E1 Music - Company History

Company History

E1 Music was formed in May 1999 as "Koch Records" to serve as the North American umbrella for E1 Entertainment's labels (then known as Koch Entertainment). They would sign many country, classical, and rock acts including Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Chris Brubeck, Bob James, and an exclusive distribution with Suge Knight's embattled Death Row Records. The label soon began to gain ground on the other independent record labels in the United States. In the 2000s, they began to sign more hip hop acts and become one of the biggest hip hop labels in the world. They signed various distribution deals with labels like Open Bar Entertainment, Terror Squad, D-Block Records, and others. In 2004, they were able to sign a deal with Snoop Dogg and his Doggystyle Records along with Mobb Deep. They hired Snoop Dogg on to head up their western spin off Koch West. Koch also added on to their roster, Cam'ron and his Diplomat Records. Diplomat rapper, Jim Jones would rise to prominince on the label through the deal. Koch later signed Yonkers rapper, J-Hood and his label On Da Grind Ent. Koch has also had releases from 2Pac, Tha Dogg Pound, Kurupt, Daz Dillinger and Gangsta Advisory. In 2007, when they signed J-Hood they gave him a big position in their Koch East division. J-Hood never released this album and he was booted from D-Block. In 2007, they signed a distribution deal with Foxy Brown and her Black Rose Entertainment, as well as with Ray J and his label Knockout Entertainment. Slim Thug was signed to the label along with his Boss Hoggs label in late 2005. On September 29, 2006 - KOCH Entertainment Distribution announced that have signed an exclusive distribution deal with Los Angeles- based Latin Thug Records, a newly launched label headed by music industry veteran Fred Sherman along with Senen “Sen Dog” Reyes, a founding member of the groundbreaking rap group Cypress Hill. Latin Thug Records was formed by CEO Reyes to build a family business with his brother and acting VP of A&R Mellow Man Ace that would focus on releasing personal projects and developing new talent. The label represents the extended Latin Thug family, including solo projects from Sen and Mellow and collaborations with B Real, Soul Assassins and other members of the extended Cypress Hill family. In March 2008, the company signed neo-soul singer Dwele to their lineup. In October 2008, they signed also pop-jazz singer Basia, and released her comeback album It's That Girl Again a year later.

Koch Records also releases children's music, such as Pokémon, Barney, Sesame Street, The Wiggles, and Fraggle Rock. On May 22, 2008 Koch Records released two albums from the children's show Thomas & Friends.

The label's Nashville, Tennessee branch, which specialized in country music, closed abruptly in late 2005. Among those signed to Koch Nashville at the time were Robert Earl Keen, Dean Miller, Cledus T. Judd, Daryle Singletary, Dale Watson, and The Tractors.

Koch was renamed E1 music in 2009.