Warner Music Group

Warner Music Group (WMG), also known as Warner Music, is an American major global record company headquartered in New York City. The largest American-owned music conglomerate worldwide, it is one of the 'big three' recording companies (the third largest in the global music industry). The company operates some of the largest and most successful recording labels in the world, including its flagship labels Warner Bros. Records, Parlophone Records and Atlantic Records. WMG also owns Warner/Chappell Music, one of the world's largest music-publishing companies.

Formerly owned by Time Warner, the company was publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange until May 2011, when it announced its privatization and sale to Access Industries, which was completed in July 2011. With a multibillion-dollar annual turnover, WMG employs in excess of 3,500 people and has operations in more than 50 countries throughout the world.

History

1950s and 1960s

WMG's roots date back to the founding of Warner Bros. Records in 1958 as a division of Warner Bros. Pictures. The film company had no record label division at the time and one of its contracted actors, Tab Hunter, scored a hit song for Dot Records, which was a division of rival Paramount Pictures. In order to prevent any repetition of its actors recording for rival companies, and to also capitalize on the music business, Warner Bros. Records was created. In 1963, Warner purchased Reprise Records, which had been founded by Frank Sinatra three years earlier so that he could have more creative control over his recordings. With the Reprise acquisition, Warner gained the services of Mo Ostin, who would be mainly responsible for the success of Warner/Reprise.

Riff Raff (rapper)

Horst Christian Simco (born January 29, 1982), better known by the stage name Riff Raff (often stylized as RiFF RAFF), is an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was originally managed by Swishahouse co-founder OG Ron C. Then after being associated with Soulja Boy's imprint S.O.D. Money Gang Inc., Riff Raff is now signed to producer Diplo's record label Mad Decent. He was formerly a member of the rap group Three Loco along with Andy Milonakis and Dirt Nasty. His major label debut studio album Neon Icon was released on June 24, 2014 on Mad Decent.

Early life

Riff Raff was born Horst Simco in Houston, Texas, on January 29, 1982 to parents Anita Simco, a maid, and Ronald Simco, a Vietnam War veteran with severe post-traumatic stress disorder who worked various jobs including police officer and Walmart manager. His mother grew up in Ohio, descending from a family of German and Lithuanian Jews that included several survivors, and victims, of the Holocaust. Riff Raff was the second of four siblings. He and his family lived in Copperfield, a suburb 25 miles northwest of Houston. Growing up he was obsessed with basketball, playing frequently with other children in his neighborhood. By the middle of the decade, the Simcos had moved to nearby Stone Creek, which had recently developed a gang problem. He attended Langham Creek High School, where he was shooting guard on his school's basketball team, before dropping out in his senior year. Shortly thereafter he obtained his GED.

Mad Decent

Mad Decent is a Philadelphia via Los Angeles-based record label spearheaded by Diplo. The label has helped introduce Brazilian baile funk and Angolan kuduro to clubs around the world. Recently, it has embraced moombahton, a genre of electronic dance music created by DJ Dave Nada. The label is also known for its series of concerts in major cities known as Mad Decent Block Party.

History

Mad Decent was founded in 2005 by Diplo. In 2010, the label moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. In 2011, it announced the launch of the imprint label Jeffrees as "an outlet to curate and promote new music that errs on the side of experimental, in keeping with the label’s original mission."

The label gained more attention in 2012 and 2013, with the worldwide success of Baauer's single "Harlem Shake", which went viral on YouTube.

Since 2008, the label has created a multiple city Mad Decent Block Party tour throughout the United States. This travelling festival began at a much smaller scale with simply a rented tent, dunk tank and bbq on a Philadelphia street (Block of 12th St. and Spring Garden St.). The event is in line with the overall concept of the label showcasing global pop and dance music. The featured artists at the events has expanded from featuring Mad Decent's roster to high profile artists such as Matt and Kim and Outkast.

Travis Porter

Travis Porter is an American hip hop rap group from Decatur, Georgia. Ali and Quez are step brothers; the two met Strap while attending the same middle school. The three grew up together and in 2006 began exploring music. The group's biggest hits are "Aww Yea", "Go Shorty Go", "Bananas", "Ayy Ladies", "Bring It Back" and "Make It Rain" produced by F-K-I. Travis Porter released a biographical film titled Proud to be a Problem on May 18, 2010. Travis Porter has a YouTube channel with over 130 million views and a Twitter page. In November 2010 the trio signed with Jive Records.

Music career

Music beginnings