| Founder: | Elias de León (C.E.O) |
| Country: | Puerto Rico |
White Lion Records is a reggaeton, Latin Music, Latín reggae and urbano record label established by Elías de León with the release of the album No Mercy by Daddy Yankee in 1995.[1] The label would temporarily change its name to 'Boricua Guerrero' from 1996-2001 until reestablishing as White Lion Records with the releases of Maicol y Manuel's "Como En Los Tiempos De Antes" and the compilation "Planet Reggae" in 2002.[2] As an independent label in 2003, it was selling over 100,000 copies of Tego Calderon's most recent album at the time;[3] it soon after signed a distribution deal with Sony BMG.
White Lion is an issuer of Puerto Rican hip hop, reggaeton, Latin reggae & urbano.[4] The company and its founder Elias de León were first to discover and release material from future reggaeton stars such as Daddy Yankee, Calle 13, Eddie Dee, Mexicano 777 and Tego Calderon.[5] They have released albums like "Calle 13" and "Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo" by Calle 13,[6] "El Abayarde" by Tego Calderon and "El Principe" by Cosculluela. The label is also affiliated with subsidiary imprints "Black Lion", "Nueva Kamada Corp", "Young Lion" and 'Full Metal Enterprise'.[7]
In 2020, Elias intervened in the controversy between Cosculluela and Residente, both members of White Lion, preventing them from releasing diss tracks against each other.[8]
Elías de León has been at the forefront of the Latino urban movement since its first launch in 1997. His musical taste and vision have been an intrinsic part of the birth of the Latino urban scene.
His first foray was with the launch of a "various artist" in the 90's where new artists like "Playero" and Daddy Yankee emerged.
In the mid-'90s, De León began his career as an executive producer for his signature “White Lion” and produced Daddy Yankee's debut album, “No mercy” (1995). A year later, he released the album "White Lion-Rap Reggae All Stars", which gave way to a handful of new talents such as Maicol and Manuel, Don Chezina, Rey Pirín and the Mansion Crew-formed by Alberto Style and Nico Canada.
With the release of "Boricua Guerrero First Combat" he created the first musical project that featured the sound of reggaeton and was the first to combine Anglo and Puerto Rican talent. Among the US rappers featured on the album were Busta Rhymes, Nas, Lost Boys, Q-Tip, Fat Joe and Big Pun. For Puerto Rico, the singers who participated were Daddy Yankee, Eddie Dee, Héctor “El Father”, Tito “El bambino”, Don Chezina, Rey Pirín, Maicol & Manuel and Alberto Stylee.
Elias de León as Executive Producer of his label "White Lion Records" has released albums that many would reject, that vision has catapulted the immense success of artists such as: Calle 13 who to date has won 24 Grammy's.[9] Tego Calderón considered by many to be the Latin Bob Marley and undoubtedly the most respected hip hop MC in Spanish.[10] Julio Voltio, Jowell & Randy, Cosculluela, Los Leones, Nico Canada, J King & Maximan, John Eric, Zion & Lennox are some of the talents that he discovers and launches through his company.
Currently “White Lion Records” is once again redefining the sound of urban music in Spanish with artists like: Álvaro Díaz whose next release is part of the progressive Spanish hip hop movement.[11] Brray, Joyce Santana and Young Martino are others who have already been talked about a lot.[12] La Tribu de Abrante considered a cultural project that challenges percussion progressions of the Bomba genre of Puerto Rico and is presented in a contemporary way to the millennial demographic,[13] IZAAK, a millennial pop talent currently working on his solo album.[14]
(Shelved by Sony Latin when executives of the label believed the album had no commercial potential. Elias De Leon would eventually sell the contract of Arcángel and album rights to Luny Tunes and their company "Mas Flow Inc" which included the masters to the original recordings of "La Maravilla". In response Arcangel and his own label gave the album out for free on the internet and it became the most downloaded free album/mixtape in the history of Spanish Hip Hop and Reggaeton. Luny Tunes and Mas Flow Inc would eventually release a reworked version known as "El Fenómeno" later that year with distribution from Machete Music/Universal Latino. "El Fenomeno" excludes some songs from "La Maravilla".)
(Also shelved by Sony Latin when executives believed there was no commercial potential for the product. Eventually the album was bootlegged in Puerto Rico and found its way onto the internet. The album was praised by the reggaeton community and regarded as the best work of Jowell & Randy's career. In response, White Lion took Cosculluela to Machete Music/Universal Music Latino whom had yet to receive a release date for his anticipated 'El Principe' which was originally going to be distributed by Sony BMG).
Released for free on the internet.
Released alongside Musicologo and Menes (Los De La Nazza)' company Nazza Records.
Released for free download on the internet. You can search it on Google.