Decon

Decon is a New York-based creative studio. Housing production, creative, strategy and music divisions, the company creates campaigns on behalf of brands and advertising agencies.

History

Originally named Deconstruction Company, the company was founded in 2002 by Peter Bittenbender and Jason Goldwatch after the creation of their award-winning hip-hop documentary and accompanying soundtrack, One Big Trip. The soundtrack was released as a double-sided DVD/CD in 2002 with Hieroglyphic Imperium Records - it is thought to be the first hip-hop-centric release in the hybrid format.

In 2012, Decon earned a Promax Award for work on NBCUniversal's "Green Week" campaign. That year, Misha Louy and Sacha Jenkins both joined as partners, expanding the Production and Entertainment divisions.

Decon Records

Decon Records is the independent record label that is a division of Decon. It got its start releasing underground hip-hop recordings. It was established in 2003. In 2013, Decon Records was noted as one of Billboard’s 50 Best Independent Labels in America. Decon Records began by collaborating with the west coast collective Project Blowed to release projects from Aceyalone of the Freestyle Fellowship, such as Love & Hate which features production from El-P and RJD2. Other early Decon Records projects include partnering with The Roots to establish Okayplayer Records. The label provided further releases from Aceyalone as well as RJD2’s Magnificent City Instrumentals (2006) and Evidence’s Red Tape Instrumentals (2007). In 2008, the label released an album from frequent Talib Kweli and Mos Def collaborator, 88-Keys, called The Death of Adam. The album featured Kid Cudi and Redman and was executive produced by Kanye West. The video for the lead single “Stay Up! (Viagra)” was directed by Decon co-founder Jason Goldwatch and premiered on MTV.

The following year, Decon licensed RJD2’s “A Beautiful Mine” as the theme song for the AMC show Mad Men. That year, Decon released Jay Electronica's Just Blaze-produced tracks "Exhibit A" and "Exhibit C". While collaborating with Decon Records, Jay won two awards from MTV and signed a deal with Roc Nation.

The Alchemist’s Russian Roulette, Gangrene’s Vodka & Ayahuasca, and Roc Marciano’s Reloaded all made the HipHopDX 2012 records of the year awards list., and were favorably reviewed in Complex Magazine. XXL singled out Roc Marciano’s Decon Records release, Reloaded, as the “Best Slept-On Album” of that year. Early album releases saw Decon working alongside Project Blowed and Okayplayer. In 2011, Decon earned recognition from Billboard as one of the 50 Best Indie Labels in America.

Roster

• 88-Keys
• Aaron Cohen
• Aceyalone
• Alexander Spit
• Black Milk
• Chali 2na
• Classified
• Dan the Automator
• Del the Funky Homosapien
• Dilated Peoples
• DJ Z-Trip
• Ellay Khule
• Evidence
• Freddie Gibbs
• Freestyle Fellowship
• Gangrene
• Goapele
• Haiku D'Etat

• Hieroglyphics
• Jurassic 5
• Lyrics Born
• Ninjasonik
• Nneka
• Plantlife
• Pusha T
• Rakaa
• RJD2
• Roc Marciano
• Shad
• The Alchemist
• The A-Team
• The Good Brothers
• The Hood Internet
• Wax Tailor
• Zion I

Selected discography

2003

• The Good Brothers - Project Blowed Presents: The Good Brothers
• Aceyalone - Moonlit Skies
• Aceyalone - Love & Hate

2004

• Haiku D'Etat - Coup De Theatre
• Haiku D'Etat - Haiku D'Etat
• Various Artists - True Notes Vol. 1 REISSUE
• Aceyalone - All Balls Don't Bounce - Revisited

2005

• Various Artists - 2K6: The Tracks
• Ellay Khule - Califormula
• Lyrics Born - Big Money Talk
• Afu-Ra - State Of The Arts
• Various Artists - Cali Comm 2004
• Various Artists - Project Blowed: 10th Anniversary
• Various Artists - Who The F*ck Is You

2006

• Dan The Automator - 2K7 Instrumentals
• Dan The Automator - 2K7
• Aceyalone & Abstract Rude - Who Reframed The A-Team
• RJD2 - Magnificent City Instrumentals
• Aceyalone - Grand Imperial
• Aceyalone - Supahero
• Afu-Ra - God Of Rap
• Aceyalone - Magnificent City

2007

• Aceyalone - Lightning Strikes
• Dilated Peoples - The Release Party
• Z-Trip - All Pro
• Evidence - Red Tape Instrumentals
• The Alchemist - Rapper's Best Friend

2008

• Jurassic 5 - Jurassic 5 (Deluxe) REISSUE
• 88-Keys - The Death of Adam
• Various Artists - Fresh Rhymes & Videotape
• 88-Keys - Stay Up! (Viagra) ft. Kanye West (Single)
• Plantlife - Time Traveller
• Kenny Segal - Ken Can Cook

2009

• Various Artists - Never Not Fresh
• Jay Electronica - Exhibit C
• Nneka - The Uncomfortable Truth
• Chali 2na - Fish Outta Water
• Jay Electronica - Exhibit A
• Aceyalone - Aceyalone and the Lonely Ones
• Evidence - The Layover

2010

• Gangrene - Sawblade EP
• Lyrics Born - As U Were
• Gangrene - Gutter Water
• Freddie Gibbs - Str8 Killa EP
• Rakaa - Crown Of Thorns
• Chali 2na - Fish Market 2
• Aceyalone - Hip Hop And The World We Live In REISSUE
• Aceyalone - Accepted Eclectic REISSUE
• Nneka - Concrete Jungle

2011

• Freestyle Fellowship - The Promise
• Blended Babies - Shooter McGavin
• Goapele - Break Of Dawn
• Goapele - Play (Single)
• Roc Marciano - Greneberg EP
• Roc Marciano - Greneberg EP Instrumentals
• Pusha T - Trouble On My Mind (Single)
• Ryan Leslie - Glory (Single)
• Classified - Handshakes and Middle Fingers
• Pusha T - My God (Single)
• Various Artists - Closed Sessions: ATX
• Nneka - Soul Is Heavy
• Various Artists - One Big Trip REISSUE

2012

• Goapele - Break Of Dawn (Deluxe)
• Roc Marciano - Reloaded
• The Hood Internet - FEAT
• Ninjasonik - Red Cups (Single)
• Lyrics Born - As U Were (Remixes)
• The Alchemist - Russian Roulette
• The Alchemist - Flight Confirmation (Single)
• Gangrene - Odditorium
• Roc Marciano - Emeralds (Single)
• The Alchemist - Rapper's Best Friend 2
• Gangrene - Vodka & Ayahuasca

2013

• Evidence - Green Tape Instrumentals
• Aceyalone - Leanin' On Slick
• Boldy James - Grand Quarters
• Notes to Self - Target Market [RECOIL]
• Alexander Spit - A Breathtaking Trip To That Otherside
• The Hood Internet - FEAT Remixes

• Aaron Cohen- Potential Fans

See also

• List of advertising agencies
• List of record labels

External links

• Decon discography at Discogs

• http://nahright.com/news/2013/11/11/aaron-cohen-potential-fans-mixtape/