PGLang
Type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Entertainment |
Founded | 2020 |
Founder | Kendrick Lamar Dave Free |
Headquarters | United States |
Services | |
Website | Official website |
PGLang (stylized as "pgLang") is an American multi-disciplinary media company co-founded by American recording artist Kendrick Lamar and his business partner Dave Free, in 2020.[1] It is a service company that encompasses a record label, a production house, and publishing.[2]
History[]
Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free met when the two were in high school, and also co-directed music videos together under the name The Little Homies.[3] In 2019, Free announced his departure from Top Dawg Entertainment after being the co-president of the label, saying "None of the tactics we used back in the day to break Kendrick, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, or Schoolboy would work now. It's a whole new game. Blogs were very influential back then and I'd have to build a lot of relationships with blogs and now it's just more about streaming. You have to have the relationships with the streaming sites and it can't just be a fake relationship."[4]
On March 5, 2020, Lamar and Free announced the launching of PGLang, which was described as a multilingual, artist-friendly service company.[5][6] The company is multilingual for creators, with its official mission statement saying "Our community speaks music, film, television, art, books, and podcasts – because sometimes we have to use different languages to get the point of our stories across. Stories that speak to many nations, many races, and many ages."[7] In a press release, Free said that the company "is not a record label, a movie studio, or a publishing house. This is something new. In this overstimulated time, we are focused on cultivating raw expression from grassroots partnerships."[8] The announcement also featured a "visual mission statement", a four-minute short film starring Lamar, Baby Keem, Jorja Smith, and Yara Shahidi.[9] Lamar simply stated in the press release, "Selfless. Reset."[10][11]
On January 13, 2021, PGLang announced a collaboration project with Calvin Klein, with a series of seven short films written and directed by Free.[12] The short films included appearances from Baby Keem, Brent Faiyaz, Mecca Allah, Travis Bennett, and Amber Wagner, among others.[13][14]
In 2022, an untitled comedy film to be produced by Dave Free, Kendrick Lamar, Matt Stone, and Trey Parker was announced, with Vernon Chatman set to write.[15] On March 9, 2022, pgLang announced the signing of Los Angeles artist Tanna Leone.[16]
Roster[]
Act | Year signed |
Releases under the label |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Baby Keem | 2020 | 1 | Partnership with Columbia |
Tanna Leone | 2022 | – | Partnership with Def Jam |
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
Artist | Album | Details |
---|---|---|
Baby Keem | The Melodic Blue |
|
Filmography[]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2020 | Calvin Klein short films |
References[]
- ^ Alter, Rebecca. "Kendrick Lamar, Pulitzer Prize Winner, Launches Something 'Selfless'". Vulture.
- ^ Mamo, Heran. "Kendrick Lamar Announces Mysterious 'pgLang' Project: What Does It All Mean?". Billboard.
- ^ Yoo, Noah. "Dave Free No Longer Co-President of Top Dawg Entertainment: Report". Pitchfork.
- ^ "Dave Free Leaves Top Dawg Entertainment". Rolling Stone.
- ^ Mamo, Heran. "Kendrick Lamar Announces Mysterious 'pgLang' Project: What Does It All Mean?". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 5, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ Holmes, Charles (March 5, 2020). "Kendrick Lamar Launches... Something (And Says It's Not a Record Label)". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- ^ McKinney, Jessica. "What Is pgLang? Kendrick Lamar's Mysterious New Company, Explained". Complex.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free Launch New Company pgLang". Complex. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ DeVille, Chris. "Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free Launch "At Service Company" pgLang". StereoGum. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew. "Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free Launch New Company pgLang". Pitchfork.
- ^ "What Is PgLang? Decoding Kendrick Lamar's Mysterious Company". GQ.
- ^ Dunn, Frankie. "Kendrick Lamar's pgLang has collaborated with Calvin Klein". Vice.
- ^ Triscari, Caleb. "Kendrick Lamar's pgLang announces creative project featuring Baby Keem, Brent Faiyaz and more". NME.
- ^ Darville, Jordan. "Kendrick Lamar's pgLang is launching a Calvin Klein campaign". The Fader.
- ^ Grobar, Matt. "Kendrick Lamar, Dave Free & 'South Park' Duo Matt Stone And Trey Parker To Produce Comedy Penned By Vernon Chatman For Paramount". Deadline.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free's pgLang Announces Partnership With Los Angeles Artist Tanna Leone". Complex.
- Kendrick Lamar
- Film production companies of the United States
- Mass media companies established in 2020
- Publishing companies established in 2020
- Record labels established in 2020
- 2020 establishments in California
- Companies based in California
- Entertainment companies based in California
- Mass media companies of the United States
- Music production companies
- Music publishing companies of the United States
- Record labels based in California
- American hip hop record labels
- Contemporary R&B record labels