Amalgam Digital - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Amalgam Digital, Inc. is a new media outfit that was founded in 2006 as a privately owned company and launched AmalgamDigital.com in 2007. Amalgam is a digital media/technology platform that leverages the Internet to revolutionize the way artist & music are discovered, marketed and distributed. The platform also serves as the first genre-specific digital download store specializing in hip hop music

Hip hop music

Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...

with a strong focus on independent labels and artists, implementing a new user-generated content module that allows artists to upload content directly to the site for immediate purchase. Amalgam Digital also houses an exclusive independent record label by the same name, specializing in hip hop music and distribution. In an April 2008 issue, The Source
The Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...

proclaimed that Amalgam Digital has "its finger on the pulse of Hip-Hop's future."

AmalgamDigital.com Store

Founded in 2007, the AmalgamDigital.com store makes promotional, distributional, and PR services available to aspiring independent artists who register as vendors at AmalgamDigital.com, also enabling them to sell music, videos, podcasts, and other material through the online store. On August 21, 2008, AmalgamDigital.com launched its first Amalgam TV live webcast, which featured Joe Budden’s

Joe Budden

-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...

last studio session for his sophomore LP on Amalgam Digital, Padded Room
Padded Room (album)
Padded Room is Joe Budden's official second album, the follow-up to 2003's Joe Budden. The album was released in both CD and digital format on February 24, 2009. In addition, Joe Budden and Amalgam are offering two bonus tracks for fans purchasing the digital version.-Background:In 2008, Joe Budden...

. Over 80,000 visitors viewed the webcast, throughout which Budden interacted with fans and answered questions in real time via a live chat room.

Amalgam Digital Label

Based in East Boston, Massachusetts, the Amalgam Digital label is distributed exclusively by Amalgam Entertainment, LLC, a one-stop wholesaler, label, and distribution company that offers additional services such as management, booking, consultation, manufacturing, marketing, and promotional services. As an independent label, Amalgam Digital is home to such artists as Max B

Max B

Charly Wingate , better known as Max B, is an American rapper and songwriter from Harlem and is known for his original rap style of mumbled delivery, catchy sing-song choruses & hooks, and his energetic personality in interviews and videos.In 2009, Max B began serving a 75-year prison sentence for...

, Saigon

Saigon (rapper)

Brian Daniel Carenard, better known by his stage name Saigon, is an American rapper and occasional actor.Saigon is currently signed to Suburban Noize Records and Just Blaze's Fort Knocks Entertainment record label. After years of delay due to former record label interference, his album The Greatest...

, Curren$y, Dumpology, Young Riothttp://www.myspace.com/imsoyes, Joe Budden

Joe Budden

-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...

, Peedi Crakk, Tash

Tash (rapper)

Rico Smith, better known by his stage name Tash, is an American rapper. He is most known for his work as a member of West Coast hip hop group, Tha Alkaholiks alongside J-Ro and E-Swift. He has released two solo albums, Rap Life and Control Freek, and has worked on five albums with Tha Alkaholiks...

(formerly of Tha Alkaholiks

Tha Alkaholiks

Tha Alkaholiks, also known as Tha Liks, was an American hip hop group from Los Angeles, California. Since the early 1990s they have produced funky, upbeat, hedonism-themed party music with a hardcore hip hop edge, powered by the beats of DJ and producer E-Swift and the lively, comedic rhymes of...

), Kurious, The Juggaknots

Juggaknots

The Juggaknots is a hip hop group from New York consisting of siblings Breeze Brewin', Queen Herawin, Buddy Slim, and DJ Boo. The group has worked with both Sadat X and Prince Paul. The group’s first album, Clear Blue Skies, released on the vinyl-only New York independent Fondle 'Em Records, is...

, Dj Benzi, Tame One (formerly of The Artifacts

Artifacts (group)

Artifacts is a hip hop group consisting of El Da Sensei, Tame One and DJ Kaos. They hail from Newark, New Jersey and made underground music that paid homage to the four elements of hip hop...

), The Weathermen

The Weathermen (hip hop group)

The Weathermen, is a New York City-based, underground hip-hop supergroup consisting of Aesop Rock, Tame One, Cage, Yak Ballz, El-P, and Breeze Brewin. The group took its name from the revolutionary organization Weatherman, and sometimes refers to itself as the "New Left"...

, and Lil B

Lil B

Brandon McCartney , known by his stage name Lil B or "The BasedGod", is a rapper from Berkeley, California. He has recorded both solo and with the Pack. In addition, Lil B is noted for his extensive use of social media Web sites such as MySpace and Twitter to build an online following.-Early...

. Budden's Amalgam release Padded Room
Padded Room (album)
Padded Room is Joe Budden's official second album, the follow-up to 2003's Joe Budden. The album was released in both CD and digital format on February 24, 2009. In addition, Joe Budden and Amalgam are offering two bonus tracks for fans purchasing the digital version.-Background:In 2008, Joe Budden...

reached #42 in the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

chart and #21 in the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in March 2009. Since August 2009, releases by Saigon

Saigon (rapper)

and Joe Budden

Joe Budden

-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...

are made in partnership with E1 Music (formerly Koch Records). BET named Joe Budden’s

Joe Budden

-Early life:Budden was born in Spanish Harlem, but lived in Queens until he was 12 and from there moved to Jersey City, New Jersey. He is one of five boys...

Padded Room
Padded Room (album)
Padded Room is Joe Budden's official second album, the follow-up to 2003's Joe Budden. The album was released in both CD and digital format on February 24, 2009. In addition, Joe Budden and Amalgam are offering two bonus tracks for fans purchasing the digital version.-Background:In 2008, Joe Budden...

and Saigon’s

Saigon (rapper)

All in a Day’s Work as the #2 and #3 best independent albums of 2009, respectively. In 2009, Amalgam Digital made Boston-based rapper Young Riot the label’s first previously unsigned artist.

AmalgamDigital.com Store

Amalgam Digital Label

Further reading