TUFF BREAK RECORDS
HISTORY
A&M Records employee Evan Forster established Tuff Break Records in 1992 with his brothers Jonnie and Darren Forster. Tuff Break was A&M Records rap music imprint. It was established around May of 1993 and dissolved in February 1995. Tuff Break was to create music discs, cassettes and videos. According to Billboard, the label had the "aim of avoiding morally, politically or socially offending productions."
By November 1993, the label had four artists and hoped to release five to seven recordings per year. At the time A&M discontinued the label, it had released seven 12-inch singles, one commercial album and one promotional album Sip the Juice, We Got Enough to Go Around. This album featured the Tuff Break artist roster plus newcomers Tasc4orce, and Fourtie, artists who did not have commercial singles with Tuff Break.
A&M Records handled commercial radio promotion while Perspective Records promoted Tuff Break product in the R&B market.
On February 11, 1995, Billboard reported that A&M would close Tuff Break because it was "disappointed with the label's inability to generate the same kind of success A&M has with its pop and alternative acts."
SOURCES:
Rappers Getting a Tuff Break at A&M. Billboard, November 6, 1993.
TUFF BREAK RECORDS ARTIST ROSTER
| A - F | G - M | N - Z |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Gripsta Intelligent Hoodlum |
Dred Scott Str8-G |
TUFF BREAK RECORDS STAFF
Thank you to all of the very talented members of the Tuff Break Records family.
If your name does not appear in the list below, please send an
e-mail and let us include you in the credits. Photos for the A&M Family Photo Album are always welcome! When you write, please include the years you worked at A&M and your job title or the name of the department where you worked. This information is also used to validate your registration for our Employee Discussion areas--a forum available exclusively for A&M artists and staff.
| A - F | G - M | N - Z |
|---|---|---|
|
Life Allah Darrin Fashaw Darren Forster Evan Forster Jonnie Forster |
Gary Meyer |
Mike Nardone |
SOURCES:
1. A&M Records' 10th and 15th anniversary books
2. Billboard magazine articles
3. A&M Records employees