Diplomat Records (also known as Diplomatic Man) is an American hip hop record label founded by record executives and rappers Cam'ron and Jim Jones.
History In the early 2000s, Dipset was very popular for having star rappers with radio hits like Juelz Santana and Cam'ron, as well as their association with Jay-Z, Damon Dash, and Kareem Burke's Roc-A-Fella Records, which was distributed under Def Jam Recordings. This resulted in four studio albums being released under the Dipset/Roc-A-Fella joint venture. In 2005, Dipset moved away from Roc-A-Fella after Jay-Z assumed presidency of Def Jam, which they took issue with. They had already signed to independent music powerhouse MNRK Music Group (formerly Koch/eOne) the year prior. Despite this, Juelz Santana's remained under contract with Def Jam for the time being until 2008 when Cam'ron sold his contract to the label in 2008. Santana only released one album under his Dipset/Def Jam deal in late 2005. Even though the Diplomats/Koch partnership seemed financially improved over the Roc-A-Fella deal, only co-founder Jim Jones became the most successful Dipset artist under that deal; one notice was his single, "We Fly High" (2006) scoring among the Billboard top ten and going platinum the following year. Between 2006 and 2009, Dipset was relatively quiet aside from Cam'ron and Jim Jones after alleged falling outs. However, in 2010, they reunited and have begun to associate themselves with rapper Vado. The recent release under Diplomat Records was in 2018 with the Empire-distributed Diplomatic Ties.
Distribution Diplomat Records doesn't have traditional distribution in the sense that each of its artists have deals with individual labels. In 2005, after signing with Koch (now MNRK Music) in 2004, then-president of A&R George "Duke Da God" Moore signed a deal to release the first official compilation through Dipset/Koch, Dipset: More Than Music, Vol. 1.
In 2005, when co-founder Cam'ron parted ways with Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam and signed with Warner Music Group's Alternative Distribution Alliance-distributed Asylum Records,Ozzie (April 30, 2005) Cam'ron inks deal with Asylum/Warner Accessed September 18, 2008. he secured that his albums to be released under Diplomat Records,Dave (April 30, 2005) Cam'ron leaves Rocafella RapBasement Accessed September 18, 2008. while also securing any future Diplomat group albums under Koch, with the exclusion of Juelz Santana, due to his obligations with Def Jam.(June 2005) June 2005 Interview with Cam'ron XXL. Accessed September 19, 2008.
Former president Freekey ZekeyEdwards, Brandon. "Freekey Zekey So Harlem Pt. 1" , XXLmag.com, February 13, 2007. Accessed September 21, 2008.Black Widow (December 4, 2006) Ballin!: Freekey Zekey Snags A Multi-Million Dollar Deal; Jones Celebrates A 'Dipset X-Mas' SixShot. Accessed September 21, 2008. also released his debut album on Diplomat with distribution coming from Asylum. In addition to the deal with Koch to release the More Than Music, Vol. 1 compilation album, co-founder Jim Jones released his first three albums under Koch in association with Diplomat Records.Jim Jones 'Harlem: The Diary Of A Summer album Accessed September 19, 2008.Thomas Golianopoulos (December 4, 2006) Jim Jones, 'Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)' (Diplomat/Koch) Spin Magazine Online. Accessed September 19, 2008. Juelz Santana also released his first two albums under Diplomat with distribution by Def Jam (one of which was his debut release under Def Jam's Roc-A-Fella),From Me to U Accessed September 19, 2008.Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Rahman Dukes MTV's Mixtape Monday Accessed September 19, 2008. until his contract as a solo artist with Diplomat was sold to Def Jam by Cam'ron in 2008.(August 19, 2008) Was Cam'ron holding Juelz Santana Back? DefSounds Accessed September 20, 2008.(August 1, 2008) Juelz Santana's contract Sold to Def Jam DefSounds. Accessed September 20, 2008. In a 2008 interview, Diplomat member and signee 40 Cal. confirmed several labels that the individual members at the time (including J.R. Writer) were being distributed under Babygrande,Quinton Hatfield (August 11, 2008) 40 Cal.: The Rising Up HipHopDX. Accessed September 20, 2008. though earlier reports listed him as being distributed, like many others on the Diplomat label, through Koch.Michael Ivey (May 3, 2008) Dipset Moves on JR Writer's Debut Accessed September 21, 2008.
