Dreamville Records

File:J.ColeLondon2011.jpg founded the label in 2007]]

During the compositions of The Come Up, Cole started his own record label in early 2007 with current Sudanese-American label president Ibrahim Hamad. Cole and Hamad met while attending St. John's University. Cole sought for an avenue to release his own music, while Hamad yearned to start a record label, prompting the two to team up to form Dreamville Records.{{cite web|last1=Azeem|first1=Khan|title=The International Dreamvillain: Ibrahim "Ib" Hamad|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-international-dreamvillain-ibrahim-ib-hamad_us_5882bbf9e4b0d96b98c1dc27?|website=The Huffington Post|access-date=February 20, 2017|date=January 22, 2017}} Rapper Omen has been affiliated with Dreamville since the beginning, Omen and Cole met on rapper Canibus chat forum at age 17, where they shared music.{{cite web|author1=Hot 97|title=Bas, Cozz, and Omen Weigh in on Drake and Meek Beef, How They Met J. Cole and Dreamville|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOJky1ibc9o|website=YouTube|access-date=February 20, 2017|date=August 4, 2015}} Omen was also featured on Cole's mixtapes, The Warm Up (2009) and Friday Night Lights (2010). In 2011, Dreamville was associated with rapper Voli and alternative rock band StartYourOwnRebellion, while Dreamville was still in early formation as a vanity label imprint.{{cite news |title=From J. Cole To Bas: Your Guide to Dreamville |url=https://djbooth.net/features/guide-to-dreamville |website=DJBooth}}{{cite web |title=Start Your Own Rebellion ft. J.Cole- Let It Go |url=https://7thboro.com/start-your-own-rebellion-ft-j-cole-let-it-go/ |website=7th Boro|date=April 23, 2011 }}

File:Dreamville Records (2012).jpg

On January 28, 2014, at a show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, Cole announced that his Dreamville imprint had signed a distribution deal with Interscope Records. Attendees at the show received a flyer announcing the deal and a mixtape, titled Revenge of the Dreamers. On the same day, Cole announced the signing of Queens-based rapper, Bas. Cole spoke with Billboard about the Interscope deal saying: "We've been dreaming about a label situation for years." "The deal's been official since late December, and we'd been working on it for a while before that, but it felt too important to just go out and yell it right when it happened. It needed a more grand announcement." Cole explained that talks with Interscope began when Joie Manda, Interscope president of urban music, reached out to him in 2013, Cole said: "I thought he wanted me to produce someone over there and I was excited about that, but then he told me that he really believed in me as an executive, a label CEO and a producer. A Dr. Dre to his Jimmy Iovine. He had the vision."{{cite magazine|last1=Gale|first1=Alex|title=J. Cole Talks Dreamville Label Deal & Interscope's Joie Manda: Exclusive|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/5901158/j-cole-talks-dreamville-label-deal-interscopes-joie-manda|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 22, 2017|date=February 10, 2014}}

On June 26, 2014, J. Cole officially announced the signing of Los Angeles-based rapper, Cozz.{{cite magazine|last1=Gruger|first1=William|title=5 Questions With Cozz, J. Cole's New Dreamville Artist|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6150332/5-questions-with-cozz-j-coles-new-dreamville-artist|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 30, 2015}} Omen didn't officially sign the Interscope deal until after his debut album in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2014/01/j-cole-dreamvillians-label-bas-omen-kquick/|title=Dreamvillians: A Guide To The Rappers On J. Cole's New Label|website=Complex|language=en |df=mdy-all|access-date=2019-06-21}} On December 8, 2015, Dreamville released a collaborative album titled, Revenge of the Dreamers II, officially announcing two new label signees, Charlotte rapper, Lute and Washington D.C. singer Ari Lennox.{{cite web|last1=Ortiz|first1=Edwin|title=J. Cole Signs Two New Artists to Dreamville Records|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2015/12/j-cole-signs-ari-lennox-and-lute-to-dreamville-records|website=Complex|access-date=December 30, 2015}} In an interview with the Rap Radar Podcast, Ibrahim Hamad broke down the self-sufficiency of the artists on the label saying: "I like letting them figure out what their path is. I look at it like, because we learned what we learned from Cole being signed, what I like to do is [say] ‘what is your vision, and let us help you’. I don't ever want to tell an artist no you can't do that, that's not fair to them."{{cite web |title=EP 02: Ibrahim "Ib" Hamad |url=https://podtail.com/en/podcast/rap-radar-podcast/ep-02-ibrahim-ib-hamad/ |website=Podtail |date=August 10, 2015 |access-date=December 18, 2018}}

