SXSWORLD

Independence Equals Survival and Success for Duck Down Records By Odeisel selves, abandoning their once maverick spirit for easy wins and popular trends. Yet Duck Down Records has managed for the past 15 years to create classic albums and expand its sphere of influence past its original Brooklyn boundaries to global success. Duck Down, initially a management company, led by Buck Shot and H ip-hop's greatest achievements have been helmed by independent labels such as Def Jam, Rap-A-Lot, Death Row, and No Limit. Most of these labels have eventually been absorbed by majors or become shells of their former because he only had Boot Camp. He was only putting out Sean Price, Smif-N-Wessun, etc. It was a continuous cipher, and people outside saw that as no growth. But we were working on solidifying that foundation so that if we were to expand, we could have something to stand on. Dru stuck it out and said we had to expand." Later that year, Duck Down released a series of three albums from partner Dru Ha (both former employees of Nervous Records), released Black Moon's debut album, Enta Da Stage. Noting the amount of work that went into the project and what little they got in return, the pair set out to carve out their own destiny. Dru Ha explains, "It was really about trying to get a bigger piece of the pie, thinking that we were doing a lot of Buckshot and producer 9th Wonder, Smif-N-Wessun and Sean Price, reinvented as a solo artist. The tone of the music focused on superior hip-hop artistry over regional representation. The success of this pro- motion, along with subsequent business deals including a burgeoning relationship with Apple and iTunes, gave Duck Down the opportunity to expand its roster. In addition, the label has embraced the Internet and other digital promotions in a manner that majors have been slower to figure out. Duck Down's website has been in operation since the mid Buck Shot B-Real of Cypress Hill which ushered in the first wave of Duck Down acts, including Heltah Skeltah, O.G.C. and Black Moon, who along with Smif-N-Wessun, collectively were known as the Boot Camp Clik. Heltah Skeltah's Nocturnal was the subsequent release, followed by OGC's Da Storm, the entire Boot Camp's For The People, and a second round of albums from all the groups. The label was delivered a setback when distributor Priority unceremoniously dropped them in 2000, forcing Duck Down to find a new situation at independent Koch Records in 2002, though that relationship ended after three years. By 2005, the music and the marketplace had changed, and tastes had drifted away from the gritty Brooklyn aesthetic that powered Duck Down's initial run. The label faced tough decisions and was forced to reinvent itself by expanding its roster. Smif-N-Wessun's General Steele elaborates: "One of Dru Ha's friends told him he needed to 'give it up,' 46 SXSW ORLD / F EBRUAR Y 2010 the work, and heavily involved in the campaign and the marketing and doing a lot of the stuff, and we felt at the time we could go out and get our own situation for the new groups that we were trying to bring in." The first Duck Down release was Smif-N-Wessun's Dah Shinin', Duck Down artists Kidz in the Hall at SXSW 2009. '90s, and its past participation at SXSW includes a 2008 sound-clash with fellow indie label Stones Throw, which was streamed live online. "Duck Down is a real intricate machine," says Buckshot. "We created of Cypress Hill, who notes: "They [Duck Down] instantly got where I was coming from with my music … They had the reputation for put- ting out solid music and taking care of business." Newer emcees, like the ferocious Skyzoo, agree: "From the outset, DuckDown.com in 1995 when nobody was even thinking about Internet websites. None of the social networks existed in 1995." What was once an all-Brooklyn label now includes legends like B-Real they showed the passion and enthusiasm to be able to push a project like mine. To me, creative control is everything. I wanted to be able to control what my music sounds like, and Duck Down offered that." The independent market comes down to survival of the fittest, and after 15 years, Duck Down remains unbowed. n Duck Down celebrates their 15th anniversary with a SXSW showcase on Friday, March 19 at the Scoot Inn. Check my.sxsw.com for details.

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