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Steve Rifkind Officially Secures Loud Name, Plans Return With The Wu - Loud Records is Back

Steven Rifkind, CEO of SRC Records (Street Records Corporation) and former Loud CEO, returns with Wu-Tang for a new album. Hip-Hop pioneer talks about his success with Akon and the recent album "Konvicted." Akon had one of the most successful spans any entertainer has ever had with eleven songs in the Billboard Hot 100.

New York, NY (Billboard Publicity Wire) October 5, 2007 -- Steve Rifkind, founder of SRC Records, has officially secured the Loud name for a second time, 15 years after the label was originally launched.

Although it's not news that Rifkind planned to resurrect the label that was shut down in 2002 and then went on to become a part of Sony BMG, it was only recently that he actually secured the name once again.

In an exclusive statement given to BallerStatus.com, the music executive expressed his excitement saying he was "extremely happy" that Loud Records is back.

Just how Loud entered the game in 1993 with the Wu-Tang Clan, they plan on repeating history once again.

"It's full circle for all of us," Rifkind told BallerStatus.com. "We came in together and now we are going to do it for a second time. 36 Chambers came out in '93, [this time, they're going to get a whole new audience."

The Wu-Tang Clan's debut album, Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), was Loud Records' first release. But, the label went on to release successful albums from Big Pun, Mobb Deep, Tha Alkaholiks, Lil Flip and Xzibit before closing its doors in 2002.

Marking its return will be the Wu, with a new album in the works titled 8 Diagrams, their first album as a group since 2001's Iron Flag.

Due to recent news of the group getting clearance for the first ever Beatles sample (see "Wu-Tang Clan Gets Clearance For First Ever Beatles Sample, Album Pushed Back"), Loud has pushed back the album's release from November 13 to December 4.

2006-2007: Konvicted

In 2006-2007 Akon has had one of the most successful spans any singer has ever enjoyed with eleven songs in the Billboard Hot 100. Akon's second album, entitled Konvicted, was released on November 14, 2006. Konvicted included collaborations with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Styles P.

Late August 2006, Akon released the single "Smack That" featuring Eminem, from the album.

This single peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. The music video for "Smack That" was directed by Raymond Garced. "I Wanna Love You", the second single off Konvicted, was released in September 2006. It is a collaboration between Akon and Snoop Dogg. This single earned Akon his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, and Snoop's second. "I Wanna Love You" topped the U.S. charts for two consecutive weeks. In January 2007, Akon released his third single "Don't Matter" which earned him his first solo number one and second consecutive Hot 100 chart topper. "Mama Africa" was released as a European single in July 2007, making it the fourth single. It debuted in the UK at number 47. "Sorry, Blame It on Me" is the album's fifth single which debuted in August 2007, on the Hot 100 at number seven, which also happened to be a career best. The song is not available on the original album, but instead will be part of the Deluxe Edition of Konvicted, due August 28, 2007.

The sixth and final single was confirmed in an interview by Akon to be "Never Took the Time". Konvicted debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 286,000 copies in its first week.

About SRC Records

Rifkind paired up with Universal Records in 2002 and started SRC. The label broke four artists in its first three years with the multi-platinum David Banner, Terror Squad, Remy Ma, and Akon. SRC's first release, David Banner's "Mississippi: The Album", spawned the top 10 hit "Like a Pimp," which went on to Gold status worldwide.

Remy Ma's debut "There's Something About Remy: Based on a True Story" came out in February 2004 and quickly gained exposure in radio play and record sales. Rifkind also showed immediate success in 2002, with Terror Squad's gold selling album "True Story," which featured the number one single "Lean Back."

Akon's debut album "Trouble," sold four million copies world-wide, paired by the top single "Lonely." His sophomore album "Konvicted," had instant success when it debuted on November 14, 2006, which spawned the top singles "I Wanna Love," and "Smack That." Within weeks after the release, the album reached double platinum status worldwide, and received 2 Grammy nominations for "Smack That."

Artist roster includes: Akon
David Banner Pharoahe Monch Topic Shontelle Young Cash Melissa Jiménez Grandaddy Souf Majic Massey Wu-Tang Clan

Contacts:
Russell Letizia
Street Records Corporation/Loud Records
Producer/Marketing/A&R
New York, NY
www.srcrecords.net

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