Gotee Records Explained
Gotee Records is a record label of Christian hip-hop, based in Franklin, Tennessee in the United States.
History
The label was founded in 1994 by TobyMac, Todd Collins and Joey Elwood.[1] The first album produced is Out of Eden's Lovin' the Day.[2] [3] The label was a part of EMI Christian Music Group. However, they bought back EMI's minority share to become fully independent again as of March 31, 2008.[4] Toby McKeehan is currently the president of the company and as of 2009, the label is currently distributed by Warner Bros. Records.
McKeehan got the name "Gotee" from the song "Socially Acceptable" on dc Talk's album Free at Last. A member of the band GRITS was doing the background vocals, and he was saying, "Let it go, T, let it go." ("T" refers to Toby). McKeehan happened to be growing a goatee on his face at the time, and when Mark Heimermann pointed out the coincidence, he decided to name his new record company, "Gotee Records".
However, McKeehan does not publish his own albums under this title; instead he publishes his own records under the same label dc Talk was signed to, ForeFront Records, an imprint of Universal Music Group. He owns the name the Gotee Bros.
In May 2015 Gotee was acquired by Zealot Networks. Zealot's Nashville office is headed by former Gotee artist John Reuben. As part of the acquisition Gotee is still operated independently.[5]
Artists
Current artists
Former artists
- Abandon Kansas (active, independent)
- Flynn Adam (active, independent)
- Jeff Anderson (active)
- Aguilar
- Aaron Cole (active, independent)
- Christafari (active, on Soul of Zion Entertainment)
- Curious Fools (disbanded)
- Jeff Deyo (active, on Indelible Creative Group)
- Deepspace5 (active, on Deepspace5 Records)
- DJ Maj (active, on Tractor-Beam Records)
- Family Force 5 (on hiatus; currently on Word Records)
- Finding Favour (active)
- Fighting Instinct (disbanded)
- 4th Avenue Jones (disbanded)
- The Gotee Bros. (disbanded, side project of tobyMac of DC Talk)
- Jamie Grace (active, independent)
- GRITS (on hiatus)
- Hollyn (active, independent)
- House of Heroes (active, currently independent)
- I Am Terrified (active, currently independent)
- The Katinas (active, unsigned)
- Sarah Kelly (active, currently an owner of Sarah Kelly Music School)
- Jennifer Knapp (active, currently unsigned)
- Knowdaverbs (changed name to Verbs; currently with 1280 Music)
- Johnny Q. Public (disbanded)
- LA Symphony (on hiatus; members now performing solo)
- Liquid (active, unsigned)
- Mars Ill (active, on Deepspace5 Records)
- Morgan Harper Nichols (active, independent)
- Our Heart's Hero (disbanded)
- Out of Eden (disbanded)
- Courtnie Ramirez
- Richlin (stylized as RICHLIN)[6]
- Relient K (active, on Mono Vs Stereo Records)
- Stephanie Smith (on hiatus; currently in Copperlily)
- Sonicflood (active on Resonate Records)
- (disbanded)
- B. Reith (active, currently independent)
- John Reuben (active, currently independent)
- Ayiesha Woods (active, independent)
- Paul Wright (active, unsigned)
- Andy Zipf (active, with P is for Panda Records)
Compilations
- Gotee Records presents: Showcase
- We Are Hip Hope
- Freaked! A Tribute to dc Talk's Jesus Freak
- Gotee Records Freshman Class 2000
- Gotee Records: The Soundtrack
- Ten Years Brand New
- Gotee Night Out
- Hip Hope Hits collection[7]
- Tis the Season to be Gotee
- Tis the Season to be Gotee Too
- Gotee Records: Twenty Years Brand New
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 296-297
- Justin Sarachik, TobyMac’s Influence on Christian Hip-Hop and How Gotee Records Signed John Reuben Over KJ-52, rapzilla.com, USA, February 9, 2016
- Price. Deborah Evans. Gotee Grows Into Christian Boutique. Billboard. December 7, 1996. 10. AmericanRadioHistory.Com.
- Web site: Featured News. March 31, 2008. FreeGotee.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080606000558/http://www.freegotee.com/news.php. June 6, 2008. June 11, 2008.
- Web site: NEWS: Zealot Networks Acquires Gotee Records. May 28, 2015. The Gospel Music Association. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305063117/http://www.gospelmusic.org/news-zealot-networks-acquires-gotee-records/. March 5, 2016.
- Web site: JFH News: Gotee Records Welcomes New Artist RICHLIN. Jesus Freak Hideout. February 6, 2020. February 6, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200206223758/https://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2020/02/06.GoteeRecordsWelcomesNewArtistRICHLIN.asp. February 6, 2020. live.
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/HipHopeHits2009.asp "Various Artists Hip Hope Hits 2009"
