Ruff Ryders Entertainment

Ruff Ryders Entertainment is an American record label and management company founded by siblings and record executives Joaquin "Waah", Darin "Dee" and Chivon Dean.[2] It operated as a subsidiary of Universal, and distributed by Fontana Distribution. The label went on to launch the careers of several successful artists such as Eve, Cassidy and the Deans' nephew, Swizz Beatz, among others. The Ruff Ryders namesake also referred to a loose-knit hip hop collective composed of the core signees of the label. The collective's de facto leader was the label’s flagship artist DMX.

Ruff Ryders
Parent companyUniversal
Founded1988 (1988)[1]
FounderJoaquin "Waah" Dean
Darrin "Dee" Dean
Chivon Dean[1]
Distributor(s)Interscope (US)
Universal (International)
Genre
Country of originUnited States
LocationYonkers, New York, U.S.

History

Ruff Ryders began as the managers of DMX and The LOX. Following DMX's signing to Def Jam, the management company started its own label. The label signed several more acts who consequently became successful, including Eve, Drag-On, and The LOX. 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 other Ruff Ryders 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]

Notable artists and producers

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)

See also

References
  1. BET.com (August 19, 2020). "5 Things To Know About Ruff Ryders". Black Entertainment Television. Retrieved October 18, 2021. In 1988, [Waah] formed a fledgling management company and brought Dee, along with their sister, Chivon, on board as his founding partners.
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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