Fort Knocks Entertainment
Encyclopedia
Fort Knocks Entertainment is an American
East Coast hip hop
and R&B record label
founded in 2004 by record producer
, Just Blaze
.
, Just Blaze
became a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records
. He would mainly produce for prominent Roc-A-Fella artist, Jay-Z
. Jay-Z would retire in 2003 and Blaze wanted his own label, so he could occupy his spare time. Island Def Jam could not afford to supply another label during that period, so Just Blaze left Def Jam in early 2004. Upon his departure, Atlantic Records
head, Craig Kallman
, took advantage of his free agent status and agreed to bankroll him his own vanity label to be operated through Atlantic and its Warner Music
parent.
Fort Knocks Entertainment was quickly established by June 2004. The label would go on to sign a handful of acts that he had been watching from the underground circuit. This would include Brooklyn, New York rapper Brian Carenard, better known as Saigon
, Chicago, Illinois singer Dave Young, and Jovan Dais.
The label's first release was Saigon
's, "What a Life," featuring Tre Williams, which was quickly followed with the street album, The Moral of the Story. Around the time of these releases came Jovan Dais' "Another Man Will," its remix, and Fedex. Also in 2007, the label added Naledge to its ever-growing roster.
In the early stages of 2008, the label signed numerous acts including Seven Dirty, Armel,, M.E.D., and Jha Jha. The label was able to revive some of these acts careers and provide them with attention that they lacked at their previous label. They would quickly release the debut album from Seven Dirty, The Package, which featured "Do It All Again."
The label plans to release albums from M.E.D., Dave Young, Saigon, Seven Dirty, Jha Jha, and Red 5. Just Blaze now has plans to begin his own career as a rapper and, in turn he will rap under the pseudonym Red 5.
Fort Knocks recently added Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
rapper, Ms. Jade
to their growing roster. Kelis
also signed with the label a few weeks later after meeting Just Blaze at a Manhattan
party along with former Nas
protégé, Quan
.
In May 2008, Just Blaze announced that the label had parted ways with Atlantic Records
, searching for distribution deals with other labels.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
and R&B record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
founded in 2004 by record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
.
History
After his start as a local disc jockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, Just Blaze
Just Blaze
Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for...
became a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records
Roc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
. He would mainly produce for prominent Roc-A-Fella artist, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. Jay-Z would retire in 2003 and Blaze wanted his own label, so he could occupy his spare time. Island Def Jam could not afford to supply another label during that period, so Just Blaze left Def Jam in early 2004. Upon his departure, Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
head, Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman
Craig Kallman is Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Records.Craig Kallman signed the legendary lyricist Percee P and released his sought after 12" "Puttin' Heads To Bed" on his imprint Big Beat in the early 1990s. He joined the company in 1991, when Atlantic acquired Kallman's independent Big Beat...
, took advantage of his free agent status and agreed to bankroll him his own vanity label to be operated through Atlantic and its Warner Music
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
parent.
Fort Knocks Entertainment was quickly established by June 2004. The label would go on to sign a handful of acts that he had been watching from the underground circuit. This would include Brooklyn, New York rapper Brian Carenard, better known as 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...
, Chicago, Illinois singer Dave Young, and Jovan Dais.
The label's first release was 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...
's, "What a Life," featuring Tre Williams, which was quickly followed with the street album, The Moral of the Story. Around the time of these releases came Jovan Dais' "Another Man Will," its remix, and Fedex. Also in 2007, the label added Naledge to its ever-growing roster.
In the early stages of 2008, the label signed numerous acts including Seven Dirty, Armel,, M.E.D., and Jha Jha. The label was able to revive some of these acts careers and provide them with attention that they lacked at their previous label. They would quickly release the debut album from Seven Dirty, The Package, which featured "Do It All Again."
The label plans to release albums from M.E.D., Dave Young, Saigon, Seven Dirty, Jha Jha, and Red 5. Just Blaze now has plans to begin his own career as a rapper and, in turn he will rap under the pseudonym Red 5.
Fort Knocks recently added Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
rapper, Ms. Jade
Ms. Jade
Ms. Jade is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.In 2002 she released her only album to date, Girl Interrupted, which featured the singles "Big Head", "Feel The Girl" and "Ching Ching"....
to their growing roster. Kelis
Kelis
Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
also signed with the label a few weeks later after meeting Just Blaze at a Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
party along with former Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
protégé, Quan
Quan (rapper)
Clifford Peacock, better known by his stage name Quan or Don Ferquan, is an American rapper, affiliated with Nas and Ill Will Records...
.
In May 2008, Just Blaze announced that the label had parted ways with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, searching for distribution deals with other labels.
Artists
| Act | Year signed | # Albums released under Fort Knocks |
|---|---|---|
| Dave Young | 2007 | |
| M.E.D. | 2008 | |
| Armel | 2008 | |
| Seven Dirty | 2008 | 1 |
| Ms. Jade Ms. Jade Ms. Jade is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.In 2002 she released her only album to date, Girl Interrupted, which featured the singles "Big Head", "Feel The Girl" and "Ching Ching".... |
2008 | |
| Quan Quan (rapper) Clifford Peacock, better known by his stage name Quan or Don Ferquan, is an American rapper, affiliated with Nas and Ill Will Records... |
2008 | |
| Red 5 Just Blaze Justin Smith, better known as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop music producer from Paterson, New Jersey. Blaze is also the CEO of Fort Knocks Entertainment. He is most well known for producing Jay-Z songs on the albums The Blueprint, The Blueprint 2, and The Black Album. He is also known for... |
2008 | |
Upcoming releases
- 2011: Saigon - The Greatest Story Never ToldThe Greatest Story Never ToldThe Greatest Story Never Told is the debut studio album by American rapper Saigon, released February 15, 2011 on Suburban Noize Records. The album was initially scheduled to be released in 2007, but experienced numerous delays due to issues with Saigon's previous label Atlantic Records...
- TBA: Saigon - The Yardfather Prologue
- TBA: Armel - Love 101
- TBA: M.E.D. - Time For Re-Up
- TBA: Dave Young - Dave Young
- TBA: Jha Jha - Git It Girl: The Album
- TBA: Seven Dirty - Former Inmate: Life Goes On
- TBA: Ms. Jade - TBA
- TBA: Kelis - TBA
- TBA: Quan - Until My Death
Affiliated labels
- Atlantic RecordsAtlantic RecordsAtlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
(ex as of May 2008) - Roc-A-Fella RecordsRoc-A-Fella RecordsRoc-A-Fella Records is a record label founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Damon "Dame" Dash, and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and is distributed by Island Def Jam Motown Music Group.-Formation and Early Years:...
- Def Jam RecordingsDef Jam RecordingsDef Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
- Get Low RecordsGet Low RecordsGet Low Records is a hip hop record label founded by Memphis Bleek in 1998.-Beginnings:Under the guidance of Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek founded his label, Get Low Records. The label's first release was Memphis Bleek's gold debut, The Coming of Age. This gained the label some notoriety. During the year...