Waka Flocka Flame

Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), better known by his stage name Waka Flocka Flame or simply Waka Flocka, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's Do It", "Hard in da Paint" and "No Hands", the latter of which peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100. His debut studio album Flockaveli, was later released in 2010. His second studio album Triple F Life: Friends, Fans & Family was released on June 8, 2012 and was preceded by the lead single "Round of Applause".

Biography

1986–2008: Early life and career beginnings

Juaquin Malphurs was born in South Jamaica, Queens, New York, in 1986. His family eventually settled in Riverdale, Georgia, in the Atlanta area. His mother, Debra Antney, is rapper Gucci Mane's former manager and CEO of So Icey/Mizay Entertainment. The name "Waka" was given to him by his cousin, after the Muppets character Fozzie Bear's catch phrase, "Waka Waka". The name "Flocka Flame" was given to him by rapper Gucci Mane. Waka Flocka said that he has known Gucci Mane since he was 19.

1017 Records

1017 Records, also known as 1017 Brick Squad Records, is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane after his departure from Mizay Entertainment and the closing of So Icey Entertainment. The label has been a home to artists such as Waka Flocka Flame, Young Thug, Young Scooter, and Chief Keef among others. Atlantic Records was hitherto been a distributor but the label parted ways with Atlantic in late 2013. 1017 Records is currently distributed By 101 Distribution.

History

2007-2013

Gucci Mane opened the record label after signing with Mizay Entertainment in 2007, following the release of his independent album Trap-A-Thon. On May 4, 2010, Mane announced he had closed So Icey Entertainment and left Mizay Entertainment due to business problems with Debra Antney.

Gucci Mane stated that he was starting his own record label and that his employer, Jerry Alvarado, was already signing a distribution deal with Asylum Records. The first artists to sign up to 1017 Brick Squad were OJ Da Juiceman and Waka Flocka Flame, who signed up whilst they were still signed to Mizay Entertainment.

Brick

A brick is building material used to make walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Traditionally, the term brick referred to unit composed of clay, but it is now used to denote any rectangular units laid in mortar. A brick can be composed of clay-bearing soil, sand and lime, or concrete materials. Bricks are produced in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region and time period, and are produced in bulk quantities. Two basic categories of bricks are fired and non-fired bricks.

Block is a similar term referring to a rectangular building unit composed of similar materials, but is usually larger than a brick. Lightweight bricks (also called "lightweight blocks") are made from expanded clay aggregate.

Fired bricks are one of the longest-lasting and strongest building materials, sometimes referred to as artificial stone, and have been used since circa 5000 BC. Air-dried bricks, also known as mudbricks, have a history older than fired bricks, and have an additional ingredient of a mechanical binder such as straw.

Monopoly

A monopoly (from Greek μόνος mónos ("alone" or "single") and πωλεῖν pōleîn ("to sell")) exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity (this contrasts with a monopsony which relates to a single entity's control of a market to purchase a good or service, and with oligopoly which consists of a few entities dominating an industry). Monopolies are thus characterized by a lack of economic competition to produce the good or service, a lack of viable substitute goods, and the possibility of a high monopoly price well above the firm's marginal cost that leads to a high monopoly profit. The verb monopolise or monopolize refers to the process by which a company gains the ability to raise prices or exclude competitors. In economics, a monopoly is a single seller. In law, a monopoly is a business entity that has significant market power, that is, the power to charge overly high prices. Although monopolies may be big businesses, size is not a characteristic of a monopoly. A small business may still have the power to raise prices in a small industry (or market).

Stage name

A stage name, also called a screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.

Motivation to use a stage name

A performer will often take a stage name because his/her real name is considered unattractive, dull, or unintentionally amusing, is difficult to pronounce or spell, has been used by another notable individual, or projects an undesired image. Sometimes a performer adopts a name that is unusual or outlandish to attract attention. Other performers use a stage name in order to retain anonymity. The equivalent concept among writers is called a nom de plume or pen name, while the term ring name is used in professional wrestling. In radio, the term "radio name" or "air name" is used. For example, well-known talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who now uses his real name, was known under the radio name Jeff Christie in his days as a top-40 disk jockey.

Family connection