Uptown Records, started by Andre Harrell back in 1986, is making a comeback. The label now sits under the REPUBLIC Collective umbrella and has signed artists like G Herbo and Yung Miami.
Almost forty years after Harrell first launched Uptown Records, the legendary hip-hop and R & B label is officially back. On June 16, Uptown announced its relaunch, and Danielle Price Sanders is stepping in as president of Uptown Records and executive VP of REPUBLIC Collective. Natina Nimene is also joining the leadership as executive VP of urban audience and artist relations at REPUBLIC Collective.
Sanders put it simply: Andre Harrell built a record company that changed music history, giving hip-hop and R&B artists a place to make real waves in the mainstream. “I’m honored to carry on that legacy and help support a new generation of artists,” she said. Sanders is thrilled to bring Uptown into REPUBLIC Collective, merging Uptown’s entrepreneurial spirit with a focus on artist development. She’s excited to work with other Collective labels, especially with the connection to Def Jam and its leaders, Tunji Balogun and Kevin Lipson.
With this 2026 revival, the label has a fresh rap roster—G Herbo, Yung Miami, Trap Dickey (who’s signed in partnership with Top Dawg Entertainment), and producer ATL Jacob. Fans can look forward to new music from Herbo, Miami, and Trap Dickey later this year.
Yung Miami made her solo return with “Spend Dat,” which climbed to No. 34 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100. She’s pumped about the label’s rebirth, saying, “This is a legendary label being resurrected and run by incredible female record executives. I’m excited to keep building my solo career here. The care and attention to detail they’ve given me makes me feel confident we’re going to take things to the next level. Uptown already feels like home.”
G Herbo also had a big 2025, especially with his platinum single “Went Legit,” which peaked at No. 70 on the Hot 100. “Uptown Records was a flagship for rap music,” said Herbo. “It created the template for superstars in the eighties and nineties. It’s an honor to be a part of its story.”
Harrell started Uptown Records in 1986 and went on to sign big names like Mary J. Blige, The Notorious B.I.G., Jodeci, and Heavy D. He died of heart failure in May 2020 at 59 years old, but his vision is clearly still alive.
