EMPIRE Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (marketed as EMPIRE) is an American distribution company and record label founded in by Ghazi Shami [1] with offices in New York City, London, Nashville, and Atlanta. It has released albums in various genres but it is predominantly focused on hip hop music. Many prominent companies and artists have partnerships with EMPIRE (see below), with music being distributed across platforms such as iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Deezer, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Rdio, along with physical CDs and vinyl being distributed to traditional record stores.
EMPIRE has supported the debut albums and early singles of a number of early artists, frequently signing young talent. In the Atlanta scene, orchestrated by their SR. Marketing Executive , John Hill they were the first label to release Trinidad James, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Rocko, and K Camp. In Los Angeles, they have distributed and/or are still distributing artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Problem, Snoop Dogg, and Crooked I. They've also been involved in New York with releases from Fat Joe, Styles P, Cam'ron, and Busta Rhymes. On the R&B side, they have signed artists such as Eric Bellinger, Jacquees, Jesse Boykins III, Jonn Hart, and Lyrica Anderson. EMPIRE has also had several chart topping reggae albums including reggae artist J Boog's album Backyard Boogie.[2]
A number of albums and singles distributed by EMPIRE have charted on Billboard, including "Taste" by Tyga featuring Offset, "Look at Me" by XXXTentacion, "All the Way Up" by Fat Joe and Remy Ma, "Broccoli" by DRAM, "Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)" by Rich Homie Quan, "Might Be" and "OTW" by DJ Luke Nasty, Malibu by Anderson .Paak, Section.80 by Kendrick Lamar, "Gas Pedal" by Sage the Gemini, Phantom and the Ghost by Styles P, "#IWantDat" by Mindless Behavior, Knock Madness by Hopsin, and Stoner's EP by Snoop Dogg.
