6 Independent and Business Savvy Hip-Hop Labels

Grand Hustle

Grand Hustle Records is an Atlanta-based record label formed in 2003 by Clifford “T.I.” Harris and Jason Geter. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. Through the label, he began to make mixtapes and was featured on Bone Crusher’s hit single “Never Scared.” Once heard on the single, he had resurfaced on the mainstream, and was signed to Atlantic Records. In August of 2003, T.I. released his second album Trap Muzik which debuted at number four on the charts and sold more than 109,000 copies in its first week. In 2007, T.I. appeared on Forbes’ “Hip Hop Cash Kings” list with $16 million in earnings. In December 2010, it was announced that Grand Hustle artist B.o.B was nominated for three Grammys, including Record of the Year, on December 1, 2010 for the 53rd Grammy Awards. T.I. recently returned to an Arkansas state penitentiary to serve 11 months for parole violation.