On February 20, 2017 Dreamville announced the signing of East Atlanta-based rapper JID to the label.{{Cite web |last=Weinstein |first=Max|title=J.I.D. Signs to J. Cole's Dreamville Records - XXL |url=https://www.xxlmag.com/j-i-d-signs-j-cole-dreamville-label/ |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=XXL Mag |date=February 20, 2017 |language=en}} On August 31, 2017 Dreamville also announced the signing of EarthGang, a hip hop duo consisting of Atlanta-based rappers Olu (Johnny Venus) and WowGr8 (Doctur Dot – born Eian Parker). Both EarthGang and JID had previously toured with Bas and Omen prior to signing to the label.{{cite web|last1=Findlay|first1=Mitch|title=J. Cole Signs EarthGang To Dreamville Records|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/jcole-signs-earthgang-to-dreamville-records-news.36893.html|website=HotNewHipHop|access-date=August 31, 2017|date=August 31, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Goddard|first1=Kevin|title=Stream Earthgang's "Rags" EP|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/stream-earthgangs-rags-ep-new-mixtape.117469.html|website=HotNewHipHop|access-date=September 1, 2017|date=September 1, 2017}}

On January 6, 2019, Dreamville announced a 10-day recording session in Atlanta for the label's third compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III, ending on January 16.{{cite web |title=J. Cole confirms he's recording a third Dreamville collaborative album |url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/01/07/j-cole-dreamville-revenge-of-dreamers-3 |website=The Fader |access-date=January 7, 2019}} During the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, Dreamville held multiple events scheduled for the weekend, starting with an exclusive limited edition merchandise pop-up shop, a Dreamville brunch, and a private concert featuring the artists on the label taking place after the All Star game.{{cite web |title=Dreamville Take Over At NBA All Star Weekend |url=https://the360mag.com/dreamville-take-over-at-nba-all-star-weekend/ |website=The360mag |date=February 16, 2019 |access-date=February 18, 2019}}{{cite web |title=DREAMVILLE TAKES OVER ALL STAR WEEKEND |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/news&id=315270&title+DREAMVILLE-TAKES-OVER-ALL-STAR-WEEKEND |website=HitsDailyDouble |access-date=February 18, 2019}} On July 5, the label's third compilation album was released to critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 115,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8519786/revenge-of-the-dreamers-iii-no-1-billboard-200|title='Revenge of the Dreamers III' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart|magazine=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=July 14, 2019|access-date=July 15, 2019}} The album earned nominations for Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards, while "Middle Child" and "Down Bad" were nominated for Best Rap Performance.{{cite web |last1=C |first1=Noah |title=Grammy Nominations 2020 Are In: See The Full List Here |url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/grammy-nominations-2020-are-in-see-the-full-list-here-news.96081.html |website=HotNewHipHop |access-date=November 20, 2019 |date=November 20, 2019}} In April 2020, the album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

On March 31, 2022, Dreamville released D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape featuring guest appearances from 2 Chainz, ASAP Ferg, Young Nudy, Kenny Mason, Sheck Wes, G Perico, and Reason.{{cite web |title=Dreamville Announces Their 'D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape' With DJ Drama And Shares Its Release Date |url=https://uproxx.com/music/dreamville-d-day-a-gangsta-grillz-mixtape/ |website=Uproxx|date=March 31, 2022 }} The mixtape was released ahead of the second annual Dreamville Festival.{{cite web |title=J. Cole's Dreamville Announces New Mixtape With DJ Drama |url=https://hypebeast.com/2022/3/j-cole-dreamville-announce-new-d-day-a-gangsta-grillz-mixtape-dj-drama |website=Hypebeast|date=March 31, 2022 }} In 2023, It was confirmed that Dreamville will be the primary artists to the soundtrack album to the sports drama film Creed III.

