Jive Records

JIVE Records (stylized as JIVE) was an American record label under the RCA Music Group formed in 1981 by Zomba Records. Formerly headquartered in New York City, known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and also in teen pop and boy bands during the late 1990s/early 2000s.

JIVE Records operated as an independently managed label until 2003, when Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) acquired the remainder of its parent company Zomba for US $2.74 billion, which at the time was the largest-ever acquisition of an independent label with major-label distribution. JIVE's best-selling artists worldwide were the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears.

History

In 1971, South African musicians Clive Calder and Ralph Simon began a publishing and management company. It was named Zomba Records and relocated to London, England, four years later; their first client was a young Robert "Mutt" Lange. Zomba originally wanted to avoid record labels, choosing instead to focus on their songwriters and producers while allowing other established labels to release the material. Later that decade, the company opened offices in the US, where Calder began a business relationship with Clive Davis, whose Arista Records began releasing material by Zomba artists. In 1981, Zomba formed JIVE Records, whose operations began with the release of British dance and pop music such as Q-Feel, A Flock of Seagulls, and Tight Fit. Its name was inspired by township JIVE, a type of music that originated in South Africa. Davis had hoped that Zomba's connection with Mutt Lange would help alleviate the difficulties Arista was having finding potentially successful rock acts.

Britney Spears

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer and actress. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows as a child before signing with Jive Records in 1997. Spears's first and second studio albums, ...Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), became international successes, with the former becoming the best-selling album by a teenage solo artist. Title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" broke international sales records. In 2001, Spears released her self-titled third studio album, Britney, and played the starring role in the film Crossroads (2002). She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone (2003), which yielded the worldwide success of the "Toxic" single.

In 2007, Spears's much-publicized personal issues sent her career into hiatus. Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released later that year, and spawned hits such as "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". Her erratic behavior and hospitalizations continued through the following year, at which point she was placed under a still ongoing conservatorship. Spears's sixth studio album, Circus (2008), included global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". Its supporting tour The Circus Starring Britney Spears was one of the highest-grossing global concert tours in 2009.

Spice 1

Robert L. Green, Jr. (born July 2, 1970), better known by his stage name Spice 1, is an American rapper born in Corsicana, Texas. He has consistently been releasing solo and group albums since 1992. Spice 1 was ranked number 56 in The Source magazine's Top 115 Hip-Hop Artists from 1988–2003. His self-titled debut was also listed in The Source's 100 Best Rap

JiveRecords (1991-1999)

Spice's stage name is an acronym for "Sex, Pistols, Indo, Cash, and Entertainment". He was first discovered by rapper Too Short. In 1991 he put out his first release, Let It Be Known EP, which was not widely distributed. In 1992, he released his self-titled debut Spice 1, a vivid and fatalistic gangsta rap album. He followed it with an even more bitter and nihilistic release, 187 He Wrote, in 1993.

Spice 1 released six albums under Jive Records along with one greatest hits album. Though was reported by Jive that he had an album called "Full Metal Jacket", Spice 1 has stated that this information was false. The album was never released and it is uncertain whether any songs were recorded for the project. He was supposed to collaborate with 2Pac on an album called "One Nation", along with other west and east coast rappers.

Jacob Latimore

Jacob O'Neal Latimore, Jr. (born August 10, 1996) is an American singer, actor, and dancer.

Life and career

Latimore was born in Milwaukee, the son of Latitia Taylor and Jacob Latimore, Sr. When he was only five years old he watched the movie The Temptations – an ode to the popular Motown group – and fell in love with music. He spent weeks watching the movie over and over, trying to memorize the songs and learn all the dance moves. Jacob’s father and uncles were also musically talented and encouraged his interest. When he was nine years old he decided to take music more seriously and produced his first song, “Best Friend.” DJs across Wilwaukee instantly took to the song, and “Best Friend” received constant airtime. At the same time, Jacob was performing at events and festivals across the state, trying to make a name for himself.

By a stroke of luck someone at Disney heard Jacob’s song and decided to add it to Radio Disney’s Incubator program, which features upcoming young musicians. This led to exposure with other talented artists and an appearance on the Maury Povich Show. Jacob released a new single, “Superstar,” which shot him to fame and landed a spot on the Billboard R&B and Hip Hop charts. In early 2010, Jacob signed a record deal with Jive Records. He also scored a lead role in the film Vanishing on 7th Street and a part in the upcoming movie “The Untitled Pele Movie” about the Brazilian soccer player. Jacob partnered with fellow Jive artists Issa and Justin Martin for the song “Camera Phone,” and in October 2010 the three artists filmed the music video. With so many projects in the works, Jacob Latimore is sure to be a household name very soon. “I give all credit to God, he gave me this gift, and I am so excited to see what other doors he is going to open for me!”