Z Rock Records
Posted by Mike Schumacher
The label was started in 2003 by music industry veteran, Shon Bamba. He gathered up his money and resources to start this new record company. He wanted to create an umbrella for musicians to launch their own projects under!
Bamba found two main people that he felt could help him run the business side of things. One was Daniel “Dani” Jones, who has done extensive work in the music business as both a talent manager and A&R (artist and repertoire) executive. The other was Jason “J-Bo” Boettcher, who is well known in the hip hop community for being one of the founders of Hype Team Productions, which includes artist management, publicity, marketing, and finance services.
These three worked together to form what would become Z Record Music Group, LLC, the current name of the company. They are still working with each other to this day and have continued to grow since its inception.
Both Dani and J-Bo lent their expertise and experience to make sure ZRG had all the proper paperwork, licenses, and contracts in place to run effectively. Since then they have been able to offer more services such as album production, mixing, and mastering, among others.
Since it’s opening, the company has focused mostly on supporting local artists. This not only helps them gain exposure, but also gives back to the communities they’re part of.
Color Away the Country Blues: Unwind with the Ultimate Country Music Star Coloring Book!
Discover a creative escape with our Country Music Star Coloring Book! Featuring 20+ beautifully designed illustrations of your favorite iconic artists, this printable PDF offers endless hours of relaxation and fun. Perfect for unwinding and rekindling your love for country music!

Important artists on the label
Another important person to come out of this label is Kanye West. You may have heard his music before, but now you know who he is really listening to! He has made several references to his love for Z-Rock and even mentioned how much he listened to their radio show while in high school.
He also featured one of our songs, “Sicko Mode” off of his latest album on his website with the lyrics highlighted. Check it out here!
Kanye loves so many different types of music that it seems hard to pin him down as just one genre or style. However, his musical taste clearly shows that he loves hip hop, R&B, and dance music.
He has done collaborations with both Rihanna and Drake and features Beyoncé and Adele on some tracks. All of these musicians put emphasis on strong vocals which fits well with Ye!
His fashion choices show that he likes flashy clothes, and his lifestyle almost confirms that theory. When he does interviews, he usually talks about success and being rich which again reinforces the idea that he enjoys having money.
Overall, most people describe Kanye as very entertaining to listen to. Even when he doesn’t make sense, you can tell he is having fun talking and singing.
Biggest hits on the label
One of the most influential labels in hip hop is undoubtedly Roc-A-Fella Records, run by music mogul Scottie “Scotty” Blake. Starting off as an independent imprint under Ruff Ryders Entertainment (which also included The Firm and G-Unit), he eventually left his position at Def Jam to form his own label with his close friend and business partner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
In May 2002, Roc A Dokken was launched with Jay-Z as its first artist. Two years later, it would be rebranded as Justify Your Love due to legal issues surrounding the name. Since then, the label has seen twelve Grammy nominations and two wins for Best Rap Album for The Documentary and Watch Da Video! Both albums received multiple award nominations for Music Production and Song Writing.
Their biggest hit is arguably “Run This Town”, which features Kanye West and Nas. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won them their second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 2013.
New artists on the label
As mentioned before, Z Record is a new independent music company that was formed in early 2018. They have already gathered quite a crowd of followers due to their consistent updates on all social media sites as well as frequent appearances at various events.
They hold listening sessions every Friday where people can come listen to an album for free! This gives anyone willing to try out an artist a chance to do so without spending money or traveling outside of their home town.
Z Record also holds meet-and-greets once a month where they invite a special guest speaker who will talk about their career and what they are doing next. These speakers include musicians, managers, and other industry professionals.
Interviews with both guests and label executives are done by members of the press which helps promote exposure for the artists and the company.
Merging with Virgin Records
In May of 2016, after more than two decades as an independent label, rock star-turned music mogul Zedd and his team announced their plans to merge their business with that of another major record company.
ZEDD’S NEW BUSINESS STRUCTURE INCLUDES AN INTERNAL AUDIT TEAM THAT WILL BE IN CHARGE OF LOOKING AFTER THE COMPANY’S FINANCIAL HEALTH
The internal audit team will be made up of five people — one person from each level of management at the company (president, vice president, executive vice president, general manager, and director). This includes ensuring financials are in order, reviewing policies for compliance, and looking into potential wrongdoing or fraud.
Music is a powerful tool used by brands to connect with audiences. As such, it makes sense for the industry leader to keep an eye on how well its marketing strategies are working for them.
Reasons why the label is important today
As we already mentioned, music companies are not what they used to be! Music production has gone through many changes and developments since its inception. Technology now allows for faster and more efficient ways to produce music. Companies have shifted their focus away from just having as much money as possible to make music, and instead look to spread their influence beyond just your average listener.
Music labels still have lots of money to spend, but rather than investing in expensive recording equipment or paying big artists with no return, they invest in content. They create songs and albums that people will want to listen to, and then get paid based on how many you purchase. Product placement, sponsored songs, and album features are all strategies brands use to gain exposure.
By supporting these initiatives, brands help promote the product while also getting exposure for themselves.
Some famous Z Records artists
Many of your favorite music genres can be traced back to an album or song that inspired others to create their own versions. With this, they are credited as originating from the label that released the original work.
The grunge genre originated with the Seattle-based band Pearl Jam’s eponymous debut in 1990. While not widely known at the time, it was clearly influential for other musicians looking to add grungier elements into their songs.
Singer Courtney Love coined the term “grunge” while describing the band’s sound to Rolling Stone magazine. Since then, many bands have attempted (and succeeded) to capture some of what made Pearl Jam special.
Another well-known artist who left his mark through his independent record label is The Red Album leader Aesop Rock. His self-titled LP dropped in 2007, but has since been featured in several hip hop collections around the world.
Many consider his style to be somewhere between experimental poetry and hard rock!
Z Records founder Zaheer Ali also had an influence on many up-and-coming acts by offering them space to hone their craft. Artists such as Logic and Big Sean both credit him with helping them find success beyond his doors.
Some famous Virgin Records artists
As mentioned earlier, Virgin was one of the first major record labels to truly focus on creating new music that would sell. Artists such as Adele, Taylor Swift, One Direction, and many more have their very success due to how well known they are!
Not only do these artists gain exposure from being on the same label as bigger blockbuster musicians, but also through marketing strategies built around their image and brand.
Their songs get played constantly, which helps them rack up royalties and profits. Even though they were not directly involved in producing or writing their own material, they always take credit for it because people love their songs and listen to them frequently.
This article will talk about some of the most successful acts that ever released an album through Z Record’s.
Z Rock concert tickets
While some may consider heavy metal music to be “loud”, it is actually very intimate. An artist like Prince will tell you that his favorite way to connect with an audience is by playing solo shows or performing as part of a trio (with one other musician).
Heavy metal musicians usually play for small groups of people in venues that are fully equipped to handle sound production. This allows for greater intimacy between listener and performer, and also gives the space more credibility as a place to perform in front of large crowds.

The Jam Addict team is a revolving door of writers who care about music, its effects on culture, and giving aspiring artists tools and knowledge to be inspired and keep on creating.
If you have any questions or concerns or just want to drop us a line, don’t hesitate to contact us! We always appreciate the feedback.