• J. Cole
• Elite{{cite web|last1=Ortiz|first1=Edwin|title="The Album Is Largely From a Perspective That Isn't J. Cole's": Producer Elite on '4 Your Eyez Only'|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2016/12/elite-interview-on-j-cole-4-your-eyez-only|website=Complex|access-date=March 13, 2017|date=December 10, 2016}}
• Omen
• Ron Gilmore{{cite web|author1=Dpak|title=New Interview: Ron Gilmore Speaks on Producing With J. Cole, Grammys, New Mixtape & Nashville Hip Hop|url=http://www.dreamvillenation.net/?p=39|website=Dreamville Nation|access-date=March 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827160512/http://www.dreamvillenation.net/?p=39|archive-date=August 27, 2016|url-status=dead}}
• Cedric Brown{{cite web|title=Cedric "Ced" Brown|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmEdJiG5wck|website=YouTube|access-date=March 13, 2017}}
• KQuick (with Fresh2Def as ClickNPress)
• Jay “Kurzweil” Oyebadejo{{Cite press release|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bas-makes-major-label-debut-with-last-winter-collection-on-j-coles-dreamville-label-for-interscope-254489101.html|title=Bas Makes Major Label Debut With "Last Winter" Collection On J. Cole's Dreamville Label For Interscope|first=Interscope|last=Records|website=www.prnewswire.com|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/151135-bas-milky-way-full-album-credits-are-here-news|title=Bas "Milky Way" Full Album Credits Are Here|first=Karlton|last=Jahmal|date=August 24, 2018|website=HotNewHipHop|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}
• Meez{{cite web|last1=Moreno|first1=Cypress|title=CYPRESSMORENO.com - #YoungCaliforniaRadio Interview w/ Cozz & Meez|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlPxEFXAY4w|website=YouTube|access-date=March 13, 2017|date=January 13, 2016}}
• Hollywood JB{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=John |title=THESE 37 ARTISTS WERE INVITED TO RECORD DREAMVILLE'S 'REVENGE OF THE DREAMERS III' ALBUM IN ATLANTA |url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2019/01/artists-invited-record-dreamville-revenge-dreamers-iii-album/ |website=XXL |date=January 7, 2019 |access-date=January 8, 2019}}
• Christo{{cite web |title=J.I.D releases DiCaprio 2 with help from producer Christo |url=http://www.intheroughstyle.com/audio/dicaprio-2 |website=In The Rough|date=November 30, 2018 }}
• JID

;Studio personnel

• Juro "Mez" Davis (mixing and audio engineer)

In October 2011, Cole established The Dreamville Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization "created to 'bridge the gap' between the world of opportunity and the urban youth" of Cole's hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The foundation conducts philanthropic activities with the aid of volunteers, such as providing school supplies to students.{{Cite web |last=writer |first=Brian Dukes Staff |title=J. Cole and Dreamville Foundation distribute school supplies to hundreds of students |url=https://www.fayobserver.com/story/lifestyle/2013/08/25/j-cole-dreamville-foundation-distribute/22107361007/ |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=The Fayetteville Observer |language=en-US}} The Foundation also launched a book club for young men and sponsored "The Nobody's Perfect Writing Contest and Mother's Day Brunch". It sponsors an annual weekend of Fayetteville community events called the "Dreamville Weekend" that features a discussion with the Young Men's Book Club, an appreciation dinner, and a career day panel with African-American professionals in a variety of fields.{{cite web |title=The Dreamville Foundation {{!}} Bridging the gap between the world of opportunity and the urban youth. |url=http://www.thedreamvillefoundation.org/ |website=www.thedreamvillefoundation.org |access-date=October 22, 2015}}

