About YB Records
A major independent record label, built so an artist does not have to choose between keeping their vision and having a real career behind it.
Artist first, every time
YB Records exists to discover, develop, and promote independent artists. The whole model rests on one idea: the artist keeps their creative vision and their ownership opportunities, and the label supplies everything that usually forces an artist to give those things up.
That means professional recording, distribution, marketing, branding, promotion, synchronization licensing opportunities, and career-advancement strategy — all pointed at long-term growth rather than a single release.
Who runs it
YB Records was founded by Yella Bone, who is both the label’s CEO and an artist on it. He signs artists he believes in, builds the infrastructure around them, and leaves the record itself to the person making it.
What that looks like in practice
April Thee Amazon shipped every single with a video rather than an audio upload — Here I Go, Must Be Krazy Hoe directed by Hollywood Jamie James, No Hook, Lames, and Big Dawg Shit with South Dallas Keke. She has been interviewed by WorldStarHipHop at the BET Experience in Los Angeles.
The label compilation A Family Affair put RiRi, Ms. April, Yella Bone, and Goo Da Foo on one record. Crucial, Hurk, and TAT each have full projects through YB. Every one of those releases lives on the label’s official YouTube channel.
What the label brings
Recording
Professional recording, start to finish.
Distribution
Getting a finished record out into the world.
Marketing
Campaigns built around the artist, not a formula.
Branding
A visual identity that holds up on a stage and on a screen.
Promotion
Putting the music in front of the people who want it.
Sync licensing
Opportunities to place records in film, TV, and media.
Career strategy
A plan for the next three years, not the next three weeks.
Ownership
Deal structures that keep ownership opportunities on the table.