Artists
Cam'ron Jimmy Jones Juelz Santana The Diplomats
Former Act Yearson the label Releasesunder the labelFreekey Zekey2002-20121Hell Rell2003-2008J.R. WriterS.A.S (Euro Gang)40 Cal2004-20083Max B2005-2007; 2010
Discography ArtistAlbumDetailsCam'ronCome Home with Me(released under Roc-A-Fella Records)Released: May 14, 2002 Chart position: #2 U.S. RIAA certification: PlatinumSearchable Database . RIAA. Accessed September 16, 2008. Singles: "Oh Boy", "Hey Ma", "Day Dreaming"The DiplomatsDiplomatic Immunity(released under Roc-A-Fella Records)Released: March 25, 2003 Chart positions: #8 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold Singles: "Dipset Anthem", "I Really Mean It"Juelz SantanaFrom Me to U(released under Roc-A-Fella Records)Released: August 19, 2003 Chart position: #8 U.S. RIAA certification: Singles: "Dipset (Santana's Town)"Jim JonesOn My Way to Church(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: August 24, 2004 Chart position: #18 U.S. Singles: "Certified Gangstas", "Crunk Muzik'The DiplomatsDiplomatic Immunity 2(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: November 23, 2004 Chart position: #46 U.S. Singles: "S.A.N.T.A.N.A.", "Crunk Muzik", "Push It"Cam'ronPurple Haze(released under Roc-A-Fella Records)Released: December 7, 2004 Chart position: #20 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold U.S. sales: 800,000Sanneh, Kelefa (December 29, 2005). A Rap Tale of 2 Cities and 2 Stars. The New York Times. Accessed September 16, 2008. Singles: "Get Em Girl", "Girls", "Down and Out", "Hey Lady"Various artistsDukeDaGod Presents: More Than Music, Vol. 1(released under Koch Entertainment) Released: July 12, 2005 Singles: "Get Down"Jim JonesHarlem: Diary of a Summer(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: August 23, 2005 Chart position: #5 U.S. Singles: "Baby Girl", "Summer Wit Miami", "What You Been Drankin' On"Juelz SantanaWhat the Game's Been Missing!(released under Def Jam Recordings)Released: November 22, 2005 Chart position: #9 U.S. RIAA certification: Platinum Singles: "Mic Check", "There It Go (The Whistle Song)", "Oh Yes", "Clockwork"Cam'ronKilla Season(released under Asylum Records)Released: May 16, 2006 Chart position: #2 U.S. RIAA certification: Gold Singles: "Suck it or Not", "Wet Wipes"J.R. WriterHistory in the Making(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: July 11, 2006 Chart position: #25 U.S. Singles: "Grill 'Em", "Byrd Call"Jim JonesHustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: November 7, 2006 Chart position: #6 U.S. Singles: "We Fly High", "Emotionless"Various artistsDukeDaGod Presents: More Than Music, Vol. 2(released under Koch Entertainment) Released: May 8, 2007Freekey ZekeyBook of Ezekiel(released under Asylum Records)Released: July 24, 2007 Chart position: #154 U.S. Singles: "Hater What You Lookin At", "Like This"40 Cal.Broken Safety 2(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: September 11, 2007 Chart position: #151 U.S. Singles: "The Big Boys"Hell RellFor the Hell of It(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: September 25, 2007 Chart position: #55 U.S. Singles: "Show Off"40 Cal.The Yellow Tape(released under Koch Entertainment)Released: April 11, 2008Cam'ronCrime Pays(released under Asylum Records)Released: May 12, 2009 Chart position: #3 U.S. Singles: "My Job", "Get It In Ohio", "Cookies-n-Apple Juice"Harlem FritzInterstate Breesh Vol. 1(released under Empire Records)Released: May 6, 2010 Chart position: #138 U.S.Cam'ron & VadoHeat in Here Vol. 1(released under Asylum Records)Released: May 25, 2010Gunz n' Butta(released under eOne Music)Released: April 19, 2011 Singles: "Speaking in Tungs", "Hey Mama", "We All Up in Here"The DiplomatsDiplomatic Ties(released under Empire Distribution) Released: November 21, 2018
References
External links Official website