Blacksmith Records

Blacksmith Records
Parent companyFontana
Founded2005
FounderTalib Kweli, Corey Smyth
Distributor(s)Element 9/Fontana (US)
GenreHip hop, R&B
Country of originUS
Official websiteblacksmithnyc.com

Blacksmith is a music management company and a record label founded by Harlem-born Corey Smyth and Talib Kweli of Black Star.[1]

Signees include Jean Grae, Strong Arm Steady, Vince Staples and Idle Warship. Kweli has stated he hopes to sign Camp Lo and had expressed interest in signing Rakim as well.

Talib Kweli announced that there will be a 'BlackSmith TV' where people will get information about the label.

The label was originally distributed through Warner Bros. Records but split in December 2008. Talib did confirm to AllHipHop.com that Warner Bros. would still distribute Reflection Eternal & Talib Kweli projects but not any other Blacksmith acts. It's now believed that the label has distribution through Element 9/Fontana with Strong Arm Steady latest project and Idle Warship's upcoming debut album said to have distribution through them.[2] As of 2012 the label is defunct and was disbanded after Kweli's manager decided to focus the Blacksmith brand elsewhere rather than the label.[3] Blacksmith management is currently home to artists such as Chad Hugo, and Vince Staples, among others.

  1. ^ "Blacksmith CEO Corey Smyth Forges His Own Style". The Urban Daily. 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
  2. ^ "Idle Warship To Release LP "Habits Of The Heart" On October 24th". HipHopDX. 7 September 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Talib Kweli Pushes Back "Prisoner of Consciousness," Explains Dismantling Blacksmith Records | HipHopDX Mobile". Archived from the original on 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2013-05-06.