Rostrum Records is an independent record label

Independent record label

An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...

, founded in 2003 by Benjy Grinberg in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

. The label is currently focusing on its newest artist, Mac Miller

Mac Miller

Malcolm McCormick , known by his stage name Mac Miller , is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

, as well as his first album, titled Blue Slide Park

Blue Slide Park

-Track listing:*On some physical copies of the album a 17th song, "Donald Trump", is incorrectly listed as a bonus track on the reverse cover track listing...

 which was released on November 8th 2011.

With success by Rostrum Records’ Nitty (Rostrum/Universal Records), the label has gone on to sign Wiz Khalifa

Wiz Khalifa

Cameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...

, Scott Simons, Mac Miller

Mac Miller

Malcolm McCormick , known by his stage name Mac Miller , is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

 and the resurfaced 1988 Top Shelf recordings that featured Big Daddy Kane

Big Daddy Kane

Antonio Hardy better known by his stage name Big Daddy Kane, is an American rapper who started his career in 1986 as a member of the rap group the Juice Crew. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential and skilled MC's in Hip Hop...

, Grand Puba

Grand Puba

Maxwell Dixon is an emcee best known as a member of the group Brand Nubian.-Biography:He made his debut with the group Masters of Ceremony. Its album Dynamite was hailed by critics, but probably due to lack of sales, the group soon disbanded, and Puba emerged as the lead emcee of Brand Nubian...

, and MC Lyte

MC Lyte

MC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.-Early life:...

, among others. Featured in Rolling Stone, XXL

XXL (magazine)

XXL is a Hip-Hop magazine, published by Harris Publications.In 1997, XXL was founded by former Source staffers as well as other Harris Publication employees, who wanted to create their own magazine about the hip-hop music and culture using the model developed by the founders of The Source...

, and VIBE

VIBE

Vibe is a music and entertainment magazine founded by producer Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip-hop music artists, actors and other entertainers...

, and the video for the song “Pittsburgh Sound” debuting on Fuse TV

Fuse TV

Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....

, Khalifa has been rapidly gaining attention in the music industry. Scott Simons signed with the label in early 2006, recording new material with a renewed emphasis on keyboards. His songs are being mixed by Neal Pogue and John Fields, and produced by Ted Comerford. Simons released "The Start Of Something EP" in September of 2008. Rostrum Records’ main focus is artist development.

Signed artists

• Donora
  Donora (band)
  Donora is an American indie pop/rock band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They first gained visibility in 2006 as semifinalists in the contest, "Calling All Bands", sponsored by MySpace and Verizon Wireless, for their song "She's Just a Girl"...
  
  
• Mac Miller
  Mac Miller
  Malcolm McCormick , known by his stage name Mac Miller , is an American rapper from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
  
  
• Scott Simons
• Vali Porter
• Wiz Khalifa
  Wiz Khalifa
  Cameron Jibril Thomaz , better known by the stage name Wiz Khalifa , is an American rapper. He released his debut album, Show and Prove, in 2006, and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 2007...
  
  
• The League
• LoLa Monroe

Top Shelf

In 1988, recording studio Top Shelf was looted during the Tompkins Square Park Riot, with several recordings by many artists lost. A search soon followed the theft with little success. However later, Rostrum Records acquired many of these recordings and has since began publishing them.

External links

• Rostrum Records Official Site
• Rostrum Records on Myspace
  Myspace
  Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
  
  .
• Interview with Rostrum president Benjy Grinberg, HitQuarters Oct 2011