Ruff Ryders Entertainment

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Ruff Ryders
Ruff Ryders Logo.jpg
Parent companyUniversal
Founded1997; 24 years ago (1997)[1]
FounderJoaquin "Waah" Dean
Darrin "Dee" Dean
Chivon Dean
Distributor(s)Interscope (US)
Universal (International)
Genre
Country of originUnited States
LocationYonkers, New York, U.S.

Ruff Ryders is an American record label founded by Joaquin "Waah" Dean, Darin "Dee" Dean and Chivon Dean, uncles and aunt of producer Swizz Beatz.[2] It operated as a subsidiary of Universal, and distributed by Fontana Distribution.

History[]

Ruff Ryders began as the managers of DMX and The LOX. Following DMX's chart success, the management company started its own label. The label signed several more acts who consequently became successful, including Eve, Drag-On, and Jin. The Deans' nephew, Swizz Beatz, was the main producer for most of the acts.

The label promoted the idea of all its acts being part of the "Ruff Ryders family", as evidenced when DMX won Best Rap Album at the 2000 Billboard Music Awards and was joined on stage by the other Ruff Ryders artists when he went to accept his award.[3]

In 2010 the Dean family relaunched the label as Ruff Ryders Indy, and has branched out into other areas, including Ruff Ryders Lifestyles (a sports bike organization),[4] Ruff Ryders Films,[5] Powerhouse Recording Studios, NatPro, a promotional company, and the Ruff Ryders to the Rescue Foundation.[6]

Artists and producers (in alphabetical order)[]

  • Aja Smith (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Big Stan
  • Cassidy (Ruff Ryders/Full Surface/J/eOne)
  • Dame Grease (Ruff Ryders/Vacant Lot)
  • DANCIL (Ruff Ryders)
  • DMX (Ruff Ryders/Def Jam/Bloodline)
  • Drag-On (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Eve (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Flashy (Ruff Ryders)
  • Infa-Red & Cross (Ruff Ryders/Def Jam)
  • MC Jin (Ruff Ryders/Virgin)
  • Fiend (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Kartoon (Ruff Ryders)
  • Loose Cannon
  • The LOX (Jadakiss, Sheek Louch and Styles P) (Ruff Ryders/D-Block/Bad Boy/Roc Nation)
  • Parle (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Pirate (Ruff Ryders)
  • P.K./P. Killer Trackz
  • Swizz Beatz (Ruff Ryders/Interscope)
  • Yung Wun (Ruff Ryders)

Labels founded by Ruff Ryder artists[]

Ruff Ryders[]

Ruff Ryders
Years active1998–2011
Labels
  • Ruff Ryders
  • Interscope
Associated actsJay-Z
Past membersDMX (deceased)
Drag-On
Eve
Jadakiss
MC Jin
Sheek Louch
Styles P
Swizz Beatz
Yung Wun

Ruff Ryders was an American hip hop collective composed of signees of Ruff Ryders Entertainment. The group's de facto leader was DMX.

Releases[]

Studio albums[]

Artist Album Details
DMX It's Dark and Hell Is Hot
  • Released: May 12, 1998
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: 4× Platinum
Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
  • Released: December 22, 1998
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: 3× Platinum
Eve Let There Be Eve...Ruff Ryders' First Lady
  • Released: September 14, 1999
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: 2× Platinum
DMX ...And Then There Was X
  • Released: December 21, 1999
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: 5× Platinum
The Lox We Are the Streets
  • Released: January 25, 2000
  • Chart position: #5 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Drag-On Opposite of H2O
  • Released: March 28, 2000
  • Chart position: #5 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Eve Scorpion
  • Released: March 6, 2001
  • Chart position: #4 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Jadakiss Kiss tha Game Goodbye
  • Released: August 7, 2001
  • Chart position: #5 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
DMX The Great Depression
  • Released: October 23, 2001
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Styles P A Gangster and a Gentleman
  • Released: July 9, 2002
  • Chart position: #6 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Eve Eve-Olution
  • Released: August 27, 2002
  • Chart position: #6 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
DMX Grand Champ
  • Released: September 16, 2003
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Drag-On Hell and Back
  • Released: February 10, 2004
  • Chart position: #47 U.S.
Jadakiss Kiss of Death
  • Released: June 22, 2004
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Gold
Jin The Rest Is History
  • Released: October 19, 2004
  • Chart position: #54 U.S.
Sheek Louch After Taxes
  • Released: November 8, 2005
  • Chart position: #23 U.S.
DMX Year of the Dog... Again
  • Released: August 1, 2006
  • Chart position: #2 U.S.
Styles P Time is Money
  • Released: December 19, 2006
  • Chart position: #79 U.S.
Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)
  • Released: December 4, 2007
  • Chart position: #52 U.S.
Jadakiss The Last Kiss
  • Released: April 7, 2009
  • Chart position: #3 U.S.

Compilations[]

Artist Album Details
Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 1
  • Released: April 27, 1999
  • Chart position: #1 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 2
  • Released: July 4, 2000
  • Chart position: #2 U.S.
  • RIAA certification: Platinum
Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 3: In the "R" We Trust
  • Released: December 18, 2001
  • Chart position: #34 U.S.[7]
Ruff Ryders The Redemption Vol. 4
  • Released: July 26, 2005
DMX The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter
  • Released: June 12, 2007 (US)[8]
  • Chart position: #26 U.S.
  • BPI: Silver[9]
DMX Playlist Your Way
  • Released: February 24, 2009 (US)[10]
DMX The Best of DMX
  • Released: January 26, 2010 (US)[11]
  • Chart position: #2 U.S.
  • BPI: Silver[12]
Ruff Ryders Ruff Ryders: Past, Present, Future
  • Released: November 21, 2011 (US)

References[]

  1. ^ Carl Lamarre (April 22, 2017). "Eve Impresses, DMX Struggles Through His Set at Ruff Ryders Reunion Concert". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2019. Established in 1997, the venerable label birthed iconic rap stars ...
  2. ^ Phares, Heather. Biography of Ruff Ryders at AllMusic. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  3. ^ Simon, Reynolds (March 12, 2000). "Family Values in the Rap Business". The New York Times. Retrieved February 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "About Us". Ruff Ryders Lifestyles. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  5. ^ http://ruffrydersfilms.com Archived February 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Ruff Ryders Rescue". ruffryders.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  7. ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (January 19, 2002). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
  8. ^ Kellman, Andy. "The Definition of X: The Pick of the Litter – DMX". AllMusic. TiVo Corporation. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  9. ^ "BPI: DMX". British Phonographic Industry.
  10. ^ "DMX – Playlist Your Way". Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  11. ^ Jeffries, David. "The Best of DMX – DMX". AllMusic. TiVo Corporation. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  12. ^ "BPI: DMX". British Phonographic Industry.

External links[]

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