JIVE Records Relaunches: Hip-Hop Icon Returns

JIVE Records, a label that significantly shaped hip-hop, R&B, and pop music, has been relaunched as a standalone frontline imprint under Sony Music's RCA. This revival comes fifteen years after JIVE was integrated into RCA Records during a 2011 restructuring.

Mike Weiss, son of the late JIVE executive Barry Weiss, and David Melhado have been named co-presidents. Both executives bring experience from UnitedMasters, where they championed a holistic artist development model. They aim to infuse JIVE with a bold, artist-first creative approach.

Founded in 1981 by Clive Calder, JIVE Records was instrumental in launching artists like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, A Tribe Called Quest, and later, global pop sensations Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and *NSYNC.

The revived JIVE will operate from Sony Music's New York headquarters. Its relaunch signifies a commitment to continuing the label's legacy of innovation and excellence in artist development while adapting to the modern music landscape.