012). "Five Questions: Peter Bittenbender, Co-Founder and CEO, Decon". Studio Daily.
  2. ↑ Soleimanpour, Arthur (March 25, 2010). "Brands Who Became Agencies: Decon Creative Group". PSFK.
  3. ↑ "Del, Automator, Dilated Take 'Big Trip'". Billboard. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  4. ↑ "2012 promaxbda design north america awards winners list". PromaxBDA.
  5. ↑ Wolfe, Jennifer (March 20, 2012). "Misha Louy Partners with Decon as Executive Producer". AWN.
  6. ↑ "Decon Keeps Rolling with Sacha Jenkins". Newsle. May 2, 2012.
  7. ↑ Ugwu, Reggie (8/10/13). "Double Agents: Hybrid label/creative agencies thrive by mixing brands and bands better than the competition". Billboard. p. 7. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ↑ "Billboard Pro's D.I.Y. 50 Indie Labels (Part II)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "BEST SOUNDTRACK: One Big Trip". High Times. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "Aceyalone - Love & Hate". Splendid. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Roots Launch Okayplayer Records". Glide Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Label - Decon". Discogs. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  13. ↑ "88-Keys - The Death of Adam". The Phoenix. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Death of Adam - 88-Keys". Allmusic. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  15. ↑ Reid, Shaheem. "Kanye West, 88-Keys Become Dirty Old Men For 'Stay Up (Viagra)' Video". MTV. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  16. ↑ Kujundzic, Petar. "HYPETRAK INSIGHTS with Peter Bittenbender, Co-founder of Decon Records". HYPETRAK. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Jay Electronica - Exhibit A". Discogs. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "Jay Electronica - Exhibit C". Discogs. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "HYPETRAK INSIGHTS with Peter Bittenbender, Co-founder of Decon Records". HYPETRAK. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "HipHopDX's Top 25 Albums Of 2012". DX Staff. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2012 (So Far)". Complex Magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  22. ↑ "The 50 Best Albums of 2012 - Roc Marciano - Reloaded". Complex. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  23. ↑ "First Annual XXL Awards Winners". XXL. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  24. ↑ Mitchell, Gail (January 22, 2004). "Roots Launch Okayplayer Records". Billboard.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Pro's D.I.Y. 50 Indie Labels (Part II)". Billboard. August 15, 2011.
  26. ↑ http://nahright.com/news/2013/11/11/aaron-cohen-potential-fans-mixtape/

External links