After their first smash release Lord Willin’ hit the streets in the early part of the decade the rap duo The Clipse became casualties of the breakdown of Arista Records into Jive Records. Despite the rest of their Star Trak label mates finding a new home at Interscope Records, The Clipse languished with a label that catered to more mainstream music. Despite completing an album (Hell Hath No Fury) for the label, Jive ignored their artist’s in favor of their ‘pop’ acts. In true major label fashion, despite being unwilling to promote a completed album, they were more than prepared to go to court in order to keep the Clipse from working anywhere else.
The one consolation that Hip Hop artists who are having contractual issues have is the mixtape market (a medium the record industry has yet to figure out a way to exploit) and with that in mind the Clipse recruited two Philadelphia MC’s (Aba-Liva and Sandman) to form the Re-Up Gang. They have been barnstorming clubs and satellite radio stations with their We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series ever since. By the time the group managed to get Hell Hath No Fury released on the streets the four year absence had taken its toll resulting in low sales. But that didn’t spell the end for the Clipse or the Re-Up Gang.
Once they got out of their Jive deal (no pun intended) the Clipse were highly sought after, after testing the waters and considering offers the duo signed with Rick Rubin and Sony/Columbia Records. The details of the agreement would make any star envious of the MC’s. Five year multimillion-dollar contracts are becoming a rarity as most labels are increasingly terrified of laying an egg in such a competitive market. The Re-Up Gang proper also got in on the action, with an album release slated for March 08’, 50/50 profit sharing and sole possession of their masters. The Clipse album is reported to release some time after that. Sony/Columbia have put considerable effort into sweetening the deal for the Re-Up Gang, which is a good sign that the albums will come out when they say they will, and Clipse fans can rest easy knowing that they’ll get their fix in due time.
