The History of Shady Records


2000–2004
After Eminem released The Marshall Mathers LP, he started his own record label in late 2000 with his manager, Paul Rosenberg. Eminem looked for an avenue to release his Detroit-based rap group, D12, and Rosenberg was keen to start a label, which lead to the two teaming up to form Shady Records.D12 had come around as the first to be signed as they have been rapping together since the 1990s, and the members had made a promise that whoever became successful would come back for the others. Eminem was the first to achieve this success, and kept to his word.By June 2001, D12 released Devil's Night to commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200.Next to be signed to Shady Records was Detroit rapper Obie Trice. Obie Trice was introduced to Eminem through D12 member Bizarre. Eminem was impressed and signed him in June 2001, as the second Shady Records performer.Obie Trice first got public attention via a freestyle skit on the Devil's Night album.

Whilst working on the film 8 Mile, Eminem had a meeting with then small time New York rapper 50 Cent. Eminem managed to get a hold of 50 Cent's early mixtapes and liked what he heard. Eminem took this to Dr. Dre and offered the chance to work together on the artist. Dr. Dre also liked what he heard, so he took the opportunity, and 50 Cent became the first artist signed to Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment.The 8 Mile soundtrack was the second Shady Records album to be released, and went on to be successful.[The first single to be released was "Lose Yourself", which achieved many nominations and also became a surprise win of an Academy Award for Best Original Song, as it was the first time a hip hop song had ever won this award.The second single was 50 Cent's "Wanksta", which was released as a buzz track and became popular in 50 Cent's home town.During this time, Eminem had also made a deal with DJ Green Lantern, who released the label's first mixtape, Invasion!, in 2002.He was to DJ for Eminem during the Anger Management Tour, and by the end of 2003, DJ Green Lantern became the fourth signee of Shady Records.

The third release from Shady Records was 50 Cent's Get Rich or Die Tryin', in February 2003 (which was also released under Aftermath Entertainment). The album became the 2nd fastest selling debut in U.S. history,after Eminem's "Marshall Mathers LP".Next to be released from Shady Records was Obie Trice's debut album, Cheers, six months later. Despite having been a commercial success, the album was considered overshadowed by 50 Cent's music at the time.In 2002 and 2003, Shady Records were involved in many controversies with the likes of the inherited Murder Inc. feud that 50 Cent and G-Unit was involved in,on-going problems with the previous co-owners of The Source magazine, namely Benzino,as well as escalating issues with rapper Royce da 5'9", who was previously a friend of Eminem and D12.


Logo for Eminem's Shade 45 radio station.Towards the end of 2003, Dr. Dre and Eminem came to know Atlanta rapper Stat Quo, via his Underground Atlanta mixtapes. After Eminem heard his music, he gained interest and took it to Dr. Dre who also had interest in the music, and a joint deal was made.Stat Quo became the second artist to be signed to Shady/Aftermath, after 50 Cent. The following year saw the release of D12's second album, D12 World. Also, in 2004, Eminem and Rosenberg began a venture offered by Sirius Satellite Radio that saw the airing of their uncensored hip hop radio station, Shade 45. Shady Records DJ, DJ Green Lantern, was given the opportunity to have his own show,whilst 50 Cent's G-Unit DJ, DJ Whoo Kid, co-hosted G-Unit Radio on Saturdays.


2005 – Present
2005 saw the release of 50 Cent's second release, The Massacre, which set a record as the sixth fastest selling album since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking albums in 1991, with 1.14 million albums sold in four days.The album was a commercial success, and was only 32,000 records away from being the best-selling album of the year.On "Piggy Bank", a song off of the album, 50 Cent insulted several artists, including Jadakiss.The feud between Jadakiss and 50 Cent indirectly led to DJ Green Lantern leaving Shady Records. A few months after the release of The Massacre, Jadakiss appeared on a street DVD, and had DJ Green Lantern on loudspeaker through his phone, without Green Lantern being aware of this. The DJ shared his thoughts on how to deal with the feud. When the DVD was released and Eminem found out about what happened, Green Lantern had to leave Shady Records and Shade 45, and his upcoming album, Armageddon, was no longer a Shady Records-related project.


Magazine cover of XXL Presents Shade 45In August 2005, Eminem and the XXL magazine teamed up to release a special issue titled XXL Presents Shade 45, and was designed to give maximum exposure to Shade 45 as a radio station, and at the same time give maximum exposure to the Shady Records label as a whole, as well as the radio DJ's and G-Unit Records' artists. XXL executive publisher, Jonathan Rheingold, stated that typically magazines based around particular artists were not favorable, but "since Shade 45 is a truly authentic and uncensored rap radio channel, the marriage with the XXL brand made sense," before adding that it's what would interest rap fans.2005 also saw the signing of Bobby Creekwater to the label, making him the sixth artist and the second Atlanta-based rapper.

In early 2006, West Coast rapper Cashis joined Shady Records. Cashis, is an Orange County-based rapper that was born in Chicago who had managed to get his demo/mixtape heard by Eminem.Later in 2006, Obie Trice released his second album, Second Round's on Me. However, the album did not fare as well commercially as his debut, seemingly because of the state of the hip-hop industry The album saw a change in Obie Trice's style, whose first album was considered to be a little light-hearted. Second Round's on Me was considered to be a more serious, dark album, mainly showing the grittiness of Obie Trice's life and surroundings.

2006 was also a big year for Shady Records as a whole. There had been talk from early in the year of Eminem having the label's roster on a mixtape with new material to be presented by DJ Whoo Kid and The Alchemist.This talk went on for several months. In the end, it was announced that Eminem was so impressed with the mixtape material that he had decided to make it an official album, called Eminem Presents the Re-Up. The album had been long anticipated, until it was released in early December 2006. The release had spawned the single "You Don't Know", which featured 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, and the latest signee Cashis.

In May 2007, Cashis released the eight-track The County Hound EP in an attempt to have people "fiend" for his music, or garner interest in it. The album was released as a limited edition EP.September saw the release of 50 Cent's third album with the label, Curtis, which was involved in a well publicized competition with rapper Kanye West, who had his third album, Graduation set for release on the same day.In June 2008, Obie Trice departed from the label. A misunderstanding was made where it was believed he was attacking the label and Eminem on a single titled "The Giant" but they were quickly dismissed


Current Artists
D12
50 Cent
Ca$his

Upcoming Releases
Eminem - Relapse 2
50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct
Ca$his - The Art Of Dying
D12 - (Title is TBA)