In 2014, Cole purchased his childhood home in Fayetteville, North Carolina, for $120,000 through the Dreamville Foundation. The home had been repossessed from his mother years earlier while Cole was attending college in New York. His plan is to turn the house into a homestead for single mothers and their children, where they will be able to live rent-free.{{Cite web |last=WTVD |date=2015-01-28 |title=J. Cole to turn childhood home into single-mother safe haven |url=https://abc11.com/j-cole-home-safe-haven-single-women/494997/ |access-date=2022-05-08 |website=ABC11 Raleigh-Durham |language=en}} In 2017 NFL player Colin Kaepernick donated $32,000 to fund multiple projects for the organization.{{cite magazine|last1=Gordon|first1=Jeremy|title=Colin Kaepernick Donates $34,000 to J. Cole's Dreamville Foundation|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7941129/colin-kaepernick-donated-34000-j-coles-dreamville-foundation|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 3, 2017|date=August 23, 2017}}

In September 2018, the Dreamville Foundation unveiled a new initiative to aid victims of Hurricane Florence in Fayetteville, NC. According to the foundation's website, donated funds will go toward "hot food stations placed throughout the city, temporary housing options for families, and stocking of food pantries/shelters", as well as local charities that provide services to Fayetteville residents.{{cite web|title=J. Cole's Dreamville Foundation Announces Hurricane Florence Relief Efforts|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2018/09/dreamville-foundation-raising-money-for-hurricane-florence-relief|website=Complex|date=September 20, 2018}}

On April 27, 2018, J. Cole announced the Dreamville Festival, the festival featuring local music, culture, food and art, and also include a mix of up-and-comers and national acts. It is expected to be an annual festival.{{cite web|last1=Habrahan|first1=Kathy|title=J. Cole announces Raleigh music festival this fall|url=https://www.wral.com/j-cole-announces-raleigh-festival-this-fall/17516145/|website=WRAL|access-date=May 15, 2018|date=April 27, 2018}} However, in the wake of Hurricane Florence, the event was postponed from its original date. The festival was rescheduled and held at the historic Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 6, 2019. The lineup included all of Dreamville's artists as well as SZA, Big Sean, Nelly, 21 Savage, 6LACK, Davido, Teyana Taylor, Saba, Rapsody, and Mez.{{cite web |title=J. Cole Reveals Dreamville Festival 2019 Lineup: SZA, 21 Savage, Big Sean, and More |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/j-cole-reveals-dreamville-festival-2019-lineup-sza-21-savage-big-sean-and-more/ |website=Pitchfork |date=March 19, 2019 |access-date=March 19, 2019}} The Dreamville Festival plan to donate proceeds to the Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy and the Dreamville Foundation.{{cite web|last1=Menconi|first1=David|title=J. Cole is throwing a music festival, and it's going to be in his home state|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/article209941254.html|website=The News & Observer|access-date=May 15, 2018|date=April 27, 2018}} The festival sold out with a capacity of 40,000 people to become the largest event in Raleigh. Ibrahim Hamad remarked on the festival saying "We're not like other companies that are based in a city. Our label is very much an idea, more so than an actual physical place. So you can create it and take it everywhere. To bring that into the festival—where you can just create a place and make it Dreamville and be able to bring people there—was always this cool goal. And that's what makes it unique. It's not based in an actual city. It's just based in our minds."{{cite web |last1=Setaro |first1=Shawn |title=How Dreamville's First Festival Came to Life |url=https://www.complex.com/music/2019/04/how-dreamville-fest-came-to-life |website=Complex |access-date=April 7, 2019}}

