Parent company Universal Music Group Genre Various Parent organization Universal Music Group Founded 1996 | Distributor(s) Capitol Music Group Official website www.StonesThrow.com Founder Peanut Butter Wolf Country of origin United States of America | |
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Location Los Angeles, California Artists Madlib, J Dilla, Peanut Butter Wolf, MF Doom, Madvillain Albums Champion Sound, Donuts, Madvillainy, Yes Lawd!, The Unseen Profiles | ||
Stones Throw Records is an American independent music label based in Los Angeles, California. Under the direction of founder Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw has released music generically ranging from hip-hop to experimental psych-rock since its inception. LA Weekly deemed the label an "eternally evolving experiment" in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
Contents
Stones throw records our vinyl weighs a ton teaser
History
Chris Manak (Peanut Butter Wolf) founded Stones Throw in 1996 as means of posthumously releasing his music with the late MC Charles Hicks (Charizma). Hicks and Manak met in 1989 at 16 and 19, respectively, and began collaborating as Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf. The duo released one promo cassette of "Red Light Green Light" through Hollywood Basic—the now-defunct hip-hop subsidiary of Hollywood Records—before leaving the label. Their collaboration was cut short in 1993, when Hicks was fatally shot in a carjacking at the age of 20. Stones Throw's first release, "My World Premier" by Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, arrived three years later.
The label has since released legendary hip-hop records including Madvillainy, the highly acclaimed debut from Madvillain (a collaboration between producer Madlib and MF DOOM) in 2004, and J Dilla's Donuts in 2006. Stones Throw continues to diversify its roster through the representation of experimental performer Gary Wilson, former political journalist Anika, psychedelic-noir act Mild High Club, and others.
In 2014, a documentary entitled "Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: This is Stones Throw Records" was released. The film, directed by Jeff Broadway, historicizes the label's evolution, from the initial collaboration between Hicks and Manak to Stones Throw's influence of mainstream hip-hop. Artists such as Kanye West and Questlove appear in the documentary and offer testimonials.