Rap-A-Lot marks 40 years in Houston
Founders and artists gathered for a concert celebrating the label that put Southern rap on the national map.
By Layla Richardson ·
Rap-A-Lot Records hosted a 40th anniversary celebration in Houston on Monday. The event brought together musicians who built the label into a major force in the music industry over the last four decades.
James Prince, known as J. Prince, founded the company in 1986. He started the business to create opportunities for artists from the South. At that time, the region received less national attention than New York and Los Angeles.
The label signed the Geto Boys early in its history. The group included Scarface, Willie D, and Bushwick Bill. Their 1992 single "Mind Playing Tricks on Me" became a classic and helped bring Houston rap to a wider audience.
Other artists associated with the company over the years include Devin the Dude, Z-Ro, Bun B, Pimp C, Big Mike, and Do or Die. The group also included 5th Ward Boyz and Juvenile.
Performers at the anniversary concert included Scarface, Bun B, Devin the Dude, 5th Ward Boyz, Willie D, Z-Ro, and Juvenile. Scarface opened the show and closed it. His performance framed the night as a look back at the label's history from the Geto Boys era through newer generations of Southern hip-hop.
The company established a model for independent hip-hop operations. It showed that executives and artists from the South could build successful businesses and compete on a national level. The label continues to represent Houston culture and independent entrepreneurship.
The anniversary event marked the end of the label's first 40 years in the music market.