For the 2020 season, the Dreamville Festival is front-of-jersey sponsor for USL Championship soccer team North Carolina FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.northcarolinafc.com/news_article/show/1090629|title=North Carolina Football Club Announces Dreamville Festival as NCFC Front-of-Jersey Partner|date=February 27, 2020|website=North Carolina FC}} The second annual festival was initially slated for April 4, 2020 however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed and eventually cancelled. The festival went on at Dix Park as scheduled in 2022, with the dates of April 2–3, its first year being held for two days. The lineup was announced on March 2, a month prior to its commencement, and again included all Dreamville artists, as well as Fivio Foreign, Kehlani, Lil Baby, and Wizkid (Day 1), and Lil Wayne with Jeezy and T.I. as part of DJ Drama's "Gangsta Grillz", Moneybagg Yo, and T-Pain (Day 2). The attendance across the two days totaled 80,000, making it one of the most attended music events in North Carolina history. In addition, the event created an economic impact of $6.7M.{{cite magazine |title=J. Cole's Dreamville Festival Sets New Date Amid Coronavirus Outbreak |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/9334589/dreamville-festival-rescheduled |magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 23, 2020}}

The event returned to Dix Park from April 1-2, 2023 and featured all Dreamville artists, as well as special guests Usher, Drake, Burna Boy, Sean Paul, and more. A concert representative reported that the event was sold out with an estimated attendance of 100,000.{{Cite web|url=https://dreamvillefest.com/|title=Dreamville Music Festival|accessdate=March 11, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-04 |title=Sold-out Dreamville Festival brought 100,000 fans to Raleigh, return planned for 2024 |url=https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/sold-out-dreamville-festival-brought-100000-fans-to-raleigh-return-planned-for-2024/ |access-date=2024-04-01 |website=CBS17.com |language=en-US}}

{{main|Dreamville Ventures}}

On October 12, 2020, Dreamville announced the formation of Dreamville Ventures, a multi-disciplinary media company. Damien Scott is leading the division as president with Candace Rodney as executive vice president, overseeing daily operations including verticals across music, TV and film, publishing, apparel and live events. In a press release with Variety, Cole said: "Dreamville has always been a mom-and-pop operation with grand ambitions and ideas that extend far beyond music. The hiring of Damien and Candace not only expands our family business with two of the smartest and most capable executives in the industry, but allows us to take a massive leap towards turning those big ideas into reality."{{cite web |last1=Ju |first1=Shirley |title=J. Cole's Dreamville Expands, Launches Content Studio With Key Hires (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/j-cole-dreamville-content-studio-ventures-1234792558/ |website=Variety|date=October 12, 2020 }}

On October 12, 2020, Dreamville Studios was launched, a content studio that will produce original and co-produced content, with Candace Rodney who serves as president of Dreamville Studios. Ibrahim Hamad said in a press release: "Dreamville is a brand we built from the ground up and the appointments of Damien and Candace allows us to take the company to levels we’ve always dreamed of while keeping our core values and beliefs at the forefront of our expansion."{{cite web |title=J. COLE LAUNCHES DREAMVILLE STUDIOS |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.58409/title.j-cole-launches-dreamville-studios |website=HipHopDX|date=October 12, 2020 }} Candace Rodney previously worked as senior vice president of development at Wilmore Films, as well as positions at Sony Pictures Television, Lionsgate Television and Creative Artists Agency.

Dreamville Films, Inc is an American entertainment company founded in 2015 that produces and distributes films. In 2015, they established a distribution deal HBO.{{cite web |title="It's Almost Like He Can't Contain Himself:" A Chat With Director Scott Lazer Verifies J. Cole's Intense Work Ethic |url=https://www.vibe.com/2016/01/scott-lazer-j-cole-hbo-documentary |website=Vibe|date=January 8, 2016 }} They released documentaries J. Cole: Road to Homecoming, Forest Hills Drive: Homecoming, and J. Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only in partnership with HBO.

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Category:J. Cole

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