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| Hip-O Records | |
|---|---|
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| Parent company | Universal Music Group |
| Founded | 1996 (1996) |
| Founder | Doug Morris |
| Distributor(s) | Universal Music Enterprises (In theUS) |
| Genre | Various |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Official website | www |
Hip-O Records is arecord label that specializes inreissues andcompilations. It is part ofUniversal Music Group. Established in 1996, the label has distributed releases from 'out of style' genres such asdisco and earlyhip-hop music as well as publishingfilm soundtracks.[1] The label's name is a pun on the name 'hippo'.
The name "Hip-O Records" is a play on the word "hip" and the already-existingRhino Records. The formation of Hip-O Records has its roots inUniversal Music Group Chairman & CEODoug Morris' relationship with Rhino. As co-Chairman ofAtlantic Records during the early 1990s and then President & C.O.O. ofWarner Music Group (U.S.), Morris observed Rhino's great financial success at cross country rivalsCapitol/EMI.EMI had taken an equity position inRhino Records as an ideal two way relationship. Rhino provided invaluable assistance in the packaging and marketing of EMI's catalog, and EMI provided Rhino with increasingly difficult to access master recordings. Their association had been extremely prestigious and profitable for both. During a 1992 renegotiation, Morris took a 50% stake in Rhino, which only energized the profitability and success of both.
Morris left Warner Music Group in 1995 during an internal shake-up and immediately landed at what was then calledMCA Music Entertainment Group.[2] He recognized the history of the group's labels provided a parallel opportunity to market the vintage catalog of masters, but Rhino's magical executive team was tied up tight in the deal he signed with them at Atlantic. Morris launched his own catalog label that shadowedRhino Records in every way, down to the company's name.
Today, as part of Universal Music Group, Hip-O reissues many albums from UMG's huge back catalogue - including such labels asDecca,Interscope,Geffen,A&M,Mercury,Polydor,MCA,Island and others.
Hip-O Select, Hip-O's limited edition reissue label, was co-founded by UMe VP Pat Lawrence and former Rhino Records exec Thane Tierney.[3] It released remastered classics by artists includingThe Supremes,Chuck Berry,Rupert Holmes,Bo Diddley,Ken Nordine,Etta James,Dobie Gray,The Miracles,Burt Bacharach,Tammi Terrell,Doug Sahm, andMuddy Waters, among others. It released theComplete Motown Singles, a series of fourteenbox sets which include both sides of everysingle fromMotown Records and its subsidiaries during that company'sDetroit era. Their catalog includes a number of previously unreleased albums and compilations from the Motown, Mercury, Polydor, MCA, ABC, A&M, Dot, Decca, and 20th Century Records vaults. Hip-O Select also released a multi-volume set ofJames Brown's complete singles.
Unlike limited releases made by competitor Rhino Handmade, Hip-O Select has its catalog available for purchase oniTunes.
In 2015, Vivendi pulled the plug on Hip-O Select and all of the Hip-O Select titles are now out of print.[citation needed]
