GOOD Music
Parent company	Island Def Jam
Founded	2004
Founder	Kanye West
Distributor(s)	Def Jam (U.S.) Mercury (outside U.S.)
Genre	Hip hop, R&B
Country of origin	United States
Location	New York City, New York

G.O.O.D. Music is an American record label founded by recording artist and record producer Kanye West in 2004. "G.O.O.D." is a bacronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams". The label is home to recording artists such as West himself, Big Sean, Pusha T, Mos Def, John Legend, D'banj and Mr Hudson among others. The label also houses a roster of producers such as, Hit-Boy, Hudson Mohawke, Jeff Bhasker, No I.D., Q-Tip, S1 and Travi$ Scott. Artists formerly signed to the label include Common, Kid Cudi, GLC and Consequence among others.

History [edit]

2004–07: Founding and beginnings [edit]

Kanye West founded the label in late 2004, in conjunction with Sony/BMG shortly after releasing his critically acclaimed debut The College Dropout. John Legend and Common were the first artists signed to GOOD Music received seven Grammy Award nominations between them for their first albums on the label; Get Lifted (2004) with three and Be (2005) with four respectively.^[1] Shortly after, GLC, Malik Yusef, Tony Williams and Consequence were all signed to the label.^[2]

On August 30, 2005, Kanye released his second studio album Late Registration which featured guest appearances from all of the GOOD Music roster at the time.^[3] On October 24, 2006 John Legend released his second album on GOOD Music with, Once Again, which he won a Grammy for the song "Heaven".^[4] In May 2007 Detroit rapper Big Sean was also signed to the label.^[5] In 2007, Common and Kanye West would again release solo albums, Finding Forever and Graduation, respectively. Both albums would be nominated for Rap Album of the Year at the 2008 Grammy Awards, which Graduation would win.^[6]

2008–11: Various signings [edit]

In 2008, West signed British singer-songwriter Mr Hudson, after hearing A Tale of Two Cities. He also signed then up-and-coming rapper Kid Cudi, after hearing his respective work from producer and manager Plain Pat.^[7][8] Kid Cudi's debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day was released under GOOD Music on September 15, 2009. The album would earn Cudi three Grammy nominations and be certified Gold by the RIAA.^[9] A month later Mr Hudson's solo debut Straight No Chaser, would be released.^[10]

The label would hold a cypher for the 2010 BET Hip Hop Awards in June, that featured West, Common, Big Sean and new signee Cyhi the Prynce.^[11] Throughout late 2010, West released several tracks featuring himself, and others members of the GOOD Music roster in a free weekly giveaway known as, G.O.O.D. Fridays.^[12] After years of working together, on September 27 of 2010, West signed Brooklyn rapper Mos Def to GOOD Music.^[13] Less than a week later Consequence would release a diss track and leave GOOD Music.^[14] The following month Pusha T would officially announce his signing to GOOD Music.^[15] To cap off 2010, Kid Cudi would release his second studio album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, followed by West's fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.^[16][17]

In April 2011, West signed longtime friend and hip hop legend Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest to GOOD Music as a producer.^[18] The same month he would also sign upcoming producer Hit-Boy to Very G.O.O.D. Beats.^[19] In 2011 West would also sign Nigerian artists D'banj and Don Jazzy.^[20] Soon after in June 2011 GOOD Music was signed to their first distribution agreement, with Def Jam Recordings.^[21] Big Sean's debut Finally Famous was the first album released by GOOD Music with distribution by Def Jam.

2012-present: Cruel Summer [edit]

In late 2011, plans were announced for a 2012 release of a GOOD Music collaborative studio album, later announced as Cruel Summer.^[22] The first single, "Mercy" was released on April 6, 2012 and featured Kanye, Pusha T, Big Sean and affiliated artist 2 Chainz.^[23] Prior to the albums release on September 18, 2012, "New God Flow" and "Clique" would also be released as singles.^[24] It was accompanied by the eponymous short film Cruel Summer produced by West's design organization DONDA and shot in Qatar, the film premiered at Cannes Film Festival.^[25] The album featured appearances by GOOD Music members Big Sean, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Cyhi the Prynce, Kid Cudi, D'banj, John Legend, Malik Yusef and Travi$ Scott. It also contained guest appearances by R. Kelly, Ghostface Killah, Jadakiss, Raekwon, Jay-Z, Common, The-Dream and Ma$e among others. The album would debut at number 1 on the Billboard 200.^[26]

In late 2012, Q-Tip hinted at a follow up album to Cruel Summer, possibly titled Cruel Winter. Teyana Taylor and Travi$ Scott also hinted at the album on twitter. In an interview with DJ Semtex, Big Sean confirmed the album was coming and that he's worked on a track for it. Later, John Legend confirmed the album and said he's made tracks for it in an interview with Rolling Stone.^[27] However in January 2013, former GOOD Music member Common squashed these rumors by saying that everyone, himself included, is too focused on solo projects as Cruel Summer acted as a launching pad for them.^[28] However GOOD Music artist Travi$ Scott would later insist the album would still be released.^[29] Big Sean would also say that the project will be released sooner then you think.^[30]

On January 19, 2013, Scottish record producer and DJ Hudson Mohawke, who previously worked with the label on Cruel Summer, announced via Twitter that he had signed to the production arm of G.O.O.D. Music, Very G.O.O.D. Beats.^[31] On April 2, 2013, Kid Cudi announced on Power 106, that he was no longer signed under GOOD Music. Cudi left the label on good terms, with him saying West respected his decision and will always be "big brother".^[32]

Artists [edit]

Current acts [edit]

Former acts [edit]

• Common
• Consequence
• GLC
• Kid Cudi^[36]
• Really Doe
• Sa-Ra
• Tony Williams

Very G.O.O.D. Beats [edit]

GOOD Music also houses a group of producers signed to the label. They frequently provide co-production to the albums released on the label.

• Hit-Boy
• Hudson Mohawke^[37]
• Jeff Bhasker
• No I.D.
• Q-Tip
• S1^[38]
• Travi$ Scott

Discography [edit]

Upcoming releases [edit]

References [edit]